LIFE OF RICHARD BAXTER. 139 effect in wakening universal alarm and indignation. The Pres- byterians, though they might have been contented under the ad- ministration of Richard, were many of them loyalists upon princi- ple, and were all opposed to every thought of such a common- wealth as either the military republicans of the army, or the political enthusiasts of the Rump, would have erected. An ex-. tensive conspiracy was entered into between the cavaliers and the Presbyterians ; and the restoration of the old monarchywas secretly agreed upon, as the only refuge from the anarchy in which the nation seemed likely to be involved. On an appointed day, the conspirators were to rise in all parts of England, and Charles had already arrived at Calais, with the intention of immediately passing over and putting himself at the head of the insurrection. But that contemptible and profligate prince was always surrounded by asso- ciates as unprincipled as himself, who supported their profligacy by betraying all his counsels to his enemies. Thus this projected effort was disclosed, just in time to prevent that unanimous and simultaneous- movement which alone could be successful. The cavaliers, Baxter says, failed to perform their part of the engage- ment. Sir George Booth and Sir William Middleton, two Presby- terian officers of the old parliamentary armies, succeeded in raising about five thousand men in. North Wales and the adjoining counties, and took possession of the. city of Chester, declaring for " a free parliament." This rising was soon suppressed by a detachment of the standing army ; "but it was immediately followed by a rupture between the military leaders and the Rump, which ended in an- other dissolution of that body. The council of officers again took it upon themselves to settle the nation; and by them a committee of safety was appointed, with ample powers for the temporary ad- ministration .of the government. This was in October, 1659. General Monk was a man in whose military talents and fidelity Cromwell seems to have reposed much confidence ; and he had formany ¡ears commanded the army in Scotland. He had peace- ably and submissively acknowledged not only the government of Richard, but that of the restored parliament. When that parlia- ment was again dissolved by the same military usurpation which had revived it, Monk, urged by the solicitationsof the various dis- contented parties, made arrangements to march into England, and wrote to the military usurpers there, chiding them for the violence which they had put upon parliament. As he advanced, men of everyparty looked to hirn with strong hope. He had been an Independent ; and the Independents, while they were not without fear in regard to his designs, hoped for the establishment of 4I re- publicon the foundationof civil and religious freedom. He purged his army of all those officers whom he suspected of any sympathy
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