Given to the House of Commons
20th 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 barter'd 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 defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd 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 redress'd, are yourselves gone!
So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors. In the name of God, go!
How apt!
H/T The Smiths
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the Dissolution of the Long Parliament
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5 comments:
As good today as it ever was...He new well the type of "men" attracted to this place.
I did not know there was a labor government back then
You've lost me Theo. I thought you were a monarchist and now you're advocating the words of someone who committed regicide and later dissolved parliament and appointed himself the effective monarch with the backing of the army (ie effectively a military dictatorship.)
Hardly a role model for how parliament should be reformed.
Well this speech has just been read on Radio Essex. I must say if a similar speech were madein parliament today, the many of MP's would not know what he was on about... Esau ... Judas ... God? Who are they????
As to Josh's comment - yes, Cromwell may have been a good speaker, but he did effectively make a coup d'etat.
John
But David Brooks liked him. His pantaloons were impeccably creased...
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