tween France and A. C. 1668. his alternative, fhe confented to his keeping his acquifitions in the Low-countries, on the fuppofition that the English and Dutch would be indifpenfibly obliged to engage in a war with France, should she ever attempt to extend her conquests in the Netherlands. After this declaration of Spain, no other obstacle remained to retard a pacification. Treaty be- Aix-la-Chapelle was the place pitched upon for the meeting of the plenipotentiaries, who were immediately fent thither from France, Spain, England, Holland, and Sweden. The treaty was figned in May, after a very fhort negotiation. Lewis remained in poffeffion of all the towns in Flanders, which he had reduced. He restored Franche-comté to the crown of Spain; and the peace was guaranteed by the powers concerned in the triple alliance. The Dutch ordered a medal to be struck, with a pompous infcription, in which they arrogated to themfelves the whole honour of having given peace to Europe. Joshua Van Beuningen, their plenipotentiary at Aix-la-Chapelle, was vain enough to ftrike another, in which he compared himself to Joshua ftopping the course of the fun, which was the device of the French monarch. Thefe, and other fuch unfeasonable marks of pride, gave umbrage to Lewis, who feemed to remember them in the fequel, when he found an opportunity to punish their prefumption. The king of England continued to enjoy his pleasures without reftraint. During the fummer he made excurfions to different parts of the kingdom. He fent a fquadron of fhips into the Mediterranean, under the command of Sir Thomas Allen, who compelled the Algerines to fubfcribe a peace that was very advantageous to England. The office of treafurer of the houfhold was conferred upon Sir Thomas Clifford. The command of the horfe-guards the king bestowed Rapin. upon upon his natural fon the duke of Monmouth; and A. C. 1669. Sir John Trevor was appointed fecretary of state, in the room of Morris, who refigned *. minifters in Whether Charles was willing to reconcile himself Plan for to the presbyterians, who conftituted a powerful hending the body in the nation, or the duke of Buckingham, prefbyterian who had now great influence in the council, refolv- the English ed to forward a step which he knew would be dif- church. agreeable to the duke of Ormond, whom he hated, uncommon favour was now fhewn to that fect, which had been fo much depreffed fince the reftoration. They appeared more openly, and even ventured to affemble at their religious worship. Sir Orlando Bridgeman fent for two of their minifters, and confulted them about means for comprehending the prefbyterians in the body of the English church, as well as for procuring an indulgence for independents and other nonconformists. These two minifters having conferred with the like number of the English church, after feveral meetings and various difputes, agreed, That with respect to ordination, all nonconformists, already ordained, might be admitted into the ministry of the church, by virtue of this form, "Take thou "legal authority to preach the word of God, and "adminifter the holy facrament in any congrega"tion of England, where thou shalt be lawfully appointed thereunto." They likewife agreed, That ceremonies fhould be left indifferent: That the liturgy fhould be altered: That those who could not be comprehended should be indulged: * In the month of March, Cofmo de Medicis prince of Tufcany arrived in England, in the course of his travels, and was received with all the honours due to his rank and particular merit. After his departure, the king was vifited by prince George of Den E 4 mark, who made but a very fhort In July, the univerfity of Oxford and, A. C. 1669. and, That, for the fecurity of the government, the names of the teachers, and all the members of the congregation, fhould be registered. The lord chief-juftice Hales undertook to draw up a bill for this purpose, and the keeper of the great-feal promifed to fupport it in parliament with his whole intereft. Archbishop Sheldon being apprifed of their defign, wrote a circular letter to all his fuffragans, enjoining them to make an exact inquiry touching all the conventicles that were held within their relpective diocefes. Having received all the information he could procure on this fubject, he exaggerated every circumftance to the king; and obtained, from his eafy indolent difpofition, a proclamation, ordering the laws against nonconformiftminifters to be put in execution. Nevertheless, Charles gave the leading prefbyterians to underftand, that he had defigns in their favour; and defired they would prefent a petition to him for indulgence. He went into the apartment of the earl of Arlington, on purpose to receive this addrefs, to which he returned a very gracious answer. 