20 April 1653, London, England
"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place,which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice.
Ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government.
Ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.
Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess?
Ye have no more religion than my horse. Gold is your God. Which of you have not bartered your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?
Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defiled this sacred place, and turned the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices?
Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation. You were deputed here by the people to get grievances redressed, are yourselves become the greatest grievance.
Your country therefore calls upon me to cleanse this Augean stable, by putting a final period to your iniquitous proceedings in this House; and which by God's help, and the strength he has given me, I am now come to do.
I command ye therefore, upon the peril of your lives, to depart immediately out of this place.
Go, get you out! Make haste! Ye venal slaves be gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors.
In the name of God, go!"
In the name of God, go!"
History repeats itself.
Eddie
Old Ollie certainly had a turn of phrase, didn't he? And it's nice to see there was no ambiguity in what he said! Despite his many critics, Oliver Cromwell was a Good Thing for Britain.
ReplyDeleteI love history, thank for reminding us that☺
ReplyDelete...sounds familiar.
ReplyDeleteLesson learned!
ReplyDeleteawwww...I wish 'our guy' could dismiss Congress...sigh
ReplyDeleteTimes change. People don't.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this historical letter. Thanks Eddie and I do wish you all the very best in what's coming.
ReplyDeleteThis is really interesting, Eddie. He sure says what he thinks, doesn't he?!
ReplyDeleteHistory does repeat itself I was going to say too.
ReplyDeleteIt does sound familiar
ReplyDeleteIt all ended in years. I'm on the lookout for a pikestaff.
ReplyDeleteGostei deste artigo e aproveito para desejar a continuação de uma boa semana.
ReplyDeleteAndarilhar
Dedais de Francisco e Idalisa
O prazer dos livros
Me recuerda mucho estas palabras. Saludos.
ReplyDeleteThat is just hilarious!
ReplyDeleteit seemed i am watching an old historical drama on netflix dear Eddi!
ReplyDeletei honestly don't know what prompted this post but my best wishes for your land and people always my friend!
a very interesting letter!!
ReplyDeleteYep ~ history repeats itself ~ 'when do we learn, finally.' ~ hmmmmm
ReplyDeleteHappy Day to You,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)