CHAP. At the fame time, the act of navigation wasXXV. fufpended by royal will and pleafure: A meafure,
1672. which, though a ftretch of prerogative, feemed
ufeful to commerce , while all the feamen wereemployed on board the royal navy. A like
fufpenlion had been granted , during the fir ftDutch war, and was not much remarked; becaufemen had, at that time, entertained lefs jealoufyof the crown. A proclamation was alfo iffued ,containing rigorous claufes in favor of preffing:Another full of menaces agaigft thofe who pre-fumed to fpeak undutifully of his majefty’s snea-fures , and even again!! thofe who heard fuchdifcourfe, unlefs they informed in due time again!!the offenders : Another again!! importing orvending any fort of painted earthen ware, “ ex-“ cept thofe of China , upon pain of being griev-“ oufiy fined, and fuffering the utmof! punifhment,£C which might be lawfully inflidled upon con-C( temners of his majefty’s royal authority. ” Anarmy had been levied ; and it was found , thatdifcipline could not be enforced without theexercife of martial law , which was thereforeeftablifhed by order of council, though contraryto the petition of right. All thefe adls of power,how little important foever in themfelves, favoredftrongly of arbitrary government, and were no-wife fuitable to that legal adminiftration, whichthe parliament, after fuch violent convulfions andcivil wars, had hoped to have eftablifhed in thekingdom.
It may be worth remarking» that the lord-