The Commonwealth and its enemies

The family of Charles I fled abroad after the Civil War. But his eldest son, Prince Charles, hoped that he would return to England one day. Cromwell's army and navy kept watch to see that he did not.

Cromwell's first task was to deal with rebels in Ireland who took the side of Prince Charles. Cromwell and the army crossed to Ireland and crushed the revolt. The Irish people have hated the name Cromwell ever since.

The prince also got help from the Scots. They crowned him King Charles II in 1650. A Scots army invaded England, but Cromwell beat it at the Battle of Worcester. Roundhead troops searched for the prince after the battle, but he managed to escape to France.

Cromwell had spies all over England, and secret agents abroad. Men who had fought for the king had to pay a special tax, and many lost their land. The major-generals had to watch Royalists (men known to be on the prince's side). Some of them banned horse-racing, so that there would be less chance for crowds to gather, and for the prince's friends to meet.

Walter Robson: Crown, Parliament and People; Oxford University Press, 1992/2002, page 45