A Chronology 1660-1832
The Restoration Settlement
1660: May, Convention a full and legal Parliament; act for confirming judicial
proceedings passed; July,crown lands excluded from land sales bill; act of general
pardon, indemnity and oblivion; act confirming ministers of religion inpossession;
new Navigation Act; disbandment of army begun.Worcester House conference
between anglican and presbyterian representatives; October, conciliatory Worcester
House Declaration, but in second session of Convention Parliament legislation based
on it failed. Irish land settlement announced.
1661: January, rising of Fifth Monarchists in London. General election (Jan-Feb).
Apr, Savoy palace conference between anglicans and presbyterians,which ended in
deadlock. May, first session of the 'Cavalier' Parliament; bishops readmitted to House
of Lords.Quaker Act. Irish Parliament sat, for only time beteen 1660 and1685, to
ratify land settlement. June, alliance treaty signed for marriage of Charles and
Catherine of Braganza. Charles's army brought up to 6,000 men. July, Militia Act gave
crown supreme control of militia and armed forces. Dec, Corporation Act passed
giving crown power to purge the disaffected.
1662: March, uncompromising prayer book accepted by Parliament which passed
Uniformity act. Hearth tax imposed. Session ended 19May, and king failed in attempt
to suspend Act of Uniformity. 24Aug, ejection of non-conforming ministers. Charles's
army increased to 8,000. Sale of Dunkirk to France. Dec, Charles's first declaration of
indulgence.
1663: Feb, Parliament reassembled and rejected crown's right to dispense with penal
laws. Attempted republican rising in Ireland. July, unsuccessful attempt to impeach
Clarendon. Aug, republican conspiracies discovered in Yorks and Durham. Sept,
Scottish Parliament dissolved after restoring Lords of the Articles andarmy of 22,000.
1664: April, new Triennial Act; act passed against conventicles.Nov, end to separate
clerical taxation, in return for which clergy allowed to vote in future elections. Dec,
Parliament voted £2.5m towards anticipated war against Dutch.
1665: March, English declaration of war against Dutch. June, naval victory over
Dutch, but in Oct. reconstituted Dutch fleet blockaded the Thames. Plague in London
forced Parliament to sit at Oxford. Five mile Act passed against dissenting preachers
and teachers. Clarendon's 'non-resisting oath' of loyalty to church and state narrowly
rejected by Commons.
1666: Jan, France allied with Dutch against England; Naval defeat in May followed by
victory in July. Sept, Great Fire of London. Bitter parliamentary disputes over money
and growth of opposition to court.
The Cabal
1667: Buckingham dismissed for parliamentary opposition. Death of Lord Treasurer
Southampton allowed treasury to be put incommission. June, Dutch inflicted
humiliation on ships in the Medway. July, Peace of Breda ended the war. Dismissal of
Clarendon, who was impeached in Oct. and fled to France in Nov.
1668: Apr, Triple Alliance concluded between England, United Provinces and
Sweden; but followed by French diplomatic manoeuvres, both public and private, to
negotiate an alliance with Charles.
1669: Duke of York converted to Roman Catholicism, and in January Charles
allegedly revealed his own catholic and pro-French sympathies at a secret meeting
with York, Clifford, Arundel and Arlington. Clandestine negotiations with France.
Dec, Charles prorogued Parliament to block a Conventicles bill (to replace the act
which expired in May 1668).
1670: Feb-Mar, Second Conventicles bill passed; additional duty on wines granted for
royal ordinary revenue for eight years. May, Duchess of Orleans (Charles's sister) met
king at Dover and secret treaty with France was signed, including clause declaring
king a catholic. Oct, Commons endorsed Triple Alliance policy but in December a
public treaty with France was signed, omitting the secret clauses about catholicism.
The new treaty declared intention to attack Dutch in Spring 1672.
