which the Religion may be preserved and the Monarchy not destroy'd that therefore they would provide for Religion and Government together with regard to one another because they support one another and that they would make the known Establisht Laws of the Land the Rules and Measures of all their Votes because He is resolved they shall be His. After this Speech the Commons return'd to their House and Chose for their Speaker William Williams Esq who had managed that Office in the last Parliament Who being the next Day presented made a Speech to the King and claim'd by humble Address as his Words were The Antient Rights of the Commons Nothing of extraordinary note passed till Saturday the 26th of March on which Day it was that the House of Commons were informed that the Lords had refused to proceed upon the Impeachment of the Commons against Edward Fitz-Harris for High Treason but had directed that he should be proceeded against at the Common Law Hereupon they Vote That this refusal of the Lords to proceed in Parliament upon such Impeachment is a Denial of Justice and a Violation of the Constitutions of Parliaments an Obstruction to the further Discovery of the Popish Plot and of great Danger to His Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion And further they resolve That for any inferior Court to proceed against Edward Fitz-Harris or any other Person lying under an Impeachment in Parliament for the same Crimes for which he or they stand Impeached is an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament On the Monday following the Bill against the Duke of York was Read the first time and Order'd a second Reading When on a suddain the King sends for the Commons up to the House of Lords and tells them That He perceived heats betwixt the Lords and them and therefore He had Order'd the Chancellor to Dissolve the present Parliament which he accordingly did immediately The same Day the King left Oxford and came to Windsor that Night the next Morning by Eight a Clock to Whitehall Not long after this His Majesty was pleas'd to Publish in Print a Declaration to all his Loving Subjects in which He set forth the Reasons which induced Him to Dissolve His two last Parliaments His reasonable desires which He had proposed to 'em with their unwarrantable proceedings in return declaring however that He is not yet out of Love with Parliaments but that He will frequently advise with them as His great Council which He hopes ere long to find in a better Temper much to this purpose were the Contents of that Declaration which by His Majesties Order in Council was appointed to be Read in all Churches and Chappels About the same time all the Factious News call'd Domestick Intelligence and Weekly Printed for Francis Smith Ben. Harris and Langly Curtis were by Order of Council as reported put down and silenced And the abovemention'd Francis Smith a Notorious Libel Printer was Committed to Newgate In Easter Term this year Sir Francis Pemberton became Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench in the Room of Sir William Scroggs who had obtain'd a Writ of Ease Great Expectation there was to see what the Court would do in the Case of Edward Fitz-Harris and some Hesitation the Grand-Jury of Middlesex of which one Mr. Godfrey Brother and Heir to the late Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was the Foreman made to receive the Bill of Indictment against him in regard he had been Impeacht by the House of Commons till they were inform'd and satisfied by the Court that all the Judges of England had the Day before met and resolved upon that question Nemine Contrad cente that they might lawfully proceed in the Tryal notwithstanding the aforemention'd Votes of the House of Commons after this the said Jury found the Bill and Fitz-Harris was Arraign'd at the Bar on the last Day of April he was thrice bid to hold up his Hand insisting upon the Impeachment in Parliament but at last he held up his Hand and heard his Indictment Read which was for High Treason exprest in a certain Writing call'd The True Englishman full of most horrid Expressions against the King as if he were a Conspirator in the Plot and exciting the Nation to rise as one Man against him c. To which Indictment he put into Court a Dilatory Plea against the Jurisdiction alledging that he being Impeacht by the Commons in Parliament he cannot be Tryed here but this Plea not being under Councils Hand was refused to be received however the Court gave him time to consider whether he would stand by such a Plea in regard it might be fatal unto him in case it should be over-Ruled and assign'd him for Council Sir Francis Winnington Mr. Williams Mr. Pollexfen and Mr. Wallop as he desired to argue the said Point of Judicature next Wednesday if he persisted in such Plea On the said Wednesday being the 4th of May the Prisoner was again brought to the Bar attended with His Council at which time the Kings Attorney Sir Robert Sawyer enter'd a Demurrer to the Prisoners Plea and insisted chiefly on the manifest defect of form in regard the Plea run that the said Fitz-Harris