To whom the nation was indebted

for

and held on the 25th day of April, 1660; and which, in pursuance of this act, actually affembled, and foon after, May 5th, called in Charles and his dependents. Thus was this parliament, confifting of fome of the wisest, ablest, most industrious men this nation ever saw, over-reached by Moncke, who was no accomplished courtier or statesman (ƒ)! An arrant hypocrite we have seen he was; but his hypocrify would have been of no avail against the wisdom of his masters, had it not been feconded by divifions amongst themselves, and by the general voice of the people, which it was next to impoffible for the one or the other to have withstood. The ufurped

powers,' fays Sir William Temple, that had either defigned no root, or, at least, had drawn none, but · only in the affections and interefts of thofe that were 'engaged with the government, thought themselves secure in the strengh of an unfoiled army of above fixty • thousand men, and in a revenue proportionable, • raised by the awe of their forces, though with the mock• forms of legal fupplies by pretended parliaments; yet ' we saw them forced to give way to the bent and cur• rent humour of the people, in favour of their antient and lawful government; and this mighty army, of a fudden, lose their heart and their strength, abandon what they fo long called their cause and their intereft, and content themselves to be moulded again into the mass of the people; and by confpiring with the general humour of the nation, make way for the kings glorious restoration, without a drop of blood drawn in the end of a quarrel, the beginning and 'course whereof had been fo fatal to the kingdom (g).'

(f) Whitlock,p. 699.

(g) Works, vol. i. p.

55. 8vo. To Lond. 1757.

for this act of treachery and baseness, is worthy of enquiry (oo). On the eighth day

(oo) To whom the nation was indebted for the admiffion of Charles, without conditions, is worthy of enquiry.} The admiffion of the king, in the circumftances in which affairs then stood, might have been a right step, as it was the only probable means, amidst so many different parties and interefts, fo much hatred and animofity, of reftoring the public tranquillity, and fixing the government on lafting foundations. For there was not virtue enough in the age to facrifice private refentments, and private interefts, to the public good; and to fubmit to that equality, on which a true commonwealth must be founded. The nation in general, as we have feen, were defirous of the restoration of the king; and every nation has an undoubted right to chufe the form of government to which they are to submit. Who were the inftruments of bringing about this great change; who the authors of its being made in the manner it was are the questions that are now to be decided.

but

As to the first, it was, properly, the prefbyterians: the men who had oppofed Charles the First, and, to their honor, would not confent to his re-admiffion to the government, upon terms. Of this party, were the fecluded members: who were very popular in the nation ; who had always given uneafinefs to the commonwealth government, and to Cromwell; and, after their readmiffion into the house, fet at liberty Booth, Lauder dale, and others, who were confined on account of adhering to the royal cause. Hollis told me,' fays Burnet, the prefbyterians preffed the royalifts to be

• quiet,

day of May, one thousand fix hundred

and

333

quiet, and to leave the game in their hands: for their appearing would give jealousy, and hurt that which they meant to promote. He, and Ashley Cooper, GrimStone, and Annefly, met often with Manchester, Ro. berts, and the rest of the prefbyterian party; and the minifters of London were very active in the city: fo • that when Moncke came up, he was preffed to declare himself. At first, he would only declare for the parliament that Lambert had forced. But there was then a great fermentation all over the nation. Moncke and the Parliament grew jealous of one another; even while they tried who could give the beft words, and express their confidence in the highest terms, of one another. And in another place, he says, 'Shaftef• bury, Anglefey, Hollis, Manchester, and Roberts, had the chief hand in engaging the nation in the defign of the restoration. They had great credit, chiefly with • the presbyterian party; and were men of much dexterity: so that the thanks of that great turn was owing to them (h).' Lord Clarendon writes, that (b) Vol. • Moncke was present at Northumberland Houfe, in a con- i. p. 85, and p. 98. <ference with that Earl, the Earl of Manchester, and other lords; and likewise with Hollis, Sir William Waller, Lewis, and other eminent perfons; who had • a trust and confidence in each other, and who were looked upon as the heads and governors of the mode⚫rate prefbyterian party; who, most of them, would • have been contented, their own fecurity being pro'vided for, that the king should be reftored to his full

' rights,

(i) Vol. vi. P. 733.

and fixty, Charles II. was proclaimed ;

and

' rights, and the church to its poffeffions. In this conference, the kings restoration was propofed in direct terms; as absolutely neceffary to the peace of the kingdom, and for the fatisfaction of the people : ⚫ and the question feemed only to be, upon what terms they should admit him; fome propofing more moderate, • others more severe conditions. In this whole debate, the • General [Moncke] infifted upon the most rigid propofitions; which he preffed in fuch a manner, that the lords grew jealous that he had fuch an averfion from reftoring the king, that it would not be safe for them ⚫ to prosecute that advice; and therefore it were beft to ' acquiefce till the parliament met, and that they could 'make fome judgment of the temper of it (i).' Baxter, speaking of these transactions, fays, Sir William Morrice, and Mr. Clarges, were Monckes great advisers. The Earl of Manchefter, Mr. Calamy, and other prefbyterians, encouraged and perfwaded him to bring in the king: at first he joined 'with the Rump against the Citizens, and pulled down

the city gates to mafter them: but, at laft, Sir Tho· mas Allen, then Lord Mayor (by the perfwafion of Dr. Jacomb, and some other presbyterian ministers and citizens, as he hath oft told me himfelf), invited • Moncke into the city, and drew him to agree and join ' with them against the Rump (as they then called the relicts of the parliament). And this, in truth, was the act that turned the scales, and brought in the king. After this, the old excluded members of the

parlia

and in the proclamation, which had the appro

parliament meet with Moncke; he calleth them to fit, ⚫ and that the king might come in both by him and by ⚫ them. He agreeth with them to fit but a few days; ⚫ and then diffolve themselves, and call another parlia

ment. They confented, and prepared for the kings ⚫ restoration; and appointed a council of ftate, and diffolved themselves. Another parliament is chofen, which calleth in the king; the council of ftate having made further preparations for it. For when the question was, Whether they should call in the king' ⚫ upon treaty and covenant (which fome thought beft for him and the nation), the council resolved abfolutely to truft him, Mr. A[nnefly], especially perfwading < them fo to do (k).' · And in another place, he obferves, that Moncke came on, but ftill declared for ❝ a commonwealth against monarchy: till, at last, when he faw all ripened thereto, he declared for the king. The chief men, as far as I can learn,' continues he, • that turned his refolution to bring in the king, were, Mr. Clarges, and Sir William Morrice his kinfman; and the petitions and affections of the city of London, principally moved by Mr. Calamy and Mr. Ah, two ' antient, leading, able ministers (with Dr. Bates, Dr. • Manton, Dr. Jacomb, and other ministers of London, ⚫ who concurred: and these were encouraged by the Earl • of Manchester, the Lord Hollis, the late Earl of Anglesey [Annefly], and many of the then council of state: and the members of the old parliament, that had been • formerly

(A) Reli

quiæ Baxterianæ, parti.

p. 105.