House and that to the Lord General, and his Majesty’s Declaration which came enclosed, be entered at large in the Journal Book of this House”; and, again, at an afternoon sitting, the conference with the Lords having meanwhile been held, “RESOLVED, That this House doth agree with the Lords, and do own and declare that, according to the ancient and fundamental laws of this kingdom, the Government is, and ought to be, by King, Lords, and Commons.”  The news of what was doing in Parliament was already rushing hither and thither among the Londoners; the day ended among them, of course, with bonfires and ringing of bells and the roar of rejoicing cannon; in the boom of the cannon, and in whatever form of rude telegraph or of horsemen at the gallop along the four great highways, London was shaking the message from itself in palpitations through all the land; nor among the galloping horsemen were those the least fleet that were spurring through Kent to the seaside to unmoor the packet-boats and convey the tidings to Charles.  On the 1st of May, 1660, the English Commonwealth was no more.[1]

[Footnote 1:  Commons Journals and Parl.  Hist. of dates; Whitlocke, IV. 411.]

Yet another week for the formalities of its burial.  A few of the leading incidents of that week may be presented in abstract:—­

May 2:—­Ordered by the Lords “that the statues of the late King’s Majesty be set up again in all the places from whence they were pulled down, and that the Arms of the Commonwealth be demolished and taken away wherever they are, and the King’s Arms be put up in their stead.” Same day in the Commons:—­Leave given to the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council of the City of London, to return an answer to his Majesty’s Letter addressed to them.  This was the fifth of the Breda documents.  Also leave given to Dr. Clarges, a member of the House, to go at once to Breda, with Monk’s answer to the letter he had received.

May 3:—­Sir John Greenville brought into the House of Commons to receive thanks, and the information that the House had voted him L500 to buy a jewel.  The Speaker, Sir Harbottle Grimstone, addressed him as follows:—­“Sir John Greenville, I need not tell you with what grateful and thankful hearts the Commons now assembled in Parliament have received his Majesty’s gracious Letter. Res ipsa loquitur:  you yourself have been ocularis et auricularis testis de rei veritate:  our bells and our bonfires have already proclaimed his Majesty’s goodness and our joys.  We have told the people that our King, the glory of England, is coming home again; and they have resounded it back again in our ears that they are ready, and their hearts open, to receive him.  Both Parliament and People have cried aloud to the King of Kings in their prayers Long live King Charles the Second.”  The rest of the speech was compliment to Sir John himself.