aspects of these changes or to determine how far they were effected
in the interest of mere political control. Suffice it to say that too
many conditions of the reign of Charles II have been attributed to
extravagance and political intrigue, and too few to an honest desire
on the part of those concerned to restore the realm to a condition of
solvency and prosperity. Heavily burdened with debt at the outset of the
reign, distracted by plague, fire, and foreign war during the years from
1665 to 1668, the kingdom needed the services of all its statesmen,
and even the most selfish politician must have realized the need of
reorganization. Acting upon a suggestion which Clarendon himself had
made to the King, the Privy Council in 1667 began by strengthening
its own committee system, and on January 31, 1668, established four
standing committees--for foreign affairs, military affairs, trade and
plantations, and petitions and grievances. These committees had almost
the character of state departments, though they had no final authority
of their own, all orders emanating from the Privy Council only. They
became, however, more independent than had been previous committees by
virtue of the fact that no order was to be issued by the Council until
it had been "first perused by the Reporter of each Committee
respectively," The following is a copy of the regulations:

His Ma^{tie} among other the important parts of his Affairs
having taken into his princely consideration the way & method
of managing matters at the Council Board, And reflecting that
his Councills would have more reputation if they were put into
a more settled & established course, Hath thought it fit to
appoint certaine Standing Comitties of the Council for several
Businesses together with regular days & places for their
assembling in such sort as followeth:

1. The Committee of FORRAINE AFFAIRES is already settled to
consist of these Persons following (besides his Royall Highness,
who is understood to be of all comittees, where he pleases to be)
vizt. Prince Rupert, L^{d} Keeper [Sir Orlando Bridgeman], Lord
Privy Scale [Lord Robartes], Duke of Buckingham, Lord General
[Duke of Albemarle], L^{d} Arlington, & M^{r} Sec^{ry} Morice,
To which Committee His Ma^{tie} doth also hereby referr the
corresponding w^{th} Justices of peace & other officers & ministers
in the Severall Countys of the Kingdome, conce