Richard Cromwell was completely unsuited both by temperment and training for high political office. A man of simple tastes he had, except for a brief period of service in Fairfax's regiment, lived the life of a country squire in Hampshire. It was not until 1657 when the need to designate a successor to the Protector developed, that he was brought to London to take his place as a member of the Privy Council. Being a man of considerable dignity and bearing, he might have succeeded had the times been less turbulent. But lacking experience in government he was foredoomed to failure in the office of Protector.

The new Protector had scarcely assumed office when a new dispute broke out in the Council. The generals, led by Disbrowe, wanted to make the army independent of civilian control; but Richard, to his credit, refused to agree to this and for a time their demands subsided. Richard, who had no wish to rule alone, decided to reconvene Parliament and accordingly called for an election early in 1659. Following this the new Parliament met and immediately fell to debating the legality of the Protectorship. However, after lengthy discussion, his right to the office was upheld by a majority vote.

The Council of Officers now resumed its demands; but Richard, backed by Parliament, again refused and ordered the Council to disband. The generals refused and were openly defiant of both Parliament and Protector. On April 22nd, 1659, troops surrounded St. James Palace where the Protector was in residence. Disbrowe and Fleetwood entered the palace where they confronted Richard and demanded the immediate dissolution of Parliament.

The situation now resulting was a strange one. Both leaders of the revolt, Disbrowe and Fleetwood, were related to Richard Cromwell and had no intent to overthrow him or the Protectorate. However they believed that he lacked both the strength and experience to rule and they intended to make him their creature and govern in his name. When they made their demands Richard, displaying more strength of character than they had suspected, objected violently and a stormy scene ensued. Disbrowe [1] told Richard, that if he would dissolve Parliament the officers would take care of him, but that if he refused to do so, they would do it without him and leave him to shift for himself. In the end Richard, convinced of their power, capitulated and accordingly Parliament was once more dismissed.

While the generals, led by Disbrowe and Fleetwood, intended to maintain the Protectorate and govern through it, the junior officers wished to set up a true republic. In this they were supported by the rank and file of the troops. This combination of strength was too great to resist and the upshot was that on May 7th, 1659, the old Long Parliament, sometimes called the Rump, which had been forcibly expelled by Oliver Cromwell (Pride's Purge) in 1653, was restored to power. This Parliament, largely made up of enemies of the Commonwealth, immediately took steps to bring down Richard. This did not take long, for on May 25th, Richard, yielding to pressure, resigned and the Protectorate was ended.

Disbrowe's power was weakened by his failure to maintain the Protectorate but this was not immediately apparent. In fact the Rump, as soon as it was resored, elected him on May 13th., to the Council of State and the Committee of Safety [2]; in July he was named Govenor of Plymouth as well [3].

The soldiers, who were well aware that the government could not survive without their support, continued their drive for greater powers. In October Disbrowe and eight other officers including Lambert and Fleetwood, presented a petition to Parliament outlining their demands. Parliament struck back by declaring the petition to be seditious and discharged Disbrowe and the others from their military posts [4]. What followed was described by Whitelocke: "The Council of State sat, -- there was a fierce debate in which Disbrowe and Lambert defended their position. At last there was reached an agreement that was calculated to prevent bloodshed. eg. Parliament was not to act but the Council of Officers would undertake to preserve the peace and have a form of government drawn up for a new Parliament to be shortly summoned."

Having gained ascendancy, the Council of Officers proceeded to organize, what was virtually, a military government [5]. They appointed Fleetwood to be commander-in-chief and dismissed from their posts, both military and civil, all who were known or suspected of being against their plan to govern. Next a committee of ten, including Disbrowe, was named to consider suitable schemes for carrying on the government. Another committee, including Disbrowe, Lambert, Fleetwood and Vane was formed for the purpose of nominating officers for the various army and naval commands. One of the first acts of this committee was to restore Disbrowe's army rank and appoint him Commissary General of the horse [6]. Still another committee, this one vested with the powers formerly held by the Council of State, was set up for the management of public affairs: to this were appointed, Disbrowe, Lambert, Fleetwood, Vane, Steel, Whitelock, Ludlow, Sydenham, Strickland, Berry, Laurence, Harrington, Wareston, Ireton, Tichburn, Brandith, Thompson, Hewson, Clerk. Kilburn, Bennett and Holland.

