of Justice reflored.

medies to fome, and the Unwariness in giving a Kind of Countenance to others, too much of that Poison infinuated itself into Minds not well fortified against fuch Infection: So that much of the Malignity was transplanted instead of being extinguifhed, to the Corruption of many wholfome Bodies, which, being corrupted, fpread the Diseases more powerfully and more mischievously.

THAT the King might be the more vacant to those Thoughts and Divertisements which pleased him best, He appointed the Chancellor and fome other, to have frequent Confultations with fuch Members of the Parliament, who were most able and willing to ferve him; and to concert all the Ways and Means, by which the Tranfactions in the Houses might be carried with the more Expedition, and attended with the beft Success. The daily Conferences proved very beneficial to his Majesty's Service; the Members of both Houses being very willing to receive Advice and Direction, and to pursue what They were directed; and all Things were done there in good Order, and fucceeded well, The old Courfe All the Courts of Juftice in Westminster-Hall were prefently filled with grave and learned Judges, who had either deserted their Practice and Profeffion during all the rebellious Times, or had given full Evidence of their Affection to the King and the established Laws in many weighty Inftances: And They were then quickly fent in their feveral Circuits, to administer Juftice to the People according to the old Forms of Law, which was univerfally received and fubmitted to with all poffible Joy and Satisfaction. All Commiffions of the Peace were renewed, and the Names of thofe Perfons inferted therein, who had been moft eminent Sufferers for the King, and were known to have entire Affections for his Majefty and the Laws; though it was not poffible, but fome would get and continue in, who were of more doubtful Inclinations, by their not being known to him whofe Province it was to depute them. Denied it cannot be, that there appeared,

appeared, fooner than was thought poffible, a general Settlement in the civil Juftice of the Kingdom; that no Man complained without Remedy, and every Man dwelt again under the Shadow of his own Vine, without any Complaint of Injuftice and Oppreffion.

THE King expofed himself with more Condefcenfion than was neceffary to Perfons of all Conditions, heard all that They had a Mind to say to him, and gave them fuch Anfwers as for the present seemed full of Grace. He was too well pleased to hear both the Men and the Women of all Factions and Fancies in Religion discourse in their own Method, and enlarged himself in Debate with them; which made every one believe that They were more favoured by him than They had Cause: Which Kind of Liberty, though at first it was accompanied with Acclamations and Acknowledgment of his being a Prince of rare Parts and Affability, yet it was attended afterwards with ill Confequences, and gave many Men Opportunity to declare and publish, that the King had faid many Things to them which He had never faid, and made many Conceffions and Promises to them which He had never uttered or thought upon.

many

actions.

THE Chancellor was generally thought to have The Chancel moft Credit with his Mafter, and moft Power in the lor principally engaged in the (24) Counfels, because the King referred all Matters of publick Tranfwhat Kind foever to him. And whofoever repaired" to him for his Direction in any Bufinefs was fent to the Chancellor, not only because He had a great Confidence in his Integrity, having been with him fo Years, and of whofe indefatigable Industry He and all Men had great Experience; but because He faw those Men, whom He was as willing to truft, and who had at leaft an equal Share in his Affections, more inclined to Eafe and Pleafure, and willing that the Weight of the Work fhould lie on the Chancel lor's Shoulders, with whom They had an entire Friendship, and knew well that They fhould with more Ease be confulted by him in all Matters of Importance.

Nor

Nor was it poffible for him, at the first Coming, to avoid the being engaged in all the Counfels, of how diftinct a Nature foever, because He had been beft acquainted with all Transactions whilft the King was abroad; and therefore Communication with him in all Things was thought neceffary by thofe, who were to have any Part in them: Befides that He continued ftill Chancellor of the Exchequer by Virtue of the Grant formerly made to him by the laft King, during whose Time He executed that Office, but refolved to furrender it into the King's Hand as foon as his Majesty should refolve on whom to confer it; He propofing Nothing to himself, but to be left at Liberty to intend only the Discharge of his own Office, which He thought himself unequal to, and hoped only to improve his Talent that Way by a moft diligent Application, well knowing the great Abilities of those who had formerly fate in that Office, and that They found it required their full Time and all their Faculties. And therefore He did most heartily defire to meddle with Nothing but that Province, which, though in itself and the conftant Perquifites of it not fufficient to support the Dignity of it, yet was then upon the King's Return; and, after it had been fo many Years without a lawful Officer, would unquestionably bring in Money enough to be a Foundation to a future Fortune competent to his Ambition, and enough to provoke the Envy of many, who believed They deferved better than He. And that this was the Temper and Refolution He brought with him into England, and how unwillingly He departed from it, will evidently appear by two or three Inftances which fhall be given in their proper Place. However, He could not expect that Freedom, till the Council fhould be fettled (into which the King admitted all who had been Counfellors to his Father and had not eminently forfeited that Promotion by their Revolt, and many of those who had been and ftill were recommended by the General, amongst whom there were fome, who would

