The Restoration (1660–1685)

The Restoration of Charles II in 1660 was greeted with overwhelming relief. But the political settlement left fundamental questions unresolved: the relationship between Crown and Parliament, the role of religion in public life, and the limits of royal prerogative. This lesson examines the Restoration settlement, the Clarendon Code, the Exclusion Crisis, and the origins of party politics — engaging with the historiographical debates that have shaped our understanding of Restoration politics.

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The Restoration Settlement

The Declaration of Breda (April 1660)

Charles II's Declaration of Breda offered deliberately vague promises:

Promise	Outcome
General pardon	Broadly honoured — only the regicides were excluded. Approximately 30 were tried; 13 executed.
Religious toleration	NOT honoured. The Clarendon Code imposed narrow Anglican conformity.
Land settlement	Crown and Church lands restored; private disputes left to the courts
Army pay	The army was disbanded and largely paid off

The Constitutional Settlement

The Restoration was based on deliberate ambiguity. The constitutional acts of 1641 (Triennial Act, abolition of Star Chamber) remained in force, but legislation passed after January 1642 was simply ignored. The fundamental questions — the limits of royal prerogative, the rights of Parliament, the nature of the Church — were left unresolved.

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The Clarendon Code

Act	Date	Provision
Corporation Act	1661	All municipal office-holders must take communion in the Church of England
Act of Uniformity	1662	All clergy must use the Book of Common Prayer and be episcopally ordained. Approximately 2,000 ministers ejected.
Conventicle Act	1664	Forbade Dissenting religious meetings of more than five people
Five Mile Act	1665	Ejected ministers forbidden from living near their former parishes or towns

Historiographical Debate: John Spurr argued the Code reflected genuine conviction that religious uniformity was essential for stability. Mark Goldie emphasised the political dimensions — targeting not just religious dissent but the political networks that had supported the Republic. Tim Harris showed how enforcement varied enormously across England.

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The Exclusion Crisis (1678–1681)

The Popish Plot (1678)