to be Elected for Members of that Parliament as were known to favour their Discipline yet that no part of the Government might be left unjustified and unreared the greater part of those chosen for Members of the House of Commons were as well affected to the Restoration and Settlement of the Church as the former had been to the Restoration and Settlement of the Crown The Eighth of May being come when they were to sit according to the Splendid Custome of opening those great Assemblies He rode in State and Tryumph from White-Hall to Westminster being arrayed in his Royal Robes and his Crown on his head and having placed himself on His Throne in the House of Peeres commanded the Commons to attend him there and in a most pleasant and obliging manner declared his great Content in meeting them Telling them that he was very confident that it would prove a happy Parliament and acquainting them with his design of his Marrying the Infanta of Portugal which Match having been proposed to his Privy Council and highly approved of by them he thought none there present would willingly have him live and die a Batchellor In confidence whereof he had newly made and signed a Treaty with that King by his Embassadour Don Francisco de Mello who was then ready to depart with the said Treaty in which the Article of Marriage was inserted The Kings Speech being ended and the Lord Chancellor Hide having given them a further account of the Reasons why they were called and the happy Effects his Master expected from their Sitting The Commons made Choice of Sir Edward Turner the Dukes Attorney General for their Speaker who in his Speech upon his being presented to and acceptâ— of by the King exprest the hopes of that House That as His Majesty had manifested his great Indulgence to their former which was but his Adopted So he had a fuller Blessing for that present which was his Natural Parliament being called by His immediate Writ The Convocation of the English Clergy being all Eminent Learned and Pious Persons met likewise on the Sixteenth of that Month at Westminster and a Parliament began about the same time in Ireland The Parliament at the special instance and desire of the King who was willing to give the highest demonstration of his Care and Resolution for the assuring to his Subjects whatsoever was contained and promised in His Declaration from Breda and the Act of Pardon first began with an Act for the Confirmation of the Act of Oblivion which being done by the Free Parliament not called by the Kings Writ was thought by the Guilty not to be valid and secure enough to them and that they might by a wise provision before hand prevent all Objections and Scruples which might otherwise have been raised upon that account They Ratified and Confirmed all the other Laws made therein and then proceeded to frame such new ones as were necessary for the better setling and maintaining the Publick Peace wherein that for Regulating Corporations as the most necessary had the Precedency wherein Commissioners were Impowered to displace all such as bore Offices and were any way suspected to be ill-willers to the Government and the Kings Authority or should refuse the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy or the Oath of Abjuration which was indeed at that time the only or at least the chief Test of Loyalty in regard they were therein to renounce the Solemn League and Covenant as unlawful in it self and illegally imposed But during the Houses Debate about that Bill Mr. Prin who had alwayes indulged himself the liberty of Quarrelling with every thing that any way ran counter to his inclinations could not refrain against the Priviledge of the House whereof he was a Member from publishing his Reasons against the said Bill affirming it was contrary to Magna Charta but the Commons having Commanded their Serjeant at Arms to Seize the Printer and Prin owning himself to be the Author he was brought to the Barr and severely rebuked by the Speaker but upon his humble submission and the House's favourable reflection upon his great Endeavours for the Restitution of the King he was remitted the Censure and Punishment which he had incurred by that over-sight And that they might shew their respect and veneration to the Prelacy by relieving it from the Oppressions and justifying of it from the Calumnies and Reproaches of the late times they Repealed the Act of the 1 Caroli 7. which forbid the Bishops medling in Civil affaires and debarred them from their Priviledg of Peerage in the House of Lords to all which Honours they were by this Repeal restored as fully as ever they had been before The free Parliament having before their desolution respitted the punishment of several of the Regicides the Parliament next reassumed the Consideration of that matter and having caused the Lord Manson Sir Henry Mildmay and Mr. Robert Wallop to be brought to the Bar declared their Estates to be confiscated and their Persons and Posterity degraded from all Titles and Armes of Gentility and that they should be carried back again to the Tower and from thence be drawn through the City of London to Tyburn on the 30th of the following