all its glory. What more could Presbyterianism
desire? That nothing might be wanting, however, there followed, on
the 14th of March, a Bill "for approbation and admittance of
ministers to public benefices and lectures," one of the clauses of
which prescribed means for the immediate division of all the counties
of England and Wales into classical Presbyteries, according to those
former Presbyterianizing ordinances of the Long Parliament which had
never been carried into effect save in London and Lancashire. The
Universities were to be constituted into presbyteries or inserted
into such; and the whole of South Britain was to be patterned
ecclesiastically at last in that exact resemblance to North Britain
which had been the ideal before Independency burst in. What measures
of "liberty for consciences truly tender" might be conceded did not
yet appear. Anabaptists, Quakers, Fifth Monarchy enthusiasts, and
Monk's "Fanatics" generally, might tremble; and even moderate and
orthodox Independents might foresee difficulty In retaining their
livings in the State Church. Indeed Owen was already (March 13)
displaced from his Deanery of Christ Church, Oxford, by a vote of the
House recognising a prior claim of Dr. Reynolds to that post.[1]

[Footnote 1: Commons Journals of dates; Neal, IV. 224-225.]

In the matter of a political settlement the proceedings were equally
rapid and simple. Celerity here was made possible by the fact that
the House considered itself quite precluded from discussing the whole
question of the future Constitution. Had they entered on that
question, the probability is that they would have decided for a
negotiation with Charles II., with a view to his return to England
and assumption of the Kingship on terms borrowed from the old Newport
Treaty with his father, or at all events on strictly expressed terms
of some kind, limiting his authority and securing the Presbyterian
Church-Establishment. Even this, however, was problematical. There
were still Republicans and Cromwellians in the Parliament, and not a
few of the Presbyterians members had been Commonwealth's men so long
that it might well appear doubtful to them whether a return to
Royalty now was worth the risks, or whether, if there must be a
return to Royalty, it was in the least necessary to fix it again in
the unlucky House of Stuart. Then the difficulties out of doors! No
one knew what might be the effect upon Monk's own army, or upon the
numerous Rep