1671: Feb, further revenue granted for six years. Parliament prorogued in Apr before
passage of a Test Act (which would have excluded catholics from office)
1672: Jan, Stop of the Exchequer. Mar, declaration of indulgence issued, and war
declared against Dutch. Heavy losses at nava battle of Sole Bay. June, William of
Orange became Stadhoulder ofUnited Provinces. July, allied fleet dispersed by storm.
1673: Feb, Shaftesbury (now Lord Chancellor) declared the Dutch to be 'England's
eternal enemy'. Commons voted that 'penal statutes in matters ecclesiastical cannot be
suspended but by actof Parliament'; voted £1.2m for war but delayed supply bill until
religious grievances redressed. Mar, Charles abandoned declarationof indulgence and
assented to Test Act; York and Clifford resigned offices. Naval setbacks. Sept,
marriage of York with catholic Mary of Modena. Oct, Parliament reassembled in antiwar mood, Nov, disintegration of Cabal.
Danby’s ministry
1674: Jan, Commons attacked Arlington, Buckingham and Lauderdale; voted against
standing army. Parliament prorogued to prevent passage of anti-catholic legislation.
Feb, Treaty of Westminster ended war. Danby ascendant as minister.
1675: Jan, announcement of new measures against Catholics and dissenters. Apr-May
abortive impeachment of Danby. Defeat of Court's 'non-resisting test'. Aug, Louis XIV
secretly promised to pay Charles a subsidy to keep Parliament prorogued. Parliament
met, but rejected proposal to pay royal debts.
1676: Jan, Compton census of religious opinion. Feb, new secret treaty between
England and France, which Danby refused to countersign. July-Aug French military
victories over Dutch.
1677: Parliament recalled but four lords sent to Tower for arguing that it was legally
dissolved. Mar-Apr MPs urged anti-French and pro-Dutch foreign policy, but Charles
made alliance with France in return for 2m French livres to keep Parliament
prorogued and Danby gave consent. Nov, marriage of William of Orange to Princess
Mary (daughter of York). Dec, Anglo-Dutch treaty concluded.
Crisis 1678-1681
1678: King ratified Anglo-Dutch treaty but used it to obtain more money from France.
Feb, Parliament granted £1m for anti-French war. May, further secret agreement
between Louis XIV and Charles. Commons voted to disband army. July France and
UnitedProvinces made peace.
1678: Sept, Titus Oates revealed Popish Plot to murder the King and massacre
protestants; 17 Oct, Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey found murdered; Nov,Cavalier
Parliament passed Second Test Act excluding catholics (except duke of York) from
Parliament. Dec, Ralph Montagu revealed to MPs Danby's secret negotiations with
France; Danby impeached.
1679: Jan, dissolution of Cavalier Parliament. General election went against the Court.
Mar, York sent into exile in Brussels by Charles. Apr, Privy Council remodelled to
include Shaftesbury and court critics; Danby committed to Tower. May, first
exclusion bill introduced and passed second reading but prorogation of Parliament
prevented further progress. Habeas Corpus act passed; Licensing law lapsed. June,
Rebellion in Scotland defeated by Monmouth. Parliament dissolved. Aug, King's
serious illness prompted return of York.Parliament deferred after defeat at polls for
Court.
1680: Jan, petitions presented unsuccessfully calling for Parliament to meet.
Resignation of key members from privy council. Apr, 'abhorrences' of petitions
presented. Oct, James exiled to Scotland. Nov, second exclusion bill passed Commons
but defeated in Lords. Parliament discussed 'limitations' on a popish successor. Bills
for comprehension and toleration introduced.
1681: Jan, Parliament dissolved. Mar, French agreement withCharles concluded;
Parliament met at Oxford for only a week before dissolution. Apr, Charles issued
Declaration justifying the dissolutions. July, Shaftesury sent to Tower on charge of
treason. Scottish Parliament confirmed James's right of succession. Purges of local
office holders signalled start of 'Tory reaction'.
1682: May, James returned from Edinburgh. July, Tories won rigged London election
for sheriffs. Nov, Shaftesbury fled to Holland.
