of the kingdom. In recompense, two subsidies, which the convocation had formerly granted, were remitted, and the parochial clergy were allowed to vote at elections.

Ann. 1665.

Positive information of Ruyter's enterprise being received, war is declared against Holland, February 22nd, and the parliament is soon after prorogued to the 21st of June.

Order of council to the governors of the plantations to receive the quakers transported there; and a few days after another order was issued for confining George Fox, the founder of that sect, in Scarborough castle.

French ambassadors arrive to mediate a peace between England and the states-general, but Charles declines to enter into any negociation until he had received from the Dutch a full satisfaction on his demands.

The duke of York sets sail April 11th, with the grand fleet, consisting of one hundred and seven men of war, fourteen fire ships, &c. for the coast of Holland, and arrives at the Texel the 28th. On his return to the coast of England, the Dutch fleet came out of their harbours and seized the English Hamburgh fleet.

The English obtain a signal victory over the Dutch off Harwich, June 3rd, taking eighteen capital ships, and destroying fourteen more. The Dutch admiral, Obdam, who engaged the action, was blown up with all his crew close to the ship of the duke of York. The English lost only one ship, but several commanders and men of distinction were

killed in the engagement. Among the rest, the earls of Falmouth, Portland, and Marlborough, lord Muskerry, and rear admiral Sanson; admiral Law

son died soon after of his wounds. It was generally affirmed that this victory might have been attended with much more advantageous consequen ces, had not orders been issued to slacken sail, by Brounker, one of the duke's bed chamber, who pretended authority from his master. The duke disclaimed the orders given when he was asleep, and Brounker confessed he had received none. He never was, however, so severely punished as he deserved.

The parliament is further prorogued to the 1st of August. The queen mother embarks again for France; and the court removes on account of the plague which at that time raged in London, and is said to have carried off sixty eight thousand five hundred and ninety six of the inhabitants within the bills of mortality. On account of it the parliament was further prorogued to October 9th to meet at Oxford.

The late disasters had thrown the Dutch into consternation and despair, but their courage was revived by De Wit, who was the soul of their councils, a man of the most extensive genius and capacity. He took the command of the fleet, and soon remedied the disorders which the late misfortunes had produced. In the mean time, the alarming situation of the Dutch at last determined their allies to come to their assistance and support. The king of France was engaged in a defensive alliance with the states; yet by idle negociations and trial to mediate a peace, he protracted his declaration, and employed the time in naval preparations both in the ocean and Mediterranean. The king of Denmark seemed to be resolved not to remain a mere spectator in that grand contest; but the part he acted was the most extraordinary. He made a secret agreement with Charles to seize all the Dutch ships in his harbours and to share the spoils with

the English, provided they would assist him in this measure. In order to increase his prey, he perfidiously invited the Dutch to take shelter in his ports, and accordingly the East India fleet, richly laden, had put into Bergen. The duke of York, who now commanded the English navy, having gone ashore, Sandwich dispatched a squadron to attack them; but either from the king of Denmark's delay in sending orders to the governor, or from his avidity in endeavouring to engross the whole booty, the English admiral, though he behaved with great bravery, failed in his attempt. The Danish governor fired upon him, and the Dutch having had leisure to fortify themselves, made a gallant resistance.

The king of Denmark, seemingly ashamed of his conduct, concluded with sir Gilbert Talbot, the English envoy, an offensive alliance against the statesgeneral, and at the very same time, his resident at the Hague concluded by his orders, an offensive alliance against England; and as he had in his harbours many rich English ships, which he wanted to confiscate, he consulted only his avarice, to decide which of these two alliances he should prefer, and shamefully followed its dictates. He accordingly seized the English ships, and stipulated to assist the Dutch with a fleet of thirty sail, for which he received a subsidy of one million five hundred thou sand crowns, of which three hundred thousand were paid by France. Such was the scandalous, the criminal behaviour of Frederic III. for it is impossible to give it any softer qualification. Princes who degrade themselves by so many acts of the vilest profligacy, must at least expect to find in the indig nation of history and posterity the everlasting chastisement due to their wickedness.

The bishop of Munster was the only ally that Charles could acquire; but his incursions on the

of twenty

Dutch territory, with a tumultuary army thousand men, were soon checked by a body of six thousand French, and he was glad to conclude a peace under the mediation of France.

The parliament meets at Oxford, October 9th, in the great hall of Christ Church. The king in his speech desires new supplies for the war. The chancellor gives an account of a republican plot, which, if not prevented, would have been put in execution on the 3rd of September last. The commons grant to the king a supply of one million two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, to be paid in two years, and fifty thousand pounds to the duke of York for his service against the Dutch.

On the 31st of October the king sent to the house of commons the five-mile act, which was passed without the least opposition. It was enacted by it, that no dissenting teacher who took not the non-resistance oath above mentioned, should, except upon the road, come within five miles of any corporation, or of any place where he had preached after the act of oblivion. The penalty was a fine of fifty pounds and six months imprisonment; which rendered all the non-conforming clergy incapable of gaining any livelihood by their spiritual profession, and even deprived many of them of all means of subsistence. Another act was passed for the attainder of several English republicans who had entered in the Dutch service, and were in arms against their country, if they did not surrender by a certain day.

The parliament is prorogued to the 20th of February.

Ann. 1666.

The French king declares war against England, January 26th, and a fortnight after a like declara

tion is issued by the king against France. Lewis sends orders to the duke of Beaufort, his admiral, to sail from Toulon with his squadron, consisting of above forty ships, and join the Dutch fleet under the command of Ruyter and Tromp, and composed of seventy-one ships of the line, twelve frigates, thirteen fire ships, &c. &c. The command of the English fleet was given to prince Rupert, and to general Monk, duke of Albemarle ; it consisted of seventy-eight ships of the line, besides a proportionate number of frigates and fire ships. As the Toulon fleet was now supposed to enter very near the channel, prince Rupert received express orders from the king to take thirty ships out of the grand fleet, and ten more which were laying at Plymouth, to go and meet the duke of Beaufort in order to prevent his junction. The remainder of the English fleet set sail to give battle to the Dutch, who, seeing the enemy advance quickly upon them, cut their cables and prepared for the combat. The battle which ensued, June 1st, lasted four days, and is one of the most memorable that is recorded in history, considering both its long duration and the desperate courage with which it was fought. The Dutch fleet was so superior in numbers, that in these four days, the advantage though never decisive, was rather in their favour. The English lost twentythree large ships and some others of a smaller size, six thousand men killed and two thousand six hundred prisoners. The Dutch lost six of their ships, two thousand eight hundred soldiers, and eighty seamen killed, besides three of their admirals and many other officers. The issue of this famous sea fight would most probably have been quite different, had the duke of Albemarle been supported by the forty ships under the command of prince Rupert, who had been detached as imprudently as prematurely, to attack the Toulon fleet, which might have