\"Irememberwell，MrCowley，whatyouhavesaidconcerningthesethingsinyourDiscourseoftheGovernmentofOliverCromwell，whichmyfriendElwoodreadtomelastyear。Truly，foreleganceandrhetoric，thatessayistobecomparedwiththefinesttractatesofIsocratesandCicero。Butneitherthatnoranyotherbook，noranyevents，whichwithmostmenhave，morethananybook，weightandauthority，havealteredmyopinion，that，ofallassembliesthateverwereinthisworld，thebestandthemostusefulwasourLongParliament。Ispeaknotthisaswishingtoprovokedebate;whichneitheryetdoIdecline。\"
MrCowleywas，asIcouldsee，alittlenettled。Yet，ashewasamanofakinddispositionandamostrefinedcourtesy，heputaforceuponhimself，andansweredwithmorevehemenceandquicknessindeedthanwashiswont，yetnotuncivilly。\"Surely，MrMilton，youspeaknotasyouthink。IamindeedoneofthosewhobelievethatGodhathreservedtohimselfthecensureofkings，andthattheircrimesandoppressionsarenottoberesistedbythehandsoftheirsubjects。YetcanIeasilyfindexcusefortheviolenceofsuchasarestungtomadnessbygrievoustyranny。Butwhatshallwesayforthesemen？Whichoftheirjustdemandswasnotgranted？Whichevenoftheircruelandunreasonablerequisitions，soasitwerenotinconsistentwithalllawandorder，wasrefused？HadtheynotsentStraffordtotheblockandLaudtotheTower？HadtheynotdestroyedtheCourtsoftheHighCommissionandtheStarChamber？HadtheynotreversedtheproceedingsconfirmedbythevoicesofthejudgesofEngland，inthematterofship—money？Hadtheynottakenfromthekinghisancientandmostlawfulpowertouchingtheorderofknighthood？Hadtheynotprovidedthat，aftertheirdissolution，triennialparliamentsshouldbeholden，andthattheirownpowershouldcontinuetilloftheirgreatcondescensiontheyshouldbepleasedtoresignitthemselves？Whatmorecouldtheyask？Wasitnotenoughthattheyhadtakenfromtheirkingallhisoppressivepowers，andmanythatweremostsalutary？Wasitnotenoughthattheyhadfilledhiscouncil—boardwithhisenemies，andhisprisonswithhisadherents？Wasitnotenoughthattheyhadraisedafuriousmultitude，toshoutandswaggerdailyundertheverywindowsofhisroyalpalace？Wasitnotenoughthattheyhadtakenfromhimthemostblessedprerogativeofprincelymercy;that，complainingofintolerancethemselves，theyhaddeniedalltolerationtoothers;thattheyhadurged，againstforms，scrupleschildishasthoseofanyformalist;thattheyhadpersecutedtheleastremnantofthepopishriteswiththefiercestbitternessofthepopishspirit？Musttheybesidesallthishavefullpowertocommandhisarmies，andtomassacrehisfriends？
\"Formilitarycommand，itwasneverknowninanymonarchy，nay，inanywellorderedrepublic，thatitwascommittedtothedebatesofalargeandunsettledassembly。Fortheirotherrequisition，thatheshouldgiveuptotheirvengeanceallwhohaddefendedtherightsofhiscrown，hishonourmusthavebeenruinedifhehadcomplied。Isitnotthereforeplainthattheydesiredthesethingsonlyinorderthat，byrefusing，hisMajestymightgivethemapretenceforwar？
\"Menhaveoftenrisenupagainstfraud，againstcruelty，againstrapine。Butwhenbeforewasitknownthatconcessionsweremetwithimportunities，graciousnesswithinsults，theopenpalmofbountywiththeclenchedfistofmalice？WasitliketrustydelegatesoftheCommonsofEngland，andfaithfulstewardsoftheirlibertyandtheirwealth，toengagethemforsuchcausesincivilwar，whichbothtolibertyandtowealthisofallthingsthemosthostile。Evilindeedmustbethediseasewhichisnotmoretolerablethansuchamedicine。Thosewho，eventosaveanationfromtyrants，exciteittocivilwardoingeneralbutministertoitthesamemiserablekindofreliefwherewiththewizardsofPharaohmockedtheEgyptian。Wereadthat，whenMoseshadturnedtheirwatersintoblood，thoseimpiousmagicians，intending，notbenefittothethirstingpeople，butvainandemulousostentationoftheirownart，didthemselvesalsochangeintobloodthewaterwhichtheplaguehadspared。Suchsadcomfortdothosewhostirupwarministertotheoppressed。Butherewherewastheoppression？Whatwasthefavourwhichhadnotbeengranted？Whatwastheevilwhichhadnotbeenremoved？
Whatfurthercouldtheydesire？\"