January and so back again with halters about their necks upon Sledges and after that to suffer perpetual imprisonment And having now done as much as could be expected from them for the present they were adjourned by the King who declared his great satisfaction in what they had done and that his confidence iâ— them had not in the least deceivedâ— him About which time the Duke oâ— York having been chosen Captain to the Artillery Company in London honoured them with his Presence and led them in their Ground And in the August following the Kings Sollicitor Sir Heneage Finch being chosen Reader of the Inner-Temple he was pleased to indulge him a Favour never granted before by any of his Royal Progenitors to any of those famous Societies accepting of an invitation to dine with him in that Hall These endeavours of the Parliament to settle the Nation upon the Foundation of a well-grounded and lasting Peace by excluding from all Offices as well Sacred as Civil and Military those that refused to take the aforesaid Oaths did highly urge the Discontented of the late Anarchy whose anger suggested to them some hopes of undoing all again In order whereunto they laid new designs and Conspiracies and had several meetings to consult about them but their designes proved Abortive by a timely discovery Barbone Moyer Salmon Wildman Haynes Ireton and others were seized and Committed to safe custody The King out of a Noble and generous inclination to shew Respect and Veneration to the Memory of his Friends when it was out of his power to reward their Persons and considering likewise that the Living are usually very much taken with kindnesses exprest to the dead did about this time give order for the Re-interring those two Loyal Commanders Sir
Coningsâ—ark a German Lord who had formerly endeavoured to obtain her came over again to London in disguise and one â—ratz who had formerly been a Captain under him sent a Challenge to Thinn with a Threat That in case he refused to meet him at the Time and Place appointed he should be pistol'd And finding that notwithstanding that Threat he still slighted his Challenge and refused to hazard his Life against he knew not whom nor upon what ground of quarrel he with two more well mounted and armed rode up to his Coach as he was passing homeward near the Hay-market and having stopt the Horses another of those desperate Villains whose Name was George Borosky a Polander discharged a Blunderbuss or Musketoon at him charged with six Bullets which were all lodged in his Belly and then they setting Spurs to their Horses made their escape but the next Morning they were so closely sought after that they were all three taken and being brought to a Trial Tryal before the Lord-Chief-Justice Pemberton were all three condemned and executed upon a Gibbet erected near the place where they committed the Murder and Borasky to terrifiâ— others from such barbarous Attemptsâ— was hung up in Chains between 〈◊〉 and London The Count was likewisâ— tryed the same time as an accessary to the Murder but for want of sufficient Evidence was acquitted by the Jury A strange Accident hapned not long after this which had like to have proved fatal to these Nations by depriving them of the Inestimable Blessing which they now enjoy for his Royal Highness the Duke of York our Present Sovereign going about the beginning of May into Scotland to fetch home his Dutchess whom he had left there at his last return the Glocester Frigot in which he sailed unfortunately striking on the Lemon-ore in Yarmoth Road was lost with about an hundred men and some Treasure But Heaven designing the Royal Passenger to be the occasion of many future Blessings to these Kingdoms and reserving him for a more honourable Funeral he was miraculously preserved by going off into a Yatch which came up to his relief just before the Ship sunk And returning toward the latter end of that month with his Dutchess and the Lady Ann to Whitehall the King and Queen came from VVindsor to congratulate his safe arrival and express their Joy for his miraculous preservation And the King who went back again that Night to VVindsor was the next Day taken very ill occasioned as it was generally thought by some cold taken the day before but upon bleeding and the use of some other proper means he recovered his former health within a few days to the great joy of his Subjects Sir John Moor an Honest Loyal Gentleman and an Addresser coming this Year to be Lord Mayor of London which City was then somewhat distempered by reason the Chair had for the Two preceding Years been enjoyed by Sir Robert Claton and Sir Patience Ward who inclining to the Fanatick Party had promoted such Sheriffs and other Officers in that City as were no way pleasing to the King as appeared by the Answer he returned to the Message from Sir John to him to invite his Majesty to dine with him and the City on the day of his Inauguration viz. That he liked the Message but not the Messengers who were the two Sheriffs Pilkinton and Shute and therefore having now the Power in his Hand as Chief Magistrate he resolved to restore London to its Loyalty and leave it in a condition more