The Parliament had obtained a glimpse of the King’s dealings with France; and their anger had been unjustly directed against Danby, whose conduct as to that matter had been, on the whole, deserving rather of praise than of censure.  The Popish plot, the murder of Godfrey, the infamous inventions of Oates, the discovery of Colman’s letters, had excited the nation to madness.  All the disaffection which had been generated by eighteen years of misgovernment had come to the birth together.  At this moment the King had been advised to dissolve that Parliament which had been elected just after his restoration, and which, though its composition had since that time been greatly altered, was still far more deeply imbued with the old cavalier spirit than any that had preceded, or that was likely to follow it.  The general election had commenced, and was proceeding with a degree of excitement never before known.  The tide ran furiously against the Court.  It was clear that a majority of the new House of Commons would be, to use a word which came into fashion a few months later, decided Whigs.  Charles had found it necessary to yield to the violence of the public feeling.  The Duke of York was on the point of retiring to Holland.  “I never,” says Temple, who had seen the abolition of monarchy, the dissolution of the Long Parliament, the fall of the Protectorate, the declaration of Monk against the Rump, “I never saw greater disturbance in men’s minds.”

The King now with the utmost urgency besought Temple to take the seals.  The pecuniary part of the arrangement no longer presented any difficulty; and Sir William was not quite so decided in his refusal as he had formerly been.  He took three days to consider the posture of affairs, and to examine his own feelings; and he came to the conclusion that “the scene was unfit for such an actor as he knew himself to be.”  Yet he felt that, by refusing help to the King at such a crisis, he might give much offence and incur much censure.  He shaped his course with his usual dexterity.  He affected to be very desirous of a seat in Parliament; yet he contrived to be an unsuccessful candidate; and, when all the writs were returned, he represented that it would be useless for him to take the seals till he could procure admittance to the House of Commons; and in this manner he succeeded in avoiding the greatness which others desired to thrust upon him.

The Parliament met; and the violence of its proceedings surpassed all expectation.  The Long Parliament itself, with much greater provocation, had at its commencement been less violent.  The Treasurer was instantly driven from office, impeached, sent to the Tower.  Sharp and vehement votes were passed on the subject of the Popish Plot.  The Commons were prepared to go much further, to wrest from the King his prerogative of mercy in cases of high political crimes, and to alter the succession to the Crown.  Charles was thoroughly perplexed and dismayed.