parliament was but, in other words, to restore the king, yet his expressions never once betrayed the secret of his bosom. Nothing but a security of confidence at last extorted the confession from him. He had been intimate with one Morrice, a gentleman of Devonshire, of a sedentary, studious disposition, and with him alone did he deliberate upon the great and dangerous enterprize of the Restoration. Sir John Granville, who had a commission from the king, whom we may now call Charles II., applied for access to the general; he was desired to communicate his business to Morrice. Granville refused, though twice urged, to deliver his message to any but the general himself; so that Monk now finding he could depend upon his minister's secresy, he opened to him his whole intentions; but, with his usual caution, still scrupled to commit any thing to paper. In consequence of these measures the king left the Spanish territories, where he very narrowly escaped being detained at Breda by the governor, under the pretence of treating him with proper respect and formality. Thence he retired into Holland, where he resolved to wait for farther advice.

At length the long expected day for the sitting of a free parliament arrived. The affections of all were turned towards the king; yet such were their fears, and such dangers attended a freedom of speech, that no one dared for some days to make any mention of his name. All this time Monk, with his usual reserve, tried their tempers, and examined the ardour of their wishes at length he gave directions to Annesley, president of the council, to inform them that one Sir John Granville, a servant of the king, had been sent over by his majesty, and was now at the door with a letter to the commons.

Nothing could exceed the joy and transport with which this message was received. The members, for a moment, forgot the dignity of their situations, and indulged in a loud acclamation of applause. Granville was called in, and the letter eagerly read. A moment's pause was scarcely allowed; all at once the house burst into a universal assent to the king's proposals and to diffuse the joy more widely, it was voted that the letter and indemnity should immediately be pub lished.

Charles II. entered London on the twenty-ninth of May, which was his birth-day, in the year one thousand six hundred and sixty. An innumerable concourse of people lined the way wherever he passed, and rent the air with their acclamations. They had been so long distracted by unrelent

ing factions, oppressed and alarmed by a succession of tyrannies, that they could no longer suppress these emotions of delight, to behold their constitution restored, or rather, like a phoenix, appearing more beautiful and vigorous from the ruins of its former conflagration.

Fanaticism, with its long train of gloomy terrors, fled at the approach of freedom; the arts of society and peace began to return; and it had been happy for the people if the arts of luxury had not entered in their train.

EXERCISES.

On the death of Charles I. did Cromwell change his opinions? In what were his first principles of liberty lost? Against whom had he to contend in Ireland? How did he conduct the war in that country? How was he received by the parliament on his return to England? Whom had the Scots placed on the throne? Why did Fairfax refuse the command of the army in Scotland? What was the situation of young Charles in Scotland? In the battle which ensued betwixt the English and Scots who gained the victory? What resolution did Charles then embrace? Were his expectations realized or disappointed? How did he act in the battle at Worcester? Relate the subsequent adventures of the young prince. What act was passed respecting the kingdom of Scotland? Whom did Cromwell leave in Scotland to complete the subjugation of the people? Over what did the authority of the English parliament now extend? By what were the wants of government supplied? What nation did the parliament resolve to chastise? Who commanded the fleets of the hostile nations? Did the naval engagements which followed prove decisive? Why did the parliament wish to keep the navy on foot? What measure did Cromwell adopt to thwart that design? Relate the manner in which he dissolved the parliament. Whom did Cromwell elect into the new parliament? How was it called? From whom did it receive that name? Why did that parliament resign its authority? What duty did Cromwell assign to colonel White? Who declared Cromwell Protector? How did he secure the fidelity of his troops ? What nation did he compel to pay deference to the British flag? In what manner did Cardinal Mazarine conduct the French negotiations with Cromwell? To what nation did Cromwell lend a body of six thousand men to attack the Spanish Netherlands? Relate the success of Admiral Blake. What admirals were sent against Hispaniola? What was the consequence of their failure? What was the situation of Cromwell at this period? How had he rendered himself hateful to every party? With what did he begin and end? Did his own family approve of his conduct? Who entered into a conspiracy to destroy him? What was he now taught upon reasoning principles? What was the title of the book of Colonel Titus? What effect had the reading of it upon Cromwell's spirits? What evidence is there that he dreaded assassination? What disease put an end to his life? In what year did he die, and at what age? What influence had the name of this usurper after his death? Did Richard possess the qualities requisite for that important office? What parliament was now reinstated? What did it attempt to lessen? What resolution was formed by the officers of the army? Who commanded the veterans in Scotland? What movement did he make? Why was the country astonished at his conduct? What orders

did Monk send to the rump parliament? Who was in the confidence of Monk? To whom did Charles entrust a commission to Monk? What measures did Charles now take? How was the message from the king re eived by parliament? On what day did Charles II. enter London ?