to the Kings content than he found it And in order thereunto it being an ancient Custom for the Lord Mayor at a Feast kept Yearly at the Bridg-house to drink to him whom he designed to be one of the Sheriffâ— for the Year ensuing he drank to Mr. Dudly North Brother to the Lord Keeper and since Knighted And on the 24th of June which being Midsummer-day was customary for the Electing the Sheriâ—f of London he summoned the several Companies to appear at Guild-hall and confirm North and cause another Sheâ—iff but instead of proceeding according to the Ancient câ—stom and method of the City therâ— appeared two parties the Lord Mayor and his Party and the two Sheriffs and their Party who refused to confirm North and would have both Sheriffs elected by Vote After some coâ—test it was agreed to be decided by pol But those who polled for the coâ—firmation of North and thâ— Election of Box a Drugster in Cheapside who was proposed by Moor for the other Sheriff being refused and several mens Names entred for Papillion and Dubois that were put up by the Two Sheriffs and their Party who had no Right to Vote the Lord Mayor adjourned the Court by Proclamation till the 27th and so departed out of the Hall altho not without some abuses by the disaffected party However the Sheriffs would not obey the Adjournment but upon pretence that the business belonged properly to them and not at all to the Mayor went on with their Poll till night The next day being Sunday admitted of no Action but on Monday morning the King who had been informed of all those Tumutuous Proceedings ordered the Lord Mayor the Court of Aldermen and the Two Sheriffs to attend him at the Council-Chamber and after a full Examinâ—tion and Hearing of all that could be said on both sides committed the Sheriffs to the Tower for their Riotous Proceeding whither they were carâ—ied through the City in their own Coacâ—es But having obtained a Habeas Corâ—us to be brought up to the Kings-Beâ—ch-Bar they were admitted Bail having first pleaded Not Guilty to an Information exhibited against them for a Tumultuous and Riotous Assembly in holding the Common-Hall after it had been adjourned and the Assembly discharged The Sheriffs having thus obtained their Liberty met again on the 5th of July and notwithstanding the Mayor who was then sick sent the Recorder to adjourn the Common-Hall to the 7th yet they and the Multitude proceeded in the Election and declared their Choice of Papillion and Duboise But some Disputes arising when the Mayor and his party met on the 7th according to the Adjournment about the Legality of that Adjournment Four Lawyers were sent for to the Court of Aldermen to argue the Validity of the thing but coming to no Resolution the Court was adjourned to the 14th of that Month. When the King designing if possible to set all things to rights issued out an Order of Council wherein he commanded them since all their Proceedings hitherto had been irregular to begin all Proceedings anew and carry them on in the usual manner as they ought to have been upon Midsummerday This Order was read in the Common-Hall but opposed by the adverse Party with Noise and Clamor However Moor declared North duly elected by him and that he would Poll for the other Three viz. Box Papillion and Duboise and thereupon caused Books to be fitted with Three Columns only But Pilkinton and Shute refusing to
executed at Tyburn for this Plot. The Earl of Essex prevented the Hand of Justice by cutting his own Throat Mr. Hambden against whom there was but one Evidence was only indicted and found guilty of a high Trespass and Misdemeanor and condemned in a Fine of 40000 l. to the King to find Sureties for his Good Behaviour during Life and to stand committed till that was paid and done The Lord Brandon Major Wildman Mr. Charlton Mr. Trenchard and some others for want of sufficient Evidence were first admitted to bail and afterward discharged Mr. Wade and Sir Thomas Armstrong being both taken beyond the Seas the first at Mevis and the other in Holland were brought into England and condemned and executed upon an Outlawry The King to shew his Sense of the Divine Goodness for his wonderful and Gracious Preservation from that horrid Plot and Conspiracy publisht a Declaration for a solemn Day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God to be celebrated throughout the Kingdom on Sunday the 9th of Septemb. commanding that Declaration which contained a short Narration of the Treasonable Conspiracy and the Persons concerned therein some whereof were not mentioned in either of the Proclamations to be read on Sunday the 2d of September as well as on the Day of Thanksgiving which was observed with great Seriousness and Devotion throughout the whole Kingdom every one looking upon himself to have a particular Interest in the Benefit of that Preservation It is observable that there was this remarkable difference between the two Plots all those who died for the first protested their Innocency with their last breath denying that they had any knowledg of a Plot or Conspiracy carried on against the King or the Government and all those who died for the Second