Wednesday 20 May 2009

Ring any bells?

Oliver Cromwell's Speech on the Dissolution of the Long Parliament

Given to the House of Commons



20 April 1653



It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonoured 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 pertinent!

12 comments:

Keith said...

You swine! You copied that off my blog, sorry, the NEW "Earl Shiton Views" weblog!

Mr Farty said...

Spot on, pal, spot on.

Wendy Ascham said...

See John? When you post something like that people think it's "politically incorrect" and dare not comment; Mr Farty excluded of course.

Better stick to the dirty jokes!

Mal Kiely [Lancelots Pram] said...

Spot-on and perfect. I believe someone used that same quote in Parliament on a British PM in the 1930's, I think? The place shook! lol

Unknown said...

Keith,I did not! I recieved it as an E-mail!

OldLady Of The Hills said...

It is scary and so disheartening that this was written in the 1650's and could have been written today...And not just applicable to your country, I am sorry to say....! Sorry to read that all of these things are happening there.

ChrisB said...

Nothing changes.

Blazing said...

I think we should blow up Parliament and put an end to it. Anybody fancy a coffee first?

Anonymous said...

Sir - I knew Oliver Cromwell, and you are no Oliver Cromwell...

#Debi said...

That's a great speech and all, but I'm still a bit steamed over what Cromwell did to the Irish...we Celts have long memories...

Keith said...

Believe it or not, but I have talked to some 15 - 16 year olds who's knowledge of history from 1928 - 1945 is very limited and they said they had never heard of the battle of Waterloo.

One girl(about 15 yrs old) didn't even know that we had a Civil War in this country between the Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 to 1651! "Who's Oliver whats-his-name ....., Cromwell then?"

Pat said...

To hell with PC. And so say all of us - in this neck of the woods.