A. C. 1693. power, and that too, in order to weaken the force of the law which they had enacted, prefented an addrefs, in which they took the liberty to differ in opinion from his majefty, touching the performance of his promife at Breda. They alledged, that this was no more than a gracious declaration, that he would exert his influence with the parliament in favour of tender confciences: they observed, that as the parliament did not think proper to advise or countenance fuch indulgence, his majesty was acquitted of all obligation towards nonconformists. They enumerated the inconveniences which might arife from a toleration; and proposed, as the most effectual method to prevent fchifms, troubles, and divifions, that the laws fhould be executed for the fupport of the established religion, according to the act of uniformity. Charles, finding his defigns fo difagreeable to the commons, thought proper to poftpone it to a more favourable opportunity; but the two houses petitioned him, in another addrefs, to iffue a proclamation, commanding all Roman catholic priests and jefuits to quit the kingdom, except fuch as were in the fervice of the two queens, or belonged to foreign ambaffadors. The king affured them of his zeal for the proteftant religion; and the proclamation was published, though it produced very little effect.

Clarendon

by the earl of Bristol.

While the commons were employed in fettling impeached the funds for the king's revenue, Charles being reduced to great neceffity, affembled them in the Banqueting-houfe at Whitehall; and, in the clofe of a flattering fpeech, replete with profeffions of eternal gratitude, and the warmest affection, begged a fupply for his prefent occafions, which he faid were extremely preffing. They could not refift his pathetic addrefs; and therefore granted him four entire fubfidies. And the convocation of the clergy followed their example. Although the

king's affection was by this time in a great measure A. C, 1669, alienated from the earl of Clarendon, he could not forget his faithful fervices and attachment; and therefore that nobleman ftill retained his office and a certain degree of favour: fo that the catholic party began to fear he would retrieve the credit he had loft. This confideration, in all probability, induced the earl of Bristol to impeach the chancellor of high-treafon. In this ftrange inconsistent charge, he was accused of having endeavoured to fix the imputation of popery upon the king of having promised to use his influence in abolishing the penal laws against papifts: of having confented to fome articles difgraceful to the proteftant religion, in the treaty for the king's marriage: of having fcandalized his majesty: advised the sale of Dunkirk: reviled both houfes of parliament: enriched himself by felling employments; and embezzled the public money. This impeachment appeared fo void of all foundation and probability, that it was rejected by the lords; and the earl of Bristol was fo much afhamed of his conduct, that for fome time he did not appear in public.

In this feffion the commons granted to the duke Kennet. of York, the profits arifing from the poft and wine- Echard. licence offices: fo that he was enabled to keep a separate court, and live altogether independent of his brother. The parliament being prorogued to the fixteenth day of March, the king and queen made a progrefs into the western counties; and were entertained with great magnificence by the univerfity of Oxford. During their abfence from conspiracy London, the miniftry discovered another confpiracy of the indeformed by the independents and republicans, to furprise feveral towns in the North, and excite a general infurrection: it was an idle scheme of fome inconfiderable fanatics and difbanded foldiers; thirty of whom were taken and executed. The

pendents,

A. C. 1663. king made a handle of this defpicable attempt, to demand, in his fpeech, at the next meeting of the two houses, that the act for triennial parliaments fhould be repealed; and they complied with his request, in confequence of his affirming, that the kingdom was expofed to continual troubles from the fuggeftions of a set of men, who pretended that this parliament was diffolved by virtue of that act; and arrogated to themselves the right of meeting for a new election.

A. C. 1664.

motives for

In the month of April, the commons having The king's examined the obftacles to the trade of the nation, a war with voted, That the wrongs, affronts, and indignities, the Dutch. offered by the Dutch, in the Indies, Africa, and elsewhere, to the fubjects of England, had in a great measure obftructed the trade of the nation: That his majesty fhould be intreated to procure reparation for thefe wrongs, and take measures for preventing fuch injuries for the future; for which purposes the two houfes would affift him to their utmost power against all oppofers. This was the prelude of a war with Holland, upon which the king had been for fome time determined. Nothing more frivolous could be affigned for engaging in this enterprize. In fpecifying particulars, the Dutch were charged with having taken two English fhips in the Eaft-Indies; but they alledged, that those ships had been employed in carrying on an illicit commerce, and the ftates had actually depofited a fum of money exceeding the value of them, until the English court of admiralty could determine the merit of the cause. The war owed its origin to other motives. Charles, whose prodigality kept him always neceffitous, forefaw that he fhould be able to convert to his private use part of the fupplies granted for the maintenance of the war: he delighted in fhip-building; and was ambitious of equipping a navy that fhould give law to all the

maritime

maritime ftates in Europe: his brother longed for A. C. 1664. an opportunity to fignalize his courage and power as high-admiral, against a people he hated, not only for the republican principles, but also as one of the chief bulwarks of the proteftant religion : the trading part of the nation looked upon the Dutch as the most dangerous rivals in commerce; and the royal African company, in particular, had been thwarted by the Dutch in fixing their fettlements on the coaft of Guiney.

between the

The two houses having prefented an address to the king on the fubject of their vote, he expreffed his fatisfaction at this inftance of their zeal for the advancement of commerce; faid, he would examine the particular complaints which had been made against the subjects of the states-general, and order his minister at the Hague to demand immediate reparation. Inftructions were sent to Downing for this purpofe; but, in the mean time, the duke of York, as governor of the royal African company, fent Sir Robert Holmes with a fquadron to diftrefs the Dutch fettlements on the coast of Guiney. He drove them from Cape de Verd; Hoftilities built a fort at the mouth of the river Gambia; English and made himself master of Cape-corse castle, and took the Dutch a great number of their trading veffels. From of Guiney. thence he failed to America, and took poffeffion of Nova Belgia, which changed its name to that of New-York. At this very juncture, admiral de Ruyter and Sir John Lawfon had failed with combined fquadrons against the corfairs of Algiers. The states were no fooner informed of the hoftilities committed upon their fubjects by Holmes, than they dispatched private orders to De Ruyter, importing, that he should fail to the coaft of Guiney, and make reprisals on the English. He accordingly undertook the voyage, re-established the Dutch

on the coaft

in

A. C. 1664. in all their poffeffions, expelled the English froth fome of their old fettlements, and made prize of all the fhips that fell into his hands. Then he failed to the Weft-Indies, where he was repulfed in an attack upon Barbadoes; and afterwards made attempts upon fome of the English colonies in North America.

The Statesgeneral fend

dor extraor

dinary to London,

Downing, the English minister at the Hague, an ambaffa prefented a memorial to the states, demanding fatisfaction for the damages done to the English, which, he said, amounted to seven or eight hundred thoufand pounds; and they being willing to avoid a war, fent over Van Goch, as an ambaffador-extraordinary to London, to compromise the differences between the two nations. When he complained of the hostilities committed by Holmes, Charles pretended this was a private difference between two companies, of which he would not pretend to take cognizance; and he excufed his having prohibited the importation of merchandize from Hol land, on account of the plague, which had been introduced into that country. Nevertheless, he continued to make preparations for war with furprising industry. He borrowed one hundred thou fand pounds of the citizens of London, who were pleased with the prospect of a war that threatened deftruction to their rivals; and he vifited all the docks in perfon, that his prefence might quicken the diligence of the workmen. In the month of November, the duke of York fet fail with a fquadron, and falling in with a fleet of Dutch merchant ships, took one hundred and thirty veffels, which were detained as lawful prize, tho' war was not yet declared. The French king offered his mediation, which was accepted by the States-general: but Charles refufed to enter into any negotiation, until he fhould have received entire fatisfaction