CHARLES II.

i33

The king in vain reiterated his solicitations for sup-ply ; represented the necessity of equipping a fleet;and even offered , that the money , which theyshould grant, should he collected and issued forthat purpose by commissioners appointed by thehouse. Instead os complying, the commons votedan inquiry into all the miscarriages during thelate war ; the slackening of fail after the dukvsvictorv from false orders delivered by Brounker,the miscarriage at Berghcn , the division of thefleet under prince Rupert and Albemarle, thedisgrace at Chatham. Brounker was expelled the.bouse, and ordered to be impeached. Commis-sioner Pet, who had neglected orders issued forthe security of Chatham, met with the samefate. These impeachments were never prosecuted.The house at length , having been indulgedin all their prejudices, were prevailed with tovote the king three hundred and ten thou-sand pounds , by an imposition on wineand other liquors; after which they were ad-journed.

Public business, besides being retarded bythe disgust of the commons against the toleratingmaxims of the court, met with obstructions thissession from a quarrel between the two houses.Skinner, a rich merchant in London, havingsuffered some injuries from the East India com-pany , laid the matter by petition before thehouse of lords, by whom he was relieved in costsand damages to the amount of five thousandpounds. The commons voted, that the lords,

K 3

CHAP

I.XV.

I66S.

It til 61May.