was Impeacht at the late Parliament at Oxford de Alta proditione but does not say of what sort or manner of Treason nor sets forth the Impeachment at large which a Plea ought to do when it is to the Jurisdiction After this the Council of the Prisoner joyn'd in Demurrer but upon their earnest motion tho' opposed by the Attorney General time was given them to next Saturday Morning to maintain the said Plea by Argument if they can At which time it was argued largely by Williams Winnington Wallop and Pollexfen for the Prisoner and by the Attorney General the Sollicitor Serjeant Jeoffreys and Sir Francis Withens for the King the Kings Council and also the Court declaring that they medled not at all with the Priviledge of the House of Commons or Jurisdiction of the Lords in Parliament which was not in the Point tho in truth the Council for the Prisoner would fain have put that upon 'em but only as to the form of the Plea After all the debate which lasted from 8 till after 12 that Day the Lord Chief Justice declar'd that the Court would take a convenient time to consider before they gave their Judgment On the Wednesday following being the 11th of May the Prisoner being again brought to the Bar by the Lieutenant of the Tower my Lord Chief Justice in the Name of the whole Court gave Judgment and declar'd That he and his Brothers had Consider'd of the Plea that they had also consulted with others of the Judges and that himself Justice Jones and Justice Raymond were of opinion that the Plea was insufficient Dolbin doubting the Plea was therefore over ruled and the Prisoner ordered to Plead over and accordingly he pleaded not Guilty and alledging that a material Evidence on his part was now in
Wickham 100 Marks Swinnock 500 Marks and Jekel 200 Marks On the 19th of May being the last Saturday in Easter Term Sir Patience Ward one of the Aldermen of London was Tryed at the Kings Bench Bar upon an Information of Perjury for giving false Evidence upon Oath in the Cause Tryed last Mic. Term between the Duke and Pilkinton The Perjury was proved upon him by the Oaths of several Aldermen and other persons of great Credit among which were two of the Jury that Tryed the said Cause between the Duke and Pilkinton Whereupon the said Sir Patience was Convicted and found Guilty by the Jury but the Judgment of the Court was respited till next Term. The better part of the City of London both for Number and Quality appear'd about this time very Loyal and as an Instance of their Good Affections it was Resolved at a Common-Council held at Guild-Hall May 22. That whereas Sir William Pritchard Knight Lord Mayor of this City was in a rude manner lately Arrested at the Suit or in the name of Mr. Papillon and Mr. Dubois and whereas it hath been alledged by the said Mr. Papillon and Mr. Dubois that the Action upon which the said Arrest was was prosecuted at the Instance of the Citizens of London the Members of this Court to deliver themselves and the said Citizens from this untrue imputation do declare that they were not privy or consenting to the said Action or Arrest and do disown and disapprove the same And not long after Broom the Coroner was by the Common-Council put out of that Office and made uncapable of enjoying any place of preferment in the City Soon after viz. on the 25th of May was set up in one of the Niches of the Old Exchange a Curious Statue of King Charles the First with this Inscription underneath cut in Marble ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ Serenissimi ac Religiosissimi Principis Caroli Primi Angliae Scotiae Franciae Hiberniae Regis Fidei Defensoris Bis mar â—ris in Corpore in Effigie Impiis Rebellium manibus ex hoc loco deturbata confracta A. D. MDCXLVIII Restituta hic demum collocata A. D. MDCLXXXIII Against the beginning of Trinity Term the Scaffolds in Westminster-Hall after they had stood there and cumber'd the Hall for above Three Years were by order from my Lord Chamberlain taken down and removed On Wednesday the 6th of June was held a Common Council at Guildhall in London where all the Treasonable and irregular Acts of that Court in the Times of Rebellion were Repeal'd and a Bill past in the said Common Council for declaring and asserting the Antient Rights of the Chair by which Bill my Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen were restored to their negative Voice which had been taken away by an Act in the late Rebellious Times and never question'd before that Also it was at this Common Council declar'd and Enacted That my Lord Mayor has sufficient and lawful Power of Choosing one Sheriff And accordingly my Lord Mayor did the next day declare his Choice at the Bridg-House Feast by Drinking to Mr. Alderman Daniel as one of the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex for the Year insuing On the first Tuesday in Trinity-Term Judgment was given in the Court of Kings-Bench in the Quo Warranto brought last Trinity-Term against the City of London of which I made mention in the last Year The Pleadings were large on both sides The chief Crimes on which this Writ was grounded were Two For