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CHAP.
I.
8 THE RESTORA TION IN ENGLAND. 1660
Monk, and the secretaries Nicholas and Morice. 1 This committee
had no recognised organisation, and its composition
could be modified at any moment by the king's choice. What
really held the government together was the watchful oversight
of the chancellor, and that could only be efficient so long as he
retained the confidence and support of Charles.
The convention, which had accepted the declaration of
Breda and restored the king, contained a substantial presbyterian
majority in the lower house, and the distrustful cavaliers
clamoured for its immediate dissolution. But Charles' advisers
were wise enough to postpone a general election until popular
excitement had been allayed, and the assembly was allowed
to transform itself into a legal parliament by its own act. To
satisfy royalist scruples, its measures were to be subject to
subsequent confirmation, and further security was given by
the admission of all peers created since 1641 to the house of
lords, so that the cavaliers had a solid majority in the upper
house. The first vital question which the parliament had to
consider was that of the amnesty to former opponents of the
crown. As Charles was held to have been king since his
father's death, all acts of obedience to the Commonwealth
might be construed as treasonable. But the declaration of
Breda had promised a full pardon to all save those who
should be specially excepted by parliament, and considerations
of policy urged that these exceptions should be as few
as possible. The commons had already taken the initiative
by drawing up a list of seven regicides who were to be excluded
from the general amnesty. Soon after the return of
the king a proclamation demanded the surrender of all his
father's other judges within fourteen days. Nineteen obeyed
and were committed to prison. Those who failed to surrender
were added to the list of exceptions, and it was further enlarged
by the inclusion of several other republicans, such as
Vane, Lambert, and Lenthall, who were to be punished otherwise
than by death.
When the bill passed to the lords a strenuous effort was
made to increase its severity. Fortunately for the peace of
the realm, Charles and Hyde exercised their influence in favour
of a moderate compromise. The nineteen judges who had
1 Clarendon, Life, ii., 49.