thought it wisdom to dissemble the indignation they conceived for that Affront and gave him thanks for his joynt care with them for the good of the Common-Wealth and to content him if possible ordered a Committee to consider what Lands were fitting to be conferred upon him issuing out a Proclamation likewise against Lambert wherein he was required to surrender himself within forty days on forfeiture of his Estate and promising with all imaginable Speed to send out Writs for a new Parliament but resolved to tye up their hands by previous engagements against the King the House of Lords and whatsoever else they thought might prove injurious to them And the Council of State invited him afresh to take his place amongst them urging that the necessity of affairs required his presence there and employing such means as they thought had the greatest influence upon him to perswade him to comply therewith Nor did he at first absolutely deny their request but only denied the performance thereof that so he might keep them in suspence the better to fix his Army and prepare them heartily to engage in his new designs which he thought could not be brought in one day to part with all their former Principles and Prejudices But although they still courted his return yet fearing that he had designed nothing less they began to court those who who had formerly appeared against them and employed their adgitators in that Army which was by Monks succesful Artifice dispersed into divers parts of the Country to whisper his Treason against the Parliament and his design to bring in Charles Stuart Halzerick was taxt by the General as the principle Author of that device but he denyed it and durst not adventure to Randesvouz his Country Army against Monks City Forces And the presses in the mean time were not idle but produced many infamous Libels against the King wherein he was impudently abused and charged with many unjust Falsities thereby to prevent the Peoples entertaining any desires of his Restauration but all would not do the Country being now too sensible of the gross abuses and cheats that had been been put upon the Nation by such kind of Articles But however the General being willing to overcome them by Argument as well as force easily consensented to a proposition presented by the Rump that some of them might meet a like number of the secluded Members and argue the business in his presence which they did at Alderman Whale's his House which was then his head Quarters and they having nothing to alledge against the Re-admission besides their love of Power but their own safety the sale of publick Lands and such like things which they feared would be disturbed by their introduction But the secluded Members having sufficiently answered these objections by protesting that they would disturb the properties and pretences of no Man but amicably sit and act for the good of their Country till by their dissolution they had made way for another Parliament And the General being fully satisfied in the justness of their Cause left the City and returned again to White-Hall where those of the secluded Members who were then in Town resorted to him and after a short Speech made by him were conducted to Westminster where they took their former places in the House of Commons some of the sitting Members immediately upon their entrance rising up and departing in discontent crying out Monk had betrayed them The General having now forced the Rump to admit the secluded Members which had been ever since forty eight forceably kept out of the House they were no sooner seated therein but they immediately applied themselves to such kind of work as plainly discovered to all Intelligent and discerning Men where those things which were then transacting would terminate for they presently enlarged Monks Commission making him General of all their Land Forces and constituted him joint General at Sea with Mountague discharged Sir George Booth and others Committed on account of his rising ordering the examination of him and his Lady to be taken off the File and given to them and released all such as had been Imprisoned for Petitioning for a free Parliament together with the Members of the Common Councel of London And then having appointed a free Parliament to meet in the April following they Dissolved themselves appointing a Council of State to govern in the mean while which consisted for the most part of Honest and Loyal Gentlemen viz. Arthur Annesly Lord President Peirpoint Crew Knightly Popham Morley Cooper Gerrard St. John Widrington Evelin Waller Onslow Maynard Lewis Mountague Handly Norton Hollis Temple Tomson Trevers Holland Poltis Birch Grimston Swinton Weaver Fairfax Rossiter and the Lord General which Council was so influenced by the General that all their Proposals ran directly towards and naturally tended to swell the Royal Stream and make Soveraignty which had suffered so long and fatal an Ebb flow with that irresistable but yet innocent and harmless force that like a swelling Sea it bore down all before it But Sir John Grinvile being in regard he was a known Cavalier unable to procure any private conference with Monk who was so extraordinary wary and cautious that when Sr. John had spun out his Visit to an extraordinary length in expectation of the Room being clear by the breaking up of the Company yet then knowing the reason of his long Attendance he would immediately rise up from his Chair and say Good night Couzen 't is late or by some such like pretence excuse himself and leave the Room He was not able to give the King any farther account of the General 's Intentions and therefore growing impatient of so many delays he bethought himself at last of making his Application to Mr. Morrice one of the â—ecluded Members who was somewhat related to the General and had a more than ordinary Intimacy with him that â—o he might by his Mediation obtain the favour to discourse a little with him in private concerning something of great importance to him and the Nation Morrice was easily prevail'd upon to undertake the business and immediately repaired to the General and acquainted him with Greenvil's desire but he still refused to have any secret converse with him for fear notice should be taken of it yet ordered Morrice to wait upon him and try if he could inform himself of the nature and quality of the business giving him leave to assure him that he was authorized by him to receive his Message how weighty and secret soever it might be and promise to return the Generals speedy Answer thereunto But Greevile resolving to treat with none but himself refused the Proposal without giving him the least intimation of his business telling him that it concerned none but the General himself and that so nearly that it would admit of no longer delay And if he still persisted in an obstinate refusing to admit him a private Conference he must then be necessitated to acquaint him with it
Titus Britannicus AN ESSAY OF HISTORY ROYAL IN THE Life Reign OF HIS Late SACRED MAJESTY CHARLES II. Of Ever Blessed and Immortal Memory By AVRELIAN COOK Gent. Ut ameris Amabilis esto Ovid. Majora Veris Monstra vix capiunt Fidem Senec. LONDON Printed for James Partridg Stationer to His Royal Highness George Hereditary Prince of Denmark at the Post-Office by Charing-Cross 1685. To the most NOBLE HONOURABLE REVEREND WILLIAM Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury FRANCIS Lord Guilford C. S. LAWRENCE Earl of Rochester P. GEORGE Marquess of Halifax C. P. S. JAMES Duke of Ormond S. R. D. CHRISTOPHER Duke of Albemarle HENRY Duke of New-Castle HENRY Duke of Beaufort CHARLES Marquess of Winchester ROBERT Earl of Lindsey S. A. C. HENRY Earl of Arlington C. R. D. AUBERY Earl of Oxford THEOPHILUS Earl of Huntington JOHN Earl of Bridgwater HENRY Earl of Peterborough PHILIP Earl of Chesterfield Robert Earl of Sunderland HENRY Earl of Clarendon JOHN Earl of Bath WILLIAM Earl of Craven ROBERT Earl of Ailesbury JOHN Earl of Radnor DANIEL Earl of Nottingham HENRY Earl of Middleton THOMAS Vicount Falconberg HENRY Lord Bishop of London GEORGE Lord Dartmouth SIDNEY Lord Godolphin Sir JOHN ERNLY Sir THOMAS CHICHELEY Sir GEORGE JEFFERIES and Sir LEOLINE JENKINS The Lords of His late Majesties Privy-Council My LORDS IT was a Custom much us'd by the Ancient Writers among the Greeks and Romans to Dedicate their Books to their most particular Friends and sometimes to Intitle and call them by their Friends Names In our Age wherein we either do or shou'd imitate Antiquity in all commendable things This laudable Custom is either wholly laid aside or practis'd by so few that they almost escape Observance If indeed this Method of Dedicating Books was chang'd into a better I should have no reason to complain but rather to applaud the happy Genius of our Times for outshining the brightest days of Antiquity But most assuredly we can find no causes for such Triumphs The Dedications now made in England and France which two Countries in this Age we may Parallel with the foremention'd Greece and Italy upon the Score of Excellence in Wit with respect to the rest of Europe Our Dedications I say are so full of nauseous and fulsom Flatteries and Most of 'em so generally made up of about a dozen long Words variously turn'd and dispers'd that for my part I wonder how any Man can proceed any further in a Book of such small hopes but must needs lay it down and chuse rather to go to Bounding-Stones with Augustus Nay this crying Sin of the Nation is come to that pass that even our Poets who were made and fram'd on purpose in such a Make as only to lash Vice with the severest Satyr are yet most abominably guilty of this crime When an excellent Comedy has appear'd on the Stage for some time and perhaps done the Work of an Hundred Homilies in visiting and reclaiming Mankind from their evil ways it comes forth in Print and all is spoil'd again by a wicked Dedication in the beginning which propagatâ—â— Atheism so that no man can believe the Poet is honest and speaks his mind in the Play while he talks so lewdly and contradictorily in the Dedication It was not so in Ben. Johnson's days What I have said of Epistles Dedicatory in general may partly seem to hook my self into the crowd of these numerous Transgressors while I inscribe this Book to your Great Names But several Things I have to alledg for my self First tho this Piece be not presented to any private Friend of its Author in Emulation of the Ancients yet as far as possibly I have followed their Sacred Rules and Canons in a Work of this publick Nature For it is the Life of one of the Greatest and Wisest Princes that â—ver Sway'd the English or any other Scepter And to whom cou'd I better devote His Life than to His Greatest and Wisest Friends for such He always call'd His best Servants Ye are concern'd MY LORDS in every Page of this Book and can witness what is here related to be true No part of His Life but wherein some of you have had a share In His Education His Exile His Sufferings His Victories His Triumphs And while I write his Life in some measure I write Yours For such is the fate of Celsitude and honour that Great Men in some sense do frequently Dye before Sixty three And to be sure when a Prince falls he does not fall alone but several Others have their Lives interchangeably writ with his Besides MY LORDS being unable to find any Object nearer to him than Your selves except his Majesty whom God long preserve and the Family Royal I lay under an indispensable necessity of imploring your Lordships Patronage For such is my Veneration to the Blood of my Prince that by no means can I be perswaded to think the ensuing Papers fit for his most Sacred and Princely Eye or worthy a Royal Protection and I am resolv'd to be as Innocent as I can and not offend One Prince after having committed Treason against the Fame of another However MY LORDS tho this be not a Piece fit for a Kings Cabinet yet I hope this Image of our late Sovereigns Life will not be refus'd by Your Lordships since we love the Pictures of those Persons we admire let 'em be never so unfinisht let them be drawn by what hand soever The other Thing which I propos'd to my self in this Address was the avoiding Flattery tho it may seem a very unnecessary Caution since he that looks up to such a Thick-set Conglobation and as it were Galaxy of heavenly Virtues must easily infer that they are too high for Flattery and too bright to have any lustre added to them With all the Tragical forces of Eloquence I might here expatiate on the Topicks of Grand Descent of Titles and honours of Policy and Government of Arms and Learning of the Tent and the Closet But it is not my design to manage these common Subjects And I beg leave of your Lordships to say That in the front of a Book consecrated to the fame of CHARLES the II d I think I shou'd do an Injury to him if I endeavour'd professedly to write any other Panegyrick but his tho at the same time I must needs include Your Lordships Praises And herein I have determin'd to take a View of the King himself and not of his Deeds that Province I leave to his history and to set his personal Virtues and not additional Actions before your Eyes for a bad man may do a praise-worthy thing but a good man himself can only be praised Many Kings themselves do either hear or read their own Commendations and take care to see their own Glory setled before they dye But such kind of Annals usually is as mortal as their Subject and as soon turns to Ashes No His late Majesties Praise shall not be Mercenary The World after his Death shall