exacting Tolls in their Markets illegally and for framing and Printing a scandalous Petition wherein they charged the King with obstructing the Justice of the Nation by Proroguing the last Parliament Whether these were sufficient Causes of seizing their Liberties was argued pro and con by the Sollicitor General and the Recorder last Hillary-Term and by the Attorney-General and Mr. Pollixsin last Term very largely and elaborately And now my Lord Chief Justice Saunders being Sick and absent Justice Jones having concisely Summed up all the Proceedings past in a very pithy and solid Speech gave Judgment and declar'd it to be the unanimous opinion of that Court That the Liberties and Franchises of the City of London be seized into the Kings Hands After which he Declar'd by the Kings express Order That Judgment should not be enter'd till His Majesties Pleasure be further known Thursday the 14th of June was held a Common Council in London at which Court the following Petition was Order'd to be Presented to the King at Windsor it was entituled the humble Petition of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons of the City of London in Common Council Assembled It acknowledged their hearty and unfeigned sorrow for the misgovernment of that City of late Years which occasion'd a Quo Warranto to be brought against them and Judgment therein That they are deeply sensible and thankfully acknowledge the Kings great Favour in not requiring Judgment to be immediately enter'd thereon In this distressed condition they humbly cast themselves at His Royal Feet imploring His Princely Compassion and Grace begging Pardon for all Offences with most solemn promises and assurances of constant Loyalty and obedience to His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and of a regular Administration of His Government in that City for the future and humbly beg His Majesties Commands and directions This Petition was carried and Presented by the Lord Mayor and several Loyal Aldermen and Citizens of London on Munday the 18th of June After which my Lord Keeper by the Kings Command Declar'd That for the sakes of so many of the present Magistrates and other eminent Citizens in London who are of undoubted Loyalty and affection to His Majesties Service His Majesty will shew the City all the Favour they can reasonably desire In fine That His Majesty requires their Submission to these Regulations That no Lord Mayor Sheriff Recorder Common Serjeant Town-Clerk or Coroner of London or Steward of Southwark shall be capable of or admitted to the exercise of their respective Offices before His Majesty shall have approved them under his own Sign manual That His Majesties disapproving the Mayor twice He may if he please nominate a Lord Mayor himself so also for Sheriffs Nevertheless the Election of these Officers may be according to the antient usage of the City with some small Restrictions then specified On Wednesday the 20th of June was held a Court of Common Council again at Guild-Hall the Question being put whether they should assent and submit to His Majesties Order of Regulation as above exprest it was carried in the affirmative by the Majority of 18 Voices The Yeas being 104 and the Nays 86. Towards the end of this Trinity-Term was discover'd a Damnable Plot and Conspiracy carried on by those who call themselves True Protestants Mr. West of the Temple was first apprehended examined and Committed And His Majesties Proclamation Dated the 23 of June came out for the apprehension of others who had Conspired against the Lives of
utterly to demolish the said Town Castle and Mole at Tangier to choke up the Haven and to bring off the Ordinance and English Inhabitants to England sending the Foraigners to their several Countries but first compounding with every Man for his Ground Estate and Property in their several Houses all which was accordingly done in about six Months time Anno 36 Car. 2. Anno Dom. 1684. I Begin my Historical Collections this Year with an Occurrence of Extraordinary Note viz. the Bayling the Lords in the Tower which tho' often moved for yet could never be obtain'd till now The Earl of Danbys Case was argued this Hillary Term and on the last Day of the Term being February the 12th the Judges in the Kings-Bench did severally give their Opinions and their Reasons for the same concluding all in one Judgment That his Lordship ought to be Bail'd and accordingly Bail was taken His Bail were The Duke of Somerset The Duke of Albemarl The Earl of Oxford The Earl of Chesterfield The other Lords being within the same Reason were admitted to the same Advantage as also the Earl of Tyrone who had lain Prisoner in the Gate-House about the same space of time with those in the Tower Their several Bail were For the Earl of Powis The Duke of Norfolk The Duke of Beaufort The Earl of Pembroke The Earl of Peterborough For the Lord Arundal of Warder The Earl of Dorset The Earl of Scarsdale The Earl of Bath The Earl of Clarendon For the Lord Bellasis The Earl of Aylesbury The Earl of Westmerland The L. Vicount Falconbridge Sir John Talbot For the Earl of Tyrone The