Hello everyone, welcome back to the History of England, episode 435, the Anglican Tyranny.

Last week we finished off our bit of historiography, the wildly contrasting views of Charles, hero of the people, and Charles, villain of the po-faced, serious-minded

sandal-wearing historian. We've seen the lad get married, and we've seen Queen Catherine

come to a full understanding of the phrase two's company, three's a crowd, as Castlemane claimed

the place as Queen of the Royal Bedroom.

Catherine will soon find out that four, five, six, or indeed several more, is also a crowd, but we will come to that later.

And we've seen how the restoration settlement worked at in practice in Scotland and Ireland.

So, this time, how's about in England?

Well, a bit of context might be the thing first,

because context is everything, of course, in history.

Firstly, I might mention the king's right-hand man,

who would have a strong influence over what happened,

though having said that it does not do to overstate his influence,

there is no one dominant minister, and Charles was absolutely nobidest pushover.

But I speak of Edward Hyde, now rewarded for his long, loyal royal service,

and he was made Earl of Clarendon, which is how we shall refer to him as we have I think in the past he's also made Lord Chancellor and will stay as the King's most trusted minister

for several years many of his fellow courts though hated him clarendon was not over-endowed with powers of diplomacy. He grew

increasingly pompous, though his advice very often seems sounds or it does to me. Generally Pacific,

generally conciliatory, though not always. But never mind that. Plenty around him, detest him

and want him out anyway, in which guys we will meet gorgeous George Digby again. Remember him? The noble idiot, who's consistently rubbish advice helped push Charles I into howlers and martyrdom. And the Queen Mum Henrietta Maria hated Clarendham also, with something of a passion, actually.

Clarendon, though, came as a package with his daughter, Anhyde,

and was herself a powerful character, and in 1659 had secretly married the King's brother and heir James.

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