of Kelkhampton in Cornwell a living of about three hundred pound per Annum which he had freely bestowed on him without any other design therein than only to oblige him to serve his King and Country whenever he had occasion to employ him in any thing that might tend to both their Good having even then an eye to the General in Scotland to whom he was Brother which contrivance the King very well approved of and left the whole management of the business to his secresie and discretion Whereupon he sent for Monk out of Cornwelâ— and having first obliged him to secresie accquainted him with the Kings Commission to treat with his Brother the General and his design of sending him into Scotland to manage that treaty on the Kings behalf and gave him a Commission according to the Kings directions to offer his Brother in case he would undertake that commendable and glorious work of restoring the King to his Crown and Dignity leave to set down his own conditions and assure him that the King had promised upon his Royal word to perform them Monk being fraught with hopes and instructions willingly undertook the happy Embassy embarquing himself immediately for Scotland and having a prosperous gale arrived in a few days at Leith and from thence to Dulkeith where his Brother the General resided And that he might remove all suspition of the design of his coming from those about the General he pretended that the intent of his voyage was only to fetch away his Daughter Mary who at that time lived there in the Generals Family in order to the bestowing her in marriage to her advantage hoping that his Brother would make some conâ—iderable addition to her Fortune But the General being at his first arrival engaged in business could not entertain him himself and therefore sent him under the conduct of an highland Foot-Boy to his Chaplains Chamber which was Dr. Price who received him with that Courtesie that became him in regard of his relation to his Master and so soon as he had made him sit down began to enquire what news he had brought from England about Sir George Booth and the rest of those loyal Gentlemen that were engaged with him to whom Monk made such replies as were suitable to his several questions and then having been assured before he left England of the Dr's faithfulness and loyalty he adventured to acquaint him with the design of his coming thither at that time and desired his directions how he might to be with the greatest advantage to the Kings affairs break that business and open his message from Sir John to the General who thereupon told him that his Brother would expect to be satisfied of his Secresie as well as of his Fidelity before he would engage himself in such a hazardous affair as that was since it was necessary that a business of that importance should sleep in as few Breasts as possible and he might put himself the General and his whole negotiation into a very great hazard should he rely too much upon the Characters given him in England of the secret loyalty of any persons amongst them advising him therefore to make no more such rude and unadvised communications of his Embassy and to acquaint his Brother with his having related it to him assuring â—him for his encouragement that he verily believed that his Brother would willingly embrace any fair overture for the redeeming of his Country from the slavery of the Army His Wife who had always a great love and veneration for the King having prepared him to appear in his behalf when the first opportunity should offer it self and the Soldiers who troubled not their heads much about Religion and abbetting of parties but only fought for their pay having a general love and esteem for him as looking upon him to be a good Soldier and a discreet Commander under whom they might safely engage he might at any time make himself a good party amongst them when he should judge it fit and safe to apppear Mr. Monk having in the Evening an oppportunity to keep private with his Brother acquainted him with the end of his coming and the encouragement proposed by Sir John if he would undertake the work assuring him that he had seen the Kings Commission directed to Sir John for the impowring of him to make those offers wherein he promised upon the word of a King to perform them Which upon mature deliberation he highly approved of and the more because he understood that the Presbyterians and the Lord Fairfax would be engaged with him with whom he ever after maintained a private correspondence and therefore from that time took up a resolution to endeavour his Masters Restauration relying upon the Faith and Integrity of Sir John Greenvile and confiding in the Kings Word as much as if he had actually received a Commission from him for he soon after told his Chaplain that he was resolved to Commission the whole Scatch Nation against the English Parliament and Army rather than suffer himself to be taken or displaced by them although he had at time no other authority to do it by then that airy commission conveyed unto him by word of mouth from Sir John Greenvile who had it in writing from the King And the happy success of that resolution was a great demonstration of the Kings extraordinary prudence and discretion in pitching upon Monk as the fittest person to bring about that blessed and glorious revolution and the wisdom of Sir John Greenvile in employing his Brother rather than any other Person to manage that great and weighty Intreague And being informed that there was a supplication presented to the Rump by Lambert in the name of the Army under his command for the bringing those to punishment who had been actually engaged in or offered any assistance to Booth's Conspiracy and for appointing a General over all their Forces in the three Kingdoms which inquisition had it been made and a sequestration past upon it accrding to their expectation would have yielded them more Wealth then all the former sales of Crown and Church Lands He began to conclude with himself that he should have a fairer opportunity to put his resolutions in practice then he could have reasonably expected for he easily foresaw what was the design and intent of that supplication and was so well pleased with it that he pleasantly told his Chaplain that he perceived he should shortly have a better Game to play than he lookt for when he first engaged himself in the design and that he knew Lambert to be of such a restless and aspiring temper that he would not long suffer the Rump to sit in quiet at Westminster And therefore that he might the better make preparations for his future designs he immediately dispatcht away his Brother to London in character of an Envoy to assure the Rump of his faithfulness and fidelity to them and that he was resolved to stand firm to their Interest
Judicial proceedings And then he return'd to White-Hall where he chose the Lords of his Privy Council amongst whom were several of the long Parliament that had given sufficient Testimony of their sincere repentance and their resolution to be Loyal for the future and he appointed Judges for the Benches and Courts of Judicature Several Addresses were likewise made to him from the Nobility and Gentry of all the Countreys in England wherein they congratulated his Restitution to his Crown and Kingdom assuring him of their exceeding Joy and willingness to maintain his Royal Person and Authority Divers persons that had been eminent for their service and affection to him were about that time also dignified with the honour of Knighthood And several men guilty of his Fathers murder having made their escape beyond-Sea a Proclamation was Issued forth wherein all those persons who had â—ate gave Judgment or any way assisted in that horrid and detestable fact were commanded to surrender themselves within fourteen days to the Speaker or Speakers of Parliament to the Lord Mayor of London or the Sheriff of that County wherein they then resided forbidding all persons to conceal or harbour them under misprision of Treason whereupon divers submitted themselves and were secur'd in the Tower The Commons in drawing up the Act of Oblivion order'd that some others besides those who had actually sate in Judgment upon the late King should be excepted out of it viz. Broughton Phelps Cook Dâ—nby and Hugh Peters which so affrighted others who had a hand in that execrable murder that Col. John Hutchinson a Member of that Parliament and Coll. Frâ— Lussels presented their Petition to them wherein they confest their guilt and declar'd the artifices which were us'd to draw them in by which submission they obtain'd pardon upon some small forfeitures only But Peters being shortly after taken in Southwark was clapt up into the Tower And the Parliament not looking upon themselves nor the people of England free from the guilt nor safe from the punishment which in those unhappy times they had contracted unless they laid hold of the Kings offer of Grace in his Declaration from Breda did therefore resolv'd in a full house that they did in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England lay hold on the gracious pardon mention'd in that Declaration with reference to the exclusion of such as should be excepted in an Act of Pardon and they order'd a Declaration that their Resolution should be drawn up which was done accordingly and presented to the King by Denzell afterward Lord Hollis some of the most eminent in Office under the late Usurpers having in the mean while to make sure of that Grace gotten their particular pardons exemplified under the great Seal of England To prevent which trouble the King was more than ordinary pressing for the speedy passing the Act of Oblivion taking care to express his grateful sentiments of the Loyalty and services of several Illustrious personages that were principally instrumental in accomplishing his Restauration by dignifying them with Places and Titles of honour And to shew how highly the Generals Loyalty had advanc'd him in his good Opinion he was dignifi'd by him with the Titles of Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington and Baron of Potheridge Beauchamp Teyes had his Temples deserv'dly incircl'd with a Ducal Coronet by the hand of his Majesty being thereby invested with the right of Peerage in all the three Kingdoms whose equal Felicity and Honour he had preferr'd before his own and therefore now most deservingly shar'd with them therein by his Investure in those Dignities which were compleated on the 13th of the following July by his taking his place in the House of Lords being attended by the Commons and introduc'd by the Duke of Buckingham Montague was made Earl of Sandwich Ormond Earl of Brecknock and Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold the Earl of Lindsey Lord High Chamberlain Manchester L. Chamberlain of the Kings Houshold Southhampton Lord High Treasurer Greenvile Earl of Bath and Groom of the Stole Sir Frederick Cornwallis Treasurer of the Kings Houshold by an old grant and Sir John Berkley Controller Divers rich Presents were now made to him from the several Cities and Burroughs of the Kingdom in Gold and Plate and the resignation of several Feefarm Rents which had been purchas'd from the Usurpers the City of London among the rest with a Complement of their good Stewardship rendred their grant of new Perk in Surrey and all the Rents accruing at Michaelmas Day were now secured from the late Purchasers of Crown and Church Laws to the utter disappointing of their unjust and covetous expectations from such base and unwarrantable Penny-worths A Peace was now made Proclaim'd between us and Spain and a Splendid Embassy dispatcht from Denmark to congratulate his happy Restauratian The Court of Soissons who had Married Cardinal Mazarines Neece being sent from the French King on the same Errand entring London with all the sumptuous and extraordinary Magnificence imaginable and there was no Prince nor State in Europe but what sent an Embassador thither to congratulate him upon that happy and wonderful occasion And the Parliament having after many debates and disputes alterations and insertions at last finish'd the long desir'd Act of Oblivion which was extraordinary comprehensive and indulgent even to the regret of many injur'd Loyalists who found no better Argument to perswade their acquiescing therein than their unchangeable Loyalty to the King whose special Act that was There were no more excepted out of it but only the Regicides and Murderers of the late King only Lambert Vane and twenty more were thereby reserv'd to such forfeitures as should be afterward declar'd by Parliament the principal whereof was Hazelrick St. John Lenthal the Speaker Philip Nye Burton of Tarmouth and some Sequestrators Officers and Major Generals of the Army among whom was Desbrough Pine Butler Ireton c. They likewise past an Act for the perpetual Anniversary Thanksgiving on the 29 of May which was the day both of his Birth and Restauration and therefore deserv'd a perpetual memorial and to be made by a Parliamentary Canonization the most auspicious in the English Kallender to both which he gave his Royal assent and shortly after at their adjournment to another for disbanding the Army and paying off the Navy which although they once threatned us with a perpetuating our slavery yet were now forc'd by the happy conjunction of his Fortune with his Wisdom and Goodness after many models to submit to its last desolation And the Commons having after the passing of their Bills acquainted him that they had nothing more to ask or offer at that time but that if his Majesties occasions would permit they might adjourn and go into their own Countries where they should endeavour to make his subjects sensible of their extraordinary happiness in having such a King to Rule and Govern them He consented to it telling
