The commons used every effort in vain to detach Monk from his new alliance with the citizens ; seine of them even promised to support his usurpation of supreme power ; but his resolution was to make them restore the secluded members. These, when they took their scats, proved the majority, and the rump party tnought p•o per in their turn to withdraw. The victorious restored party, after enlarging and confirming •Alonk's commis sion, and voting support for the fleet and army, dis solved themselves, and gave orders for a new election. Monk, in the mean time, expelled from the army all the officers who would not engage to obey implicitly the orders of the ensuing parliament ; and dispatching Colonel Ingoldsby against Lambert, who had escaped from the Tower, and was drawing together the mal contents, made that general surrender prisoner, and dispersed his few followers. Though the calling a free parliament, and restoring royalty, were regarded, from the known temper of the nation, to be the same mea sure, yet Monk had not hitherto declared his specific purpose. Morrice, a gentleman of Des onshire, a man of studious and sedentary habits, was his only confi dant. Sir John Granville, who had a commission from the king, having applied to Morrice for access to Monk, and having twice refused to deliver his message to any but the general himself, was at last entrusted with a verbal answer to the king, revealing the general's design of the restoration, and giving advices for his journey to England. By this advice Charles escaped rapidly to Breda : had he pi otracted his journey a few hours, it was thought the Spaniards would have detained him as a pledge for the restoration of Jamaica.
The elections for the new parliament went every where in favour of the king's party. The Presbyterians had the kingdom almost entirely in their hands ; sonic of their leading men, it is true, began to speak of severe restrictions, but the general opinion was, for admitting the monarch on easy terms. When Parliament met, however, the caution of Monk, and the fear of undeter mined events, kept the members in such awe, that for several days no one dared to make mention of the king's name. At last, Monk directed Annesly, president of the council, to inform them, that one Sir John Granville, a servant of the king's, was at the door with a letter from his majesty. The loudest acclamation followed,— Granville was called in. The letter, accompanied with a declaration, was greedily read. Without delay or dispute, a committee was appointed to answer it. It was voted, that the letter and declaration should be imme diately published.
From Breda Charles proceeded to Scheveling, where Admiral Montague coming in sight with his fleet, with out waiting for orders from parliament, tendered his loyalty to the king. When he disembarked at Dover, he was received by Monk, whom he cordially embraced ; and he entered London amidst the loudest acclamations on the 29th of May, which was the birth-day of his 30th year.
The temper and manners of Charles were easy and familiar ; and his character, which experience dis covered to be perfectly worthless, was at first appear ance popular and respected. To this delusion, the reflux or public opinion from republicanism to loyalty, certainly contributed. The parliament was devoted to him, although composed of many members who had torn the crown from the head of his father. Yct these once popular leaders might now be strictly styled loy alis,s, since they implored pardon in the name of the nation for the guilt of the late rebellion. Several of those apostate republicans were brought into office ; three of the most noted were Hollis, Anneals', and Cooper, afterwards Lord Shaftesbury. To conciliate the most numerous body of the dissenters, the king chose two Presbyterian ministers for his chaplains. The forts were dismantled, and the army reduced to a few thousands. Men of abilities filled the important offices of state. The treasurer's staff was given to the virtuous Southampton ; Sir Edward Nicholas was made secretary of state ; and Lord Clarendon, a wise and able, though in religious matters a narrow-minded statesman, was his chancellor and prime minister.
Much praise has been given to Charles for promo ting the bill of indemnity, which was passed by this first parliament, respecting those concerned in the late regicide ; a bill from which so few were excepted, and of those few a still smaller number were consigned to punishment. But the truth is, that the most of the exceptions from this indemnity were illegal and dis graceful. The king published a proclamation, ordering the late king's judges to surrender within nineteen days, otherwise they should receive no pardon. Scrope, who surrendered on the faith of this proclamation, which certainly implied a promise of mercy, was put to death. The execution of the military officers who attended the execution of Charles I. was an act equally abhorrent to law and justice. The estates of Cromwell, Ireton, and other dead regicides, were confiscated, and their bodies, by a weak and indecent act of revenge, were hung upon a gallows. This vindictive spirit extended even to the memory of the gallant Blake, whose remains were insulted. After the bill of indemnity, the next business that came before parliament, was the settlement of the king's revenue, which was fixed at 1,200,0001. ; a sum greater than any English monarch had before enjoyed. There was not, indeed, time to settle the funds from which this revenue was to be raised ; for the parliament was dissolved in December 1660, after having sat for seven months since the Restoration.