d, recognizing on the seal the royal arms, commanded the guards
to take care that the bearer did not depart. In a few minutes Grenville
was called in, interrogated by the president as to the manner in which he
became possessed of the letter, and ordered to be taken into custody. "That
is unnecessary," said Monk; "I find that he is my near kinsman, and I will
be security for his appearance."

The ice was now[a] broken. Grenville was treated not as a prisoner, but a
confidential servant of the sovereign. He delivered to the two houses the
letters addressed to them, and received in return a vote of thanks, with a
present of five hundred pounds. The letter for the army was read by Monk
to his officers, that for the navy by Montague to the captains under his
command, and that for the city by the lord mayor to the common council
in the Guildhall. Each of these bodies voted an address of thanks and
congratulation to the king.

The paper which accompanied the letters to the two houses,--1. granted a
free and general pardon to all persons, excepting such as might afterwards
be excepted by parliament; ordaining that every division of party should
cease, and inviting all who were the subjects of the same sovereign to live
in union and harmony; 2. it declared a liberty to tender consciences, and
that no man should be disquieted or called in

[Footnote 1: Lords' Journ. xi. 4, 5, 6.]

[Sidenote a: A.D. 1660. May 1.]

question for differences of opinion in matters of religion which did not
disturb the peace of the kingdom, and promised moreover the royal assent to
such acts of parliament as should be offered for the full granting of
that indulgence: 3. it alluded to the actions at law to which the actual
possessors of estates purchased by them or granted to them during the
revolution might be liable, and purposed to leave the settlement of all
such differences to the wisdom of parliament, which could best provide for
the just satisfaction of the parties concerned: lastly, it promised to
liquidate the arrears of the army under General Monk, and to retain the
officers and men in the royal service upon the same pay and conditions
which they actually enjoyed. This was the celebrated declaration from
Breda, the royal charter on the faith of which Charles was permitted to
ascend the throne of his fathers.[1]

Encouraged by the bursts of loyalty with which the king's letters and
declaration had been received, his agents made it their gr