Exchecquer and Judges of the Law according to their several Dignities Trumpets Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Knights of the Bath the Knights Marshal the Treasurer of the Chamber the Master of the Jewel House the Knights of the Privy Councel the Comptrollor and the Treasurer of the Kings-Household two Trumpets and Serjeants Trumpets two Pursivants at Arms Barons Eldest Sons Earls Youngest Sons Viscounts Eldest Sons Marquesses Youngest Sons Earls Eldest Sons two Pursivants at Armes Viscounts and Dukes Eldest Sons Marquesses Eldest Sons two Heralds Earls Earl Marshal and Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold Dukes Eldest Sons Serjeants at Armes on both sides the Nobility Clarencieux and Norroy Lord Treasurer Lord Chancellor Lord High-Steward the Duke of Ormond and two persons representing the Dukeâ— of Normandy and Aquitain Gentleman Usher Garter Lord Mayor His Royal Highness the Duke of York alone the Lord High Constable of England which was the Earl of Northumberland the Lord Great Chamberlain of England which was then the Earl Lindsey and the Sword carryed by the Duke of Richmond Equeries and Footmen followed next and about the King himself Gentlemen and Pensioners without them Master of the Horse which was the Duke of Albemarle leading a Spare Horse the Vice-Chamberlain to the King the Captain of the Pensioners the Captain of the Guard the Guard the Kings Life Guard Commanded by the Lord Gerrard the Generals Life Guard by Sir Phillip Howard a Troop of Voluntiers Troop and a Company of Foot by Sir John Robinson The way from the Tower to Aldgate was guarded by the Hamblets from thence to Temple-Bar by the Train-Bands on the one side and by the Livery on the other with the Banners of each Company the Windows were all along laid with Carpets and the best Tapistry Bands of Musick in several places and the Conduits running with Wine In St. Pauls Church-Yard stood the Blewcoat-Boyes of Christ-Church Hospital one whereof in the Name of the rest declared their joy for his Majesties wonderful Preservation and Restauration Humbly beseeching his Gracious Favour and Indulgence according to the example of His Royal Ancestors and his Father of Blessed Memory With which Speech he was well pleased and testified his being so by his rewarding the Boy that spoke it In the Strand and through Westminster the wayes were likewise gravelled and railed and guarded on both sides with the Trained-Bands of that City and the Kings two Regiments of Foot under the Command of Albemarl and Collonel Russel and the Houses adorned with Carpets and Tapestry like those in London When he came through Temple-Bar the Head Bayliffe and High-Constable in Scarlet met and received him with loud Musick and alighting off their Horses and kneeling down the Head Bayliff on behalf of the Dean and Chapter City and Liberty signified their Joyful Reception of His Royal Person into that Liberty Declaring how much their happiness exceeded any other part of the Nations in that their Soveraign Lord and King was come among them and humbly desiring His Majesty to continue his Grace and Favour to them whereby they might still be enabled to do His Majesty service Infinite and Innumerable were the Shouts and Acclamations from all parts as he past along to the no less Joy than amazement of the Spectators And the Pomp of this Solemnity was so great that it is vain to attempt the describing it it being not only unutterable but almost Inconceivable and many outlandish Persons who beheld it admired how it was possible for the English after such horrible confusions to appear in so rich and stately a manner It is incredible to think what costly Robes were worn that day it being scarcely discernable what their Cloaks were made of for the Gold and Silver Laces and Imbroidery that was laid on them besides the inestimable treasures of Diamonds Pearles and other Jewels and the Rich Liveries of their Pages and Footmen some suits whereof were so very rich that they amounted to near 1500 l. In this order he arrived at White-Hall where having retired himself to supper and so to Rest he came the next day which being St. Georges day was to consummate the Coronation from his privy Staires to the Old Pallace where in a Room behind the House of Lords called the Prince's Lodgings he stayed till the Lords and the rest of his Train had Robed and Ranked themselves in Westminster-Hall and so soon as they were ready descended the Stairs that went down into the Hall and placed himself in a Throne in the upper end thereof Then came the Dean and Prebends of Westminster in their Rich Copes each of them having a part of the Regalia and delivered them to the Lord High Constable who delivered them to the Lord Great Chamberlain and being by him set on a Table the King immediately distributed them St. Edwards Staff to the Earl of Sandwich the Spurrs to Pembrâ—ke the Sword called Curtana to Oxford the pointed Sword carryed on the Right Hand of it to Shrewsbury that carryed on the left to Derby and the Sword of State to Manchester the Scepter with the Dove to Albemarle the Orb with the Cross to Buckingham St. Edwards Crown to Ormond and the Pattina and Challice to the Bishops of London and Exeter And having thus bestowed the Regalia he set forward on foot much after the same order which was observed the day before upon blew Cloath spread on the ground from the Hall to his Chair in the Abby supported by the Bishops of Bath and Durham and having his Trayn carried up by the Lords Mandevill Cavendish Ossery and Piercy assisted by the Lord Viscount Mansfield Master of the Robes All the Peers with their Coronets in their hands went up along with him till he was placed in the Chair of State Then the Bishop of London on behalf of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury told the People he did there present them King Charles the Second the Rightful Inheritor of the Crown of this Realm and demanded of all those that came thither that day to do their Homage Service and Bounden Duty whether they were willing to do the same Whereupon all the Peers in their Parliament Robes and People gave a shout testifying their willingness Then the King rising from his Chair turned himself to the four sides of the Throne and speaking to the People who again with loud Acclamations signified their consent all in one voice After which the Choire sung an Anthem in the interim whereof he went supported by the Bishops of Bath and Durham attended by the Dean of Westminster to the steps before the Communion Table where upon Carpets and Cushions he offered a Pall and a piece of Gold and then removing to the right hand kneelled down during a short Collect then the Sermon began being Preacht by the Bishop of Worcester which ended the Bishop of London on behalf of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury ask't Him If He would be pleased to take the Oath that was wont to be taken
ibid. 1670 Designs to unite England and Scotland 345 Prince of Tuscany in England ibid The Dutchess of Orleans at Dover 346 Sir Thomas Allen before Argeir 347 Sir Edward Spragg destroys three Men of War 348 1671 Bloud steals the Crown 349 The King takes a Sea-Progress 351 A stop upon the Exchequer 352 Sir George Downing committed to the Tower 353 A Declaration of Indulgence 354 Sir Robert Holms falls on the Dutch Smyrna Fleet ibid 1672 The King declares War against the Dutch 355 He views the English and French Fleet joyning ibid His Royal Highness's name terrible to the Dutch 356 The States remove to Amsterdam 357 The King Invites their Subjects into England ibid The Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Arlington Embassadors 358 Nimeguen taken ibid 1673 the Dutch beaten 359 The King grants Peace to the Dutch 360 1677 Grows Jealous of the French Kings greatness 362 The Lady Mary marri'd to the Prince of Orange ibid The Kings Speech to the Parliament 363 France threatned with a War 365 The King endeavours a general Peace 366 But provides for the worst 367 His Speech to the Parliament ibid 1678 The Siege of Mons raised 359 A peace concluded at Nimeguen ibid A hugeous strange Plot of Black Bills and Spanish pilgrims discover'd by Titus Oates 371 The Lords Bellasis Powis Peters and Arundel sent to the Tower 3â—2 Godfrey found murthered 373 The King prevents the Parliament 375 His refusal to part with the Militia 376 Some try'd for the Plot ibid Some of the Parliament accuse each other 377 Sir Joseph Williamson released by the King 378 The Long Parliament dissolv'd ibid The Kings Letter to the Duke 379 The Duke goes into Flanders 380 The Kings Speech to the new Parliament ibid 1679 They begin with the Earl of Danby 384 Who surrenders him self ibid The Lords in the Tower Impeacht in Parliament 385 The King dissolves his Privy-Council and constitutes a new one ibid. Shaftsbury President 387 The Lords Answer to their Impeachments ibid. 1680 The Kings proposal to the Parliament 388 Their Address to the King 389 The Bill of Exclusion brought in ibid The two Houses differ about Danby's pardon and the Tryal of the Lords 390 The King Porogues them 392 The Bishop of St. Andrews most barbarous Muther forerunner of a Scotch Rebellion ibid. Whence the name of Whigs 393 The Parliament dissolv'd and a new one call'd 394 Sir G. Wakeman and others acquitted ibid. The King taken Sick at Windsor 395 Monmouth in disgrace 397 A Declaration about him 398 He is banished 402 Dangerfields discovery ibid The Duke of York goes into Scotl. 