▁The ▁Long ▁Parliament ▁dissol ved ▁itself ▁and ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁general ▁election ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁almost ▁ 2 0 ▁years . ▁The ▁out going ▁Parliament ▁defined ▁the ▁elect oral ▁qual ifications ▁int ending ▁to ▁bring ▁about ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁a ▁Pres by ter ian ▁majority . ▁ ▁The ▁restrictions ▁against ▁royal ist ▁candidates ▁and ▁vot ers ▁were ▁widely ▁ignored , ▁and ▁the ▁elections ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁House ▁of ▁Commons ▁that ▁was ▁fairly ▁even ly ▁divided ▁on ▁political ▁grounds ▁between ▁Royal ists ▁and ▁Parliament ari ans ▁and ▁on ▁religious ▁grounds ▁between ▁Ang lic ans ▁and ▁Pres by ter ians . ▁The ▁new ▁so - called ▁Convention ▁Parliament ▁assemble d ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁ 1 6 6 0 , ▁and ▁soon ▁afterwards ▁wel com ed ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁B red a , ▁in ▁which ▁Charles ▁promised ▁len ience ▁and ▁toler ance . ▁There ▁would ▁be ▁liberty ▁of ▁conscience ▁and ▁Ang lic an ▁church ▁policy ▁would ▁not ▁be ▁har sh . ▁He ▁would ▁not ▁ex ile ▁past ▁enemies ▁nor ▁conf isc ate ▁their ▁wealth . ▁There ▁would ▁be ▁p ard ons ▁for ▁nearly ▁all ▁his ▁oppon ents ▁except ▁the ▁reg ic ides . ▁A bove ▁all , ▁Charles ▁promised ▁to ▁rule ▁in ▁co operation ▁with ▁Parliament . ▁The ▁English ▁Parliament ▁resolved ▁to ▁proc laim ▁Charles ▁king ▁and ▁inv ite ▁him ▁to ▁return , ▁a ▁message ▁that ▁reached ▁Charles ▁at ▁B red a ▁on ▁ 8 ▁May ▁ 1 6 6 0 . ▁In ▁Ireland , ▁a ▁convention ▁had ▁been ▁called ▁earlier