He was the most uncommon commoner Britain has ever produced. He abolished monarchial rule, reformed the law, drew the blueprint for religious freedom. Yet he was preceded by one King Charles and followed by another. His followers were reviled or executed; his anti-Catholicism was notorious. Oliver Cromwell described himself as "a miserable and wretched creature"but as Lord Protector he strode through England as God's appointed messenger.
It is scarcely any wonder that this ambiguous Puritan, this bigoted civil libertarian has eluded the makers of Cromwell. Yet it almost seems that they went out of their way to make the elusion mutual....
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