403 Sawcy Petitions for the Parliaments fitting 404 Forbidden by Proclamation ibid. Kings Speech to the Parliament 405 The Duke returns out of Scotland 406 Sir Lionel Jenkins made Secretary 407 Addresses of Abhorrence ibid. The Lord Shandios Embassador to Constantinople 408 A prodigious storm of Hail ibid The Parliament sits 409 Fall foul upon Sir Robt. Can and others ibid. Revive the Attempt of the Exclusion Bill which is bravely thrown out by the Lords 411 The Tryal of the Lord Stafford 412 The Blazing-star 413 The King presseth the Parliament for supplys ibid. The Address ibid. His Answer 414 Their Proceedings thereupon 415 They are Prorogu'd 416 Their lewdly extravagant Votes ibid. Petitions about the Oxford Parliament 417 The Country treats their Members 418 1681 The King goes to Oxford 419 His Speech to the Parliament there ibid. Wi. Williams Speaker 421 Fitz-Harris his story 422 25 26 27 28. The Oxford-Parliament dissolv'd 423 A Declaration touching it 424 Doct. Pluncket 427 The Lord Howard committed to the Tower 428 The Oxford-Plot 429 The Protestant Joyner ibid. His Royal Highness High Commissioner in the Parliament of Scotland 430 An Act past there about the Succession ibid. The King Favours the French Protestants 431 Shaftsbury sav'd by an Ignoramus 432 Esquire Thinn murther'd 433 1682 The Royal Passenger's miraculous deliverance 435 Sir John More Lord Mayor of London 436 A Riot in the City about Sheriffs 437 Prince Rupert dies 442 The Earl of Nottingham dies ibid Two remarkable and unusual Embassadors ibid. 1683 Bantham lost 444 An unpresidentable action ibid A Quo Warranto brought against the City Charter 447 A Petition in reference to it 447 The Kings gracious Condescention ibid Shaftsbury's Plot discover'd 449 The King to have been kill'd at the Rye 451 Sav'd by an accidental Fire ibid. Keeling the first discoverer 452 The Plotters taken ibid. Lord Gray Escapes 453 The Lord Russel and Coll. Sidney Beheaded and others executed at Tyburn ibid. Holloway and Armstrong executed 454 A Declaration of Thanksgiving ibid. The difference between the two Plots 455 The Lady Ann Married to Prince George ibid. Judgment enter'd against the Charter 456 Prichard Mayor by Commission ibid. The Factious Aldermen displac'd 457 Monmouth submits himself 458 The great Frost 459 The Kings Charity 460 Vienna besieged ibid Lord Landsdown ' Valour at its 〈…〉 46â— Tâ—ngâ—er demolish'â— ibid. Earl of Danby relievâ—d ibid. The rest of the Lords out of the Toweâ— 462 684. Commissioners for Ecclesiastical affairs ibid. A Scandalum Magnatum against Oates 463 His Royal Highnesses Patience 464 A Statue-peice of the King in the Royal Exchange ibâ—d A Muster on Putney Heath 466 Several tryed 467 The Sodom Doctor Indicted 468 Danvers his Libel 469 〈…〉 Scroop How receiv'd to favour 470 The King 〈…〉 Fit 471 The manner of his lingring Death 472 The Solemnity of his â—uneral 475 His Person 481 His Justice 483 His peaceable Inclination 486 His care of the Crown Prerogatives 488 His Prudence and Conduct 491 His great Piety and Devotion â—94 His Travels 499 His Learning â—01 His Recreations 504 His Conjugal Affectionâ— 506 Epigraphe 509 A Prayer for the King 511 An Essay of HISTORY ROYAL In the LIFE and REIGN OF HIS Late Sacred MAJESTY CHARLES the Second The Introduction HIstory in all Ages hath not undeservedly been accounted the great Light and Mistress of Humane Life as it both pleasurably instructs and most efficaciously persuades all Ranks and Degrees of men to their several respective and proper Offices For in laying the Foundation of a Good Mind Examples have a peculiar force to move men to Virtue and a much Greater than any bare Precepts whatsoever since they have this excellence in them that they prove what they recommend possible to be done and a Precept without an Example adjoyn'd to it looks like a good Law never put into Execution When men read of an Excellent Virtue they still carry away some Tincture from it whether they will or no as if they had been in Conversation with it's Possessor And when they read of any deformity and vice they have a natural aversion for it and will take care to avoid in themselves what looks so ugly in others Nor does History tend only to form men's manners in order to an happy Life but it also exalts and enlarges their minds while they
rebuke the unsavoury Speeches that tortured his chaster Ears and condemn those Oaths and Curses which were too common among the vainer Scholars during which time he was visited with the Measels the danger whereof only serv'd to teach us how to prize him the more for that hazard But the War between his Father and the Parliament still growing more fierce he once more left the University and took the Field laying aside his Books that he might handle his Arms and endeavoured to signalize his Valour by appearing in the Head of some Forces in the North which were conducted by the Earls of Cumberland and New-castle wherein he was so successful at first that Victory seemed to wait on his Banner Shortly after he marcht Westward where by order from the Court he was attended by such a Noble Retinue as was most suitable to the Grandeur of a Prince of Wales about which time he cast off his Ich Dien and assum'd his State setting up his Royal Court and making choice of such Officers as were most pleasing to him about which although his Father took some exception yet he protested that he greatly admired the discretion of his choice in general having so brave and well ordered a Family that it was second to none but his Uncle Henrys and King-ship was first exercised within the narrow compass of an Houshold saith Selden which increasing to Cities Kings were content to Reign therein until those Cities swelling into Nations they enlarged the bounds of their Soveraign Rule The King of Portugal about this time hoping to make an advantage of the Kings necessity offered several fair Proposals suitable to his present exigencies and troubles which were ushered in by the offer of a Match between his Daughter and the Prince but for some reasons of State his Father thought not fit to accept the offer but yet returned such an answer as held him in suspence being not willing either to gratifie or displease him The Prince in the mean while was busily employing himself in endeavouring to make up a much happier Match between his Father and the Parliament by some overtures of Peace which he made to Sir Thom. Fairfax the Chief Commander of the Parliament-Forces but was disappointed therein for Fairfax gave him to unstand that those Proposals were fitter to be made to the Parliament than to him who was only their Servant Wherefore he seeing that Fairfax would do nothing himself towards a Peace being resolved to try all possible means for the setling this distracted Kingdom desired leave for the Lord Hopton and Culpeper to attend the King and mediaate with him for a treaty with the Parliament to which Fairfax answered that he would desire the Prince to disband his Army and promised that he would thereupon conduct him with Honour to the Parliament to which request he commanded the Lord Capel to make the following Answer viz. Sir His Highness did not believe that his overture in engaging himself in the Mediation of a Blessed Peace for this miserable Kingdom would have brought him an Inhibition to quit his duty to his Father by dividing his Interest from that of his Majesties or hereby he should render himself unworthy and uncapable of the fruit of that Peace which he laboured to obtain and that of his former propositions might be consented to he hoped God would so bless his sincere intentions and designs as to make him a Blessed Instrument to preserve this Kingdom from desolation but if that were rejected he should give the World no cause to believe that he would forfeit that Honour which only could preserve him in a capacity of doing that service and should with patience attend Gods pleasure until his endeavours might be applyed with the preservation of his Innocency During his abode in the Camp he shew'd himself to be of such an Heroick Temperature that he enjoyed an equal Calm and Peace in the midst of all the Confusions of War and enjoyed his Learned Thoughts as quietly in the Tumults of a Camp as in the Retirements of a School In the exercising of his Arms he did not wholly leave his Books nor forget his Studies especially of the Mathematicks which besides their general usefulness as Refiners of the Mind were more than ordinarily necessary to him to assist him in carrying on the several Stratagems of War in Fortification Sieges Battels c. wherein he was but little below his incomparable Father in these things the exactest Prince in Christendom But not being able to accomplish that Reconciliation between his Father and the Parliament which he designed he returned again to Oxford where he was more successful in another undertaking of the like nature viz. the reconciling his two Cousins Rupert Maurice to his Father accounting it too hard to entertain inward Broils when outward Calamities were so heavy and pressing and that those who had Adversaries enough already ought not to become each others Enemies nor did he only use his Interest with his Father to be reconciled to the two Princes but even to his open and profest Enemies also notwithstanding the failure of his late undertakings as appears by his Letters to the Speaker of the House of Commons of Decemb. 15 26 29. and that of Jan. 25 17 24. and several others But while he was speaking for Peace some whose malice and interest had made implacable guilt rendred desperate were preparing for the Battel whilst this Prince of Peace was negotiating for Peace and in order thereunto prepared to raise the Train'd Bands of his Dukedom of Cornwal by incouragement of his Royal presence Fairfax and Cromwel fall with incredible fury upon his Army commanded by the Lord Hopton at Torrington and vanquisht it Which news being brought to him at Launceston he removed from thence to Pendennis where continually receiving some unhappy news and unwelcome Messages pursuing each oâ—her so fast as the Waves do in a Storm and coming as thick as the Messengers of Jobs calamity was advised to consult his own safety and since he could not by all his suasions procure a pacification either by Art or Arguments dint of Sword or strength of Reason preserve himself the Kingdoms growing hope for happier days wherein he might with more fortunate success apply his soveraign Balm to heal the bleeding Breaches of the three dying Nations Whereupon he went from thence attended by the Lords Goring and Culpepper and Sir Edw. Hide to the Isle of Scilly which still remained in the King's hands where he was no sooner arrived but he received a solemn Invitation from the Parliament in a seeming tender dutiful way to come to them and remain in such places as they should think convenient and entertain such Attendants Counsellors only as should be appointed by them Upon receiving of which Invitation he advised with those about him what was best to be done in that case and they returned the following Answer viz. That it became not him to do any thing
the Island joyned them to those which he had brought with him out of France the news whereof arriving at Westminster a Letter is dispatcht from the Parliament and delivered him by Colonel Russel Governour of Guernzey wherein they humbly desired that for his Fathers his own and for his three more than miserable Kingdoms sake he would come among his Fathers Subjects offering thereupon to afford all that lay in their power to give or himself could expect to receive But not daring to trust them he waved their Complement and proceeded to manage his affairs by Sea and Land to that advantage if they had had their desired success as might have enabled the King in the approaching treaty to stand upon such terms as conduced most to his Honour both as a Man a Christian and a King In order whereunto he came attended by the Duke of York Prince Rupert the Lords Hopton Wilmot Wilâ—oughby Branford and Ruthen and Sir Henry Palmer with twenty Sail of Ships towards Yarmouth and landed there with 2000 Men where the divided multitude entertained him according to their various Inclinations some with an Hosanna and others with a Crucifie And as himself had taken care of his affairs at Sea so he sent commissions to several Persons of Honour and Trust whom he commanded to take care of them by Land viz. Ormond Inchequeen and Montgomery in Ireland the Committee of State and their Officers in Scotland the Lords Goring and Capel in Essex and Kent Glenham and Langdale in the North Hales Lucas Langhorn Poyer Owen Buckingham and the Earls of Holland and Peterborough in those places where each of them resided and Letters of correspondence past mutually between him and the Scots his Father and the City in some whereof which were intercepted the City the Lords and some of the Commons declared themselves ready to contribute all possible asistance for the composing of those unhappy differences For whose encouragement he was graciously pleased to declare himself rather the asserter of his Peoples Priviledges than his own Rights as though he fought against his Subjects not to make himself but them happy against their wills for in a Declaration which he then publisht he Solemnly protested 1. For the Establishment of Religion according to his Fathers agreement in the 26th of the preceding December 2. The performance of the said agreement and pursuance of the concessions on the Kings part 3. The restoring of the King to a Personal Treaty 4. The just Priviledges of Parliament 5. An Act of Oblivion 6. The liberty of the Subject abolishing excise contribution forfeit quarter c. 7. Disbanding the Armies and setling of Peace 8. The Defence of the narrow Seas the securing of â—rade and the support of the Navy and Seamen was all he designed in his present undertakings Which Gracious Declaration he seconded with a Letter to the Lords wherein he required 1 That a Personal Treaty might be had in such place and manner as might consist with the Kings Honour Safety and Freedom that so it might not be blemished with any Face of restraint 2. That Scotland might be included 3. That in the mean time there might be a cessation of Arms and an orderly moderate subsistance mutually agreed on for the Forces on both sides to the Souldiers content and the Subjects ease But such was their stubborn peevishness that all his concessions were slighted and his endeavours came to nothing Wherefore seeing he could do nothing by fair means he applyed himself to Force and made several