Ideas of Restoration II: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Abstract

One solution to problematic immediacies was to look away from the present to large-scale historical schemes, a perspective which could work backwards or forwards. Looking back the closest object of nostalgia was the pre-war world of Charles I, and administrative measures were taken to revert the nation to that former state of things. Charles II was sometimes regarded as a glorious reduplication of his father: ‘Charls from Charls must be the greatest of that name’, argued John Collop.1 The first Charles in turn derived his right from Elizabeth’s donation and the Restoration was also eager to preserve its bonds with her most illustrious reign. The serious dramatists in particular, as Denham’s prologue suggests, were intent on revivifying and refining the great and pertinent political histories of the Elizabethan stage. In general, ancient national greatness was to be restored, as Edwards and Henrys stepped out on to the stage, as Charles became ‘Alfred-like’ and as Drayton’s Poly-olbion was recited in Ogilby’s version of the coronation triumphs. ‘Welcome our ancient Form’, cried one panegyrist, greeting the survival of the immemorial constitution.2 Nor was the finding of past precedents restricted to the British Isles. It reached crucially to the great figures of imperial Christianity: You are a second Constantine to stay Our Holy Church from falling to decay. Haile Charls the second; second unto none… Greater then Charls the first, sirnam’d the great… Heav’n, and brave Monck, conspire to make thy raign Transcend the Diadem of Charlemain.3