Posted on 12/14/2010 2:39:21 PM PST by marshmallow
Above is a missive in the hand of Oliver Cromwell complaining how his ban on Christmas was being defied by the citizens of London. But what really disturbed him were the pictures of Charles I. To quote:
The Councell haveing received severall Informations that there was avery wilfull & strict observation of the day com[m]only called Christmasse day throughout the Cittyes of London & Westm[inster] by agenerall keeping of their shops shut up and that there were Contemptuous speeches used by some in favour thereof, which the Councell conceiveing to be upon the old grounds of superstition and malignancy and tending to the avowing of the same and Contempt of the present Lawes and governm[en]t have thought fit that the Parlam[en]t be moved to take the same into Consideration for such further provisions and penaltyes for the abolishing & punishing of those old superstitions observations and meeting w[i]th such malicious contradiction of offenders in that behalfe as their wisedomes shall iudge fit, They have likewise received informations of frequent resort unto and exerciseing of the idolatrous masse in severall places to the great dishono[u]r of Almightie God, notorious breach of the lawes and scandal of the governm[en]t wherein according to notice given they have already taken some Course and desire the parlam[en]t will be pleased to take that matter alsoe into their Consideration for further remedies & suppression of that Idolatrie in such way as to them shall seeme meet.That it be likewise reported to the Parl[amen]t that the Councell is informed that there are still remaining the Armes and pictures of the late King in severall Churches Halls, upon the Gates and in other publique places of the Citty of London.
That the parl[amen]t bee moved to appoint whom they shall thinke fitt to see the same armes & pictures taken downe and defaced and to give an Account of their executing the same w[i]thin such tyme as they shall thinke fit to allow for that purpose.
The Puritan Christmas.
The puritans were an enigmatic bunch.
Cromwell may have been a fascist, but you have to admit that he was also a pretty good genocidal maniac.
A small price to pay for the destruction of monarchical absolutism from which we all benefit from today...
List to me and you shall hear, news hath not been this thousand year:
Since Herod, Caesar, and many more, you never heard the like before.
Holy-dayes are despis'd, new fashions are devis'd.
Christmas is kicked out of Town.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
The wise men did rejoyce to see our Savior Christs Nativity:
The Angels did good tidings bring, the Sheepheards did rejoyce and sing.
Let all honest men, take example by them.
Why should we from good Laws be bound?
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
Command is given, we must obey, and quite forget old Christmas day:
Kill a thousand men, or a Town regain, we will give thanks and praise amain.
The wine pot shall clinke, we will feast and drinke.
And then strange motions will abound.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
Our Lords and Knights, and Gentry too, doe mean old fashions to forgoe:
They set a porter at the gate, that none must enter in thereat.
They count it a sin, when poor people come in.
Hospitality it selfe is drown'd.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
The serving men doe sit and whine, and thinke it long ere dinner time:
The Butler's still out of the way, or else my Lady keeps the key,
The poor old cook, in the larder doth look,
Where is no goodnesse to be found,
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
To conclude, I'll tell you news that's right, Christmas was kil'd at Naseby fight:
Charity was slain at that same time, Jack Tell-troth too, a friend of mine,
Likewise then did die, rost beef and shred pie,
Pig, Goose and Capon no quarter found.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
The tune is "When the King Shall Have His Own Again". That's consistent.
He replaced an absolutist monarch with an absolutist fascist dictator (himself).
Then his son became an absolutist dictator (wow - that's really different from absolutist monarchy!).
Then his son was replaced by an absolutist monarch.
You need to hit the books.
Ping
And then the Puritans, who, imho, left way too much of the Good Stuff back on the Continent, continued to NOT celebrate Christmas. “Always winter but never Christmas.”
I have, and whilst Cromwell wasn’t perfect, he delivered the monarchy the jolly good kicking it needed to check its absolutist pretensions. I shudder to think of the world we might have lived in had the Royalists won the Civil War...
Some of the same views of the Puritans can be seen in denominations that have problems with statues, painted glass, crucifixes, and saints days. The “blue laws” still exist in my county in which you are not allowed to sell alcoholic beverages on Sunday. I fear that many well meaning Christians would love to see the government enforce religious laws on the nation.
They think other people should have problems with them too, which seems to lead to a lot of frustration.
People say similar things about Fidel Castro.
Good quote.
And the Royalists did win the Civil War. They lost the battle, but when Cromwell's fascist police state collapsed, the English welcomed the Royalists back.
The banksters who financed Cromwell's New Modal Army would certainly agree with you. They became the new monarchs and remain so today. It was a very small price for them to pay.
I wonder if Ollie’s cards were maxed out.
Boy, they weren’t much on spelling were they?
He isn’t thought of to highly in Ireland I can tell you that.
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