Nearly all my life I have been fascinated with History. Have never read fiction or Mills and Boon, give me a book about Richard III and I'm in heaven. It never ceases to amaze me how things are so different now, but are also the same. History I believe is a really important subject to study, to see how our forfathers handled things, and to maybe stop us making the same mistakes.
Anyway, onto the subject of the post. I watched a programme late at night over the weekend about great orators and great speeches. One, that I admit to not hearing before even though I have an interest in history, was by Oliver Cromwell. It was a speech made to the House of Commons on the 20th April 1653. It's quite amazing to me how it fits in this day and age.
Dissolution of the Long Parliament by Oliver Cromwell 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 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!"
How we could do with Mr Cromwell to clear out some of the rubbish in Parliament now!!
5 comments:
The thing that irritaes me most about Parliament and our polititions is the fact there are so many of them.
I think the country could be run by a much smaller number of figureheads with a few assistants.
Think of the millions it would save if we got rid of 80% of them and I'm sure it wouldn't effect the job they do. In fact I'd go as far as saying it would be more efficient.
You do have a point Mick. All the bureaucracy has got out of control. You see it in the National Health service where loads of money is spent on managers and Executives instead of health.
not been on here for ages cos im obsessed with facebook now lol. but just had to commenn this. im going to name drop here..........oliver cromwell is one of my ancestors. no honestly he is.
Have you been doing your family tree then? How did you find this out?
not done family tree at all but is just something that was told to me many years ago, apparently on my mothers side, she came from a very well to do family but unfortunately fell out with them :(
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