The History of England Volume VI

LXIV

HistEng6_151-200.indd 40 6/17/11 11:10 AM r664. r6th March. A new sesswn. LXIV A new session - Rupture with Holland A new session - Victory of the English - Rupture with France - Rupture with Denmark New session- Five-mile act- Seafight of four days - Victory of the English - Fire of London - Advances towards peace - Disgrace at Chatham- Peace of Breda- Clarendon's falland banishment - State of France - Character of Lewis XIV. - French invasion of the Low Countries - Negotiations Triple league - Treaty of Aix-la-chapelle - Affairs of Scotland - and of Ireland ~~~ T HE NEXT SESSION of parliament discovered a continuance of the same principles, which had prevailed in all the foregoing. Monarchy and the church were still the objects of regard and affection. During no period of the present reign, did this spirit more evidently pass the bounds of reason and moderation. The king in his speech to the parliament had ventured openly to demand a repeal of the triennial act; and he even went so far as to declare, that, notwithstanding the law, he never would allow any parliament to be assembled by the methods prescribed in that HistEng6_151-200.indd 41 6/17/11 11:10 AM CHAPTER LXIV statute. The parliament, without taking offence at this declaration, repealed the law; and in lieu of all the securities, formerly provided , satisfied themselves with a general clause, "that parliaments should not be interrupted above three years at the most." As the English parliament had now raised itself to be a regular check and controul upon royal power; it is evident, that they ought still to have preserved a regular security for their meeting, and not have trusted entirely to the good-will of the king, who, if ambitious or enterprising, had so little reason to be pleased with these assemblies . Before the end of Charles's reign, the nation had occasion to feel very sensibly the effects of this repeal. By the act of uniformity, every clergyman, who should officiate without being properly qualified, was punishable by fine and imprisonment : But this security was not thought sufficient for the church. It was now enacted, that, wherever five persons above those of the same household, should assemble in a religious congregation , every one of them was liable, for the first offence, to be imprisoned three months, or pay five pounds; for the second, to be imprisoned six months, or pay ten pounds; and for the third to be transported seven years, or pay a hundred pounds. The parliament had only in their eye the malignity of the sectaries: They should have carried their attention farther, to the chief cause of that malignity, the restraint under which they laboured. The commons likewise passed a vote, that the wrongs, dishonours , and indignities, offered to the English by the subjects of the United Provinces, were the greatest obstructions to all foreign trade: And they promised to assist the king with their lives and fortunes in asserting the rights of his crown against all opposition whatsoever. This was the first open step towards a Dutch war. We must explain the causes and motives of this measure. That close union and confederacy, which, during a course of near seventy-years, has subsisted, almost without interruption or jealousy, between England and Holland, is not so much founded on the natural unalterable interests of these states, as on their terror of the growing power of the French monarch, who, without their combination, it is apprehended, would soon extend his dominion over Europe. In the first years of Charles's reign, when the ambitious genius of Lewis had not, as yet, displayed itself; and when the great force of his people was, in some measure, unknown Rupture with Holland. HistEng6_151-200.indd 42 6/17/11 11:10 AM HISTORY OF ENGLAND even to themselves, the rivalship ofcommerce, not checked by any otherjealousy or apprehension, had in England begotten a violent enmity against the neighbouring republic. Trade was beginning, among the English, to be a matter of general concern; but notwithstanding all their efforts and advantages , their commerce seemed hitherto to stand upon a footing, which was somewhat precarious. The Dutch, who, by industry and frugality, were enabled to undersell them in every market, retained possession of the most lucrative branches ofcommerce; and the English merchants had the mortification to find, that all attempts to extend their trade were still turned, by the vigilance of...