The Restoration Of Breda, 1660-64
Declaration of Breda
Before Charles returned to England, Charles II issued the Declaration of Breda. He promised:
To listen to the advice of parliament
Indemnity- people would not be persecuted for the actions they took during the civil wars, except for those who took part in the execution of Charles I or who resisted the king's return.
'liberty to tender consciences- toleration for peaceful religious beliefs, the details of which hereto be settled by parliament
Settlement of disputes over land would be decided by parliament
Payment of the army's wages
The search for stability
Charles II and the Convention Parliament attempted to ensure political stability in 1660:
Act of Indemnity and Oblivion granted a general pardon to supporters of the republican regimes, apart from those who had condemned Charles to death.
Land confiscated during republican period was restored to its original owners
Convention oversaw the peaceful disbanding of the NMA
Anglican Church was restored, along with the bishops.
Religious Settlement 1661-64
Charles promised religious toleration, but the ultra-royalist Cavalier Parliament, elected in 1661, was determined to restore the Anglican Church and to persecute non-conformists.
1661: The Corporation Act allowed only Anglican Church and to persecute non-conformist.
The Quaker Act imposed severe financial penalties in Quakers.
Act of Uniformity required all clergymen to accept Anglican doctrines and rituals.As a result, hundreds or parish priests were driven from their livings.
The Conventicle Act forbade dissenting assemblies of more than five people
During his reign, Charles tried to change some of harsher aspects of the religious settlement, but his actions only caused conflict between crown and parliament
The settlement of government and finance, 1660-64
Parliament used its most influential form of power-finance-to limit Charles. On the surface, Charles received a generous settlement of £1.2 million a year and a new Hearth Tax, a tax on fireplaces and stove in kingdom
While putting Charles in a better position than early Stuart monarchs, it was not enough to make him independent.Charles was reliant on further parliamentary finance needing consent from MPs
In 1664 Cavalier Parliament replaced the Triennial Act of 1641 with a much weaker version. The new Act did not establish a procedure to be followed if the king failed to call a parliament