ND EXPLANATORY PETITION AND ADVICE: ABSTRACT OF THE ARTICLES OP 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.

Willing to relieve his government, if possible, from the character of
"arbitrariness" it had so long borne, Cromwell had at last resolved
on calling another Parliament. The matter had been secretly
deliberated in Council in May and June 1656, and the writs were out
on July 10. There had ensued, throughout England, Scotland, and
Ireland, a great bustle of elections, the Major-Generals in England
and the Councils in Scotland and Ireland exerting themselves to
secure the return of Oliverians, and the Protector and his Council by
no means easy as to the result. Two recent Republican pamphlets had
caused agitation. One, which had been called forth by a Proclamation
of a General East a month or two before, was by Sir Henry Vane, and
was entitled _A Healing Question Propounded and Resolved._ It
was temperate enough, approving of the government in some respects,
and even suggesting the continuance of some kind of sovereignty in a
single person, but containing censures of the "great interruption" of
popular liberties, and appeals to the people to do their part. The
other and later pamphlet (Aug. 1), directly intended to bear on the
Elections, was called _England's Remembrancer,_ and was
virtually a call on all to use their votes so as to return a
Parliament that should unseat Oliver. The author of this second
pamphlet evaded detection; but Vane was brought to task for his. He
was summoned to London from his seat of Belleau in Lincolnshire,
July 29; by an order of Aug. 21 he was required to give security in
L5000 that he would do nothing "to prejudice the present government";
and, on his refusal, there issued a warrant, signed by Henry
Lawrence, as President of the Council, for his committal to King
Charles's old prison, Carisbrooke Castle in the Isle of Wight. About
the same time, precautions were taken with Bradshaw, Harrison,
Ludlow, Lawson, Rich, Okey, Alured, and others. Bradshaw was
suspended for a week or two from his Chief-Justiceship of Chester;
Harrison was sent to Pendennis Castle in Cornwall; Rich to Windsor;
security in L5000 was exacted from Ludlow, or rather arranged for him
by Cromwell; and the