Earl of Roscommon The Earl of Mount-Alexander The Earl of Carlingford The Lord Annesley The Principal Lords were bound in a Recognizance of 10000 l each and their several Bail in 5000 l each upon Condition that the abovemention'd principal Lords do appear in the House of Lords the next Sessions of Parliament and not depart without leave of that Court. On the same Day Mr. John Hamden received Judgment He had been accused and Committed for High Treason in the late accursed Conspiracy but in regard there wanted the Circumstance of Two Witnesses against him which is necessary in all Cases of that nature he was Indicted and Tryed in the Kings-Bench Court this Term and found Guilty of a High Trespass and Misdemeaner in Conspiring to Levy War c. and now his Judgment was That he should pay 40000 l for a Fine to the King and find Sureties for his good Behavior during Life and to be Committed till this be paid and done The Lord Brandon Mr. Booth Major Wildman Mr. Charleton Mr. Trenchard and some others who had been accused for being in the said Conspiracy and had been since admitted to Bail were on this last Day of Hillary-Term absolutely discharg'd It is observable in relation to the late great Frost That the extremity of that Weather had made such a Mortality and Sickness as I may call it among Fish not only of fresh Rivers and Ponds but even at Sea that abundance of Fish of almost all sorts were observed to dye of themselves and float to Shore upon which account several Physitians of the Roman Catholick Religion having consider'd of the eating of Fish they agreed that it must needs be unwholsome whereupon a general dispensation was granted by the Ecclesiasticks of that Party to all Roman Catholicks for the eating of Flesh three Days in the Week viz. Sundays Tuesdays and Thursdays all the Lent this Year A thing not known before Acts of Hostility being fiercely pursued this Spring between the French and Spaniard both by Sea and Land His Majesty of Great Brittain being concern'd on neither side but at Amity with both was pleas'd to Command by His Proclamation Dated at Newmarket March the 12th That the Peace should be kept inviolably on both sides in all Roads Creeks and Ports of His Dominions and that all His Commanders and Officers should oppose themselves against any that should assault any of the Ships of His Allies in any His Roads Creeks or places under His Protection c. On the 14th of April Sir Leoline Jenkins obtain'd leave of His Majesty to surrender his place of Secretary of State and Sidney Godolphin Esq now Lord Godolphin was Sworn Secretary On the 21st of April James Holloway Merchant being out-law'd in Treason having been Indicted for the late Conspiracy and fled was brought to the Kings-Bench Bar where the Attorney-General declared to the Court and the Court to him That if he thought he could make himself appear Not Guilty the King would wave his Attainder by Outlary and he might stand a Tryal by a Jury But he Declar'd That he could not undertake to make himself appear Not Guilty for he had confest his Guilt to the King Whereupon a Rule of Court was made for his Execution on the 30th of the present April on which Day he was accordingly Executed On Saturday the 10th of May Titus Oates was arrested at the Amsterdam Coffee-House in an Action of Scandalum Magnatum at the Suit of His Royal Highness the Duke of York for calling the said Duke Traytor and other abominable Language He was carried to Woodstreet-Counter where he lay two Days and was then removed by Habeas Corpus to the Kings-Bench Prison The next Term he let Judgment go by default and on the last Day of the Term a Writ of Enquiry of Damages was Executed at the Kings-Bench Bar where the Jury upon hearing the Evidence gave 100000 l Damages About the beginning of May the King was pleased to revoke and determine the Commission formerly granted to several Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of England and to commit those Affairs to the Care of His Royal Highness Also in this Month of May a Noble and most Elaborate Statue of his Now Majesty in gray Marble was erected on a Curious Pedestal of the same in the very middle or Center of the Old-Exchange The Garb and Habit was that of a Roman Caesar The Workman that Cut it was Mr. Grinlin Gibbons the most Famous Statuary that England ever produced and equal if not Superiour to the best of Europe in this Age. This was performed at the charge of the Hamborough Company and Cost 500 l. The Inscription on the Pedestal is Carolo II Caesari Britannico Patriae Patri Regum Optimo Clementissimo Augustissimo Generis humani Delicijs Vtriusque fortunae Victori Pacis Europae Arbitro Maris Domino Vindici Societas Mercatorum Adventur Angliae Quae per CCCC jam prope Annos Regia Benignitate floret Fidei intemeratae Gratitudinis Aeternae Hoc Testimonium Venerabunda posuit Anno Sal. Humanae MDCLXXXIV On the 28th of May His Majesty was pleased to declair in Council at Hampton-Court That he thought it fit and for His Service that his Royal Highness should be present at the Meetings of the Council And accordingly the Duke Sate that Day and
