fruits of the zeal from which it sprung: it was necessary to sink every little difference in the great cause of the Protestant religion, and our ancient freedom: in fine, it was the duty of the lovers of their country to counteract system by system, and numbers by numbers. It may likewise be remarked, that the manner in which this party opposed the crown, was characteristic of the nation to which they belonged. In any of the continental monarchies, a design on the part of the king to alter the religion and the laws of the kingdom would have been met either with passive submission, insurrection, or assassination. For in those countries, men who did not dare to speak the truth to their sovereign, were not afraid to take up arms against him. But in England the natural and constitutional method of resisting public measures hurtful to the liberty or welfare of the people, is by a parliamentary opposition. This was the only course which Lord Russell and his friends ever thought of adopting; and they did it under circumstances extremely discouraging, for they could expect little support in a parliament cho sen in the heat of the Restoration, and still less assistance from a press restrained by the curb of a Licence Act. The individuals who made themselves most conspicuous, amongst the country party, were, Of Lord Russell, Lord Cavendish, Sir W. Coventry, Col. Birch, Mr. Powle, and Mr. Littleton. the first, the subject of this work, Burnet says, "Lord Russell was a man of great candour, and of a general reputation; universally beloved and trusted; of a generous and obliging temper. He had given such proofs of an undaunted courage, and of an unshaken firmness, that I never knew any man have so entire a credit in the nation as he had. He quickly got out of some of the disorders into which the court had drawn him, and ever after that his life was unblemished in all respects. He had from his first education an inclination to favour the nonconformists, and wished the laws could have been made easier to them, or they more pliant to the law. He was a slow man, and of little discourse; but he had a true judgment, when he considered things at his own leisure: his understanding was not defective; but his virtues were so eminent, that they would have more than balanced real defects, if any had been found in the other." Lord Cavendish, an intimate friend of Lord Russell, had more quickness and talent, and was a very accomplished scholar. He maintained, through a long life, an ardent love of freedom, of which he gave proofs on many occasions. Sir W. Coventry was the model of a country gentleman, open, honest, and sensible, not swayed either by ambition or animosity. Col. Birch spoke with force and vehemence, and was an excellent debater for a popular assembly, though his language retained somewhat of the roughness of his early habits. Before the civil war he had been a carrier. Powle was very learned in parliamentary forms, and Littleton had, more than any other person of his time, that command of historical knowledge, and that skill in argument, which are necessary to form an able speaker of the present day. The Opposition at first proceeded in a very cautious manner. They agreed to vote a subsidy of 600,0001. for eighteen months, which was increased to 1,200,000l. by the treachery of Lee and Garroway, two of their party. * And when at the end of the session a petition of grievances was moved, it touched only on some irregular taxation, and some abuses in the conduct of the army, without mentioning the war, the ministry, or the shutting up of the Exchequer. The opposition reaped the benefit of their moderation. During the recess the misfortunes of the war made it very unpopular; * Marvel seems to allude to this story, when he says, trade suffered, and the army became both exOctober, pensive and oppressive. The conse 1673. quence was, that when parliament met, and the king asked for fresh grants of money, a long debate took place; a cry of grievances came from every side of the House; the iniquity of the war, the sufferings of commerce, the danger of religion, were ably urged; and the supplies were finally refused. Shortly after, the Commons addressed the King, for the second time, to put a stop to the Duke of York's marriage, which had not yet been consummated, voted the standing army a grievance, and were going to attack the Duke of Lauderdale, and other evil counsellors, when the King suddenly prorogued them. It is not uncharitable to suppose, that the recess, which lasted about two months, may have been employed in attempting to gain the Commons by private means. A negotiation with Holland was undertaken, probably with the view of satisfying the public mind, and with no farther design than an order, which was given about the same time, for excluding all Papists from St. James's palace and park. The Chancellor, Shaftesbury, was dismissed. Lord Shaftesbury has obtained a character both in history and in poetry for the possession and the abuse of great talents; and it is but fair to add, that there never was a statesman, against whom more unfounded charges had been brought. When not more than twentyone years of age, he offered to Charles I. a plan of pacification with his people, and his proposition being accepted, he tried it with success at Weymouth, of which place he obtained possession, and was appointed governor. But Prince Maurice having broken the terms agreed upon, he joined the parliament, and continued a zealous republican till the Restoration, in which he had an important share. He had gone all lengths with Charles, except being a party to the secret French treaty; but observing that the King, notwithstanding his advice, was not resolute in maintaining the declaration, and that in case of an enquiry he should be an obvious mark for the parliament, and an easy sacrifice for the King, he suddenly changed his tone, and embraced the popular side. His remarkable sagacity, his readiness in counsel, his boldness in action, and his peculiar skill in adapting his language to the character of those with whom he conversed, gave him an influence with the party that he joined which cannot be sufficiently lamented. His talents, undoubtedly, added weight to the scale in which he threw them, but his hot and restless temper betrayed his associates into measures |