Honourable but unsuccessful attempts to reduce his Rebellious Subjects to the obedience of their Soveraign Poyer and Langhorn reduce South Wales raise a Thousand Men keep Pembroke Tenby and Chepstow beat Fleming and Horton but soon after received a total rout at St. Fogins Tenby and Pembroke being surrendred and Langhorn and Poyer forced to submit to Mercy in whose behalf he wrote to St. Thomas Fairfax from the Downs where he then lay with his Fleet that they might have the usage and terms of Souldiers of War as those had who were taken by him To which Letter the General answered with all due respects to his Highness that it was not in his power to Act further the Parliament having ordered their Tryals he dar'd not interpose their Justice but only pray for Mercy and Peace subscribing himself his Highness's Humble Servant Sir John Owen likewise reduced North Wales to as little purpose Nor had his affairs much better success in Surrey Essex Kent And the City who having first petitioned and then fought for their own Peace the Kings Honour Safety and Liberty and the Kingdoms Establishment were able to accomplish nothing to purpose The Kentish Men Rendezvouzed at Black-heath under Sir Edw. Hales who commanded them as General Sir Geo. Lisley and others offering a Parly to Sir Tho. Fairfax to which he returned this Answer c. SIRS I received a Message from you for a Pass for some Gentlemen to come and and Treat according to an Order of Parliament but know of no such Order of theirs or Authority of yours to appoint Commissioners for such a purpose finding you them in Arms against the Parliament I cannot admit of a Treaty but if ye shall forthwith lay down your Arms and return home I doubt not of the Parliaments mercy to such as have been deluded into this Rebellion and their Exemplary Justice to the Chief Actors therein Of which Answer having satisfied the Prince they did by directions from him make this Reply 1. That an universal and perpetual Dictate of Nature even self-preservation not to invade others Rights but to secure their own had drawn them together 2. 'T was an undoubted Power over them ordained of God they did then obey and so did neither Tumult nor Rebel 3. That Providence which had given them that opportunity they dare not neglect nor could they lay down their Arms without the forfeiture of their Reason and their Honour and that as for the uncertain mercy which he offered to the deluded many whom he thought knew not why they were come together the certain Justice he had threatned their Leaders withal he might assure himself there was but one Soul in that great Body which was therefore resolved to stand or fall together as one Man being not tempted with any hope except that of returning to their ancient Rights Priviledges Governments and Settlements and altogether uncapable of any fear save only that of relapsing into their former slavery And that the fair managing of their business was a sufficient demonstration of their Inclinations to Peace entreating him therefore rather to make the Country his Friend than his Enemy The General being inexorable and and they resolved both Armies met at a barricadoed Bridge between the Heartâ— and Graves-end where both sides strenuously disputed the Passage till the Country-men retired back into their main Body being over-powered by multitudes rather than overcome by valour whereupon notwithstanding
they gained another Pass which was disputed between them and the Parliamentarians they retired to Maidstone which they stoutly maintained against the first and second but yielded upon a third Assault though with a great slaughter of their Enemies who obtained that with great loss which they parted with not without extream regret whereupon Rochester is quitted and left to the mercy of the Enemy In the mean time their General the Prince lay in the Downs with his Fleet in a very good condition waiting for that supply of Land Forces which his Brother the Prince of Orange was industriously raising for his Service in Holland and seizing several Merchant Ships not to be released under 200000 l. Intending his Subjects future gain by that present loss by employing of it in the defence of their Laws and Liberties But understanding that the Castle of Deale was in danger of being taken he Landed some Forces for its Relief who were Vanquisht almost as soon as Landed a Rebellion seeming to have chained the Goddess Fortune as the Trojans did of old to its side For it was so deplorably successful that whenever it met with Loyalty it presently vanquisht it But notwithstanding this loss he would have hazarded himself for the relief of Colchester wherein Sir Charles Lucas and the Lord Capel with their Essex-Forces were besieged had he not been disswaded by those about him and informed that Coll. Scroop had undertaken the relief of that City with a greater number of Men than was there under his Command whereupon he desisted from his intention and reserved his hitherto unblemished Reputation to expect a fairer opportunity And still continued at Anchor in the Downs But Fairfax whose actions were performed as soon as thought and whose designs did almost prevent his performances carried on the Siege of Colchester with so much strictness and resolution that he very much striatned those Valiant Worthies who had somewhat weakly imprisoned themselves within a place where they would be sooner tired than overcome when it might have been more discretion to have taken the Field and there have improved their opportunity of performing something to the Honour of their Master and the good of their Country by the gleaning of those Loyal Subjects who would have been continually resorting to them and the taking all advantages against their Enemy or at least they might have died Nobly and revenged However they resolved gallantly to defend the place to the last extremity their Valour being able to suffer whatsoever the Enemy without was able to reduce them to but Famine within became a more prevailing Adversary than Fairfax's Army and when Courage and Resolution would not yield to the one Nature was forc'd to stoop to the other For their want of Provisions were so great that Dogs and Cats were accounted great Rarities so that the Souldier thought it a Relief to be employed where he was most probable to meet with death as weary of the lingring doom of departing by piece-meals and dying daily Yet they yielded not the City till they were informed of the Scots defeat at Preston and that the Navy was revolted from the Prince again it being as unconstant as the Wind and as unstable as the Water that it sailed upon And indeed what could be expected but that those who were Traitors to their first should be unfaithful to their second Master And then those Desperado's resolved to make a general Sally upon the Enemy for since there now remained no Calamity unsuffered which they could possibly fear they thought it was better to go forth and meet their sudden doom than wait for it within the Town but the Souldiers and Towns-men shrinking they were forced to yield themselves to the General as Prisoners of War His brave and War-like Attempts for his Fathers Restauration having thus proved unsuccessful he was forced to content himself with being unhappy since he had approved himself to be Loyal and so he retired to the Hague in Holland where he resided with his Sister the Princess of Orange to avoid the Treachery of Cardinal Mazarine who was dealt withal to trapan him and had for that purpose as himself said as much from those in England as would maintain the Queen and Princess and defray all the incident Charges which they put that Kingdom to As also to avoid Suspicion which the Parliament might have of him during the time of the approaching Treaty About which having heard some uncertain Rumours he wrote to his Father by the Lord Seymour for better satisfaction that so he might manage his Designs and Counsels suitable to his Fathers Exigencies as he exprest in his Letter which was to this purpose SIR Having no means to come to the knowledge of your Majesties Affairs but such as I receive from the Prints or which is altogether as uncertain Reports I have sent this Bearer Seymour to wait upon your Majesty and to bring me an account of it and that I may also assure your Majesty that I do not only pray for your Majesty according to my duty but shall always be ready to do all which shall be in my power to deserve that Blessing which I now humbly beg of your Majesty c. And being now big with expectation of the joyful News of such a setled Peace as might be safe and honourable to his Majesty and advantagious to the Subject he receives Information that the Treaty was begun and so far concluded on such Reasonable Demands of the two Houses and Royal Concessions of his Majesty as upon three days mature deliberation it was resolved that the King's Answer to the Propositions of both Houses was a ground for them to proceed upon for the settlement of the Nation with his Majesties consent Who was in order thereunto to have been restored to the Freedom Safety and Honour that became his place he thereupon assured himself that his Majesty having now in order to an accommodation granted as much as modesty could ask there would undoubtedly follow a Peace and settlement of the Kingdom with an universal satisfaction and that the happiness and not the error of the Government were some Mens grievances which proved but too true For to such a height waâ— the Malice and Impudence of Cromweâ— and some other Officers of the Army now grown that they resolved to employ their Power against those that gave it them and to oppose themselves against the wisht for Peace and Settlement of the Kingdom therefore finding that all the pretence of Authority now failed them by the Parliaments Resolution to set the King at Liberty they now make use of plain Force and boldly adventure to contradict the Resolves of the Parliament it self from whom they had first received their pretended Commissions and presume without Law first to imprison them in their own House and then to sequester as many of them as they please from coming thither Whereby having patcht a Juncto of their own which they still ridiculously called by the name
according to those Directions Greenvile had brought from him But the King not thinking that place convenient for the Treaty removed with great speed and privacy to Breda a Town belonging to his Sister the Princess of Orange being complemented at his departure from Flanders by the Spanish Governour and honourably conveyed on his way way as far as Antwerp from whence his Publick Dispatches into England were dated Greenvile upon his return besides the Generals Commission to be Captain General of all the Forces then raised or to be raised brought him the King's Seals and Signet by which he was empowered to make a Secretary of State which Honour he conferred upon Morrice who was after the King's return Knighted and confirmed therein in consideration of the Service he had done in introducing Greenvile to the General 's presence And besides those Publick Letters which he was to reserve to be communicated in due time he brought a Private one directed to the General himself written with the King 's own Hand to which he returned an Answer by Mr. Bernard Greenvile in regard his Brother could not then be spared the Parliament being just ready to fit when he was to present to both the Houses the King's Letters and Declaration which Answer was very welcom to the King for that it brought him an assurance under the General 's own Hand of his Resolution to adhere to him against all opposition whatsoever About this time Lambert made his escape from the Tower and endeavoured to make Parties and draw Forces together to oppose his Loyal and Generous Designs which he being informed of acquainted the Council of State therewith and managed the business with so great Prudence that timely â—care was taken to suppress him and that Attempt which in it self threatned the contrary was made by his Wisdom to advance the King's Interest and hasten his happy Restauration For Coll. Ingoldsby being sent against him and his Forces which â—e had got together forsaking him upon the Collonels approach he betook himself to flight but being upon plowed Land his Horse failed him and notwithstanding he had by his valour in many former Battels obtained the name of Stout he presently yielded himself without drawing his Sword or making any other Defence than only crying out twice Pray my Lord let me escape for what good will my Life or perpetual Imprisonment do you The time being now come for the meeting of a new Parliament both Houses repaired to St. Margarets Church where Dr. Reynolds preached before them and after Sermon they repaired to their Houses The Lords making choice of the Earl of Manchester for their Speaker And the Commons of