It was on this very day in 1653 that a certain O. Cromwell dismissed the Rump Parliament. It can’t be argued that most of the members were crooks and charlatans.

Oh, how times don’t change.

Read his speech and ask yourself if you wouldn’t want it to be given 356 years later on this anniversary.

“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!”

The only problem is that Cromwell led Great Britain’s only military dictatorship and TheEye is nervous about the idea of St Crispin making it a second as our Head of State. Too much inclination just to shoot at things as a solution, really.