His Purse That He would not have them meddle with the Succession of the Crown in the Right Line but proceed in the Discovery of the Plot and to the Tryals of the Lords c. After this the Chancellor making no set Speech the Commons return'd to their own House and unanimously chose for their Speaker Mr. Williams of Grays-Inn Recorder of Chester One of the first things the House of Commons did was to Purge their own House of certain Members Sir Robert Can a Burgess for Bristol for having said there is no Plot but a Presbyterian Plot Sir Francis Withins head Steward of Westminster and one of the Burgesses for the same for having Declar'd himself abhorrent to the late Tumultous Petitions for the Parliaments sitting The first of these was expell'd the House and Committed to the Tower the other only expell'd But both Order'd to receive their Censure on their Knees And several other Members were declar'd Guilty of the last mention'd Offence On the 30th of October the King Publisht a Proclamation promising His Pardon to all that within two Months shall come in and make any further Discovery of the Plot. And this was done upon an Address of Parliament In the mean time the Commons not satisfied in punishing their own Members who had appear'd against Petitioning for the Parliaments fitting they take notice of others who were without their Walls and among the rest Sir George Jeffreys becomes the Object of their Displeasure who being Recorder of London the Kings Serjeant at Law and Chief Justice of Chester is for the pretended Crime above specified on the 13th of November Voted a Betrayer of the Rights of the Subject and an Address Order'd to be made to His Majesty to remove him from all Publick Offices At the same time it was Order'd that a Committee enquire into all such Persons as have been advising or promoting the late Proclamation stiled a Proclamation against Tumultuous Petitioning But about the same time a matter of much greater concern was thus mannaged On the 11th of November was past in the House of Commons a Bill entituled An Act for securing the Protestant Religion by disabling James Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and the Territories thereunto belonging Which Bill was on the 15th carryed up to the Lords House by my Lord Russel attended by almost all the Commons who gave a Hum at the Delivery They being departed it was read once and being put to the Vote whether it should be read a second time it was carryed in the Affirmative by two Voices On the second reading it was debated till 11 a Clock at night the King being present all the while and then thrown out of the House by a Majority of about 30 Votes in which Majority were all the Bishops then present which were 14. Several other matters were transacted in Parliament of great moment but in regard the Daily Votes and transactions of the House of Commons was by Order of that House daily made publick in Print I refer the Reader for Particulars to what has been publisht and in these Papers take notice only of some of the most material Passages Among which it may be observed that Mr. Seymour the late Speaker and for whose Election the Commons in the late short Parliament did very much stickle was now ordered to be Impeacht and thò not at the same time yet not long after Impeachments were Voted and drawn up against Sir Francis North Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir William Scroggs Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench Sir Thomas Jones second Justice of the said Court and Sir Richard Weston Puisny Baron of the Exchequer for several pretended Misdemeanors In the mean time William Lord Viscount Stafford one of the 5 Popish Lords in the Tower was brought to his Tryal on an Impeachment of High Treason The Tryal began in Westminster Hall on Tuesday the 30th of November being the next day after the Term ended Which Impeachment and Evidence upon the same was managed by a Committee of the Commons The Tryal lasted for a Whole Week and The Evidence against him were Oates Turberville and Dugdale Of the Lords who sate upon the Tryal the Lord Chancellor being Lord High Steward 31 pronounced him not Guilty and 55 Guilty And accordingly Judgment was pronounced against him on Wednesday the 7th of December But his Execution was respited till Wednesday the 29th of December on which day he was Beheaded on Tower-Hill protesting with his last breath his Innocency as to those Crimes of which he stood Condemn'd It is observable that Bethel and Cornish being then Sheriffs of London and having received the Kings Writ for the Execution of the said Viscount Stafford by severing his Head from his Body according to the constant Course in such Cases had notwithstanding the Confidence to demur upon it whether he ought to be Beheaded or according to the Common Judgment hang'd and quartered and for this they apply'd themselves to the two Houses of Parliament To which the most Honourable House of Lords Answered roundly That the Kings Writ ought to be obey'd But the Commons by way of Concession viz. That they were Content that the said Lord be