e period which elapsed after Oliver Cromwell's death was one of
waiting and preparation. It ended in the meeting of the free national
Parliament, which put an end to the republic, and restored royalty in
the person of Charles II.

CHARLES II--1660-1685

467. The Restoration of Monarchy; Accession of Charles; a New Standing
Army, 1660.

The English army heard that Charles was coming, with sullen silence;
the ex-members of the "Rump Parliament" (S465), with sullen dread; the
rest of the nation, with a feeling of relief. However much they had
hated the despotism of the two Stuart Kings, James I and Charles I,
four fifths of the people stood ready to welcome any change which
promised to do away with a government maintained by bayonets.

Charles II was received at Dover with the wildest demonstrations of
joy. Bells pealed, flags waved, bonfires blazed all the way to
London, and the King said, with characteristic irony, "It must have
been my own fault that I did not come before, for I find no one but
declares that he is glad to see me."

The existence of the late Republic and the Protectorate (SS450, 455)
was as far as possible ignored. The House of Lords was restored
(SS450, 455). The new reign was dated, not when it actually began,
but from the day of Charles I's execution twelve years before. The
troops of the Commonwealth were speedily disbanded, but the King
retained a picked guard of five thousand men, which became the nucleus
of a new standing army.

468. The King's Character.

The sovereign who now ascended the throne was in every respect the
opposite of Cromwell. Charles II had no love of country, no sense of
duty, no belief in man, no respect for woman. Evil circumstances and
evil companions had made him "a good-humored lad but hard-hearted
voluptuary." For twelve years he had been a wanderer, and at times
almost a beggar. Now the sole aim of his life was enjoyment. He
desired to be King because he would then be able to accomplish that
aim.

469. Reaction from Puritanism.

In this purpose Charles had the sympathy of a considerable part of the
people. The Puritan faith (S378), represented by such men as Hampden
(S436) and Milton (S450), was noble indeed; but unfortunately there
were many in its ranks who had no like grandeur of soul, but who
pushed Puritanism to its most injurious and offensive extreme. That
attempt to reduce the whole of life to a narrow system of sour
self-denial had at la