ries, neglecting the chiefs, which were often tended to find a compromise with the monarchy. "He was prompt and eager when many hung back, recruiting men into his first troops of horse who had, like himself 'the fear of God and made some conscience of what they did'." Cromwell had never been trained in war, but from the very beginning he showed consummate genius as a general. Following P. Gaunt's ideas, there was a number of reasons, explaining Cromwell's success as of the military leader. First of all, he mentions the cooperation with various commanders, which had failures in battlefields. Secondly, Cromwell charged his troops and routed them into the still stationary royalists. Moreover, he showed a strong interest in the well being of his men. He repeatedly begged supplies from local and central government. To go further, Cromwell recognized that gentlemen were more likely to make good soldiers than asocial people. He took care that his own officers and troopers were sober, godly men. He imposed a strong discipline, throughout his regime. To talk about religious freedom during his Protectorate, it should be mentioned, that "Cromwell was likely to ally with those politicians who favored a broad religious settlement." Religious toleration improved a great deal during his reign. Just as Cromwell did not care much about worldly forms of government, as long as they facilitated progress towards divine ends, so he was not too concerned about the outward forms of religion and religious organization. What mattered to Cromwell was the people should understand God's fundamental truths and should earn salvation. Outside the church he permitted all Christians to practice their own religion so long as they did not create "disorder and unrest." Lord Protector allowed the use of The Book of Common Prayer in private houses and "even the English Roman Catholics were better off under the protectorate than they had been before." Heretics were...
