ments, that if the king would assign them a day, and promise to come to them after their being embodied, they would not fail to appear in arms at the appointed day: whereupon Mordaunt ventured to come himself, in disguise, to Brussels, and acquaint the king with these dispositions. It appeared by the account he, gave, that there were very few counties in England where there was not a formed undertaking, by the most powerful men, to possess themselves of some considerable place, where the king, if they succeeded, would have a fairer opportunity to venture his own person than he ever had, or was like to have, if he suffered those who were now in the government to be settled in it. The king resolved accordingly that upon such a day of the month he would be ready, incognito, at Calais, with the duke of York, his brother, to the end, that from thence, upon the intelligence of the success of that day which was fixed, they might dispose themselves, one to one place, and the other to another.

This combination was discovered, by the treachery of sir Richard Willis, who continued with the parliament the same correspondence which he had begun with Cromwell. The king was fortunately informed at that same period of the infidelity of Willis, which prevented his doing further mischief to his majesty's

cause.

Many of the conspirators in the different counties were thrown into prison; others, alarmed at such symptoms of secret treachery, left their houses. On another hand, the most tempestuous weather continued during the whole of the day appointed by the king, insomuch that some found it impossible to join their friends, while others were deterred from it by fear and superstition, at an incident so unusual in summer. The only project which succeeded, was the seizing of Chester, by sir George Booth, who, with all the malecontents who joined him, found himself powerful enough to subdue all in that neigh

bourhood who ventured to oppose them. In their declaration they made no mention of the king; they only demanded a free and full parliament.

The rump parliament, justly alarmed, sent Lambert against him. Booth imprudently ventured himself out of the walls of Chester, where he could have made a very long resistance, and exposed in the open field his raw troops against Lambert's disciplined army. He was soon routed and taken prisoner; his whole army was dispersed, and the parliament was thus enabled to fill all the jails with their open or secret enemies; they even took into consideration a plan for transporting the loyal families to Barbadoes, Jamaica, and the other colonies, lest they should propagate in England children of the same malignant affections.

While the duke of York was at Boulogne, he found an opportunity to confer with his old friend marshal Turenne, who generously assigned him some troops, and provided vessels to transport them, in case any probable enterprise should occur in fa vour of the royal cause. But whilst his highness was thus providing for his longed-for expedition, and when the king was at La Rochelle, in hopes to find a conveniency for his transportation in England, they received the fatal news of the defeat of sir George Booth.

Soon after this successful expedition, a petition is signed by the officers, at the instigation of Lambert, asking that Fleetwood should be appointed commander-in-chief, Lambert, major-general, Desborow, lieutenant-general of the horse, and Monk, major-general of the foot. The parliament in reply, vote that the appointment of more general officers was needless, expensive, and dangerous; and declare it high treason to levy money without consent of parliament. Lambert assembles some troops to decide the question. O'Key, who was leading his re

giment to the assistance of the parliament, is desert, ed by all the soldiers. Two other regiments are brought into Palace-yard to oppose the violence of Lambert, who disappoints them, by placing his soldiers in all the streets which lead to Westminster. hall. When the speaker came in his coach, Lambert ordered the horses to be turned, and very civilly conducted him home. The other members were treated with the same civility; and the two regiments in Palace-yard, becoming the object of general derision, peaceably retired to their quarters, A little before this bold attempt, the army kept a solemn fast, the usual prelude to every signal vio, lence which they committed.

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The officers, invested again with supreme authori ty, intended to retain for ever the substance, by be stowing on others an empty shadow or appearance of it. They elected a committee of twenty-three persons, of whom, seven were officers. They pre tended to invest them with sovereign authority, and called them a committee of safety. In the mean time, they spoke of summoning a parliament, chosen by the people, while they really intended to assemble a military parliament, composed of officers selected from every regiment. On seeing the whole authority into the hands of those sanctified robbers, who, under pretence of superior illuminations, trampled on all public law and justice, melancholy fears to the nobility and gentry of a bloody massacre and extermination, and of perpetual servitude to the rest of the people, pervaded the three kingdoms, and excited every where the most ardent wishes for a better order of things, and particularly for a return to the good old monarchy.

The rump parliament before its dissolution had resolved, in conjunction with the Dutch commonwealth, to mediate by force, an accommodation between the crowns of Sweden and Denmark. For

this purpose, Montague had been sent with a squadron in the Baltic, carrying with him as ambassador, Algernon Sidney, the celebrated republican, When they reached the Baltic, they found the Swedish monarch employed in the siege of Copenhagen, and Sidney was highly pleased to check with a Roman arrogance, the progress of royal victories, and display in so signal a manner, the superiority of freedom above tyranny. The Swedish monarch, with the highest indignation, was obliged to submit to the imperious mediation of the two commonwealths. "It is cruel," said he, "that "laws should be prescribed me by paricides and εσ pedlars." Having agreed to a pacification with Denmark, he retired into his own country, where he soon after died.

The war between France and Spain, was also brought to a conclusion, through the negociation between cardinal Mazarin, and don Louis de Haro, held at the isle of Pheasants, where the famous treaty of Pyrineés was concluded. During the congress, Charles, at the invitation of don Louis de Haro, and contrary to the counsels and wishes of Mazarin, presented himself at the isle of Pheasants, in hopes that the advantageous terms he meant to propose, as well as the death of the so much dreaded protector, and the present distracted situation of England, would induce these ministers to enable him by some assistance, to recover his crown. He received from don Louis the most respectful civilities, but could not obtain a promise of any succours from Spain; and the cautious Mazarin, still adhering, out of fear, to the commonwealth, refused to see him, though the king offered to marry his niece. But in this gloomy and seemingly desperate condition of his majesty's affairs, Providence was preparing the blessed and long-expected crisis, which was to restore the king in peace and triumph to the

throne of his ancestor; and this revolution was at last accomplished, by the prudence and loyalty of general Monk. George Monk was the second son of a very ancient and always loyally affected family in Devonshire. He entered early into the life and condition of a soldier, and had the reputation of a very good foot officer in the lord Vere's regiment, employed in Holland, where he acquired military experience. He was employed against the Irish rebels, and having obtained a regiment, he honourably distinguished himself by his great courage, military skill, and moderation. By his humane and equal temper, he gained the affection of the soldiery, who, in their familiar cordiality, called him, honest George Monk: even during his greatest elevation, while all around him were inflamed with rage against the opposite faction, he frequently fell under suspicion, from the candour and moderation of his behaviour. He was even once suspended from his command, and ordered to Oxford, to answer such a charge laid against him; but upon his earnest protestations, he was soon restored to his regiment. The day after his arrival, Fairfax attacked and defeated the royalists; colonel Monk was taken pri soner and sent to the tower, where he endured about two years all the rigours of poverty and confinement. The king, notwithstanding his own difficulties, was so mindful of his services, as to send him a present of a hundred guineas, but he did not recover his liberty till after the royalists were totally subdued. Though in great distress, he constantly refused the most inviting offers from the parliament. But Cromwell, sensible of his merit, having solicited him to engage in the wars against the Irish, who were considered as rebels, both by the king and parliament, he did not refuse to repair his broken fortune, by accepting a command, which he flattered himself would be reconciled to