canonical obedience, abjure the solemn league and covenant, and renounce the principle of taking arms against the king, on any pretence whatsoever. Thus was the church reinstated in her former power and splendour; and as the old persecuting laws subA. D. 1662. sisted in their full rigour, and even new clauses of a like nature were now enacted, all the king's promises of toleration and indulgence to tender consciences, in his declaration from Breda, were thereby eluded and broken. The more zealous of the presbyterian clergymen, however, resolved to refuse the subscription, be the consequences what they might; though there is no doubt but they flattered themselves, that the bishops would not dare to expel so great a number of the most popular preachers in the kingdom. But in this hope they were deceived. The church anticipating the pleasure of retaliation, had made the terms of subscription rigid, on purpose to disgust all the scrupulous presbyterians, and deprive them of their livings. And the court beheld, with equal satisfaction and astonishment, two thousand of the clergy, in one day, relinquish their cures, and sacrifice their interest to their religious opinions. This measure, which united the protestant dissenters in a common hatred of the church, and roused in the church a spirit of intolerance and persecution, was peculiarly impolitic and imprudent, as well as violent and unjust; more especially as the opportunity seemed fair for taking advantage of the resentments of the presbyterians against the republican sectaries; and to draw them, without persecuting the others, by the cords of love into the pale of the church, instead of driving them back by severe usage into their ancient confederacies. A small relaxation in the terms of communion would certainly have been sufficient for that purpose. the royal family and the catholics, whose influence was great at court, had other views, with which the nation was But 7. Id. Ibid. 8. Burnet, vol. i. book ii. then then unacquainted, and which it must now be our business to unfold. Charles, during his exile, had not only imbibed strong prejudices in favour of the catholic religion, but had even been secretly reconciled in form to the church of Rome. His brother, the duke of York, however, was a more sincere convert. James had zealously adopted all the absurd and pernicious principles of popery: and as he had acquired a great ascendant over the king, by his talent for business, the severities in the act of uniformity had been chiefly suggested by him and the earl of Bristol, also a zealous catholic and a favourite at court. Sensible that undisguised popery could claim no legal indulgence, they inflamed the church party against the presbyterians; they encouraged the presbyterians to stand out; and when, in consequence of these artifices, they saw so numerous and popular a body of the clergy ejected, they formed the plan of a general toleration, in hopes that the hated sect of the catholics might pass unobserved in the crowd, and enjoy the same liberty with the rest. The king, who had this measure more at heart than could have been expected from his seeming indifference to all religions, accordingly issued a declaration, under pretence of mitigating the rigours contained in the act of uniformity, After mentioning the promises of liberty of conscience contained in his declaration from Breda, he added, that although, in the first place, he had been zealous to settle the uniformity of the church of England, which he should ever maintain; yet, in regard to the penalties upon those who do not conform thereunto, through scruple of conscience, but modestly and without scandal perform their devotions in their own way, he should make it his special care, so far as in him lay, without invading the freedom of parliament, to incline the members to concur with him in framing such an act for 9. Burnet, book i. that that purpose, as might enable him to exercise with more universal satisfaction that dispensing power, which he conceived to be inherent in him. The parliament, however, alarmed at the idea of a dispensing power in the crown, and having a glimpse of the object for which it was to be exercised, came to a resolution, that the indulgence proposed would prove most pernicious both to church and state; would open a door for schism, encourage faction, disturb the public peace, and discredit the wisdom of the legislature". And the court, having already gained so many points, judged it necessary to lay aside for a time the project of toleration. In the meantime, the ejected clergymen were persecuted with unrelenting rigour; severe laws being enacted, not only against conventicles, but against any non-conforming teacher, coming within five miles of a corporation. The presbyterians in Scotland did not experience more favour than those in England. As Charles had made them no promises before his restoration, he resolved to pursue the absurd policy of his father and grandfather, of establishing episcopacy in that kingdom. In this resolution he was confirmed by his antipathy against the Scottish ecclesiastics, on account of the insults which he had received while amongst them. He therefore replied to the earl of Lauderdale, with more pertness than judgment, when pressed to establish presbytery, that" it was not a religion for a gentleman! and he "could not agree to its farther continuance in Scotland"," Such a reason might have suited a fop in his dressingroom, or a jolly companion over his bottle, but was very unworthy of the head of a great monarchy. The consequences were such as might have been foreseen. A vast majority of the Scottish nation looked up with horror to the king and his ministers, and exposed themselves to the most severe persecutions rather than relinquish their form of worship13. 