Pop Goes
the Weasel by Albert Jack
August 5th 2008
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In 1649, he married Dorothy, the daughter of Richard Maijor, and settled
on the family estate at Hursley. During the 1650s, Richard Cromwell's
lack of ambition appeared to be troubling his father to the point
where, in 1653, he was not included in the elder Cromwell's 'Barebones
Parliament', although his younger brother Henry was. When Oliver became
Lord Protector in 1653, Richard was offered no public role and instead
his father wrote to Richard Maijor: 'I would have him mind and understand
business, read history and study cosmography and mathematics - these
things are good, with subordination to the things of God. Better than
idleness or mere outward worldly contents. There are things fit for
public service, for which a man is born.' But, in accordance with the constitution of the Protectorate, Oliver Cromwell was required to name, or at least nominate, a successor, and in 1657 began to include Richard in affairs of state. In June of that year, he was at his father's side during his second installation as Lord Protector, and the following month was given the role of Lord Chancellor at Oxford University. By December, the prodigal son had even become a member of the Council of State. But he wasn't ready to succeed his father after Oliver Cromwell's death the following year. Unlike his father, Richard had no real military or political experience and therefore cut little ice with either the army or Parliament. To make matters worse, he had inherited a regime that was in debt to the tune of £2 million - billions in today's terms - and measures had to be taken. In April 1659, when Parliament threatened cuts to reduce army funding, the generals presented a petition to Richard Cromwell which he passed on to Parliament. Igoring the petition, Parliament instead passed two resolutions banning any meetings of army officers without the express permission of the Lord Protector and Parliament, and demanding that officers swear an oath that they would never disrupt or prevent the business of Parliament by force. The army responded by demanding the dissolution of Parliament. Richard refused and hostile troops began to gather at St James's in London. Having given into the troops' demands, his next mistake was to refuse an offer of heavily armed support from the French ambassador. By now, he was being ridiculed and mocked by enemies and supporters aliked, his nicknames ranging from Queen Dick, Tumbledown Dick and Hickory Dick. Before the year was out, Richard had effectively been forced from office and the monarchy restored in the shape of King Charles II. And this leads neatly to the suggestion that 'Hickory, Dickory, Dock' is directly connected with the ineffectual Richard Cromwell (Hickory Dick) and his one-year reign (The clock struck one, / The mouse ran down). The second (rarely used) verse would also appear to be about Richard's rapid rise from nowhere (The pig flew up in the air) and back down again, ousted from the throne by Charles II (The man in brown / Soon brought him down): The pig flew up in the air The man in brown Soon brought him down Dickory, dickory, dare. |
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