did acknowledg something tho they denied the greater part of what they were accused of About this time the Lady Ann Second Daughter to his Royal Highness the Duke of York was married to Prince George Brother to the King of Denmark the Ceremony being performed by the Bishop of London in the Presence of the King Queen Duke and Dutchess with most of the Great Persons about the Court and that Night was observed with great Joy and Splendor and the next 〈◊〉 Bells proclaimed the publick Joy which every one took for her being so happily bestowed upon a Protestant and Religious Prince who was afterward installed Knight of the Garter at Windsor The Day for the Election of Sheriffs for London and Middlesex which of course used to be the 24th of June was this Year adjourned to the 5th of September when the Livery-Men assembled at Guild-Hall without the least Hesitation confirmed the Mayors choice of Peter Daniel and chose to serve with him Francis Dashwood Electing likewise Mr. Deputy Aleworth into the Office of Chamberlain in the Room of Sir Thomas Player who being one of the Rioters in the last Years Proceedings was then removed and performing all the other Elections of Bridg-master Ale conner c. with the ancient Gravity and Moderation and a Choice of Mayor on Michaelmas-day was likewise adjourned for six Days But in the mean time the King being highly displeased with the Cities delays in signing the particulars formerly accepted of and promised by the Common-Council in Relation to the Charter caused his Attorney to enter up Judgment against it and thereupon gave his commission to Sir William Pritâ—hard to execute the Office of Lord Mayor of that City during pleasure granting the like Commissions also to the two New Sheriffs Daniel and Dashwood who were thereupon sworn with the usual Oaths and Mr. Jenner of the Inner Temple knighted at the same time by the Name of Sir Thomas Jenner the Kings Recorder of London On Sunday the 7th of October the Mayor and Sheriffs appeared at Guild-hall Chappel as formerly in their Gowns and Chains but the Aldermen only in their ordinary habits being by vertue of that new Commission only made Justices of the Peace eight of the Factious ones being left out and their Number supplied by as many Worthy and Loyal Gentlemen viz. Sir Benjamin Newland Sir Benjamin Bathurst Sir John Buckworth Sheriff Dashwood Charles Duncomb Jacob Lucy Peter Palavazine and Benjamin Thoroughgood But on the 13th of that Month the King sent them a new Commission wherein he impowered them to act as Aldermen in their several Wards and accordingly divers of them attended the Mayor the next day to Chappel after their usual manner in Gowns and Chains and the next Week assembled a Court of Aldermen as formerly And upon the 29th of October which is the Annual Day for swearing the Lord Mayor of London the King having appointed Sir Henry Tulse to execute that Office by Commission during his pleasure he was after the usual manner attended to Westminster by the Companies performing the accustomed Ceremonies in Westminster-Hall and making the usual Cavalcade through London but without any Pageants The Duke of Monmouth being accused as one of the Conspirators in the late Plot absconded and lay concealed for some time so as he could not be found by all the search that was made for him But having privately made his Application to the King in an humble and submissive Letter wherein he intirely resigned himself to his Majesties Disposal the Duke thereupon went down to Secretary Jenkins his Office to whom he had voluntarily surrendred himself and upon shewing himself very sensible of his Crime in suffering himself to be drawn into a Conspiracy against the King and Government and making a full Declaration of it and a particular Submission to his Royal Highness for his misbehaviour toward him he did upon the request and Mediation of the Duke obtain his Pardon and the Attorny-General was ordered to stop all further Proceedings against him But refusing afterwards to make the promised Discovery or to sign what he had confest he fell again into the Kings High Displeasure and was thereupon banisht the Court and expelled the Royal Presence About the middle of December this Year began a very extraordinary Frost which lasted till the 5th of February during which time the Thames was frozen over with solid and contiguous Ice with thousands of People walking thereon and whole streets of Booths built quite a cross and shops of almost all manner of Trades on each side as in the high streets of London and Coaches running almost as thick as in Fleetstreet The extremity of the Weather was such that great numbers of poor and indigent People who at other times could but just live were now in regard they could not follow their imployment brought into great necessities and many of them must have starved if the charity of others had not relieved 'em whereupon the King who always loved to take all opportunities to express his charity and affection to his Subjects especially those that were poor and indigent among them granted his Letters Mandatory to the Bishop of London to make a Collection in all Parishes in the