By the Sword Sundered (ePub)

Such a blasphemous bastardisation of a word, Commonwealth. Common meaning of, or to, everyone regardless of place or estate and wealth meaning relating to weal wholeness, prosperity, health and success. The Puritans calling the theological tyranny of all aspects of England after the regicide the Commonwealth is almost the closest to the ultimate debasement of English common parlance I can imagine. But not quite. I consider marginally worse their use of Protectorate. You dont protect rabbits by putting the most vicious and nasty weasel you can possibly breed down the warren-holes.
It was bad enough the war between forty-two and forty-six lacerated England corporate in all aspects to a perilous degree. Even the most hideous wounds, if clean, can scab and scar over and the body become hale, if scarred, again. Sometimes surprisingly quickly. Take my word of honour as an ex-Officer for it. During my time soldiering I saw scores of such miraculous cases. But although that war wounded England grievous, it was the toxin of Puritanism so thoroughly rubbed into the gaping injuries during the wounding that turned England corporally and spiritually septic for over a decade thereafter. I pen these words with relief that the Commonwealth and Protectorate are now dead. Puritans are now selling up their property and leaving the country as despised and ostracised scum by the boat-load, with the generality spitting at their backs as they leave. The Americas are welcome to those that are commissioning the voyage boats and Im glad the Shipwrights are profiting from their emergency fabrication. I hope the foundling Colonies have some use for the manure, for the meadows of England dont.