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 parliamentary commissioners made very favorable terms for the Virginians; indeed, they left them more freedom and self-government than the King had given them. Maryland, as a Catholic colonv, was "reduced" to the extent of rendering Catholics incompetent to hold office and putting the local government into the hands of the few Puritans the colony contained. Aristopia had not rendered itself obnoxious to the parliamentary party, and was not molested.

The rule of the "Rump," and the protectorates of Oliver and Richard Cromwell passed away without any event of importance in the relations of England and the colonies. The short war with Holland and the Navigation Act of Parliament hardly interrupted the trade of the colonies with the Dutch.

For many years after the accession of Charles II. the King and Parliament were too intent on watching each other to pay much attention to the colonies. At last Charles had sufficient leisure to inflict two of his favorites, Arlington and Culpeper, on Virginia, which was unfortunate enough to be the favorite of the Stuarts. Large grants of land were given to these rapacious parasites, whom the Virginians