was re-established. The officers, on the other hand, were now as strenuous to dissolve by force the assembly they had restored, and so zealously supported; accordingly, General Lambert, who fought in the van with Monk, at the battle of Doon-hill, having drawn up a chosen body of troops, placed them in the vicinity of Westminster-hall, and when the speaker, Lenthall, appeared in his carriage, proceeding towards the house, he ordered his horses to be turned round, and very civilly conducted him home In like manner the other members were intercepted by the military despots, and the army returned to their quarters to observe a solemn fast, which generally either preceded or followed their outrages!

General Monk, who was at the head of 8000 veterans in Scotland, was at Haddington, when he received communication from the council in England of such proceedings, which being far from satisfactory to him, he returned with his officers to Edinburgh. After consultation the articles, which were intended rather to enforce the legislation of the sword, than that of the parliament, were rejected. The general immediately issued a letter to the magistrates of Haddington and the different burghs, stating, in the style and language of his late leader, that “Having a call from God and his people to march into England, to assert and maintain the liberty and being of parliament, the ancient constitution, and the rights of the people of the three nations from arbitrary and tyrannical usurpations, &c., he expected they would not fail in their duty; and authorized them, at the same time, to suppress all tumults and unlawful assemblies; and commanding them to hold no correspondence with the party of Charles Stuart or his adherents, but to apprehend, and send any disturbers of the peace to the next garrison." He further hoped that his absence would be short, and promised to do every thing in his power for the good government and relief of the nation." In a note he takes care to remind them to be prepared for the payment of the assess when it should be called for.

66

FROM GENERAL MONK RESPECTING ASSESSMENT.

"For my very loving Frindis the Magistrates of the Burgh of Hadingtoune. GENTLEMEN—Haveing a call from God and his people to march into England, to assert and maintaine the liberty and being of Parliaments, our antient constitution, and therein the freedome and rights of the people of these three nations, from arbitrary and

Having issued this precept, and appointed commissioners in the shires to keep the peace in his absence, Monk marched to Berwick, whence he published another letter to the lords and gentlemen of the counties, to make arrangements for setting watches on the Borders. Monk remained a short time at Coldstream watching the progress of events. While in this neighbourhood, he raised that gallant regiment since so much distinguished under the name of the "Coldstream Guards."

While Monk was thus pursuing in secret his skilful schemes, his conduct was anxiously watched by the contending parties, till with astonishment they beheld him at St Albans, within a few miles of London. From thence he sent a message to the Rump Parliament, commanding them to remove such forces as remained in the city to the country. In the meantime the House of Commons found it expedient to dissolve itself; and a proclamation was issued for the assembling of a new parliament, whose first act was to invite the return, and effect the restoration, of King Charles II.

The Lord-General of Scotland still preserved an inflexible taciturnity. Locke, in his Life of Lord Shaftesbury, says, " Monk

tyrannicall usurpations upon thair consciences, persons and estates, and for a godly ministry, I doe theirfor expect from yow, the Magistrates of ye burgh of Hadingtoune, that yow doe preserve the peace of the comonwealth in your burgh. And I hereby authorize yow to suppresse all tumults. stirrings and unlawfull assemblies; and that you hold noe correspondency with any of Charles Stuart's party or his adherents, but apprehend any such as shall make auy disturbanse, and send them into the next garrison; And doe further desire yow to countenance and incourage the godly ministry, and all that truely feare God in the land: and that yow continue faithfull to owne, and assert the interest of Parliamentary government in your severall places and stations. I hope my absence will bee very short; but I doe assure you, that I will procure from the Parliament whatever may bee for the good goverment and releife of this nation, and doubt not but to obtaine abaitements on your assesse and other publique burthens according to the proportion of England; and further service I may bee able. I shall not bee wanting in what may promote the happinesse and peace of this afflicted people. I shall not trouble yow further, but begg your prayers, and desire yow to assure yourselves, that I am, your faithful friend and humble servant, GEORGE MONCK.

“Edinburgh, 15 November 1659.

"I desire yow to send me word to Berwick under your hands how farr you will comply with my desires, by the 12th of December next.

"I desire you, that what is behind, of the last four monthes of ye twelve monthes assesse may bee in a readiness against it is called for. I likewise desire that there may bee particular notice given, that such are not free to concurr with yow in this businesse, you will send me their names."

