The kingdom of France was at this period, under Louis XIV, rising into
a degree of power and wealth which it had never before known. Louis
had some claims through his wife upon the Netherlands (since called
Belgium), which were then part of the Spanish dominions. He
accordingly endeavored to posess himself of that country by force of
arms. A jealousy of his increasing power, and of the Catholic
religion, professed by his people, induced the English to wish that
his aggressions should be restrained. To gratify them, Charles entered
into an alliance with Holland and Sweden, for the purpose of checking
the progress of the French king. In this object he was completely
successful, and consequently he became very popular. The Parliament,
however, having disappointed him of supplies, he soon after
changed his policy, and with the assistance of five abandoned
ministers――Clifford, Ashley, Buckingham, Arlington, and Lauderdale,
who were called the CABAL, from the initials of their names forming
that word, resolved to render himself, if possible, independent of
Parliament; in other words, an absolute prince. In consideration of a
large bribe from Louis, he agreed to join France in a war against
Holland, with a view of putting an end to that example of a Protestant
republic.
War was accordingly declared in May 1672, and the naval force of
England was employed in meeting that of the Dutch by sea; while Louis
led a powerful army across the Rhine, and in a very short time had
nearly reduced the whole of the Seven Provinces. In this emergency the
Dutch could only save themselves from absolute ruin by laying a great
part of their country under water. The English, who had not entered
heartily into this war, soon began to be alarmed for the fate of
Holland, which was almost their only support against the dread of
Popery; and though forbidden under severe penalties to censure the
government measures, they soon contrived to exhibit so much
dissatisfaction, as to render a change of policy unavoidable.
The king found it necessary to assemble his Parliament (February
1673), and it was no sooner met than it passed some acts highly
unfavorable to his designs. Among these was the famous Test Act, so
called because it enacted the imposition of a religious oath upon all
persons about to enter the public service, the design being to exclude
the Catholics from office. Above all things, the House of Commons
declared that it would grant no more supplies for the Dutch war. The
king resolved to prorogue the assembly; but before he could do so,
they voted the alliance with France, and several of his ministers to
be _grievances_. Charles, who, in wishing to be absolute, had been
inspired by no other motive than a desire of ease, now saw that there
was a better chance of his favorite indulgence in giving way to his
subjects than in any other course; and he at once abandoned all his
former measures, and concluded a separate peace with Holland. This
country was now beginning, under the conduct of the Prince of Orange,
to make a good defense against the French, which it was the better
enabled to do by obtaining the friendship of Germany and Spain. In the
year 1678, after a war which, without any decisive victories, will
ever reflect lustre upon Holland, a peace was concluded. The Prince of
Orange, in the previous year, had married the Princess Mary, the
eldest daughter of the Duke of York, and educated in the reformed
faith――an alliance which pleased the English, from its strengthening
the Protestant interest, and which was destined, some years after, to
bring about important results.
During the whole of this reign the corruptness of the court was very
great; but it was in some measure the protection of the public.
Charles spent vast sums in debauchery, and thus made himself more
dependent on his Commons than he would otherwise have been. Many of
the Commons were exceedingly corrupt, and all kinds of evil methods
were adopted to render them more so. Bribes were distributed among
them, and they were frequently _closeted_; that is, brought into the
presence of the king individually, and personally solicited for votes.
Still a considerable party maintained its purity and independence, and
long kept the majority against the court.