Page:English Historical Review Volume 37.djvu/623

 1922 SHORT NOTICES 615 Although there are few documents of first-rate importance in the Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, 1680-1 (London : Stationery Office, 1921), it supplies much information about the politics of a period which witnessed the close of the struggle over the exclusion bill and the beginning of the tory reaction against Shaftesbury and his supporters. There is little that is fresh about the two short-lived parliaments which met at Westminster in October and at Oxford in March, but the attitude of the government towards protestant dissenters receives new illustration. Until the summary dissolution of the Oxford parliament local officials were discouraged by ministers from persecuting nonconformists, but afterwards were informed that the vigorous enforcement of the laws against conventicles was well-pleasing to his majesty. Indeed Jenkins, the secretary of state, announces his belief that only the church of England and the old cavalier principles were alike safe for the government and comfortable for the conscience, and letters showing the willingness or unwillingness of magistrates to translate such sentiments into action form the most numerous and important series in the volume. The perse- cution seems to have been based on political, and not on religious, grounds, on the conviction that nonconformity was inconsistent with monarchy, and there is no sign that the clergy took any prominent part in the agitation against the sectaries. In marked contrast to the abundant material exhibiting the activity displayed against the dissenters is the relative paucity of documents about the Koman catholics. Another feature of the period is the extraordinary number of plots revealed to the government. Although most, if not all of them, seem to owe their birth to the unscru- pulous imagination of Oates and his imitators, the large number of deposi- tions and informations about treasonable words spoken against Charles II and his brother seem to prove the existence of widespread discontent. There are a few papers relating to Scotland, including instructions for James, duke of York, as high commissioner, and some particulars about the fate of the prisoners taken in 1679 after Both well Bridge and of Cameronians. Owing to the comprehensiveness of the calendar of the Ormonde Manuscripts there is little of any value about Ireland, except the declaration of the lord lieutenant that it had never been so prosperous as in 1680, judging by the increase of trade, the raising of the price of land, and the punctual payment of rent. Foreign affairs naturally are scarcely noticed, but there is one curiously candid letter from Jenkins explaining that the English Crown could not afford to take any part in a European war, as the wealthy classes would not support it. This calendar seems to have been very carefully prepared, but has the same fault as its predecessors, that unimportant documents are given at exces- sive length. It is noteworthy that although lists of passes for persons going beyond the seas are collected together, with the resultant saving of much space, the same very convenient treatment is not applied, as it well might be, to army commissions. There is the usual copious index, but some change in the method of its compilation is desirable. Whereas the entries under Whitehall and Windsor include the unnecessary and very lengthy items, ' documents dated at,' two of the three references to the cabinet council are omitted. G. D.