Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 10.djvu/106

 observation of Dalrymple (Memoirs, i. 39-42) that from the era of the second Dutch war of Charles II is to be dated the superiority in commerce and in naval power which England established upon the ruins of French and Dutch maritime trade. No sooner had William of Orange come to the head of affairs than he would gladly have made terms with his uncle, Charles II; but the latter declined these overtures just as two months before he had told the Dutch envoys that he could resolve on nothing without consulting his brother of France (Hatton Correspondence, i. 90-1; cf., i. 595). Thus when parliament at last met again, 4 Feb. 1678, Charles II in his speech insisted both upon the necessity of the war and upon the beneficent results of the Declaration of Indulgence, he was vehemently supported by Shaftesbury, and the commons promised an adequate supply; but only a minority of 116 could be brought to vote against an address pronouncing the Declaration of Indulgence illegal, which was followed by the bringing in of the Test Act. The king hereupon appealed to the lords, but with no success, and in order to avoid further conflict and to obtain his supply he on 7 March cancelled the declaration (, ii. 123-34, correcting Burnet). The Test Act was then passed and the supply granted. On 29 March parliament adjourned, Clifford resigned his treasurer's staff, and the Duke of York his office as lord high admiral. When parliament reassembled in October, the Cabal was virtually at an end. Clifford's office was filled by Sir Thomas Osborne, who was created Viscount Latimer (from June 1674 Earl of Danby). But the more popular side of the cabinet now consisted of Shaftesbury and Arlington with Ormonde, and it was supposed Prince Rupert and Coventry. Popular feeling was stronger than ever against any concession to the catholics, especially among the presbyterians (Letters to Williamson, i. 151 ), and the prevailing apprehensions were increased by the project of a marriage between the Duke of York and the Princess Mary of Modena (, ii. 147; cf. Letters to Williamson, ii. 27). Two protesting addresses from the House of Commons were followed by two prorogations, and immediately after the second Shaftesbury was dismissed from the lord-chancellorship (9 Nov.) It is true that the king for a moment wished to have him back, but the net was spread in vain. The parliament which reassembled 7 Jan. 1674 was determined on peace with the United Provinces and on the overthrow of the ministers who had shown themselves subservient to France.

The peace of Westminster (9 Feb. 1674) closes the period of offensive alliance between England and France. During the remainder of the reign of Charles II England played a passive part in European politics. Though, according to Burnet (ii. 40-2), he had concluded peace sorely against his will, he at all events put a merry face upon the matter (Letters to Williamson, ii. 168); and when the peace congress at Cologne was broken up, he had the satisfaction of being appointed mediator by all the remaining belligerents (, 7 and n.) But his mediation had no rapid effect. At home the cabal was at an end. Buckingham was driven from office; Arlington became lord chamberlain, and the head of a court faction of secondary importance; and an address was voted against Lauderdale, who, however, retained office till 1675, and influence for some time longer. From 1674 Danby [see ] was at the head or affairs. He cared little for popular liberties, and practised widespread corruption; but it was his ambition to reconcile the crown with the country party, whose attachment to the church and whose dislike of dependence upon a foreign power he shared, He found no difficulty in 1676 in persuading Charles to publish a proclamation for enforcing the laws against the nonconformists, and still less in obtaining his approval of a non-resistance test, which, however, parliament rejected; but the king would not enter into a foreign policy which in this year made war with France seem highly probable. He made a 'sea-progress' round the south coast in July (, Chronicle, 602), but he was determined to keep the peace. Before proroguing parliament in November, which did not meet again till February 1677, he informed it that he was four millions in debt, exclusive of the large sum he owed the goldsmiths; but he could obtain no grant except for the building of ships (, 179-80; cf., ii. 78 seq.) A few weeks later he had to stop the salaries and maintenance money of his household, and soon adopted a reduced scale of expenditure (, 43, 47). On 17 Feb. 1676 Charles II concluded another secret treaty with Louis XIV, which he copied and sealed with his own hand. It bound him, in return for an annual subsidy of 100,000l., to enter into no engagements with any other power without the consent of his ally. (The story of a secret compact for the subjection of England to France, and for her conversion to Rome, detailed in Relation de l'Accroissemnt de la Papauté, has no evidence to support it. A great part is played in it by the three English regiments in the service of France, as to which see, ii. 116-17.) Soon after this Charles is found affecting