any jurisdiction without the advice and assistance of presbyters chosen by the diocese; that such alterations should be made in the liturgy as would render it totally unexceptionable; that this mode of worship should not be imposed on such as were unwilling to receive it; and that the surplice, the cross in baptism, and bowing at the name of Jesus, should not be rigidly insisted on. This declaration was issued by the king as head of the church; and he plainly assumed in many parts of it a legislative authority in ecclesiastical matters. If ever preroga tive was justifiably employed, it was undoubtedly in the present circumstances, when all parts of the state were torn with party convulsions, and required the moderating hand of the chief magistrate to reduce them to their ancient order.

Towards the end of this year was first erected and established the Royal Society of London, which, consisting of the most learned men in Europe, rapidly acquired, and has since maintained, the most honourable and deserved celebrity by the important services and discoveries for which all sciences are indebted to them.

Ann. 1661.

Insurrection of the millenerians headed by one Venner, a desperate enthusiast, who had often con spired against Cromwell. Having by his fanatical lectures inflamed the imagination of his followers to the number of sixty, he sallied forth at their head into the streets of London, proclaiming every where King Jesus, who, they said, was their invisible leader. They were completely armed, and thought themselves both invulnerable and invincible. Every one at first fled before them; one unhappy man, who being questioned, said he was for God and king Charles, was instantly murdered by them. A

detachment of the guards were sent against them; they made the most obstinate and bloody resistance, and would receive no quarter; the few who were seized, were tried, condemned, and executed; and to the last they persisted in affirming, that if they were deceived, it was the Lord that had deceived them.

On this occasion a proclamation was issued prohibiting all sorts of assemblies and conventicles, which were held under pretence of religious worship, and enacting that the oath of allegiance and supremacy should be exacted from all persons susspected of disaffection towards the government. From that time also the appellation of dissenters or non-conformists was given in general to all the sects whatsoever which did not comply with the rites of the established church of England; and under that denomination were included not only the independents, the anabaptists, the millenerians, the presbyterians, &c. but even the catholics; a confusion by which the offences of one of these sects might reflect at pleasure upon all the others,

The queen-mother, with her daughter the princess Henrietta, set out for France from Portsmouth.

Affairs in Scotland hastened with still quicker steps than those in England towards a settlement, and a compliance with the king. Lauderdale, who had considerable influence with his majesty, obtained the demolition of all the forts which Cromwell had erected in order to curb the mutinous spirit by which the Scots in all ages had been so much governed. The king was also induced to disband all the forces in that country, and general Middleton, created earl of that name, was sent commissioner to the parliament which was summoned. He found there such compliant dispositions in all orders of men, that he obtained an act annulling at once all

laws which had passed since the year 1633, on account of the violence which had been employed during that time against the king and his father to procure their assent to these laws. The lords of articles were restored, with some other branches of prerogative; and royal authority in its full extent was re-established in that kingdom. The episcopacy, by the abrogation of every statute in favour of presbytery, was likewise tacitly restored, notwithstanding the endeavours of Lauderdale, who was a passionate zealot against prelacy. The king told him, that presbyterianism, he thought, was not a religion for a gentleman, and he could not consent to its farther continuance in Scotland. Sharp, who was commissioned by that sect to support their cause, was persuaded to abandon it, and was rewarded for his compliance with the archbishopric of St. Andrew's.

Scotland being not included in the declaration of indemnity issued at Breda, the king was at liberty not to extend it to the principal and most ardent promoters of the rebellion in that kingdom; and the marquis of Argyle was among them the less intitled to the royal clemency; he was accordingly brought to trial for his compliance with the usurpation. The parliament passed sentence against him, and as he was universally known as the chief instrument of the past disorders and civil wars, several irregularities in the method of conducting his trial seemed on that account to admit of some apology. He died with great constancy and courage, and his head was set upon the Tolbooth, where that of the loyal marquis of Montrose had been placed, Lord Lorne, son of Argyle, having ever preserved his loyalty, obtained a gift of the forfeiture. Guthry, a seditious preacher, who had personally affronted the king, was likewise brought to trial, sentenced to death, and executed.

The Scottish parliament vote an additional revenue to the king of forty thousand pounds a-year, and pass an act declaring the covenant unlawful, and its obligation void and null.

As to Ireland, before appointing a lord lieutenant, the king entrusted the government of that kingdom to sir Maurice Eustace, Chancellor, and to the earl of Orrery and Montraith, as lord justices.

In England all party distinctions and denominations had disappeared under the lenity and equality. of Charles's administration; all men seemed heartily to concur in submitting to the king's lawful prerogative, and in cherishing the just privileges of the people. Theological controversies alone were interminable. A conference was held at the bishop's of London, in the Savoy, between nine bishops and nine leaders among the presbyterian ministers, with twelve assistants on each side, in order to bring about a final determination on the tedious and everlasting questions about the surplice, the bowing at the name of Jesus, the liturgy, &c.; but they separated more inflamed and more obstinate than ever in their respective prejudices.

During these conferences the king's coronation was solemnized with the usual splendour, April 23; and according to ancient custom, his majesty, attended by his nobility, judges, and officers, went in great state the day before the coronation from the Tower to Westminster.

The parliament, according to thewrits of summons issued the 9th of March, met on the 8th of May, and the king rode from his palace at Whitehall attended by the nobility, in their robes, to Westminster Abbey. The same day the convocation or clergy's assembly, met at St. Paul's, confirmed the form of the common prayer formerly published; and, among other articles, added to the liturgy the

two offices or form of prayers for the 30th of January and the 29th of May.

The king, in his speech at the opening of the parliament, acquainted them with his intention of marrying the infanta of Portugal, which was approved of by both houses.

There were no more than fifty-six members of the presbyterian party in the house of commons; therefore, whatever might have been their dispositions, they could neither oppose nor retard the measures adopted by the majority. Thus were monarchy and episcopacy exalted to as great power and splendour as they had lately suffered misery and degra dation.

An act is passed for the security of the king's person and government. To intend or devise the king's imprisonment, or bodily harm, or deposition, or levying war against him, is declared, during the lifetime of his present majesty, to be high treason. To affirm him to be a papist or heretic, or to endeavour by speech or writing to alienate his subjects' affections from him, are declared to be sufficient offences to incapacitate the person guilty from holding any employment in church or state. To maintain that the long parliament is not dissolved, or that either or both houses, without the king, are possessed of legislative authority, or that the covenant is binding, are made offences punishable by the penalty of premunire.

The covenant itself, together with the act for. erecting the high court of justice, that for subscribing the engagement against a king and house of peers, and that for declaring England a commonwealth, were ordered to be burnt by the hands of the hangman. This execution was witnessed with great alacrity by the people.

To prevent the recurrence of the abuses attending those seditious petitions which had produced such