, at an afternoon sitting, the conference with the
Lords having meanwhile been held, "RESOLVED, That this House doth
agree with the Lords, and do own and declare that, according to the
ancient and fundamental laws of this kingdom, the Government is, and
ought to be, by King, Lords, and Commons." The news of what was doing
in Parliament was already rushing hither and thither among the
Londoners; the day ended among _them_, of course, with bonfires
and ringing of bells and the roar of rejoicing cannon; in the boom of
the cannon, and in whatever form of rude telegraph or of horsemen at
the gallop along the four great highways, London was shaking the
message from itself in palpitations through all the land; nor among
the galloping horsemen were those the least fleet that were spurring
through Kent to the seaside to unmoor the packet-boats and convey the
tidings to Charles. On the 1st of May, 1660, the English Commonwealth
was no more.[1]

[Footnote 1: Commons Journals and Parl. Hist. of dates; Whitlocke,
IV. 411.]

Yet another week for the formalities of its burial. A few of the
leading incidents of that week may be presented in abstract:--

_May_ 2:--Ordered by the Lords "that the statues of the late
King's Majesty be set up again in all the places from whence they
were pulled down, and that the Arms of the Commonwealth be
demolished and taken away wherever they are, and the King's Arms be
put up in their stead." _Same day in the Commons_:--Leave
given to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City
of London, to return an answer to his Majesty's Letter addressed to
them. This was the fifth of the Breda documents. Also leave given
to Dr. Clarges, a member of the House, to go at once to Breda, with
Monk's answer to the letter _he_ had received.

_May_ 3:--Sir John Greenville brought into the House of
Commons to receive thanks, and the information that the House had
voted him L500 to buy a jewel. The Speaker, Sir Harbottle
Grimstone, addressed him as follows:--"Sir John Greenville, I need
not tell you with what grateful and thankful hearts the Commons now
assembled in Parliament have received his Majesty's gracious
Letter. _Res ipsa loquitur_: you yourself have been
_ocularis et auricularis testis de rei veritate_: our bells
and our bonfires have already proclaimed his Majesty's goodness and
our joys. We have told the people that our King, the glory of
England, is c