PREFACE THE publication of a new edition of The History of the Commonwealth and Protectorate renders a few words of preface necessary. The three volumes forming the first edition of Mr. Gardiner's book were published in 1894, 1897, and 1901 respectively. Only the first of these, which reached a third edition in 1901, had the advantage of revision and correction by the author himself. However, Mr. Gardiner appended to the third volume two pages of Corrigenda' for Volume 11, and also inserted in his preface to Volume II some additional information which had come to hand too late to be employed in the text of his narrative. These corrections and additions are now incorporated in their proper place, either in the text or the notes. Besides this a certain number of verbal errors and small mistakes have been corrected, some of which were noted by Mr. Gardiner himself in his own copy of the book, while others were pointed out by reviewers. It also seemed desirable, for the benefit of students of the period, to add occasional references in the notes to some recently published works on the history of the time and to some of the documents printed since the first edition of this book appeared. Mr. Gardiner himself edited for the Navy Records Society two volumes of Papers relating to the first Dutch War, issued by that Society in 1899 and 1900. He had previously utilised the evidence which these documents contained in his own account of the war, but as in his footnotes the references are to the manuscripts it was thought well to add references to the subsequently printed collection. In all cases in which something has been added to Mr. Gardiner's notes, or fresh notes have been inserted, the new matter is distinguished by square brackets. Mr. Gardiner fell ill very soon after he began to work at the fourth volume of his History. For that reason he left but one chapter of the projected volume in a sufficiently advanced state for publication. The chapter in question treated principally of the reasons which led the Protector to summon his second Parliament and of the elections which preceded it, and it will form Chapter XLIX of this History. It will also be printed separately and in a larger form as a supplement to the Library Edition. C. H. FIRTH. CONTENTS 1649 January 30. --The power of the sword. Necessity of a temporary settlement February 6.-Abolition of the House of Lords February 7.-Abolition of kingship A Council of State to be erected. February 14-15.-The Council of State chosen February 22.-The engagement modified Final revision of the engagement. Relations between the Council and Parliament February 8, 9.-Judicial appointments February 12.-Appointment of three generals-at-sea Preparations for an invasion of Ireland March 23.-Cromwell explains his reasons for hesitating to |