Sir Harbottle Grimstone And having settled their Committees and thereby prepared for their entrance upon business adjourned for some few days in the interim whereof Greenvile conâ—â—lted with the General at what time and in what manner he should deliver his Messages from the King to the several parties to whom they were directed That which was superscribed to the General himself to be communicated by him to the Army and Council of State he thought fit to have delivered to him at the Door of the Council Chamber In order whereunto Greenvile repaired thither when the Council were sitting and told Coll. Birch who was one of the Members that he desired to speak with the General who upon Birch's Intimation came to the Door and in the view of his Guards who attended there received the Letters from Greenvile without shewing any other respect either to his Person or his Business than only demanding of him if he would stay for an Answer and telling him otherwise his Guards should secure him And having commanded them to look to him went in to the Council and communicated to them the Letters whereupon Birch being examined whether he knew any thing of the matter protesting he was altogether ignorant both of the Gentleman and his Business Greenvile was sent for iâ— and examined by the President from whence those Letters came whose they were and how he came by them for they had not yet proceeded to open and read them he answered that â—he King His Master gave them to him with his own Hand at Breda Having â—hereby informed themselves whence â—he Letters came they deferred the openâ—ng of them until the Parliament sate â—gain and would have committed Greenâ—ile had not the General told them that 〈◊〉 knew him very well and would anâ—wer for his appearance before the Parâ—â—ament which were no sooner sate 〈◊〉 he delivered his Letters with incloâ—â—d Declarations to both Houses whereâ—â— the King expressed abundance of â—mpassion and tenderness to the Naâ—â—on which had been so long harassed 〈◊〉 a bloody and unnatural War and proâ—ised a free and general Pardon to all 〈◊〉 should in forty days after the pubâ—â—ation thereof lay hold upon that Grace â—less such whom the Parliament should â—ink fit to be excepted from the benefit â—â—ereof And that he would preserve 〈◊〉 to the uttermost of his power 〈◊〉 from all manner of Injuries in their â—â—es and Estates and grant Liberty for â—â—der Consciences for such as dissented 〈◊〉 the Established Religion provided â—â—ey did not disturb the Peace of the Nation That as to Sales and Purchases 〈◊〉 would refer himself in all matters to thâ— Determinations of Parliament and coâ—sent to any Act or Acts for the satisfyinâ— the Arrears of the Army and Navy which should thenceforward be receiveâ— into his Service upon as good Pay anâ— Conditions as they then enjoyed Thâ— like Letters and Declarations being 〈◊〉 sent by the King and delivered to Genâ—â—ral Monâ—ague to be by him communiâ—â—ted to the Fleet and to the Lord Mayâ— and Common Council of London The King's Letters and Declaratiâ—â— were received by the Parliament 〈◊〉 such an extraordinary Joy and Venâ—â—tion that I want words wherewith 〈◊〉 express it for as if some strange 〈◊〉 had suddenly seized upon their minâ— every man at the Speaker's naming 〈◊〉 King rose up and uncovering himâ—â—â—â— desired they might be immediately 〈◊〉 which was no sooner done but in anâ—â—tasie of joy they suddenly drew the â—â—â—tain and exposed the beautiful and â—â—rious Scene to the open view of â—â—â—longing Spectators wherein every 〈◊〉 might plainly behold the happy Issuâ— all those various Transactions which 〈◊〉 till then been Riddles too mysterious for vulgar understandings to unfold or once imagine to what they tended or where they would terminate By the House of Lords resolving that they did own and declare that according to the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of England the Government was and ought to be by Kings and that a Committee of eight Lords should forthwith joyn with a Committee of the Commons to consider of an Answer to the King's Letter and Declaration And by the House of Commons resolving likewise to appoint a Committee to prepare an Answer to the King's Letter and therein express their great and joyful sense of his gracious offers and to return him their humble
arriving there early that afternoon went to Chattam to see the Soveraign and other Ships of the Royal Navy and returned again in the evening to his Lodgings where he was welcomed by an Address from Gib his Regiment deliver'd to him by the Collonel himself which was graciously accepted and the next Morning being the 29th of May which was his Birth-day he set forward from Rochester the Militia forces of Kent lining the wayes and the Maidens strowing herbs and Flowers and adorning the houses through all the streets he pass'd And being come to Dartford the Officers of the Regiments of Horse presented him with an humble Address wherein they declared their readiness to Sacrifice their Lives in defence of his person Government the Army being drawn up at Black-Heath he there took a view of them and us'd many gracious expressions towards them which were answered by them with loud and joyful Acclamations and the several Regiments being placed in order he advanced toward London and came about one of the Clock to St. Georges Fields where the Lord Mayor and Aldermen who waited there in a Tent to receive him delivered him their Sword which he re-delivered and Knighted Sir Thomas Allen who was then Mayor After a short repast he proceeded into London through Southwark and so from the Bridge to Temple Barr the Streets being Railed on one side with standings for the Liveries and on the other with the Trained bands through which he passed in a splendid and Triumphant manner to White-hall A Troop of about 300 Gentlemen in Doublets of Cloth of Silver led by Major General Brown marcht first brandishing their Swords in token of Triumph being follow'd by another of the like number in Velvet Coats with their Foot-men and Lacquies in Purple Liveries then marcht the Troop led by Coll. Robinson in Buff-Coats with Cloth of Silver sleeves and green Scarves followed by another in blew Liveryes and Silver Lace their Colours being Red fringed with Silver Then marcht a Troop with six Trumpets and seven Foot-men before them in Sea-green and Silver their Colours being pinck fringed with Silver followed by another Troop whose Liveries were gray and blew under the Earl of Northampton having 30 Foot-men Trumpets four their Colours being Sky with Silver fringed Then marcht a Troop in Gray Liveries of about an hundred and five led by the Lord Goring having six Trumpets and Colours of Sky and Silver followed by another of about Seventy After these marcht a Troop of about three hundred Noble-men and Gentry led by Cleveland followed by another of about one hundred with black Colours and after them marcht a Troop of about three hundred Horse led by the Lord Mordant These being all past two Trumpets with his Majesties Arms advanced with the Sheriffs Men being about Seventy-two in number in red Cloaks and Silver-Lace and carrying half Pikes Then followed the Gentlemen that rode out of the several Companies of London with their respective Streamers in Velvet Coats and Gold Chains every Company haing its Footmen with different Liveries being about six hundred After them came a Kettle Drum and five Trumpets followed by twelve Ministers then his Majesties Life-Guard advanced being led by Sir Gilbert Gerrard and Major Rascarrock who were followed by the City Marshal with eight Foot-men and the City Waits and Officers in order and they by the two Sheriffs and all the Aldermen of London in their Scarlet Gowns and Rich Trappings attended with great numbers of Footmen in Red Coats laced with Silver and Cloth of Gold Then followed the Maces and Heralds in their Rich Coats the Lord Mayor bare carrying the Sword and the General and the Duke of Buckingham bare also after whom as the chiefest Ray of Lustre to all this Splendid Triumph rode the King himself between his two Royal Brothers having observed that order all along from the very first overture of his return After them marcht a Troop bare with white Colours then the Generals Life-Guard and another Troop of Gentry and last of all marcht five Regiments of the Army Horse with Back Breast and Head-Pieces which diversified the shew with delight terror This was the manner of his passing through London for it is impossible for the most florid and Ingenious Pen to express those loud Musical and Ravishing Notes of Acclamations and Vive-le-Roy's which then filled the Mouths and charmed the Ears of all his transported Subjects Being in this manner brought to White-hall and the Lord Mayor and Citizens having taken their leave of him he went to the Banqueting House where both Houses of Parliament waited his Arrival and received him with those demonstrations of joy and expressions of Reverence humility that became them The Speakers of each House in elegant Speeches acquainting him with the felicity and happiness they conceived in that happy revolution and the pleasure they took to behold his return in safety and thereby putting an end to that Tyranny and Slavery which his Kingdoms had so long endured He thankt them for their expressions of love and Loyalty and told them that he was so disorder'd by his Journey and with the noise still sounding in his ears which he nevertheless confest to be pleasing to him in regard it exprest the affections of his People that he was thereby unfit to make them such a Reply as he desired adding that the greatest Satisfaction he took in that change was the finding his heart fully set to endeavour by all means the Restoring the Nation to its freedom and happiness which he hop'd by the advice of his Parliament to effect assuring them that next to the honour of God from whom principally he deriv'd his restoration to his Crown he would study the well-fare of his people and not only approve himself a true Defender of the Faith but also a just Assertor of the Laws and Liberties of his Subjects And having taken leave of them he retir'd to Supper and soon after to his rest where it was time for him to find a sweet and sedate repose free from the confus'd noise and clamours of War wherewith he had been for twenty years together strangely toss'd upon the boistrous Waves of fickle and unconstant Fortune On the Friday following he went by Water in the Brigandine which brought him on board the Charles from Holland to the house of Lords the Yeomen of the guard making a lane for him to pass through and the Heraulds at Arms in their Rich Coats the Maces and the Lord General bare-headed going before him As soon as he was seated he commanded the Commons to attend him and having in a short but elegant speech prest them to hasten the Act of oblivion he sign'd several Bills which they had made ready against that time for the Royal assent the First whereof was an Act for the confirmation of that Parliament a second for a Tax of seventy thousand pound per mensem for 3 Months and a third for the continuance of Process and
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
