C H A R L E S II. 2Z

The prelacy likewise, by the abrogating of cevery statute, enacted in favor of presbytery ,was thereby tacitly restored ; and the king deli-berated what use he sliould make of this conces-sion. Lauderdale, who at bottom was a passionatezealot against episcopacy, endeavoured to persuadehim, that the Scots, if gratified in this favoritepoint of ecclesiastical government , would , inevery other demand, be entirely compliant withthe king. Charles, though he had no such at-tachment to prelacy as had influenced his fatherand grandfather , had suffered such indignitiesfrom the Scottish presbyterians, that he ever afterbore them a hearty aversion. He said to Lau-derdale , that presbyterianism , he thought, wasnot a religion for a gentleman ; and he couldnot consent to its farther continuance in Scotland.Middleton too and his other ministers persuadedhim, that the nation in general was so disgustedwith the violence and tyranny of the ecclesiastics,that any alteration of church government wouldbe universally grateful. And Clarendon, as wellas Ormond, dreading that the presbyterian sect,if legally established in Scotland , would acquireauthority in England and Ireland, seconded theapplication of these ministers. The resolutionwas therefore taken to restore prelacy; a measureafterwards attended with many and great incon-veniences: But whether in this resolution Charleschose not the lesser evil, it is very difficult todetermine. Sharp who had been commissionedby the presbyterians in Scotland to manage their

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