Character of Charles II.--The King's First Privy Council--The Convention Parliament--Submission of the Presbyterian Leaders--The Plight of those who took Part in the late King's Trial--Complaisance of the Commoners--Charles's Income--The Bill of Sales--The Ministers Bill--Settlement of the Church--Trial of the Regicides--Their Execution--Marriage of the Duke of York--Mutilation of the Remains of Cromwell--The Presbyterians Duped--The Revenue--Fifth-Monarchy Riot--Settlements of Ireland and Scotland--Execution of Argyll--Re-establishment of Episcopacy--The new Parliament violently Royalist--The King's Marriage--His Brutal Behaviour to the Queen--State of the Court--Trial of Vane and Lambert--Execution of Vane--Assassination of Regicides--Sale of Dunkirk--The Uniformity Act--Religious Persecution--Strange Case of the Marquis of Bristol--Repeal of the Triennial Act--The Conventicle and Five Mile Acts--War with Holland--Appearance of the Plague--Gross Licentiousness of the Court--Demoralisation of the Navy--Monk's Fight with the Dutch--The Great Fire 193 CHAPTER VIII. REIGN OF CHARLES II. (_continued_). Demands of Parliament--A Bogus Commission--Crushing the Covenanters in Scotland--The Dutch in the Thames--Panic in London and at Court--Humiliation of England--Peace is Signed--Fall of Clarendon--The Cabal--Sir William Temple at the Hague--The Triple Alliance--Scandals at Court--Profligacy of the King and the Duke of Buckingham--Attempt to Deprive the Duke of York of the Succession--Persecution of Nonconformists--Trial of Penn and Mead--The Rights of Juries--Secret Treaty with France--Suspicious Death of Charles's Sister--"Madam Carwell"--Attack on Sir John Coventry--National Bankruptcy--War with Holland--Battle of Southwold Bay--Declaration of Indulgence--Fall of the Cabal--Affairs in Scotland and Ireland--Progress of the Continental War--Mary Marries William of Orange--Louis Intrigues with the Opposition--Peace of Nimeguen--The Popish Plot--Impeachment of Danby--Temple's Scheme of Government--The Exclusion Bill--Murder of Archbishop Sharp--Bothwell Bridge--Anti-Catholic Fury--Charges against James--Execution of Lord Stafford 221 CHAPTER IX. REIGN OF CHARLES II. (_concluded_).