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 BOYLE. 144 speech for him, which he might read to them the next morning, after having sat among them about an hour. This was accordingly done. The following morning the Protector, to the great surprise of the assembly, seated himself in the chair of state, and after attending to the debates some time, rose and delivered the speech which had been prepared for him by the Lord Broghill, with much better grace than had been expected. " Gentlemen, "I thank fully accept of your services. I have consi- dered your grievances, and think the properest method to redress what is amiss among you, is to do it in the par- liament now sitting, and where I will take care you shall have justice done you. I therefore declare my commis- sion for holding this assembly to be void; and that this general council is now dissolved; and I desire that such of you as are not members of the parliament, will repair forthwith to your respective commands." Fleetwood, Desborough, and the rest of their party were confounded by this spirited speech, and had Richard been capable of acting with the same dignity which he expressed upon this occasion, he might still have retained the power which was bequeathed to him by his father. The faction soon guessed that Broghill was the author olf the speech they bad just heard, and resolved to be re- venged upon him for bis inierference. In consequence of this, at the first meeting of parliament they complained that they had been grossly abused and affronted by a certain lord in that assembly, and therefore moved that an address be presented to his higbness the Protector, to know who advised him to dissolve the council of war without the consent and knowledge of his parliament. Several of Broghill's friends who saw that the storm, was pointed at him, advised him to withdraw; he, bow- ever, sat still, till his enemies had done, and then rose and said, that he was not averse to the presenting such an