132 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN .

CHAP, meafures had been calculated to acquire the goodw ijj G f ^5 people; and above all, the tripleI668, league , it was hoped, would be able to effaceall the difagreeable impreilions left by theunhappy conclufion of the Dutch war. But anew attempt made by the court, and a laudableone too, loll him, for a time, the effedf of allthefe endeavours. Buckingham, who was in greatfavor with the king, and carried on many in-trigues among the commons, hadalfo endeavouredto fupport connexions with the nonconformifts;and he now formed a fcheme, in concert withthe lord keeper, Sir Orlando Bridgeman , andthe chief juflice, Sir Matthew Hale , two worthypatriots , to put an end to thofe feverities, underwhich thefe religionifts had fo long labored.It was propofed to reconcile the prefbyteriansby a comprehenfion, and to grant a tolerationto the independents and other fedtaries. Favorfeems not, by this fcheme, as by others embracedduring the prefent reign, to have been intendedthe catholics: Yet were the zealous commons fodifgufted , that they could not be prevailed oneven to give the king thanks for the triple league,however laudable that meafure was then , andhas ever fince been efteemed. They immediatelyvoted an addrefs for a proclamation again!! con-venticles. Their requeft was complied with;but as the king {fill dropped fome hints of hisdefire to reconcile his proteftant fubjedts, thecommons paffed a very unufual vote , that no manfliould bring into the houfe any bill of that nature.