THE HENRY VII TO GEORGE II. - - - Proceedings of the Convention - Act of Indemnity. · Exclusion of the Regicides and Discussions between the Houses on it. - Execution of Regicides. Restitution of Crown and Church Lands. — Discontent of the Royalists. Settlement of the Revenue. —Abolition of Military Tenures. — Excise granted instead. — Army disbanded. --- Clergy restored to their Benefices. Hopes of the Presbyterians from the King. Projects for a Compromise. - King's Declaration in Favour of it. Convention Parliament dissolved. — Different Complexion of the next. Condemnation of Vane.—Its Injustice. — Acts replacing the Crown in its Prerogatives. - Corporation Act. Repeal of Tri- ennial Act.—Star-Chamber not restored. —Presbyterians deceived by the King. -Savoy Conference. - Act of Uniformity. - Ejection of Non-conformist Clergy. -Hopes of the Catholics. Bias of the King towards them. Resisted by Clarendon and the Parliament. Declaration for Indulgence. — Objected to by the Commons. Act against Conventicles. Another of the same Kind. - Remarks on them. Dissatisfaction increases. Private Life of the King. Opposition in Parliament. - His Faults as a Minister. - His pusillanimous Flight — and conse- quent Banishment. — Cabal Ministry. Scheme of Comprehension and Indulgence. — Triple Alliance. - Intrigue with France. King's Desire to be absolute. Secret Treaty of 1670. — Its Ob- jects. Differences between Charles and Louis as to the Mode of its Execution. Fresh Severities against Dissenters. — Dutch War. -- Declaration of Indulgence opposed by Parliament withdrawn. - Test Act. Fall of Shaftesbury and his Colleagues. Ir is universally acknowledged that no measure was ever manded, and in most respects so expedient, could be effected without very serious sacrifices of public and particular interests. Four subjects of great importance, and some of them very difficult, occupied the convention parliament from the time of the king's return till their dissolution in the following December; a general indemnity and legal oblivion of all that had been done amiss in the late interruption of government; an adjustment of the claims for reparation which the crown, the church, and private royalists had to prefer; a provision for the king's revenue, consistent with the abolition of military tenures; and the settlement of the church. These were, in effect, the articles of a sort of treaty between the king and the nation, without some legislative provisions as to which, no stable or tranquil course of law could be expected. The king, in his well-known declaration from Breda, dated the 14th of April, had laid down, as it were, certain bases of his restoration, as to some points which he knew to excite much apprehension in England. One of these was a free and general pardon to all his subjects, saving only such as should be excepted by parliament. It had always been the king's expectation, or at least that of his chancellor, that all who had been immediately concerned in his father's death should be delivered up to punishment; and in the most unpropitious state of his fortunes, while making all professions of pardon and favour to different parties, he had constantly excepted the regicides. Monk, however, had advised in his first Life of Clarendon, p. 69. * Clar. State Papers, iii. 427. 529. In fact, very few of them were likely to be of use, and the exception made his general offers appear more sincere. messages to the king, that none, or at most not above four, should be excepted on this account'; and the commons voted, that not more than seven persons should lose the benefit of the indemnity, both as to life and estate 2. Yet after having named seven of the late king's judges, they proceeded in a few days to add several more, who had been concerned in managing his trial, or otherwise forward in promoting his death 3. They went on to pitch upon twenty persons, whom, on account of their deep concern in the transactions of the last twelve years, they determined to affect with penalties, not extending to death, and to be determined by some future act of parliament 4. As their passions grew warmer, and 3 Clar. Hist. of Rebellion, vii. 447. Ludlow says, that Fairfax and Northumberland were positively against the punishment of the regicides, vol. iii. p. 10; and that Monk vehemently declared at first against any exceptions, and afterwards prevailed on the house to limit them to seven, p. 16. Though Ludlow was not in England, this seems very probable, and is confirmed by other authority as to Monk. Fairfax, who had sat one day himself on the king's trial, could hardly with decency concur in the punishment of those who 3 June 5, 6, 7. The first seven were Scott, Holland, Lisle, Barkstead, Harrison, Say, Jones. They went on to add Coke, Broughton, Dendy. 4 These were Lenthall, Vane, Burton, Keble, St. John, Ireton, Haslerig, Sidenham, Desborough, Axtell, Lambert, Pack, Blackwell, Fleetwood, Pyne, Dean, Creed, Nye, Goodwin, and Cobbett; some of them rather insignificant names. Upon the words that " "twenty and no more be so excepted, two divisions took place, 160 to 131, and 153 to 135; the presbyterians being the majority. June 8. Two other divisions took place on the names of Lenthall, carried by 215 to 126, and of Whitelock, lost by 175 to 134. Another motion was made afterwards against Whitelock by Prynne. Milton was ordered to be prosecuted separately from the twenty, so that they already broke their resolution. He was put in custody of the sergeant-at-arms |