CHAP. II. 1660. upon the danger arifing from fuch treasonable com by the change of the times were reduced to indigence) to fome unguarded converfation, which was conftrued treason, and the poor men were capitally punished. Ludlow in his Memoirs, when he mentions these and some fimilar manoeuvres of the ministry, tells us that they were not ashamed to give it out, that their meffengers had been fo near his perfon as to seize on his cloak and flippers, and to commit two gentlemen to the Tower, who were in his company, " though," continues he, "they knew fo well where I was, that they had employed inftruments to affaffinate me in Switzerland." * As the chancellor, when he was on the topic of religion, compared the king for his wifdom in compofing differences to Conftantine the great; fo now, when he came to speak of his contempt of any plots against his life, he faid his majesty's heroifm was like that of Cæfar, and his reply always the fame to thofe, who with honeft zeal and anxious concern complained of his, want of vigilance for his fafety," Mori fe malle quam timere." " If,” "If," faid he, "thefe arguments, urged with that vivacity which is moft natural to your own gratitude and affections, recover as many as have been corrupted by a different logic, the hearts of the whole nation even to a man will be fo fenfibly devoted to the king, that when they make choice of perfons again to ferve in parliament, they will chufe fuch as are not likely to oppofe him, but fuch as have already ferved him, and are likely to serve him with their whole heart, and to gratify him in all his defires." This piece of advice to the nation, which the chancellor introduced towards the end of his fpeech, was at the particular defire of the king, and the duke of York; and the propriety of fome fuch language, upon the occafion had even been debated upon and approved in the select commit The making it a point of fo much importance was on the following account. The former parliament, almoft wholly confifting of the old members brought back by Monk, though determined to restore the king, thought it politic at that time to keep up the delufion or uncertainty of the people a little longer; and therefore paffed a vote, before they diffolved themselves, that no perfon, who had been in arms against the parliament during the civil wars, fhould be returned at the next election. It was now, therefore, earneftly defired by the court, that fome public and authori СНАР. II. 1660. CHAP. II. 1660. Inftitution of the royal fo ciety. tative instructions, guarding however against any open infringement of the people's rights, should be given them to chufe none but royalifts. Very few others were accordingly returned. Many events [The author here concludes his account of the conduct of administration, with refpect to the affairs of England, for the year 1660. and other circumstances, which the confined nature of his plan led him to pass over, and yet appeared worthy of a place in hiftory, have been interwoven with his narrative by the Editor, or thrown into the form of notes. One, however, feemed to demand particular notice, and being eafily detached from the reft, was referved for the clofe of this fecond chapter. It is, perhaps, the only public measure in the first year of Charles's reftoration, which reflects honour on his memory, and tends to leffen our contempt and deteftation of fo bad a character. This was the inftitution of the Royal Society, which was founded under the aufpices and patronage of the king; and received from him every neceffary encouragement to enlarge the fphere of useful difcoveries, and to carry the knowledge of natural philofophy and mechanics to the highest degree of poffible perfection. The voluminous productions of this Society have often been made objects of ridicule and fatire by men of little wit and ftill less understanding. But But Europe is indebted to thofe labours, and to the spirit of experimental investigation excited by fuch an example, for the most valuable of its prefent improvements. It would, indeed, require but little argument to convince any person of candour and common fenfe, that nothing can more effectually promote the improvement of science than to unite the exertions of the most ingenious individuals in the fame purfuits; to concenter, as it were, their scattered views; and to bring their feparate discoveries into one perpetually accumulating ftock for the general benefit and inftruction of mankind.] CHAP. II. 1660. CHAP. CHAP. 1660. CHA P. III. Affairs of Scotland-Situation of the Scotch under Cromwell The King's motives for reftoring the antient form of government-Characters of the Scotch delegates-Appointment of the officers of stateFruitless combination against Lauderdale-Rigorous treatment of the marquis of Argyle-Debate on the meafures to be pursued in Scotland-Proceedings of the Scotch parliament-Trial and execu tion of the marquis of Argyle-Other victimsPetition for the re-establishment of epifcopacyRemoval of the English garrisons-Fresh causes of enmity between the members of the Scotch councilFatal effects of their competition for royal favour-Acts which almoft eradicated civil and religious liberty-The earl of Middleton's difgraceCrowning acts of the parliament previous to its diffolution-Unremitted rigours of the new miniftry-Infurrection at Lanerk-The government intrufted to other hands-Mild counfels adopted too late-Sketch of Lauderdale's violent and tyrannical adminiftration. TH HOUGH the defigns of the court were put into as great a ftate of forwardness towards their completion in England, as the promoters of them could expect, or reasonably wish in fo fhort a period |