When the Rump Parliament exposed intention to nominate its own members to judge new elections, Lord General Oliver Cromwell led a body of troops to Westminster and forcibly expelled the Rump Parliament (20 Apr 1653).
Supreme Authority, Nominated or "Barebone's" Parliament (1653) Considering that the Rump Parliament had betrayed the aspirations of the Puritans, Major-General Thomas Harrison proposed a Parliament based upon the ancient Jewish Sanhedrin or Assembly of Saints. The idea was supported by Cromwell and other Army radicals. The Army Council sent letters to the congregational churches inviting suggestions of fit persons to sit in a new assembly. From the names submitted, the Council chose 140 members: 129 for England, 5 for Scotland, and 6 for Ireland. The writs for summong an assembly of "divers Persons, fearing God, and of approved Fidelity and Honesty" were signed by Cromwell on 6 Jun 1653. The delegates of what was defined in the Instrument signed by Cromwell as the Supreme Authority met for an informal meeting on 4 Jul 1653 and held the first formal session in St. Stephen's Chapel on 5 Jul 1653, on which day the first order of business was the election of Francis Rous as Speaker. By a resolution of 6 Jul 1653 the assembly assumed the name of Parliament (extended to the Parliament of the Commonwealth of England on 7 Jul 1653) that was officially announced in the Proclamation of 12 Jul 1653. However, this parliament known as Nominated (or Little or Barebones) Parliament proved to be short-lived as on 12 Dec 1653, its conservative members voted to "to deliver up unto the Lord General Cromwell the Powers which they received from him." On 16 Dec 1653, the first Commonwealth constituion, the "Instrument of Government," was accepted by Cromwell establishing the system of Protectorate.