1683: Jan, Quo Warranto issued against London charter which (June) was declared
forfeit. June, Rye House Plot discovered, leading to execution of Algernon Sidney and
Lord Russell.
1684: Mar, Charles ignored Triennial Act and failed to summon Parliament. May,
James restored to Privy Council in defiance of Test Act. Quo warrantos continued
against local corporations.
1685: Feb, accession of James II. Mar-Apr rout of Whigs at election. May, Parliament
granted king further ordinary revenue. May, Monmouth rebellion; July, Monmouth
executed; Aug-Sept, 'bloody assizes' lead to 300 executions. Oct, Louis XIV revoked
Edict of Nantes. Nov, second session of Parliament protested against catholic
appointments in army. Press Licensing act renewed.
1686: Tyrconnel began purging Irish army of protestants. June, Godden vs Hales case
established royal dispensing power. July, Ecclesiastical Commission set up to
strengthen royal control over church. Sept, Bishop Compton suspended for refusing to
silence anti-catholic preaching in London. Dec, Rochester dismissed as lord treasurer.
1687: Feb, Declaration of Indulgence in Scotland followed in Apr by one in England.
James began attack on Magdalen College, Oxford. Oct-Dec, 'Three Questions' asked
regarding support for repeal of Test and penal laws. Remodelling of corporations.
1688: Apr, second Declaration of Indulgence issued, and ordered in May to be read in
all churches. May, Archbishop Sancroft and six other bishops refused and were
prosecuted for seditious libel (acquitted June); birth of Prince of Wales. 30 June,
invitation issued to William of Orange to intervene by force.
Revolution
1688 Oct, William of Orange issued Declaration to justify his impending invasion;
James II cancelled elections but restored charters and jps. First invasion fleet repelled
by storms, Sunderland dismissed. 5 Nov, second invasion attempt succeeded.
Churchill deserted James and royal army retreated from Salisbury without fighting. 8
Dec James' commissioners contacted William to negotiate terms; 11-15 Dec, James'
first (abortive) flight, 18-22 second (successful) flight. 28 Dec. Convention Parliament
summoned.
1689: Jan elections gave Whig majority; rebellion in Ireland. 13 Feb, Declaration of
Rights and joint sovereignty offered to William and Mary. Scottish Jacobite uprising
suppressed. 5 May war declared against France. Toleration Act.
1690-1694 confused politically:
Partisan politics 1681-8
In 1689 William appointed a mixed ministry, with a slight preponderance of whigs.
Disillusioned radical whigs and William increasingly disillusioned with Whigs. Turn
to Tories for 3 years. Then to Whigs.
1690: Jan, Whig Corporation bill lost. 6 Feb, Parliament dissolved. Tory gains at
election (Feb-Mar). July, Battle of Boyne victory for William over Franco-Irish army.
1691: Oct, surrender of Limerick ended war in Ireland.
1692: Churchill (now Marlborough) dismissed from commands on suspicion of
Jacobitism. Predominantly Tory administration. May, victory at La Hogue ended fear
of French invasion.
1693: Mar, king vetoed Triennial bill. Sunderland, June, began to exert influence over
William.
1694: Jan, place bill vetoed by William. May, changes of ministry in favour of Whigs.
Dec, Triennial bill passed, death of Queen Mary.
1694-1698 dominance of Whigs
1695: Attack on corruption. May lapse of Licensing Act. Oct-Nov, general election Whig gains.
1696: Feb, Plot to assassinate William revealed; Parliament adopted Whig proposal
for an Association, declaring William as 'rightful and lawful king'.
1697: May, peace congress opened at Ryswick. Dec, criticism of standing army.
1699-1702 Loosening of party divisions
1699: Jan, disbanding bill passed. Junto under attack.
1701: May act ofsettlement, providing for a Protestant Hanoverian succession.
Impeachment of Junto Whigs, but acquitted by House of Lords. France recognised
James III.
1702-1704 Tory Government.