Executed by severing his Head from his Body only During these Transactions a Comet with a most Prodigious Stream of light appear'd in the West the Star from which the Blaze proceeded was but small and when first discover'd appeared not much above the Horizon but every night afterwards it appear'd higher and higher in the beginning of the Night and consequently setting later and later its Lustre and magnitude also decaying I am neither able nor willing to make any Remarques on the Nature of these Meteors Or to say how far such noxious Exhalations may incline Mankind to Mischief And least of all will I pretend to Interpret whether this Finger of the Almighty is thus seen in the Heavens to Point out Good or Bad Events All that I design is innocently to observe and Remember the Naked Matters of Fact as they happen without disguize or Comment Two things more very observable happen'd before Christmass One was An Address of the House of Commons presented to His Majesty on the 21st of December in answer to His Speech of the 15th wherein he demanded once more Supplies of Mony for the defence of Tangier The effect of the said Address was to deny in as modest Terms as could be all Supplies of Mony for that purpose unless His Majesty would be pleas'd to pass a Bill to Seclude the Duke of York from Inheriting to the Crown and to enable the Protestants of this Nation to Associate themselves for the security of the Protestant Religion the Defence of the King and Kingdoms The other was a most Remarkable Speech Spoke in the House of Lords by the Earl of Shaftesbury the King being then present at least wise so pretended and Printed which being full of Audacious and
continued so to do On Wednesday the 11th of June Sir Thomas Armstrong was brought to London and committed to Newgate in order to his Execution being Outlawd in High Treason He had been taken at Leyden in Holland by Order of the States there and immediately brought to Roterdam and Shipt away for England There needed no Tryal of him in regard he fled and was Outlawd and did not yield himself within a year so as to have any benefit of the Stat. 5. E. 6. 11. Wherefore he was Executed at Tyburn on the 20th of June being a Friday the same Day of the same Month and the same Day of the Week on which the five Jesuits were Executed in the same manner at the same place just five years before His head was set up on Westminster-Hall between those of Cromwell and Bradshaw one of his Quarters upon Temple Bar two others at Aldersgate and Algate and the 4th was said to be sent down to Stafford for which Town he had been a Burgess in Parliament On Thursday the 26th of June His Royal Highness the Duke of York being Captain of the Artillary Company of London did them the Honour to march in their Head through the City to the Artillary Ground and there Lead 'em up in Person with mighty Joy and Acclamations On the 7th of July the City of Durham surrender'd their Charter into the Hands of their Prince the Bishop of Durham soon after which surrender He granted them a new one reserving to himself the Confirmation of their Mayor Aldermen and Chief Officers in like manner as the King had done before in other parts of this Kingdom Most Corporations having surrenderd and renew'd about this time On the first of October was made a Review or Muster of His Majesties Land Forces on Putney Heath a most Gallant Military appearance The Horse that Day consisted of the Three Troops of Guards and of their Three of Granadiers of the Earl of Oxfords Regiment of Horse Guards and the Lord Churchills Regiment of Dragoons The Foot were Two Batalions form'd from the Royal Regiment of Guards and their Granadiers One Batalion from the Coldstream Regiment of Guards and Granadiers One Batalion from the Earl of Dunbarton's Regiment and their Granadiers and One from the Admiral Regiment The total of Horse and Foot which then Rendavouz'd were above 4000 advantagiously Trained and well clad Men. All being that Day commanded by the Earl of Craven At which Review both their Majesties and Royal Highnesses were present with great satisfaction About this time His Majesty was pleas'd to Dissolve the Commission formerly granted in the year 1681 to certain Commissioners to dispose of Ecclesiastical Preferments belonging to the Crown So that the said Preferments are now again in His Majesties immediate disposal Sir William Prichard the late Loyal Lord Mayor of London having this Summer brought His Action upon the Case against Mr. Papillon for causing him to be Arested in the time of his Mayeralty without any legal cause of Action of which I made mention in the last year the cause was Tryed before my Lord Chief Justice Jeffreys by Nisi Prius at Guild-Hall on the 6th of Nov. And upon a full hearing of the Evidence the Jury found for the Plaintiff and gave him 10000 l. Damages Other matters of Publick Concern were transacted this Michaelmass Term. Several Factious persons were convicted and Sentenced for Speaking Scandalous and Sedicious Words of the Government In perparticular Elias Best commonly call'd the Protestant Hop-Merchant was fined 1000 