The above letter is verbatim with one preserved in the burgh archives of Dunbar and North Berwick.

had agreed with the French ambassador to take the government on himself, by whom he had promise from Mazarin of assistance from France, to support him in this undertaking. This bargain was struck between them late at night, but not so secretly but that Monk's wife (who had posted herself behind the hangings, where she could hear all that passed,) finding what was resolved, sent immediately notice of it by her brother Dr Clairges to Sir Anthony Ashly Cooper (afterwards Lord Shaftesbury). She was zealous for the restoration of the king, and promised Sir Anthony to watch her husband, and inform him, from time to time, how matters went.* Upon this notice Sir Anthony summoned the council of state, and before them indirectly charging Monk with what he had learned, proposed that, to remove all scruples, Monk would at that instant take away their commissions from such and such officers in his army, and give them to those whom he named. By this means the army ceased to be at Monk's devotion, and was put into the hands that would not serve him in the design he had undertaken."

Whatever were his intentions, it is evident that Monk had, for some time, been carrying on a secret plot for the restoration of Charles, and he saw the object of his wishes attained by the declaration of the new parliament. On the 25th May, the general received Charles II. when he landed at Dover; and, on the 29th, the King entered London amidst the joyful acclamations of the people.

General Monk received the order of the garter, and was created Duke of Albemarle for his eminent services. Among his first acts was to raise Dr Clairges, who was an honest, but haughty man. He became afterwards a very considerable person in parliament, and valued himself on opposing the court, and on his frugality in managing the public money; "for he had Cromwell's economy ever in his mouth, (says Bishop Burnet,) and was always for reducing the expense of the war to the modesty and parsimony of those times. Many thought he carried this too far: but it made him very popular. After he had become very rich

Aubrey says, that Lady Monk's mother was " one of the fine women-barbers; and that her father's was the corner-shop, the first turning on the right hand as you come out of the Strand into Drury Lane."

himself by the public money, he seemed to take care that no body else should grow as rich as he was in this way."

Monk was not only distinguished as a soldier and a statesman, but also as an admiral of the fleet. In 1666, in conjunction with Prince Rupert, he encountered the two Dutch admirals Ruyter and the younger Van Tromp in the Downs, and in a fight which lasted two days, sunk and burnt twenty of the Dutch ships, 4000 of their men being killed, and 3000 wounded. He died in 1670, aged 62.

"I do not think a braver gentleman,

More daring or more bold, is now alive,

To grace this latter age with noble deeds."-SHAKSPEARE.

In March 1660, John second Earl of Lauderdale, who was taken at the battle of Worcester, and committed prisoner to the tower of London, where he suffered a confinement of nine years, was liberated by Monk, He had been excepted out of Cromwell's act of grace and pardon in 1654. On his Jiberation he repaired to the Hague to welcome home the King, with whom he came over at the restoration. As a reward for his sufferings in the royal cause, his lordship was constituted secretary of state, one of the extraordinary lords of session, president of the council, first commissioner of the treasury, one of the lords of the bedchamber, and governor of the castle of Edinburgh.*

* 1623, June 2nd, "the provost and council of Haddington, received the oath of Lodo vick Fouller, eldest son lawful of umwhile, the late Mr William Fouller, secretary to the Queen's majesty; and of Mr Peter Arbuthnot, servitor to the Earl of Lauderdaill; and made them burgesses of the burgh conform to act.”—Haddn. Council Reg.

CHAPTER XIV.

"Had thou been born to shield

The cause which Cromwell's impious hand betray'd,

Or that, like Vere, display'd

His redcross banner o'er the Belgian field;

Yet where the will divine

Hath shut those loftiest paths, it next remains,

With reason clad in strains

Of harmony, selected minds to inspire

With virtue's living fire,

And burst the tyrant's chains."-AKENSIDE.

CHARLES II. HIS ARBITRARY GOVERNMENT. THE DUKE OF LAUDERDALE'S TYRANNICAL ADMINISTRATION. — THE PRESBYTERIANS PERSECUTED.-CIVIL WAR. THE BASS ROCK CONVERTED INTO A BASTILE.-BATTLE OF BOTHWELL BRIDGE. THE DUKE OF YORK VISITS SCOTLAND-ASSUMES THE GOVERNMENT.-DEATH OF CHARLES.-JAMES VII.THE REVOLUTION.-LANDING OF THE PRINCE OF ORANGE. -WILLIAM AND MARY.-THE EAST LOTHIAN MILITIA.

BRITAIN now passed from the stern republicism of Cromwell to the absolute monarchism of Charles. There was this much, however, in favour of the "immortal rebel:" he whom Waller lauded, and Milton deigned to praise, that during his sway differences of religious opinions were tolerated and treated with respect, while in the latter reign they were crushed and degraded. The former held the reins of government with a master-hand till the natural close of an active life; but not without the dread of assassination, as he constantly wore a plate of iron-mail within his doublet; while the latter, who died at a premature age, spent it in the fever of a sensual existence, amidst the constant dread of treasonable plots, under the excitement and agitation of spies and informers.

The first act of Charles was to resume the unhappy stumblingblock of his predecessors, by endeavouring to strike a blow at presbyterianism in Scotland, and to establish episcopacy as the