Chap. XI. 'Ibe HIS T 0 R Y of the PuRITANS. 773 either the author did not know the fpirit of the church party (as they King II were called), or he muft blulh when he compared it with the fac1s that Ja,~eg · followed the revolution. Twenty thoufand copies were difperfed about ~. the city and country, and had the defired effect, the honeft well-meaning dilienters making no advantage of the favourable juncture; they entered into no alliance with the papifts, nor complied with the court meaCures, any further than to accept their own liberty, which they had a natural right to, and of which they ought never to have been deprived. The war between the king and the church being now declared, each Meafum if party prepared for their defence; tbe points in debate were, a GENE- tbhc .court 1 to 1 d h h I f o tarn a tga RAL TOLERATION, an t e DISPENSING POWER; t e atter 0 tolera tion. which, the high church party had connived at during the late reign; but when the edge of it was turned againft thernfelves, (the king having ufed it to break down the fences of the church, by abrogating the penal laws and tejls, and making an inroad upon the two univeljities), they exclaimed againft it, as fubverfive of the whole confiitution; and forgetting their late addrejjes, contefl:ed this branch of ~he prerogative. The king had fecured the opinion of the judges in favour of it, but this not giving fa– tisfaction, he determined to obtain a parliamentary fanCl:ion. For this purpofe, he publilhed the following order in the Gazette, " that whereas N° 2302. " his majefl:y was refolved to ufe his utmofl: endeavours, that his dec!a- " ration of indulgence might pafs into a law, he therefore thqught fit " to review the lifts of deputy·lieutenants, and jufl:ices of peace in the " feveral counties, that thofe may be continued, who would be ready « to contribute what in them lies, towards .the accomplilhment of fo '' good and necelfary a work, and fuch others, added to them, from " whom his majell:y might reafonably expect the like concurrence and " affiftance." Purfuant to this refolution, the king's firft parliament 'Iht king gm was diffolved, and agents were employed to difpofe the people . to the a P"grefi, choice of fuch new members, as might facilitate the court meafures. The king himfelf went a progrefs, to ingratiate himfelf with the people ; and it can hardly be expreJTed (fays Eachard), with what joyful acclamations his majefi:y was received, and what loyal acknowledgments were paid him in all places; but in the affair of the tell:s (fays Burnet), p. 71 7 , there was a vifible coldnefs among the nobility and gentry, though the king behaved in a mofl: obliging manner. When the king returned from his progrefs, be began to change the Cbang.u the magillracy; in the feveral corporations in England, according to the pow- magijlratnin ers referved to the crown in the new charters; he turned out feveral of corporatJonJ, the aldermen of the city of London, and placed new ones in their room. He caufed the lifts of lord-lieutenants, and deputy-lieutenants, to be reviewed,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=