their Errors They need not blush to Repent and Confess such faults which some of Note and Quality have done already Heaven is full of those that have been Converts But the Impenitent must fill another place where it will be a Double Hell to remember that they might once have received Grace and pardon but refused it A BRIEF Historical Account Of the PUBLICK TRANSACTIONS During the 30th Year of the Reign of KING CHARLES II. Anno Dom. 1678. I Design in the Method observed by Annalists to commit to memory the Publick Transactions during the 30th Year of His Majesty's Reign a Year which seems remarkable and to promise more than usual since that number hath been more than once signal in the course of His Royal Life In the 30th Year of this Century 1630 He was Born the 30th day of May compleated the first day of His Age on the 30th day of January He began His Reign in the 30th Year of His Age 1660. He was by the miraculous Providence of God restored to the possession of His Three Kingdoms after a long and barbarous Exile In the beginning of this Year we find the Parliament sitting The King had newly made a Speech to both Houses the substance of which was That for their satisfaction he had made such Alliances with Holland as are for the preservation of Flanders and which cannot fail of that end unless prevented by the want of due Assistances to support those Alliances or by the small regard the Spaniards themselves must have to their own Preservation That he cannot suspect the want of assistance by reason of their repeated Engagements that a War which must be the necessary consequence of those Alliances ought neither to be Prosecuted by halves nor want such assurances of perseverance as may give him encouragement to persue it that He had used all means possible by a Mediation to have procured an Honourable and safe Peace knowing how preferable such a Peace would have been to any War that this Kingdom must necessarily own the vast benefits it has received by Peace whilst its Neighbours only have yet smarted by the War but finding a Peace no longer to be hoped for by fair means it shall not be his fault if it be not obtain'd by force that for this reason he has recall'd his Troops out of France and consider'd that we cannot have less Forces on our part than 90 Sail of Capital Ships and 30 or 40 Thousand Land-men that he is contented that such Monys as shall be given to these uses be appropriated as strictly as they can desire that he hath directed such larger dimensions for the Building the New Ships as will cost him above 100000 l. more than the Act allows that for repairing the Old Fleet and buying Stores c. He hath expended a great deal more than 200000 l. He hath born the charge of a Rebellion in Virginia and a New War with Algiers that he stands engaged to the Prince of Orange for his Neices Portion that he cannot be able to maintain his constant necessary Establishments without the New Imposition on Wines be continued that to remove all sorts of Jealousies he hath Married his Neice to the Prince of Orange thereby giving full assurances never to suffer that Princes Interest to be ruin'd if assisted as he ought to be to preserve them that he expects from them a plentiful supply suitable to such great occasions and that these considerations being of the greatest Importance that ever concern'd the Kingdom he would therefore have them enter immediately upon them without suffering any other business whatsoever to divert ' em Before the Parliament proceeded to Answer this Speech they Sate on part of the 30th of January the Aniversary Fast and then Voted 70000 l. for a solemn Burial of his late Majesty King Charles I. and to erect a Monument for the said Prince of Glorious Memory the said Sum to be rais'd by a Two Months Tax to begin at the expiration of the present Tax for Building Ships This tho' in truth an Affair to which the Nation has stood obliged this 29 Years yet being never mention'd till yesterday when first moved in the House of Commons by my Lord O-Brian Eldest Son to the Earl of Tumond and whose Son lately had Marry'd my Lord Treasurers Daughter seem'd surprizing The next Day being the 31 of January the House of Commons in return to the Kings Speech presented their Address to His Majesty at White-hall containing thanks for his care exprest for the preservation and Encouragement of the Protestant Religon in concluding a Marriage between his Niece and the Prince of Orange beseech him not to admit of any Treaty of Peace whereby the French King shall be left in possession of any greater Dominion or power than is left him by the Pyrenaean Treaty that both on our parts and the parts of the Confederates no Ship nor Vessel may be admitted to come out of any Port of France but that the Ships and Men be seized and the Goods destroy'd that he would please to provide that none of the parties who shall joyn in this Alliance and Confederacy against France depart from the said Alliance till the said King be reduced to the said Treaty that neither we nor the Confederates admit any Trade with France or suffer any Goods to be Imported from thence on pain of Forfeiture that His Majesty in making such Confederacies as necessary for attaining these ends shall never doubt of the affections of the People Lastly they renew their former protestations and engagements to persevere in the prosecution of the said War and when he shall be pleas'd to Impart such Alliances and Confederacies to them in Parliament to give such ready assistances upon all occasions as may bring the War to a happy conclusion To this Address the King return'd the following Answer in Writing which was read in the House of Commons the 4th of February That he was not a little surpriz'd to find so much inserted there of what should not be and so little of what should that his Speech was to both Houses joyntly and the return ought to be from both That in the Address of the 20th of May last you did invite him to a League offensive and defensive with Holland against the French King and for the preserving the Spanish Netherlands and upon his Declaration of such Alliances assured such speedy assistances as may fully Answer the occasion that he hath made such Alliances yet finds no return but the Old promises upon new Conditions and so He may be used to Eternity should he seem satisfied with such proceedings that on the 28th of May last he told you how highly he was offended at the great Invasion of his Prerogative yet you take no notice of it but add to your former ill conduct new Invasions you desire him to oblige his Confederates never to consent to a Peace till the most Christian King be reduced to the Pyrenaean