In spite of the frenzied efforts of the officers to organize a government, the Commonwealth was falling apart. It was becoming obvious that the country had lost confidence in its rulers. The effort of attempting to hold together this ramshackle government imposed a great strain on Disbrowe causing to act unwisely. Always a brusque, short tempered man, he now became: "so violent as to render him an object of popular derision." An anonymous correspondent writing to Thurloe stated: "Everybody laughs at the Lord Fleetwood and Disbrowe." To make matters worse, wholesale desertions from the army and the undependability of the fleet, left the generals without power to enforce their rule. They were forced to give way and in December 1659, the Rump Parliament was restored for the second time. One of its first actions was to place Disbrowe under a form of house arrest at his home, "farthest off London."

The collapse of the home army left General Monk the commander in Scotland with the only effective fighting force in the islands. The general, a former Royalist, sized up the situation, marched south to London, and in March 1660, dissolved the Rump. A new election was called and in April, for the first time in many years, a free Parliament was elected and met at Westminster. It immediately invoted Charles II to return and assume the throne of England. On May 29th 1660, he reentered London amid scenes of great rejoicing.

Charles, not unnaturally, proceeded to wipe out all traces of the Protectorate. However he had the good sense not to be overly harsh with those who had served in good faith. The Act of Indemnity, passed on June 13th, 1660, exempted from punishment all but those who had signed the death warrant of Charles I. Twelve of these unfortunates were executed, others saved themselves by fleeing to foreign parts.

He was less charitable with the dead. On January 30th, 1661, the bodies of Cromwell, Ireton, Bradshaw and others were removed from their graves in Westminster Abbey, hanged on the gallows, and afterwards buried beneath it.

Although Disbrowe had opposed the execution of the King, he was afraid for his safety and attempted to leave the country [8]. He had hoped to cross over to the continent but was caught when near the coast of Essex; however, he was able to prove that he had not been one of the regicides and was allowed to go free, though forbidden on pain of life and property, to hold public office again.

But no sooner had he extricated himself from these difficulties when he was again placed under arrest and this time confined to the Tower. The charge was that he had plotted to kill the King and the latter's mother, Henrietta Maria. Again no supporting evidence was found and he was allowed to go free. Being justifiably apprehensive of further harassment, he escaped to Holland [9].

In Holland he made some abortive attempts to reorganize a republican party. The King's government learning of this, ordered him to return to England on pain of being declared a traitor. He obeyed their orders and returned to England in July 1666. Ke was once again confined to the tower to await trial [10].

It was not until seven months later, on February 23rd, 1667, that he appeared for examination before Lord Chancellor Clarendon, the Duke of Albermarle and Lord Arlington. But they were unable to find that he had done any serious injury to the crown and once more he was freed [11].

After his final clearance, he settled in Hackney with his second wife. Here, we may be sure, he lived quietly and took no part in public affairs; but since he was well-to-do and the owner of considerable property, it is reasonably certain that his retirement was not unpleasant. In him famous diary, Pepys reports seeing him [12]: "In our way in Tower Street, we saw Desborough walking on foot, who is now no more a prisoner, and looks well, and just as he used to do heretofore."

Notes:

1. Clarendon, Vol. III, p 515; Ludlow, Vol. II, p 68-69.
2. Ludlow, Vol. II, p 80-83; Whitelocke. Vol. IV, p 678.
3. Whitelocke, Vol. IV, p 678-681.
4. Whitelocke, Vol. IV, p 676-684.
5. Whiteiocke, Vol. IV, p 684; Clarendon, Vol. II, p 545; Ludlow, Vol. II, p 130-31.
6. Whiteiocke, Vol. IV, p 685; Clarendon, Vol. III, p 543; Ludlow, Vol. II, p l30.
7. Thurloe, Vol. III, p 823.
8. D.M.B. (quoted from Commons Journals, Vol. VIII, p 39)
9. Ludlow, Vol. II, p 328.
10. Ludlow, Vol. II, p 393, 490.
11. D.N.B. (quoted from Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1666-67, p 531.
12. Pepys, Vol. III, p 108.

Chapter Thirteen: Disbrowe: The Man and His Family