A Popular History of England, From the Earliest Times to the Reign of Queen Victoria; Vol. IIIGuizot, François
History
A Popular History of England, From the Earliest Times to the Reign of Queen Victoria; Vol. III
Guizot, François
Great Britain -- History
The two Houses on their part lost no time, and the Lords declared
on the 3d of May that, in accordance with the fundamental laws of
the realm, the supreme power resided and ought to reside in King,
Lords, and Commons. The House of Commons immediately adopted the
same resolution, and also decided that a gift of £50,000 sterling
should be immediately offered to the king; £10,000 and £5,000
were also voted for his brothers. A jewel valued at £500 sterling
was voted to Grenville, but the treasury was exhausted. It was
necessary to have recourse to the city, which provided at once
for pressing needs. When Grenville arrived at Breda, the bearer
of £30,000 in bills of exchange and specie, the king, overjoyed
at the sight, sent for the Princess of Orange and the Duke of
York, desiring that they should see this gold, so long strange to
their hands, taken out of the portmanteau of the messenger.
The two Houses sent commissioners charged with their answers to
the king; many other deputations preceded or followed them.
Clarges conveyed to Charles II. a letter from Monk; the delegates
from the city and the Presbyterian ministers met at Breda.
Parliament proclaimed the king in the presence of the people at
the gate of Westminster, before Whitehall, and in the city.
{337}
Workmen were busily engaged in repairing all the royal palaces.
"Mistress Monk, with a zeal void of all vanity," wrote Broderick
to Hyde, "is taking care that his Majesty shall be provided with
all the linen he will require, saying frankly that she has not
forgotten her old occupation, and that she is assured that she
will be able to make a saving of one-half in the king's
household."
In the presence of all these facts, what had become of the
intention of the Presbyterians and the political reformers to
treat with the king and secure for the liberties of the people
and themselves strong guarantees? The work of restoration was
accomplished, driven forward by the national feeling: the most
resolute of the moderate party had lent a hand, and were lending
a hand every day, to this spontaneous re-establishment of the
monarchy. The royal declaration of Breda, the assurances of
moderation and respect for old laws, and the promise to settle
all great questions in concert with Parliament, such were the
only guarantees which the restoration of the Stuarts offered to
England.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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