However since this Parliament only lasted for 3 weeks, Cromwell found himself footloose once again. In 1631 he found a job as a working farmer v/s he had moved down from gentry to the middling sort. However his luck changed to the better though it came to him as good and bad news. In 1636 his mother died with an unborn baby still in her womb, and with that happening, left him with the reversion of leases held by his uncle from the dean and chapter of Ely. He therefore returned and worked as a farmer near Ely, reviving his economic status.
Therefore what we can tell from his early life is that he was prone to manic depression (will be seen later in his life as well) and believed he was led by the will of God "God's Providence" (which was the source of his enthusiasm). .
1640-1642 Early years of the Long Parliament.
In 1640 Cromwell returned to London to join the newly created Long Parliament as an MP for Cambridge. Although an enthusiast, he said very little and therefore played a minor role in Parliament. He was however in an extremist group of MPs, led by John Pym, who did not trust Charles I and wanted to push even further with demands from him. .
During this time Cromwell strongly believed in the Parliament's rights and freedoms, as well as the determination to fight for a godly church (he sided with the puritan church). The latter called to him on 1 November 1641 when exaggerated news of a horrific massacre of English protestants by the Catholics in Ireland, sparked a growing fear in him. Cromwell saw this as a Catholic invasion of England. Without doubt an army had to be raise by the Long Parliament to suppress this rebellion, but there was doubt, for the King could have used this army against them.
In an attempt to prevent this, John Pym proposed that the Kings advisers should be approved by parliament. This however was seen as a radical change for most of the moderate MPs as well as the King who attempted to arrest five of the parliament members.
