624 7he HIS T 0 R Y oj the PuRITANS. VoL. II. King " ferved that the dying fpeeches of the regicides, had left impreffions on Charles ll. " h 1 h ll • 1662 . t e 1earers t at were not at a to the advantage of the government; ~ " and firains of a p~culiar nature being expected from him, drummers " were placed under the fcaffold, who, as foon as he began to (peak of •' the public, upon a fign given, firuck up with their drums. But this '' put him into no diforder; he delired they might be fl:opt, for he " knew what was meant by it. Then he went to his devotion; and " as he was taking leave of thofe about him, he happened to fay fome– " thing again with relation to the times, when the drums fl:ruck up a " fecond time; [o he gave over, faying, it was a forry caife that would " not bear the words of a dying man; and died ·with [o much compofed– " nefs, that it was generally thought the government lofl: more than it " gained by his death." The Oxford hiflorian fays, he appeared on the fcaffold like an old roman, and died without the leafi fymptom of concern or trouble. 'The all of uniformity brought into parliament. Kennet, p. 604· But the grand affair that employed the parliament this fpring, was the famous aa qf unifOrmity if public prayers, &c. defigned for the inclo– fure of the church, and the only door if admilfiim to all ecclefiafl:ical preferments. The review of the common-prayer had been in convoca– tion three or four months, and was brought into parliament, with their alterations and amendments, before Chri.flmas; the bill was read the firfi time in the houfe of commons 'Jan. q, and paifed after fundry de– bates but by fix voices, yea's 186; no's 18o; but it met with greater ob– fiacles among the lords, who offered feveral amendments, which occa– fioned conferences between the two houfes. The lords would have exlb. p. 6 77 . empted Jchool-majlers, tutors, and thofe wbo had the education if youth; and in the difabling claufe would have included only livings •with cure, But the commons being fupported by the court would abate nothing, nor confent to any provilion for fuch as fhould be ejected. They would inlb. P• 6 79 . dulge no latitude in the Jitrplice, or crojj in baptifm, for fear of efiab– lifhing a fchifm, and weakening the authority of the church, as to her right of impofing indifferent rites and ceremonies. An? the court were willing to fhut out as many as they could from the eftabhfhment, to make a general toleration more necefi'ary. Wh~n the lor~s urged the king's de– claration from Breda, the commons rephed, that 1t would be fl:range to call a fchifrnatical confcience a tender one; but fuppofe this had been meant (fay they), his rnajefl:y can b~ g~ilty of no breach of promi(e, becaufe the declaratioa had thefe two hrnJtatJons, a, reftrmce to parlrammt; - and Jo far as was co'!fijlent with the peace of the kingdom. May 8 the re– fult of the conference with the houfe of commons being reported to the !.ords the houfe laid afide their objections, and concurred with the com- ..fnd paffid. mon;, and the bill pa!fed ; but as bifhop Burnet obferves, with no great majority,
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