10. Kennet's Register, p. 850. 12. Burnet, vol. i. book ii. 11. Parl. Hist. vol. xxiii. 13. Id. Ibid. VOL. IV. G Certain Certain political measures conspired with those of religion, to diminish that popularity which the king had enjoyed at his restoration. His marriage with Catharine of Portugal, to which he was chiefly prompted by the largeness of her portion14, was by no means agreeable to his subjects, who were desirous, above all things, of his marrying a protestant princess. The sale of Dunkirk to France, in order to supply his prodigality, occasioned universal disgust15; and the Dutch war, in which he is said to have engaged with a view of diverting part of the parliamentary aids to the supply of his own profusions, contributed still farther to increase the public dissatisfaction. The particulars of that war it must now be our business to relate. A. D. 1663. The reasons assigned for commencing hostilities against the United Provinces, were the depredations committed by the subjects of that republic upon the English traders in different parts of the world; but, unfortunately for Charles, these depredations, though sufficient. to call up the keenest resentment, had all preceded the year 1662, when a treaty of league and alliance had been renewed between England and the States. This circumstance, however, was overlooked in the general jealousy of the Ho!landers; who, by their persevering industry, as well as by other means, had of late greatly hurt the foreign trade of the English merchants. The king was resolved on a war, from which, in consequence of his superior naval force, he 14. He received with her, five hundred thousand pounds sterling, the settlement of Bombay, in the East-Indies, and the fortress of Tangiers, on the coast of Africa. 15. The sale of Dunkirk, though stigmatized as one of the worst measures of Charles's reign, was more blameable as a mark of meanness in the king, than on account of its detriment to the nation. The charge of maintaining that fortress was very great, and the benefit arising from it small. It had then no harbour to receive vessels of burden; and Lewis XIV. who was a judge of such acquisitions, and who first made it a good sea-port, thought he had made a hard bargain, when he paid four hundred thousand pounds for it. D'Estrade's Letters. hoped hoped to derive vast advantages: and being warmly seconded in his views by the city and parliament, sir Robert Holmes was secretly dispatched with a squadron to the A. D. 1664. coast of Africa; where he not only expelled the Dutch from Cape Corse, to which the English had some pretensions, but seized their settlements of Cape Verde and the isle of Goree,' together with several trading vessels. Another squadron sailed soon after to North-America, with three hundred men on board, under the command of sir Richard Nicholas, who took possession of the Dutch settlement of Nova-Belgia, afterward called New-York, in honour of the duke, who had obtained a grant of it from his brother16. Since the death of William II. prince of Orange, who attempted, as we have already seen, to encroach on the liberties of the republic of Holland, the Dutch, conformable to their perpetual edict, had elected no stadtholder. The government had continued wholly in the hands of the Louvestein, or violent republican party, who were declared enemies against the house of Orange. This state of the affairs of the United Provinces could not be very agreeable to the king of England, who must naturally desire to see his nephew, William III. reinstated in that authority possessed by his ancestors. He is even suspected of a design, in conjunction with his brother, of rendering the young prince absolute, and bringing the States to a dependence on England. It is at least certain, that the famous John de Wit, pensionary of Holland, who was the soul of the republican party, and vested with almost dictatorial powers, afraid of some such design, had, soon after the restoration, entered into close alliance with France'. This has since been thought bad policy; and it must be owned, that de Wit's antipathy 16. King James's Memoirs. This territory, as lying within the line of the English discoveries, had been formerly granted by James I. to the earl of Sterling; but it had never been planted, except by the Dutch. 17. Basnage. Temple. Burnet. against |