Cromwell dissolves Parliament, 20 April 1653
It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this
place, which you have dishonored 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
hel 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!
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