Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/116

* ENGLAND. 94 ENGLAND. new ritualistic prayer book on Scotland caused bolition of the episcopa -> ■ and can. .ns there, and an armed invasion with which Charles was unable to cope. I Lon; Parlia- ment was summoned in consequence i 1640). Led by Pym and Hampden, it passed an act of attain- der against Wentworth, now Earl of Strafford, who was executed, and abolished both Star Cham- ber and ecclesiastical commission. In 1641 came Remonstranci (q.v.) and the impeach- of tlic bishops, and Charles's ill-advised attempt i" seize the five leaders of the opposition hastened the now inevitable war. which opened with the indecisive battle of Edgeliill in 1642. The Scotch wi re drawn into the struggle, Parlia- ment adoptingtheir Solemn League and Covenant. Reorganized on the New Model (q.v.) by Crom- the Parliamentary Army bore down all be- fore ii. At Marston Moor and Naseby the King was Imp lesslj beaten. In 1046 Charles became a prisoner of the Scotch, by whom he was handed over to Parliamenl ; hi- execution took place on January 30, Hi in. But the army, which -was inde- i in religion and desired toleration of the into conflict with the intolerant Par- liament, which was Presbyterian. The so-called 'Pride's Purge' in December, 164S. turned out ue Presbyterian members. England was red a Commonwealth in 1649. The army ■ . I. id ■ t Cromwell crushed the rebellion in Ireland with great bloodshed, and beat the Scotch, who hail risen f"r Charles II. The inevit- able result «as that (lie army ruled supreme. Oliver Cromwell, it- general, was declared Protector in 1653, and ruled with subservi- ent Parliaments till hi- death (1658). His policy was the French alliance against Spain ! and toleration for all except Catholics at Repeated rebellion, however, forced him to withdraw toleration from Episcopalians. On the death of ( 'ri unwell, in 1658, hi- son Richard w.i- named Protector. He abdicated in the fol lowing year. In 1660 General -Monk mat upon London and put an end to the Puritan regime. With the Resl me reaction against the austere morality of Puritan time-. Nearly all of tin- statesmen were profligate and corrupt. Charles II. I L660 85) lived chieflj for pleasure. His advisers were in the main as hail a- he was, of them, like him, being in pay of Louis XIV. of France. Two ruinous wars with Hol- land were waged in the interests of that [lower. Internal legislation i' a reactionary, wu were eompellii ii;. ;,,,,] municipal officers, clergymen, fellow- ,,f the universities, I I masters to conform with the E tab lished I hiir.li, and ministers who refused were Ithin five mile- of an in eorporated town or their former parishes. In 1 eXClud in" I 'at ho ifoi i"' i 1 1 inn public offices. A fictitious Popish plot resulted in di graceful per- on Hie testimony of ' I (q.V I . a i i Ulenipt r-ludc from the ■ . ■ i York, who m, failed tl Bj unscrupulous use of the boroughs '•I'd in the Tori interest. The i iii-ui -mil' a fair I rial A in 1678 rhe three up with an attempt to restore the Eomai Cath- olic religion chiefly by illegal mean.-. By his power of dispensing with the law, he set at naught the Test Act, and forced Catholics into the universities, the army, and even into the royal council. He also gathered a standing army to fur- ther his designs. Failing to secure toleration for Catholics from the Established Church, he tried to form an alliance with the Dissenters, but only with partial success. His illegal proclamation of indulgence was resisted by the bishops, whom he tried in vain to convict of libel. The birth of a male heir, with the prospect of a perpetuation of Ins tyranny, wore out the public patience. Five of the most influential noblemen of England in- vited William of Orange to invade the country. ■His mere appearance was enough to overthrow the Government, and James fled to France. The Development of Cabinet Government. William 111. was the husband of Mary, the eld- est daughter of James II. The Convention Par- liament of 1689, which was assembled to deter- mine the succession, offered the crown to William and Mary conjointly, accompanying the offer with the Petition of Right. This bill, embodied in the famous Bill of Rights, put an end to the dispensing power as used by James, enacted that no Roman Catholic could wear the crown, and established the supremacy of Parliament. The theory of the Restoration had been that the King and Parliament were coordinate in power and should act in harmony with each other ; but this had been demonstrated to be impossible by the reign of James II. Henceforth the King's min- isters were answerable to the House of Parlia- ment, and so-called cabinet government began. The minister- were now changed in accordance with the political complexion of the House of Commons. Although William III. had frequent cause for provocation from the corrupt politi- cians of his da.y. he maintained a wise and moderate domestic policy. In the battle of the Boyne, he defeated James's Catholic subjects in Ireland. The Toleration Act gave Dissenters freedom of public worship, and Presbyterianism was established as the national religion in Scot- land. In 1604 the freedom of the press was established, triennial Parliaments were provided for, and the Bank of England was founded. William's foreign policy involved England in two long wars against the overwhelming power of France under Louis XIV., for the second of which he had just prepared when an accident terminated his life ( 1702). His successor. Queen Anne ( 1702-14) .was a good-hearted woman, of no ability. During (he first part of her reign she was under the influence of the Duke of Marlborough. On (he Continent he continued William's policy. leading the allied English. Dutch, and German forces to brilliant victories over the generals of Louis XIV., especially at Blenheim and at Malplaipiel. which forced l.ouis to -ue for peace. In 1707. before Hie end of this war. Hie legisla- tive union with Scotland was accomplished. Forty-five Scotch members were added to the Commons and sixteen to the Lords, but. Scotland retained her own law. church, and forlrossos. For the historj of the I nited Kingdom, see i Britain and the authorities there referred to. Bibltooeaphy, I' a. History of Agricul- ture and Prices in England (6 vols., Oxford, Prothero, Thi Pioneers and Progress of