h interested the public for some time was the funeral of
the late Protector. His body had been embalmed, and conveyed to
Somerset House, there to lie in open state, amid banners,
escutcheons, black velvet draperies and all the sombre gorgeousness
that could be devised from a study of the greatest royal funerals on
record, including a superb effigy of his Highness, robed in purple,
ermined, sceptred, and diademed, to represent the life; and not till
the 23rd of November was there an end to these ghastly splendours by
a great procession from Somerset House to Westminster Abbey to
deposit the effigy in the chapel of Henry VII., where the body itself
had already been privately interred.--A week after this disappearance
of the last remains of Oliver (Nov. 29, 1658) it was resolved in
Council to call a Parliament. This, in fact, was but carrying out the
intention formed in the late Protectorate; but, while the cause that
had mainly made another Parliament desirable to Oliver was still
excruciatingly in force,--to wit, the exhaustion of funds,--it was
considered fitting moreover that Richard's accession should as soon
as possible pass the ordeal of Parliamentary approval. Thursday, Jan.
27, 1658-9, was the day fixed for the meeting of the Parliament.
Through the intervening weeks, while all the constituencies were
busy with the canvassing and the elections, the procedure of Richard
and his Council at Whitehall seemed still regular and judicious.
There was due correspondence with foreign powers, and there was no
interruption of the home-administration. The Protector kept court as
his father had done, and conferred knighthoods and other honours,
which were thankfully accepted. Sermons were dedicated to him as "the
thrice illustrious Richard, Lord Protector." In short, nearly five
months of his Protectorship passed away without any tumult or
manifest opposition.[1]

[Footnote 1: _Merc. Pol._, from Sept. 1658 to Jan. 1658-9, as
quoted in _Cromwelliana_, 178-181; Thurloe, VII. 383-384, _et
seq._ as far as 541; Whitlocke, IV. 335-339; Phillips (i.e.
continuation of Baker's Chronicle by Milton's nephew, Edward
Phillips), ed. 1679, pp. 635-639; _Peplum Olivarii_, a funeral
sermon on Oliver, dated Nov. 17, 1658, among Thomason
Pamphlets.--Knights of Richard's dubbing in the first five months of
his Protectorate were--General Morgan (Nov. 26), Captain Beke (Dee.
6), and Colonel Hugh Bethel (Dee. 26). There may have been others.]

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