thing which would tend to his or the Kingdoms benefit on the 10th of July dissolved it by Proclamation and declared his Resolution to call a new one which should sit on the 17th of the following October In the mean while Sir George Wakeman with Marshall Rumley and Corker three Benedictine Monks were tryed before the Lord Chief Justice Scroggs for High Treason relating to the Plot But the Evidence of Oates and Bedlow beginning now to be less credited than formerly and the ferment of peoples fury being somewhat abated the Jury brought them in Not Guilty and Wakeman was thereupon discharged from his Imprisonment as the other Three had likewise been had they not in their Defence upon their Trials acknowledged themselves to be Priests Wakeman's being thus acquitted startled the Mobille who expected all that were accused of that Plot should have been condemned of course without respect to the Truth or Falshood of the Accusation And the Faction endeavoured to improve their dissatisfaction into Rage and Sedition by several scurrilous Libels wherein they accuse Scroggs of perverting Justice and taking a Bribe of several thousand Guinneas from the Spanish Embassador to save Wakeman's Life from which Aspersions he sufficiently cleared himself in a Speech which he made in the Kings-Bench-Court on the first day of the ensuing Michaelmas-Term During this interval of Parliament the King was violently taken ill of an Ague at Windsor insomuch that his Life was thought to be in some danger Whereupon the Duke as well to demonstrate his Affection to his Brother as to prevent the danger which as things then stood might peradventure have happen'd to him in case the King should have died in his absence came Post from Flanders to Windsor But Heaven designing to lengthen out his Life till he had reduced the great Affairs of the Nation to a better Settlement and could leave his Succession more safe and secure it pleased God that he recovered his Health soon after to the great Joy of all the whole Nation And the City to express the pleasure they took therein sent the Lord Mayor and the Court of Aldermen with a Train of thirty Coaches and about a hundred Horse to Congratulate him upon his Recovery and when he returned soon after to White-Hall many Bonefires were made throughout the whole City attended with great Acclamations of Joy and Expressions of Loyalty Whilst he lay Sick at Windsor the Duke of Monmouth who had been by the Kings favour raised to as high a Station as a Subject was well capable of being then Lord General of all His Majesties Land Forces Master of the Horse and Captain of the Kings Life-Guards not content with the Honours already heaped upon him but aspiring as was thought altho without all Reason in regard of his Illegitimacy to the Crown it self endeavoured to prevail with some great Men at Court to take part with his Interest which being made known to the King by the Earl of Oxford who having for his eminent Loyalty a considerable party of Horse under his Command commonly called the Lord of Oxfords Troop was importuned by Sir Thomas Armstrong as was reported either in direct terms or so as his meaning might easily be understood to declare himself for Monmouth in case the King should dye He conceived a just Indignation against him for that bold and audacious Attempt and discovered his incensed Majesty by taking away his Commission of Lord General and soon after of his remaining places of Captain of the Life-Guard Master of the Horse Governor of Hull c. And to prevent Peoples being deluded by his Chimeâ—ical Fictions publisht a Declaration wherein having first taken notice of the great Industry and Malice wherewith men of seditious and restless Spirits spread abroad a most false and scandalous Report of a Marriage or Contract of Marriage at least between Mrs. Walters who was that Dukes Mother and him designing thereby to fill the minds of his loving Subjects with doubts and fears and divide them if possible into Parties by bringing into question the clear and undoubted Right of his true and lawful Heirs and Successors to the Crown he did to obviate the fatal consequences so dangerous and malicious a report might have in future times upon the Peace of his Kingdoms assure them That having found a former Rumor that there was a writing yet extant and lately produced before several Persons whereby that Marriage or Contracâ— at least would appear was not only revived again but improved also witâ— new Additions by insinuating thaâ— several Lords and others were yet living who were pretended to bâ—â— present at the Marriage hâ— had notwithstanding he knew fuâ—â— well it was impossible there should bâ— any truth in this Report since noâ—â— thing in the World could be morâ— false and groundless than the pretencâ— of such a Marriage or Contract bâ—â—tween him and the said Mrs. Walterâ— alias Barlow called before him anâ— caused to be Interogated in Council such Lords and other Persons as the common rumour surmised to have been present at the pretended Marriage or to know something of it or of the said writing And that tho it then appeared to all his Council upon their hearing the said Persons severally Interrogated and their denial to have been ever present at any such Marriage or to know any thing of it or of any such writing that the raising and spreading that Report which was so inconsistent with it self was the effect of deep malice in some few and of loose and idle discourse in others yet he thought it requisite for the satisfying all in general to publish a Declaration he had made in the January was Twelvemonth written with his own Hand in the following words There being a false and malicious Report industriously spread abroad by some who are neither Friends to me or the Duke of Monmouth as if I should have been either Contracted or Married to his Mother and tho I am confident that this idle Story cannot have any effect in this Age yet I thought it my Duty in relation to the true Succession of this Crown and that future Ages may not have any pretence to give disturbance upon that Score or any other of this nature to declare as I do here Declare in the Presence of Almighty God That I never was Married nor gave any Contract to any Woman whatsoever but to my Wife Queen Katharine to whom I am now Married In Witness whereof he had set his Hand at White-Hall the 6th of January 1678-79 In the Presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the two Secretaries Coventry and Williamson And assured them that to strengthen that Declaration he had in the March following made a more publick and solemn Declaration to the same purpose in his Privy Council written likewise with his own Hand and had caused a true Transcript thereof to be entred into the Council Book which for the better Confirmation he Signed with his own hand and caused the Lords
the Example of the former ill success which had attended such kind of Heats would dispose them to a better Temper and prevent their laying so much weight upon any One Expedient as to refuse all others as ineffectual and to no purpose advising them to remember that without the Safety and Dignity of the Monarchy neither Religion nor Property could be preserved which was the Reason why he had not nor could not depart from what he had formerly so often declared touching the Succession But to remove all reasonable Fears which might arise from the possibility of a Popish Successor's coming to the Crown if means could be found out that in such a case the Administration of the Government might remain in Protestant hands he should be ready to hearken to any such Expedient whereby Religion might be preserved and Monarchy not destroyed wishing them to provide for both because they supported each other And that they would make the known Establisht Laws of the Land the Rules and Measures of all their Votes assuring them that he wonld ever make them the Rules of his Actions After the Speech the Commons repaired to their House and chose for â—heir Speaker Williams who had â—een Speaker of the last Westminster-Parliament And being informed upon the 26th That the Lords had refused to proceed upon the Impeachment of Edward Fitz-Harris who having been seized upon the Information of Everard one of the Evidences about the Poâ—â—sh Plot and Sir William Waller for having framed an Impudent and Damnable Libel against the King and Government had in hopes of saving his Life by that means confest himself Guilty of what he was charged with and had the confidence to say he was imployed by the King pretending moreover to make several considerable Discoveries about the Popish Plot and accusing the Earl of Danby of having a hand in the Murder of Godfrey whereupon he was impeacht by the Commons of High Treason upon a pretence that there were matters of too high a Nature in his Trial to be managed in an Inferior Court and had directed that he should be proceeded against at the Common Law They with the usual Heaâ— wherewith the Affairs of that Housâ— had been for some time managed Voâ—ted that Refusal of the Lords to be â— Denial of Justice a Violation of thâ— Constitution of Parliaments an Obâ—struction to the Discovery of thâ— Plot and of great danger to His Maâ—jesties Person and the Protestant Reliâ—gion And that for any Inferior Court to proceed against him or any other person impeacht by Parliament was an high Breach of the priviledges of Parliaments And notwithstanding the many mischiefs that had always followed upon and were the Natural Consequences of such Attempts on Monday following a Bill was brought likewise into that Parliament against the Duke's Succession And having been read once was ordered a second reading Whereupon the King perceiving it would be impossible for them to do any thing that might tend to the Honour and Settlement of the Nation whilst the Two Houses were so divided with Heats and Animosities and the Commons time wholly taken up in debating a matter that no way concerned them resolved to interpose his power for deciding the quarrel and convince them That he would no longer endure to be trifled with and affronted And therefore having sent for the Commons to the House of Lords he told them That to prevent the ill Effects he foresaw would follow upon the Heats between them and the Lords he had ordered the Chancellor to dissolve them which was done immediately and the King returned the same night to Windsor and the next morning to White-Hall And knowing how industrious some ill minded persons would be to improve that Dissolution for the misrepresenting his Actions to prevent his Subjects being deluded by their fair pretences and bold tho false Affirmations he publisht a Declaration wherein he acquainted them with the Reasons which induced him to dissolve both that and the last Westminster-Parliament and assured them That he was not however out of love with Parliaments notwithstanding the unwarrantable proceedings of the Two former but would frequently advise with them as his great Council in hopes ere long to find his people in a better Temper As the dissolution of this Parliament was accounted by the more Intelligent a very wise and politick Act from whence he might expect many good effects so the consequence answered the Expectation for now all the Weekly Intelligences and the factiouâ— and scurrilous Libels which the Presâ— had vomited out in great Numbers whilst they expected impunity from the Parliament were supprest and easily busht into silence by an Order of Council Sir Francis Pemberton succeeding Scroggs in the Chief Justiceship great Expectation there was to see what would be done in the case of Fitz-Harris but all the Judges of England having met about it in the Exchequer-Chamber they resolved that they might notwithstanding the Impeachment and the Commons Vote proceed to try him And the next day a Bill was preferred and found by the Grand-Jury of Middlesex and thereupon he was on the last day of the Term arraigned at the Bar of the Kings-Bench But being Three several Times bid to hold up his hand he refused insisting upon his impeachment in Parliament and his right to be tried before them but being at last prevailed upon to hold up his hand and hear his Indictment read which was for High Treason exprest in a certain Writing call'd The True English Man full of most horrid Expressions against the King as if he had been a Conspirator in the Plot against himself and thereupon exciting the Nation to rise against him as one man he put in a dilatory Plea against the Jurisdiction of the Court alledging that having been impeached by the Commons in Parliament he could not be tried there but the Plea being not under Councils Hand was refused However he had Time given him to consider whether he would stand by such a Plea in regard it might prove fatal to him in case it should be over-ruled and Winnington Williams Pollixfen and Wallop were assigned him for Council according to his desire to argue the said point of Judicature the next Wednesday if he resolved to persist in his Plea which he resolving to do on Wednesday was brought again to the Bar attended with his Council when the Attorney-General entred a Demurrer to his Plea and Saturday Morning was appointed for his Council to maintain his Plea by Argument if they could and the Court having then heard what could be said on both sides declared that they meddled not at all with the Priviledg of the House of Commons or the Jurisdiction of the Lords in Parliament but only with the Form of the Plea and after the debate was over the Chief Justice declared they would take a convenient time to consider before they would give their Judgment On the Wednesday following being brought again to the Bar the Court declared they had
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
