r, with considerable foreboding. The new king
for a short while was content to feel his way before plunging into the
headstrong course of action which eventually lost him the crown. Although
suspected of being a Catholic at heart, it was only during his last
moments that Charles had accepted the ministrations of the Roman Church.
The new king had for years been an avowed Catholic; nevertheless, in his
first speech to the Privy Council he announced his intention of
maintaining the established government, both in Church and State. This
speech, made within an hour of the late king's death, was received with
rapturous applause. It was quickly followed by a proclamation of his
majesty's wish that all persons in office at the time of the decease of
the late king should so continue until further notice.(1556) Another
document proclaiming the death of the late king and the devolution of the
crown to the Duke of York was at the same time drawn up by the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal, with the assistance of the privy council, the
mayor, aldermen and citizens of London and others.(1557) This document did
not bear the signature of the mayor as that proclaiming James I had done.

(M801)

James had not been many days on the throne before the question of supply
had to be settled. More than one-half of the whole revenue of the crown
was derived from the customs, and these had been settled on Charles for
life only, and could not therefore be exacted by his successor without the
assent of parliament. No parliament had been summoned since the
dissolution of the parliament at Oxford four years since (28 March, 1681).
As time was pressing and some delay must have taken place before a new
parliament could meet, James took the advice of Chief Justice Jeffreys,
and did violence to the constitution by proclaiming (9 Feb.) the
continuation of the payment of customs as a matter of necessity, whilst at
the same time he intimated his intention of speedily calling a
parliament.(1558) The pill thus gilded was swallowed without protest. The
excise duties was another matter and was dealt with differently. The
"additional excise," like the customs, had been given to the late king for
life, but there was a clause in the Act which empowered the Lords of the
Treasury to let them to farm for a term of three years without any
limitation as to their being so long due. A lease was now propounded as
having been made during the late king's life (the document bear