head of eight thousand veterans in Scotland, and beheld the distraction of his native country with but slender hopes of relieving it. 10. Whatever might have been his designs, it was impossible to cover them with greater secrecy than he did. As soon as he put his army in motion, to inquire into the causes of the disturbances in the capital, his countenance was eagerly sought by all the contending parties. He still, however, continued to march his army towards the capital; the whole country equally in doubt as to his motives, and astonished at his reserve. But Monk continued his inflexible taciturnity, and at last came to St. Alban's, within a few miles of London. 11. He there sent the rump parliament, who had resumed their seat, a message, desiring them to remove such forces as remained in London to country quarters. In the mean time the house of commons, having passed votes for the composure of the kingdom, dissolved themselves, and gave orders for the immediate assembling a new parliament. 13. 12. As yet the new parliament was not assembled, and no person had hitherto dived into the designs of the general. (A.D. 1660.) He still persevered in his reserve; and although the calling of a new 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 enterprise of the Restoration. Sir John Granville, who had a commission from the king, applied for access to the general; he was desired to communicate his business to Morrice. 14. Granville refused, though twice urged, to deliver his message to any but the general himself; so that Monk, finding that he could depend upon this minister's secrecy, he opened to him his whole intentions; but, with his usual caution, still scrupled to commit any thing to paper. In consequence of this, 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. From thence he retired into Holland, where he resolved to wait for further advice. 15. 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 temper, and examined the ardour of their wishes; at length he gave directions to Annesley, president of the council, to inform them that 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. 16. 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 an 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 published. 17. Charles II. entered London on the twenty-ninth of May, which was his birth-day. 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 unrelenting 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. 18. 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 2. Questions for Examination. 1, 2. What was the state of Cromwell's mind, and what was his conduct previous to his death? 3. When did he die? at what age? and how long did he reign? 5. What mode of life did Richard Cromwell prefer? 6. What measures were now determined upon? 2 A great number of religious sects sprung up in England during the civil wars. That of the quakers was the most remarkable. The founder was one George Fox, born at Drayton, in Lancashire, in 1624. 7, 8. What consequences followed? 9-12. What was now the conduct of general Monk? 13. In whom did general Monk confide? 16. Relate the particulars which preceded the king's restoration. 17. At what time did Charles II. enter London? and what was his reception? Innocent X..... 1644 Louis XIV. .... 1649 Frederick III... 1648 Emperor of the Turks. John IV....... 1640 Charles X. EMINENT PERSONS. .... 1633 JOHN MILTON; Waller; Davenant; Cowley; sir John Denham ; Harrington; Harvey; Clarendon; Selden; Hobbs. Admirals Blake, Montague, &c. Generals Bradshaw, Ireton, Fairfax, Monk, Lambert, Fleetwood: the earl of Essex; sir Henry Vane; Bulstrode Whitelocke, lord keeper. 66 Already quench'd sedition's brand, And zeal which burnt it, only warms the land."-DRYDEN. 7. Infan'ta, s. a princess descended from | 10. Wreak, v. to execute any violent the royal blood. 8. Inauspi'cious, a. unlucky, unfortu nate. design. 1. (A.D. 1661.) WHEN Charles came to the throne he was thirty years of age, possessed of an agreeable person, an elegant address, and an engaging manner. His whole demeanour and behaviour were 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. 2. 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. 3. Though an act of indemnity was passed, those who had an immediate hand in the king's death were excepted. 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. 4. Of the rest who sat in judgment in the late monarch's trial, some were dead, and some thought worthy of pardon. Ten only, out of fourscore, were devoted to destruction. These were enthusiasts, who had all along acted from principle, and who, in the general spirit of rage excited against them, shewed a fortitude that might do honour to a better cause. 5. 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 his views were obstructed by the great Clarendon, who, though attached to the king, was still more the friend of liberty and the laws. 6. 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. 7. His continual exigences drove him constantly to measures no way suited to his inclination. Among others was his marriage, celebrated at this time, with Catherine, infanta of Portugal, who, though a virtuous princess, possessed, as it should seem, but few personal attractions. It was the portion of this princess that the needy monarch was enamoured of, which amounted to three hundred thousand pounds, together with the fortress of Tangier in Africa, and of Bombay in the East Indies. 8. 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. 9. 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 |