The Corporation Act, the Act of Uniformity, the Conventicle Act, and the Five Mile Act are called the Clarendon Code. The Corporation Act required all persons holding offices in municipal corporations to take the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper according to the rites of the Church of England—to renounce the Solemn League and Covenant—and to swear that they believed it unlawful to take up arms, upon any pretence whatsoever, against the king. The Act of Uniformity required all clergymen to declare their assent to everything contained in the Prayer Book, and all schoolmasters were obliged to have a licence from the bishop. About 2,000 clergymen declined to subscribe, and were ejected from their livings: and, receiving no compensation from the state, were, in many cases, reduced to the utmost poverty. The Conventicle Act declared all meetings of more than five persons, except the household, for religious worship not according to the Prayer Book, seditious; and all persons above sixteen years old, who attended, for a first offence were to be fined or imprisoned for three months; for a second, fined or imprisoned for six months; and for a third, transported for seven years. The Five Mile Act required all dissenting ministers to take an oath similar to that imposed by the Corporation Act, and, in case of refusal, they were not to approach within five miles of any borough or place where they had ever preached, nor to act as schoolmasters, under a penalty of £40 and six months’ imprisonment.
1666. Louis XIV. of France joined the Dutch against England. The Dutch defeated the English off the North Foreland (June 1-4), but were afterwards vanquished in the same neighbourhood (July 25). Great Fire of London: the loss caused by the fire estimated at more than £7,000,000. Some of the presbyterians rose in Scotland, and were defeated on the Pentland Hills (Nov. 28).
1667. The Dutch sailed up the Medway, and burnt several ships; and for some time insulted our coasts. Treaty of Breda, between the English, Dutch, and French (July 21). Lord Clarendon, the king’s chief minister from the beginning of the reign, dismissed and banished. The Cabal ministry formed; the chief ministers being Clifford, Arlington, Buckingham, Ashley, and Lauderdale.
1668. Triple Alliance between England, Holland, and Sweden, to check the aggressive policy of Louis. Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.
1670. A new act passed against conventicles. Secret treaty concluded between Charles and Louis at Dover.
Charles agreed to declare himself a Catholic, to support Louis’s foreign policy, to receive a pension, and to be aided by foreign troops in case of a rebellion. But, on account of the temper of the country, he was afraid to carry out the first stipulation.
1672. Charles shut up the exchequer, and thereby ruined a large number of persons whose money was in the hands of the government. He issued a declaration of indulgence to Catholics and Protestant Nonconformists, but it was withdrawn the next year, at the request of parliament. England and France declared war against Holland, and the Dutch were defeated off Southwold Bay (May 28).
1673. Test Act passed. The duke of York, being a Catholic, resigned his office of lord high admiral. Sir Thomas Osborne, better known as the earl of Danby, became chief minister.
By the Test Act all officers of the Crown were required to take the oath of allegiance and supremacy, to take the sacrament according to the usage of the Church of England, and to declare their disbelief in transubstantiation.