Let us restore the king to his throne, and let the king in future agree to govern with the consent of Parliament. Let us restore the old church, with its bishops, since that is what most of the people want; but since the Puritans and Separatists and Baptists have served us well in the war, let us not persecute them anymore but let them worship as they like, outside of the established church. And so let us have peace and liberty.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Cromwell proposes a compromise restoring the monarchy and church but granting religious tolerance to dissenters for peace.
- In plain terms
- He suggests bringing back the king and church but letting different religious groups worship freely to avoid fighting.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek peace through compromise that respects majority preferences while protecting minority rights.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a peace deal sustainable?
- How do you balance tradition and change?
Another view
Compromise may satisfy no one fully and can be seen as weakness.
More from Oliver Cromwell
He who stops being better stops being good.
Permalink to quote #47 Not only strike while the iron is hot, but make it hot by striking.
Permalink to quote #49 A man of war is the best ambassador.
Permalink to quote #46
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