When Oliver Cromwell, who led the parliamentary forces to victory in their war against King Charles I, decided after the king's execution to assume the supreme power as Lord Protector of England, the celebrated Presbyterian minister Edmund Calamy expressed his disapproval, saying that it was both unlawful and impracticable.
"The safety of the people was the supreme law," said Cromwell. "And why may I ask you is it impracticable?"
"Because the nation will be against you, nine out of ten at least."
"Very well, sir," replied Cromwell, "but what if I should disarm the nine and put the sword into the tenth man's hand -- would that not do the business?"*
奧立佛．克倫威爾率領國會軍隊，打敗英王查理一世。查理一世遭處死之後，他決定以護國公身分，獨攬大權。著名的長老會牧師愛德蒙．卡拉米不贊同，說那不但非法，也不可行。
克倫威爾說：「論法律，最重要的就是保衞百姓。至於你說不可行，請問為什麼不可？」
「因為國民會反對，至少十有九人會反對。」
克倫威爾回答說：「那好吧，我就要那九個人繳械，而把劍交給第十個人──這不就行了麼？」*
*克倫威爾一六五三年任護國公，到一六五八年去世，其子理查繼位，但翌年即被迫流亡法國。