CHARLES II. 409

been banging over them. Principles the mostopposite to civil liberty, were every where in-forced from the pulpit, and adopted in numerousaddresses ; where the king was flattered in hispresent measures, and congratulated on his escapefrom parliaments. Could words have been de-pended on , the nation appeared to be runningfast into voluntary servitude , and seemed evenambitious of resigning into the kingis hands allthe privileges , transmitted to them, through somany ages , by their gallant ancestors.

But Charles had sagacity enough to distinguishbetween men’s real internal sentiments, and thelanguage , which zeal and opposition to a con-trary faction may sometimes extort from them.Notwithstanding all these professions of duty andobedience, he was resolved not to trust, for along time, the people with a new election, butto depend entirely on his own œconomy for alle-viating those necessities, under which he labored.Great retrenchments were made in the houssold:Even his favorite navy was neglected: Tangiers,though it had cost great sums of money, was afew years after abandoned and demolished. Themole was entirely destroyed ; and the garrison ,being brought over to England , served to aug-ment that small army, which the king relied on,as the solid basis of his authority. It had beenhappv for the nation , had Charles used hisvictory with iustice and moderation equal to theprudence and dexterity, with which he obtained it.

The first step, taken by the court, was the

CHAP

LXVIII.

1581 .