l. to stand thrice in the Pillory and good Behaviour during Life Dalby and Nicholson two of Oates's Men for the like and one Mr. Butler of Northamptonshire convicted upon an Information for presenting and Reading to the Knights of the Shire chosen for that County at the last Election a Seditious Paper of Address to them from some factious persons for which he was fined 500 Marks and good behaviour during Life And to shew What matters are too frequently transacted in Conventicles one Thomas Roswell a Conventicle Preacher at Redriff was this Term Tryed and convicted of High Treason in speaking certain very foul and Treasonable Words on the 14th of September last in his Preachment at his said Conventicle but some questions arising in Relation to the form of his Indictment which being argued by Council on both sides the Court took time to advise of their Judgment till next Term and before that arrived the said Roswell obtained His Majesties Gracious Pardon But as if this was not sufficient to shew the ill Principles of the Dissenting Party about the same time news arrived at London of the most Barberous Act in Scotland that has been heard of in many Years Some desperate Rebells there had in the Night time affixed a most Villanous and Trayterous Paper on several Crosses and Church Doors in that Country and therein declared War against the King under the name of Charles Stuart and publisht their Resolutions to kill and destroy all those that serve and adhere to Him in pursuance whereof they came on the 19th of November at Night being about 36 Footmen and 16 Horsemen to an Inn called Swine-Abby 13 Miles from Edinborough and there Barberously Murder'd two Gentlemen of His Majesties Horse Guards in their Beds cutting and mangling their Bodies and carrying away with them several Pieces of their Flesh Also this Michaelmass Term on the 13th of November Titus Oates was in the Kings Bench Court indicted for Perjury in Relation to Ireland's being in London at that time the said Oates Swore to at his Tryal to which Indictment he pleading Not Guilty the Tryal was appointed to be next Term. After this at the Sessions in the Old Bayly December 12th he was again Indicted upon an other Indictment of Perjury in Relation to his being Present at the supposed Consult of the Jesuits at the White-Horse Tavern and upon Not Guilty pleaded this also was appointed to be Tryed in the Kings Bench. Court next Term And the Indictment was removed thither The Roads being this Winter extreamly infested with Robbers His Majesty was pleased on the 19th of December to Order in Council and declare His pleasure for redress That all His Officers of Justice and other His loving Subjects do use their utmost Diligence and Endeaver for the apprehending all Robbers and Highway Men And for the Encouragement of such as shall apprehend any such Offender it was further Order'd That such Person or Persons who shall at any time from the present till the 19th of December 1685 and after that day till His Majesty shall please to recall this Order either by Proclamation or His Order in Council apprehend any Robber or Highway Man and cause him to be brought into Custody shall within 15 days after his Conviction have a Reward of 10 l. for every such Offender so apprehended and Convicted And all Sheriffs of the Respective Counties where such Conviction shall be had are by the said Order
required upon the Certificate of the Judge or Two or more Justices of the Peace before whom such persons shall be convicted of such Apprehension and Conviction to pay unto the Person or Persons who shall apprehend such Offendors the Reward aforesaid within the i me aforesaid out of His Majesties Monies received by such Sheriff or Sheriffs in that County where such Conviction shall be which shall be allow'd unto him or them upon his or their accounts in the Exchequer And all Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Justices of the Peace Mayors Sheriffs Baylies and other Officers and persons whatsoever were required to take notice of the said Order and to be aiding and assisting in all things tending to the Execution of the same as they tender His Majesties displeasure and upon pain of being Proceeded against as Contemners of His Majesties Royal Authority This Christmass the restless and implacable Spirit of the Dissenters appeared again by dispersing in several Places in and about London a most Wicked False and Treasonous Libel relating to the Death of the Late Earl of Essex and upon strict search and enquiry after the Author One Henry Danvers Commonly call'd Colonel Danvers late of Newington in Middlesex appear'd to be the man but being upon the Discovery fled His Majesty was pleased on the 4th of Jan. to command publick Notice to be given That whereas the said Henry Danvers stands accused upon Oath of several Treasonable and Dangerous Practices and is fled from Justice Whoever shall apprehend the said Henry and cause him to be delivered into safe Custody that he may be proceeded against according to Law shall receive a Reward of 100 l. to be forthwith paid by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury