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The Restoration
Anarchy.English people. There were eighteen months of anarchy; now some soldier, now the restored ‘Rump’ held power. At last, in January, 1660, General Monck, an old soldier of Cromwell's, who had the command in Scotland, made up his mind to restore the exiled King, Charles II.
Restoration of King Charles II, May 29, 1680.And on his thirtieth birthday, the 29th of May, 1660, that clever and unprincipled young gentleman rode into London amid the tears and shouts of a people gone mad with joy. The reign of the Sword was over, the reign of the Law had begun. Unfortunately this reign of the Sword left on men’s minds an unreasonable hatred and fear, not only of this Puritan army, but of all armies; and that hatred and fear has too often paralysed the arm of England, and is not wholly dead to-day. It has prevented men from seeing that to serve King and country in the Army is the second best profession for Englishmen of all classes; to serve in the Navy, I suppose we all admit, is the best. Charles II prudently kept up a few of the regiments of Cromwells old army, and even increased it a little during his reign. But he had often hard work to pay it, for his Parliaments were always jealous of a power that they knew had been their master once and might be so again.