Restored in the year 1660, and died in 1685.

WHEN Charles came to the throne he was thirty years o

age, possessed of an agreeable person, an elegant address, and an engaging manner. His whole demeanour and behaviour was well calculated to support and increase popularity. Accustomed, during his exile, to live cheerfully among his courtiers, he carried the same endearing familiarities to the throne; and, from the levity of his temper, no injuries were dreaded from his former resentments. But it was soon found that all these advantages were merely superficial. His indolence and love of pleasure made him averse to all kinds of business; his familiarities were prostituted to the worst as well as the best of his subjects; and he took no care to reward his former friends, as he had taken few steps to be avenged of his former enemies.

A general act of indemnity was passed, which excepted by name, those who had an immediate hand in the king's death. Cromwell, Ireton, and Bradshaw, though dead, were considered as proper objects of resentment; their bodies were dug

from their graves, dragged to the place of execution, and, after hanging some time, buried under the gallows. Of the rest who sat in judgment on the late monarch's trial, some were dead, and some were thought worthy of pardon. Ten only, out of fourscore, were devoted to immediate destruction. These were enthusiasts, who had all along acted from principle, and who, in the general spirit of rage excited against them, showed a fortitude which might have done honour to a better cause.

This was the time for the king to have made himself independent of all parliaments; and it is said that Southampton, one of his ministers, had thought of procuring his master, from the commons, the grant of a revenue of two millions a year, which would have effectually rendered him absolute; but in this plan his views were obstructed by the Great Clarendon, who, though attached to the king, was still more the friend of liberty and the laws. Charles, however, was no way interested in these opposite views of his ministers, he only desired money, in order to prosecute his pleasures; and provided he had that, he little regarded the manner in which it was obtained.

His continual exigencies drove him constantly to measures in no way suited to his inclination. Among others, was his marriage, celebrated at this time, with Catharine, the infanta of Portugal, who, though a virtuous princess, possessed, as it should seem, but few personal attractions. It was this princess's portion of which the needy monarch was enamoured, which amounted to three hundred thousand pounds, together with the fortress of Tangiers in Africa, and of Bombay in the East Indies. The chancellor Clarendon, the duke of Ormond and Southampton, urged many reasons against this match, particularly the likelihood of her never having any children; but the king disregarded their advice and the inauspicious marriage was celebrated accordingly, 21st May 1662.

It was probably with a view of recruiting the supply for his pleasures, that he was induced to declare war against the Dutch, as the money appointed for that purpose would go through his hands. In this naval war, which continued to rage for some years with great fierceness, much blood was spilt, and great treasure exhausted, until at last a treaty was concluded at Breda, by which the colony of New York was ceded by the Dutch to the English, and reckoned as a most valuable acquisition.

This treaty was considered as inglorious to the English, since

they failed in gaining any redress upon the complaints which gave rise to the war. Lord Clarendon, particularly, merited a share of blame, both for having advised an unnecessary war, and then for concluding a disgraceful peace. He had been long declining in the king's favour, and he was no less displeasing to the majority of the people.

This seemed the signal for the earl's enemies to step in, and effect his entire overthrow. A charge was opened against him in the house of commons, by Mr. Seymour, consisting of seventeen articles. These, which were only a catalogue of the popular rumours before-mentioned, appeared, at first sight, false or frivolous. However, Clarendon, finding the popular torrent, united to the violence of power, running with impetuosity against him, thought proper to withdraw to France.

Having thus got rid of his virtuous minister, the king soon after resigned himself to the direction of a set of men, who afterwards went by the appellation of the Cabal, a word which the initials of their names happened to compose; Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington and Lauderdale, than which there never was a more dangerous ministry in Britain, nor one more noted for pernicious counsels.

The first of them, Sir Thomas Clifford, was a man of a daring and impetuous spirit, rendered more dangerous by eloquence and intrigue. Lord Ashley, soon after known by the name of Lord Shaftesbury, was turbulent, ambitious, subtle, and enterprising. The duke of Buckingham was gay, capricious, of some wit, and great vivacity. Bennet, earl of Arlington, was a man of very moderate capacity; his intentions were good, but he wanted courage to persevere in them. Lastly, the duke of Lauderdale, who was not defective in natural, and still less in acquired, talents; but neither was his address graceful, nor his understanding just; he was ambitious, obstinate, insolent, and sullen. To these men Charles gave up the conduct of his affairs in the year 1670, and they plunged the remaining part of his reign in difficulties, which produced the most dangerous symptoms.

From this inauspicious combination the people had enter. tained violent jealousies against the court. The fears and discontents of the nation were vented without restraint; the apprehensions of a popish successor, an abandoned court, and a parliament, which, though sometimes the friend of liberty, yet had now continued for seventeen years without change, naturally rendered the minds of mankind timid and suspi