CHARLES II.

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duke, would much facilitate, he knew, any ex-pedient that could be deviled for the exclusionof that prince: and nothing farther seemed re-quisite for the king, than to give way in thisparticular to the rage and fury of the nation.But Charles, notwithstanding all allurements ofpleasure, or interest, or safety, had the generosityto protect his injured consort. “ r l hey think,”said he, “I have a mind to a new wife; but for" all that, I will not sec an innocent woman“ abused ” He immediately ordered Oates tobe strictly confined, seized his papers, and dis-missed his servants; and this daring informer wasobliged to make applications to parliament, inorder to recover his liberty.

During this agitation of men’s minds, theparliament gave new attention to the militia; acircumstance , which , even during times of greatesttranquillity, can never prudently be neglected.T hey passed a bill, by which it was enacted , thata regular militia should be kept in arms , duringsix weeks of the year, and a third part of themdo duty every fortnight of that time. The po-pular leaders probably intended to make use ofthe general prejudices, and even to turn the armsof the people against the prince ". But Charlesrefused his assent to the bill, and told the par-liament, that he would not, were it for half anhour, part so far with the power of the sword:

North’s Examen , p. 186.

Burnet, vol. i, p. 437.

; h a p.

I.XVH.

>«7i.