not

not have been received upon any other Title) and until thofe Officers could be fettled, who might take particular Care of their several Provinces.

THE King had upon great Deliberation' whilft He was beyond the Seas, after his Return appeared in View, firmly refolved to reform thofe Exceffes which were known to be in the great Offices, especially in thofe of his Houfhold, whilft the Places were vacant, and to reform all extravagant Expenses there; and first himself to gratify thofe who had followed and served him, in settling them in fuch inferiour Offices and Places, as Custom had put in the Disposal of the great Officers when they fhould become vacant after their Admiffion. And of this Kind He had made. many Promises, and given many Warrants under his Sign Manual to Perfons who to his own Knowledge had merited thofe Obligations. But most of those Predeterminations, and many other Refolutions of that Kind, vanished and expired in the Jollity of the Return, and new Inclinations and Affections feemed to be more seasonable. The General, who was the fole The General (25) Pillar of the King's Confidence, had by the Parlia-confirmed in ment been invested (before the King's Return) in all affigned bim the Offices and Commands which Cromwell had en- by the Parliajoyed. He was Lieutenant of Ireland, and General of all the Armies and Forces raifed, or to be raised, in the three Kingdoms; and it was not fit that He should be degraded from either upon his Majefty's Arrival: Therefore all Diligence was used in dispatching Grants of all those Commands to him under the Great Seal of England. And that He might be obliged Also forn to be always near his Majefty's Perfon, He was pre-damsently fworn Gentleman of the Bedchamber; and ber, and Mafmight choose what Office He liked beft in the Court, ter of the whilft Titles of Honour were preparing by the Attorney, and Particulars of Lands enquired after by the Auditors and Receivers, which in all Refpects might raife him to that Height which would most please him. He made Choice to be Mafter of the

Horse,

the Offices

ment.

Gentleman of

Horje.

Horse, and was immediately gratified with it; and thereby all thofe poor Gentlemen, who had Promifes and Warrants for several Places depending upon that great Officer, were disappointed, and offered the King's Sign Manual to no Purpose for their Admiffion. The General in his own Nature was an immoderate Lover of Money, and yet would have gratified fome of the Pretenders upon his Majefty's Recommendation, if the vile good Ĥufwifery of his Wife had not engroffed that Province, and preferred him who offered moft Money before all other Confiderations or Motives. And hereby not only many honeft Men, who had several Ways ferved the King, and spent the Fortunes They had been Masters of, were denied the Recompenfes the King had defigned to them; but fuch Men, who had been most notorious in the Malice against the Crown from the Beginning of the Rebellion, or had been employed in all the active Offices to affront and opprefs his Party, were for Money preferred and admitted into thofe Offices, and became the King's Servants very much against his Will, and with his manifest Regret on the Behalf of the honeft Men who had been fo unworthily rejected. And this occafioned the first Murmur and Difcontent, which appeared after the King's Return, amongft thofe who were not inclined to it, yet found every Day fresh Occafions to nourish and improve it.

THE fetting this great Officer in the Stables, made it neceffary to appoint a Lord Steward of the Houfhold, who was a neceffary Officer for the Parliament, being by the Statute appointed to fwear all the Members of the Houfe of Commons; and to this Charge The Marquis the Marquis of Ormond had been long defigned, and of Ormond was then fworn. And They had Both their Tables Steward of erected according to their old Models, and all those the Houfhold. Exceffes which the irregular Precedents of former

made Lord

Times had introduced, and which the King had fo folemnly refolved to reform before it could be faid to trench upon the Rights of particular Perfons. But

the