MODERN   CIVILIZATION

armies, which had carried off the victory. It was the
army which had the imprisoned king beheaded, pro-
claimed the republic, and gave the absolute power to
its chief, Oliver Cromwell. During thirteen years
the army ruled England. In its turn the Anglican
church was persecuted: the Puritans forbade the read-
ing of the book of Common Prayer, even in the fam-
ily, they expelled the bishops, and ordered the burning
of all pictures whereon was found an image of Christ
or of the Virgin. They also forbade all diversions,
the May-poles were cut down, dancing was prohibited,
the theatres were closed and the actors whipped.

The Restoration.—The army ruled only through
force; almost all the inhabitants of the kingdom were
opposed to it. When Cromwell died the general of
the Northern army. Monk, decided to call a conven-
tion (1660) ; all the members were agreed upon the
recall of the legitimate king, Charles II., son of Charles
L He was recalled without conditions. The Restora-
tion set up once more the royal power, such as it was
before the revolution. The Parliament, chosen in
1661, and which lasted eighteen years, was composed
of members devoted to the king; it voted an impost
and granted to Charles the right of levying it during
the whole of his reign. The Anglican church, fright-
ened by the troubles of the revolution, taught hence-
forth that in no case had the subjects the right to resist
the authority of the king* In the oath of allegiance,
which all functionaries were obliged to take, the follow-
ing was inserted: "I declare and believe that it is not
legitimate, under any pretext, to take arms against the
king." When Lord Russell was condemned to death