In the beginning of this Hillary Term Sir Scroop How one of the Knights of the Shire for the County of Nottingham in the late Parliaments appear'd in the Kings Bench Court to Answer to an Information for words spoke against His Majesty and Royal Highness which being Read he pleaded Guilty confest his offence with much sorrow and cast himself upon the King ' s and Duke ' s mercy To whom being the next Day introduc'd he was upon his humble Submission received to Grace upon which he acknowledg'd that he owed to his Majesties Goodness his Life and his Estate and that he would for the future dedicate both to the Service of His Majesty and the Royal Family Thus ended the 36th Year of His Majesties Reign in a State of Tranquillity and Peace after so many Terrors Disquiets and Tumults the Remembrance of which as it Magnifies our present Happiness by Comparison of past Troubles so ought we never to forget to pay our due Applause Love and Veneration to the Sacred Memory of our late Gracious Soveraign King Charles the 2d who under God has wrought this Blessed Change A Change by which He render'd His Subjects the most happy People of Europe and himself the most Glorious and Admired Prince of Christendom who by a Conduct truly Royal could reduce a People Plunged and almost overwhelm'd in Confusion into a Quiet not to be expected hardly to be hoped for and by his incomparable Prudence asswage a Faction blown up into a Tempest more Violent Deaf than Winds and Seas In what Words what Deeds can we express a Gratitude equal to such a Merit Statues of Marble and Tryumphal Arches may pay a lesser Debt of Veneration but for this Blessing such are too poor acknowledgments Let all True Englishmen raise him a Better a more lasting and more Worthy Monument a Monument of Grateful Hearts Let us Eternize His Glorious Name through all Generations Let our Applauses last for ever But above all let us express our Love and Esteem for His Memory by our unfained Loyalty true Faith and Allegiance to His most Royal and most Equal Brother the Brother of His Vertues Our present Gratious Soveraign King JAMES the Second whom God grant long to Live and Reign over us to the unspeakable Joy and Comfort of all His Majesties Good Subjects and to the Confusion of His Enemies ☞ Note that the year of our Lord in the running Title is to be supposed to begin according to the Almanack in January and not on the 25th of March. FINIS Errata PAge 15. l. penul r. tacking p. 59. l. 15. r. as was said p. 69. l. 4. r. Leoline p. 113. l. 3. for Bar. r. Court p. 149. l. 20. for Bar. r. Court p. 185. l. 17. f. Proceedings r. Judgment THE TABLE A. ADmiralty Page 198 Addresses Loyal 72 115 175 Ailworth Chamberlain of London 180 Aldermen of London changed 183 Anglesey Earl 153 Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews barbarously Murder'd 53 Argile Earl 129 Armstrong Sir Thomas 200 Arundel Earl 159 Association 93 138 Aston Lord 80 Ayres Captain 147 B. BAntham lost to the Dutch 164 Bedloe William 34 64 86 Bellasis Lord 28 45 47 Best Elias 203 Bethel Slingsby 84 91 Bishops accused unjustly for Papists 47 Whether to sit upon Tryals 52 Bishops in Scotland their Letter to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 141 Black Box 74 Bonfires forbid 77 157 185 Box Ralph 148 152 154 Bristol Artillery Company their Loyal Address 137 Broom Coroner 165 168 C. CAmbridge Vniversity Their Address 139 Can Sir Robert 88 Captain Cheek Lieutenant of the Tower 53 Caryl John 77 Castlemain Earl 77 81 Celier Elizabeth 59 79 86 185 Clarendon Earl 95 194 Coleman Edward 27 34 Colledge Steven 119 120 121 A Comet seen 92 Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Preferments 125 202 Common Council in London Loyal 167 170 Conspiracy against the King and Duke Discover'd 173 Congratulation on the Discovery 175 Coningsmark Count 135 136 Conventicles 129 147 Conwey Lord 99 Cornish Henry 84 91 156 158 D. DAnby Earl 43 44 45 50 51 113 114 193 Dangerfield Thomas 59 79 81 Daniel Peter 180 182 Danvers Henry 206 Dashwood Francis 180 182 Dean Sir Anthony 55 Declaration upon the Dissolution of the Two last Parliaments 109 For a Thanksgiving 179 De Puy 114 Drought Extraordinary 121 Durham City 201 E. EMbassador from Morocco 160 from Bantam 160 Essex Earl 98 177 Exclusion Bill 49 89 93 94 95 99 108 Expedients proposed 47. 107 F. FAsts 11 28 43 Feversham Earl 86 95 Finch Lord Chancellor his excellent Speech in Parliament 16 Dyes 159 Fish Dye 196 Fitzharris Edward 107 110 112 113 117 119 French Protestants come over 124 Frost Remarkable 188 G. GAscoigne Sir Thomas 64 65 Prince George of Denmark Marries the Lady Anne 178 Elected into the Order of the Garter 180 Godfrey Sir Edmundbury 27 29 Godolphin Lord 197 Goodenough Richard 126 Gold Sir Thomas 156 158 Graham Richard 145 Serjeant Gregory Speaker 43 H. HAil Storm Remarkable 75 Hallifax Earl 95 154 Hamden John 186 195 Harris Benjamin 69 Hide Laurence 95 Honours confer'd 160 Holloway James 197 Howard of Escrick Lord 117 118 How Sir Scroop 207 Humphrevile Charles 81 I. JEffreys Sir George 89 116 182 Jenkins Sir Leoline 69 197