ABSTRACT
There were two Restorations in England: in 1660 were restored Parliament and King, the non-military state, and the dominance of the hereditary upper class; and in 1661 was restored the persecuting Anglican Church. The religious restoration, though substantially modified in 1689 has formed the religious and political character of the various strata of our society on lines fixed indeed, but very different from the uniform national religion contemplated either by the men of 1640 or by the men of 1661. The Presbyterians little suspected that in a year’s time their own Church would be swept out of England for ever, while the sectaries would inherit and carry on the Puritan work. Catholics and Frenchmen who appeared in the streets were seized by the mob, and roughly handed over to the authorities, but according to a good tradition of the English rioters of this epoch, not one of them was murdered.