joyn with him therein went on by themselves and poll'd for Four Heads with a Salvo Jure to their former Election The next day the Mayor having caused his Books to be cast up and finding the Majority of Voices to be for Box he declared North and him to be Sheriffs But Box refusing to serve and paying in his Fine according to Custom the Mayor call'd another Common-Hall on the 19th of September and proposed Peter Rich Esq to be chosen in his stead who having the Majority of Voices and being declared Sheriff the Mayor dissolved the Court and returned home But the Two Sheâ—iffs notwithstanding the Mayor's dissolution continued this Assembly as they had done the former and demanding of their own Party the rest being departed with the Mayor whether they would abide by their former Choice for Papillion and Duboise proceeded likewise to a Poll and having cast up their Books declared them to be Sheriffs Elect. Whereupon the Mayor acquainting the King with their Proceedings he commanded them to attend him in Council where they were severely checkt and not dismist without giving sufficient Bail to answer to an Information which should be exhibited against them for their unwarrantable proceedings But notwithstanding this ill success they were not so discouraged as to desist from the like practices for the future For on Michaelmas-day when the Citizens met for the Election of a Mayor they mustered up their utmost strength and appeared with as much Violence against Sir William Pritchard the next in course as they had done against North and Box setting up Gold and Cornish against them altho Cornish had been Sheriff but the very year before However Pritchard carried it by the Majority of Voices In this year died the Illustrious Prince Rupert in the 63d year of his Age The Constableship of Windsor-Castle which had been enjoyed by him for many years being after his Death conferred by the King on the Earl of Arundel And on the 18th of December died Henâ—eage Earl of Nottingham and Lord High Chancellor of England who had enjoyed that place ever since it was taken from Shaftsbury in the year 73. and was succeeded by Sir Francis North Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas This year was very remarkable also for the Arrival of Two Extraordinary and Famous Embassages from Two Princes never known to have sent any into England before one from the Emperor of Fez and Morocco who in his Letter exprest much Kindness and a great Veneration to the King His Name was Hamet Benhamet Benhaddu Otter a man of a Majestick Presence and great Wisdom His business was about setling a Peace in relation to Tangier and his Person and Conversation was so pleasant and taking that he was received and caressed with more Honour and Respect both by the King and his Nobles than any Embassador I ever knew at Court And so he was by both Universities which he visited seeming to have an equal Esteem and Valuation for our Nation Nor was there ever any Embassador before him so much admired by the common people great multitudes always attending before his House which was near Katherine-street in the Strand to gaze upon and wonder at the strange Garb worn by him and his Attendants one whereof was an English Renegado formerly a Barber somewhere about Temple bar but being afterward a Soldier in Tangier he ran away from that Garison to the Moors and was by them highly advanced for his perfidious directing them in their Wars against that Town The other Embassage was from the King of Bantham in the East-Indies whose business was about the East-India Trade who would have been as much admired as the former if he had come another time but all mens Eyes were so generally fixt upon the Morocco that they were less minded than otherwise they would have been They brought the King several rich presents of Diamonds and other things of great value But not long after their return we received ill news when we least expected it For the Dutch having under pretence of assisting the Rebel Prince who was commonly called The Young King of Bantham against his Father the Old King seized upon that Town turn'd out the English whom they found there and seized on their Factory to the great damage of the English Nation On the 24th of April hapned one of the most famous and extraordinary Exploits that was ever known in London For one Broome Clerk of Skinners-Hall and Coroner of Landon having a Latitat out of the Kings-Bench in an Action upon the Case at the Suit of Papillion and Duboise agaiâ—st the Lord Mayor Sheriff North and several Loyal Aldermen Upon acquainting them therewith they all submitted to his Arrest and went with him as Prisoners to Skinners-Hall where they remained till about midnight Eight Companies of the Trained Bands being raised by order of the Lieutenancy upon that altogether new and unusual attempt to prevent Tumults But one Fletcher a Serjeant of the Poultrey-Compter having an Action of Debt upon a Bond of 400. l. agaiust Broome who had the Week before promised to give Bail to it but neglecting it and seeing him act so imperiously against the Chief Magistrate of the City took him into custody and carried him forthwith to the Compter The Mayor and his Fellow-prisoners seeing Broome carried away by a Serjeant demanded if there were any in the house who had Orders to detain them which being answered in the Negative they all peaceably departed to their several homes In the next Month was tried at Guild-Hall before the Lord Chief Justice Saunders Pemberton having been removed to the Common-Pleas upon North's receiving the Seal the great Riot committed the year before at the Election of Sheriffs Fourteen being found Guilty thereof and Fined And the better part of the City both for Number and Quality Resolved at a Common-Council held on the 22d of that Month That notwithstanding the Action in which the Mayor was Arrested at the Suit of Papillion and Duboise was said to be prosecuted at the Instance of the Citizens of London yet they to deliver themselves and the said Citizens from that false imputation did declare they were no way privy or consenting to that Action and therefore did disown and disapprove the same But the City having in the Judgment of Lawyers forfeited their Charter by several illegal proceedings the King thought the best way to prevent such kind of Tumults which might be of ill consequence to the Nation in general for the future would be the taking that Forfeiture that so by having the Charter delivered up into his hands they might by a more absolute dependance upon his Goodness be obliged to a stricter performance of their Allegiance and take the greater care to preserve the publick peace and quiet Whereupon he ordered a Writ of Quo Warranto to go out against their Charter which was grounded chiefly on their illegal exacting of Tolls in their Markets and their having framed and printed a scandalous
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
thrice and find security for his Good Behaviour during Life And one Butler of Northamptonshire for Presenting and Reading to the Knights of the Shire at the last Election for that County a seditious Paper of Address was fined 500 Marks and order'd to find Sureties for his Good Behaviour during Life And Dalby and Nicholson two Retainers to the Salamanca Doctor were ordered to stand in the Pillory for several false and scandalous Speeches utter'd by them But the most remarkable of all was the Business of one Roswell a Conventicle-Preacher about Redriff who was this Term tryed and convicted of High Treason in certain treasonable words spoken bâ— him in his Preachment on the 14th of September But some question arising about the Form of his Indictment which was argued by Council on both sides the Court took time to consider of their Judgment till the next Term before which time Roswel obtained the Kings Gracious Pardon who ever loved to endear his Subjects by Acts of Kindness rather than to terrifie them by Examples of Justice In this Term also was Oates indicted for Perjury in relation to Irelands being in London at the time sworn to by him at Irelands Tryal and being brought up to the Kings Bench-Bar to hear his Indictment read and pleading Not guilty his Tryal was appointed the next Term and at the Sessions which followed soon after at the Old-baily he was again Indicted upon a second Indictment for Perjury and upon pleading Not Guilty that was also appointed to be Tryed the next Term at the Kings Bench Court The Roads being now exrteamly infested with Robbers the King order'd for the ease and safety of his Subjects that all his Officers of Justice and others should with their utmost diligence endeavour the apprehending of High-way men and other Robbers promising That those who should apprehend any of them should have a reward of Ten Pounds for every Offender taken by them and delivered into Custody A little before Christmas when the minds of men in regard they were then to celebrate the Commemoration of the Incarnation and Nativity of the Prince of Peace shou'd have been wholly taken up with thoughts of Peace the restless and implacable Spirits of the factious and designing crew that were not yet so deprest as to be deprived of all hopes of reviving their Game were notwithstanding otherwise employ'd for about this time they dispers'd in a secret and clandestine manner a most wicked false and treasonable Libel relating to the Death of the late Earl of Essex Wherein they would have born the World in hand that he did not murder himself Strict enquiry was made after the Author and several of the Books seiz'd but the Author could not be discovered only Henry Danvers commonly called Collonel Danvers an Anabaptist by Profession and a Principal Officer in the late Rebellious Army was found to be the Author of a certain Sheet which was an abstract of that Libel wherein the very Qâ—intescence and Venom of it was crowded into a smaller Compass and a Warrant thereupon was sent out for his Apprehension but being an old cunning Fox he fled upon the discovery whereupon the King gave Publick Notice in the Gazette That whosoever should apprehend him and cause him to be deliver'd into safe Custody that he might be proceeded against according to Law for those dangerous and treasonable Practices should have a reward of 100l to be immediately paid by the Lords 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 appearing in the Kings Bench to answer to an Information exhibited against him for Words spoken against the King and his Brother pleaded Guilty confessing his Offence and with much sorrow cast himself upon the Kings and the Dukes Mercy whereupon being the next day introduc'd to them he was after his humble submission to them and promises of future Loyalty and Obedience receiv'd to Grace and being deeply affected with that unmerited favour acknowledg'd that he did in point of Gratitude for the Kings Goodness therein owe him his Life and Estate and would for the future dedicate Both to the service of him and the Royal Family But Englands Glorious Sun of Happiness and Tranquility which had shined bright and resplendent for near Five and Twenty Years together must now suffer a fatal Eclipse and be for some few days wrapt up in Black and Mournful Clouds and have it's Glory totally tho not finally obscur'd by the Lamented and much Deplored Death of this happy and wonderful Monarch for upon Monday the second of February he was suddenly taken with an Apoplectick Fit which was so violent that in all probability he would never have reviv'd again had not Doctor King who being one of his Physicians was then present having been that morning with some others of the Kings Physicians to look upon a sore Heel which he had for some time immediately let him blood by which and other proper means afterward used he seemed to be in so fair a way of recovery that the Lords of the Council thought fit for the preventing of false Reports to publish on Thursdâ—y That some Hours after the Kings being first taken an amendment appeared which wlth the Blessing of God improved by the Application of proper and seasonable Remedies was then so far advanc'd that the Physicians conceiv'd him to be in a condition of safety and that he would in a few days be freed from his Distemper The People in divers Places of the Country where it had been positively reported he was dead receiv'd this news of his Recovery with incredible joy exprest by the Ringing of Bells and Bonfires but in few days all was dampt again by the certain and unwelcome news of his Death For when neither the endeavours of men nor the invocations of Heaven could prevail he expired on Friday the Sixth of February having lain all that time in abundance of pain and misery which he endur'd with incredible Patience often lifting up his hands and eyes to Heaven and breathing forth the fervent desires oâ— his Holy and Pious Soul in several Short but sweet and Pathetick Ejaculations Kings in respect of their Office are stiled Gods in the Sacred Writ and are like him immortal and therefore can never die but their Persons being made of the same mouldring Principles with the meanest of their Subjects they must die like men and when the time appointed for their dissolution is come it is impossible either for men or Angels Physick or Physicians to detain them longer here for they may with as much ease dissolve the Covenant of the Night and Day keep the Sea from flowing and the Sun from shining as preserve Kings from being hurried as well as the rest of mankind to the place appointed for all Living As no King was ever better beloved by his Subjects whilst living so none ever died more lamented than