1 The com foot an in When the parliament met after the prorogation, mons fet on the king, in a fhort speech, demanded a supply for quiry against the difcharge of his debts; and recommended the the noncen union of the two kingdoms. The lord-keeper ex fermifts. patiated on the fame fubjects: but the commons, inflead of taking thefe articles into confideration, refolved to examine the public accounts, that they might know in what manner the money granted by parliament had been expended. In the course of this inquiry, they found the books kept by the chamberlain Sir George Carteret, in fuch confufion, that they expelled him from the house. Then they thanked the king, in an addrefs, for the proclamation he had published against conventicles; and appointed a committee to make exact inquiry concerning the conduct of the nonconformifts. Thefe These having received a great number of informa A. C. 1669. tions, reported, that divers conventicles and feditious affemblies were held in the neighbourhood of the parliament, fo as to infult the government, and endanger the public tranquillity: the house immediately declared, That they would adhere to his majefty for the fupport of the government in church and state, against all forts of adverfaries. The commons revived the difpute concerning Skinner and the Eaft India company; and passed feveral votes, which the house of lords confidered as fo many violations of their privileges. Their mutual animofity feemed every day to increase: so that the king feeing no profpect of an accommodation, and knowing he had nothing to expect from the commons, until this affair could be compromifed, prorogued the parliament to the month of February. ment. The parliament of Scotland being opened in No- Proceedings vember by the earl of Lauderdale, as king's com- in the Scottish parliamiffioner, paffed an act, afferting and explaining the king's fupremacy in fuch terms as rendered him abfolute in all ecclefiaftical affairs. The next act concerned the militia, decreeing, That it fhould be maintained, and ready to march into any part of the king's dominions, for any cause in which his majesty's authority, power, or greatness should be concerned; and that it fhould receive orders from the council board of Scotland. This claufe was contrived by Lauderdale, for the immediate fervice of the king, fhould he ever have occafion for ufing the Scots against his fubjects of England. The militia might be ordered to march without his appearing to countenance their motions; fo that he could, with the better grace, difown them, fhould they miscarry in their expedition. Burnet. In February, the king, in a fpeech to both Echard: houses, renewed his demand of a fupply, in the Rapin. moft mediates an dation be. tween the A. C. 1669. most earnest manner. He affured them he had found, upon examination of his accounts, that far from having mifapplied the money granted for the expence of the war, he had, on the contrary, for the support of it, contracted large debts on his The king own revenue. He then recommended harmony accommo- among themselves; and defired they would deliberate upon a plan for uniting the two kingdoms of two houfes, England and Scotland. The lord-keeper enlarged upon the king's text. The commons voted, That a fufficient fum fhould be granted, to eafe the king of his incumbrances. For this purpose a duty was laid upon wine and vinegar; and his majeftey was authorised to part with his fee-farm and quit-rents. These two funds were thought fufficient to produce one million seven hundred thousand pounds fterling, a fum by no means adequate to the king's A. C. 1670. neceffities *. The quarrel between the two houses being kindled a-new, Charles, who began to be apprehenfive of the confequences, fummoned the parliament to Whitehall, where he propofed that this unhappy divifion should never be mentioned; and that the proceedings relating to it should be erazed from the journals of both houses. They confented to the expedient; and the flame was at once éxtinguished. against con- . A fevere act The first effect of their accommodation was a venticles. joint-addrefs to his majefty, petitioning, That he would give effectual orders for fuppreffing conventicles, and executing the laws against popifh recufants. Charles, though in his own nature averse to perfecution, was too irrefolute to withstand the This year was rendered remarkable by the death of the queen-mother, and that of George Monk, duke of Albemarle. The firft died in Auguft, at Paris, in the fixtieth year of her age; and the duke dying in London, was fucceeded in his title and eftate by his fon Chriftopher. In the course of this year likewife died the famous Pryn, the puritan, author of above two hundred volumes, the contents of which are little known and les efteemed. zeal |