1702: Mar, death of William III, accession of Queen Anne. July general election gave
Tories a decisive victory.
1704: Fall of High Tory ministers. Moderate Robert Harley appointed secretary of
state. Nov, third occasional conformity bill.
1705-8 Moderate Party Government
1705: general election, Whig gains leaving parties equally balanced.
1707: Mar, royal assent to union with Scotland.
1708: Fall of Robert Harley after attempt to institute a moderate Tory government.
Apr, Anne split with erstwhile favourite, the duchess of Marlborough. Oct, death of
Anne's husband George weakened her opposition to the Junto. Somers and Wharton
re-entered cabinet.
1708-1710 Whig party dominant
1709: Nov. Henry Sacheverell preached against 'false brethren in church and state' and
impeached.
1709: 5 Nov, Henry Sacheverell preached against 'false brethren in Church and State'.
Dec, Whigs voted to impeach him.
1710-14 High Church/Tory power
1710: March Sacheverell found guilty but received very light sentence. Tories won
landslide victory at general election.
1711: May, Harley created Lord Treasurer. Sept preliminary peace terms signed. Dec,
government defeated in Lords over 'no peace without Spain'; crisis resolved by
creation of 12 new peers and dismissal of Marlborough. Dec, 4th occasional
conformity bill passed.
1712: Oct, clash in cabinet between Oxford (Harley) and Bolingbroke (St.John).
1713: Mar, Peace treaty signed. Whigs lost election.
1714: Tories split over succession. Oxford dismissed (July) but death of Queen
prevented Bolingbroke seizing power. 1Aug, George I proclaimed king. Sept-Oct
sweeping government changes in favour of whigs. Oct, George I's coronation
accompanied by some pro-Jacobite disorders.
1714-16 Succession and Jacobitism
1714: 1 Aug, George I proclaimed king. Sept-Oct sweeping government changes in
favour of whigs: treasury in commission under Halifax and rest of junto in cabinet
plus Walpole as paymaster-general. Oct, George I's coronation accompanied by some
pro-Jacobite disorders.
1715: Jan-Feb, Whig electoral victory. Bolingbroke fled to France. May-July Jacobite
riots, requiring Riot Act to be passed. Deaths of Wharton and Halifax. June, motions
to impeach Bolingbroke and Oxford; July, latter committed to Tower. Sept, Jacobite
rebellion in Scotland. Oct, Walpole appointed first lord of treasury.
1716-1720 Whig Schism
1716: Apr, remnants of rebellion in Scotland suppressed; Septennial act extended life
of Parliaments to seven years. Sept, intrigues among whig ministers (Stanhope and
Sunderland vs Townshend and Walpole) began 'whig schism'.
1717: arrest of Swedish minister Gyllenborg for Jacobite conspiracy. Mar, Bishop
Hoadley preached controversial sermon ('My kingdom is not of this world').
Townshend dismissed and Walpole resigned after opposing supply for possible war
against Sweden. Walpole and his supporters began to harrass Stanhope-Sunderland
ministry. July, Oxford acquitted. Dec. Prince George ordered by king to leave St
James's Palace.
1718: Dec, Stanhope introduced bill to repeal occasional conformity and schism acts;
Britain declared war on Spain which had refused the European settlement.
1719: bill to repeal occasional conformity and schism act narrowly passed. Feb
peerage bill introduced (to replace Scottish representative peers in Parliament with
hereditary ones, but thereafter no more than six new peerages to be created) and
passed in Nov. in Lords but defeated in Commons, largely due to Walpole.
1720: Mar, Irish Declaratory act declared Ireland 'to be subordinate unto and
dependent upon the imperial crown of Great Britain, as being inseparably united and
annexed thereto'; Westminster to have power to make law for Ireland. Spring,
reconciliation between Walpole/Townshend and Whig ministry. Sept, South Sea
Bubble burst. Oct, proclamation by the Pretender. Dec, Walpole devised rescue
package for stock market.