Evidence not appearing so home as expected they were now Bail'd and so continued till the last Day of Hillary-Term following at which time they were Discharged on their own single Recognizance to appear in Trinity-Term next without being brought to any Tryal But now arrives the 10th of July on which Day the King was pleas'd to Dissolve the present Parliament by Proclamation with a Declaration of His Intention to call another on the 17th of October following On the 18th of July Sir George Wakeman Baronet the Queens Physitian William Marshal William Rumley and James Corker Benedictin Monks were Tryed for High Treason relating to the late Plot the Evidence Oates Bedloe and others But the Jury found 'em not Guilty and they were discharged Several Libels hereupon flew abroad against my Lord Chief Justice Scroggs who notwithstanding did sufficiently acquit himself from all aspersion in the Judgment of sober People In August the King fell dangerously ill at Windsor upon the Intelligence of which His Royal Highness came over Post to His Majesty But it pleas'd God that the King recovering His Health to the great Joy of the Nation The Lord Mayor of London with the Court of Aldermen and a Train of 30 Coaches and about 100 Horsemen went on Monday the 15th of September to Windsor to Congratulate His Majesty's Recovery which Complement was as kindly received as handsomely performed On the Wednesday following the King attended by His Royal Highness and the whole Court rerurn'd to Whitehall that Night by the Lord Mayors express Order there were Bonfires throughout the whole City for His Majesty's return as well to His former Health as place of Residency But it seems the Duke of Monmouth having contracted the Kings Displeasure on some account or other not commonly known His Majesty was pleas'd to take from him his Commission of Captain General and for a time expel him the Kingdom soon after this the said Duke went over to Vtrecht and at the same time His Royal Highness return'd to Brussels But this last it seems without designs of any long stay there for on Sunday Night the 12th of October His said Royal Highness the Dutchess and Family arrived at St. James's to the surprize of some and Joy of others The King having call'd a New Parliamenz as he had formerly promised on the Dissolution of the last to meet on the 17th of October He was now further pleas'd to Prorogue it from the time appointed to the 26th of January following On the first Day of Michaelmas-Term my Lord Chief Justice Scroggs took occasion to make an Excellent Speech in the Kings-Bench Court concerning the many Scandalous Libels that had been Publisht against him since Sir George Wakemans Tryal and acquittal in which Speech he purged himself at large of any Corruption and with a great measure of Courage declar'd That he was neither afraid nor ashamed to own what he had done That the Impeachment of the course of Publick Justice by vulgar noise and clamour did not at all terrify him to a Compliance with the Rabble against his Conscience and Understanding nor to try any cause otherwise then according to the Evidence and the probability and credibility it carries with it Mr. Justice Jones and Justice Dolbin spoke also to the same purpose and appear'd as Compurgators of the Chief Justices Integrity Much discourse there was at this time and many Narratives came out daily concerning the Discovery of a New Plot which the Papists was is said had contrived to lay on the Presbyterians The chief Discoverer was one Dangerfield alias Willoughby Several were accused and laid up as Conspirators among whom the Countess of Powis Mrs Celier Sir Robert Payton and Mr Gadbury The Effigies of the Pope in all his Pontificalibus had been for several years past solemnly burnt by the people in the Month of November yearly but never with so much Ceremony as on the 17th of November this year it being a Day observed by some in memory of Queen Elizabeth The Procession consisted of one personating the Dead Body of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey carried on a Horse with a Bell-man to mind the People of his Murther Priests in Copes with a large Silver Cross Carmelite and Gray Friers six Jesuites and after them the Waits several Bishops some in Lawn Sleeves others with Copes and Miters on then six Cardinals and after them the Pope on a Pageant with Boys and Incense Pots and other Ceremonious Pomp behind him the Devils Representative In this manner they marched about five at night from Bishopsgate to the Temple-gate at Chancery Lane End attended with Thousands of People at which appointed station they Committed the Effigies to the Flames of a very extraordinary Bonfire at which time the mock-Devil departed and the Shew ended On Thursday the 27th of November The Duke of Monmouth arrived in the night time at London on whose return the Citizens exprest a mighty Joy by Bonfiers Fire-works and Ringing of Bells all the next day and most part of the night In the mean time his Royal Highness with his Duchess and Daughter attended with a Guard and Retinue suitable to their Quality made a Journey into Scotland Where being arrived The Duke was at Edenborough on the 4th of December received and Complemented by the Privy Council of that Kingdom with abundance of Respect and Honor The Lord Chancellor made a Speech in the name of all the Council to which his Royal Highness Answer'd in very affectionate Terms expressing his great satisfaction at the Civilities he had received since his arrival in that Kingdom And declaring his readiness to promote the Honor and Service of the King and the Interests of the Scottish Nation About this time great endeavors were used to procure a Multitude of Hands to Petitions which were framing in London Westminster and several Counties to be presented to the King for the sitting of the Parliament on the 26th day of January next according to the last Prorogation which manner of Petitioning being unwarrantable and tumultuous the King was pleased in Council Dec. 10. to Order the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to take care in their several stations of His Majesties Honor and of the peace and safety of the City and not to suffer such persons that should sign such Petitions or go about to procure hands to them to go unpunished but that they should proceed against them or cause them to be brought before the Council Board to be punished according to a Resolution of all the Judges of England 2. Jac. which may be seen Cro. 2. part of Reports fol. 37. His Majesty was further pleased to issue out His Proclamation dated the 12th day of December containing That whereas he hath been informed that divers evil disposed persons endeavor in several parts of this Kingdom to frame Petitions to His Majesty for specious Ends and purposes relating to the publick and thereupon to collect and procure to the same the hands and subscriptions of
this was because the Stat. 13 of this King requires two Lawful and credible Witnesses in Cases of Treason and Dangerfield being not esteem'd such there remain'd only one Witness viz. Oates Saturday the 26th of June being four Days before the Term ended the Grand Jury of Middlesex came to the Kings-Bench Bar and by their Foreman Charles Humphrevile Esq presented to the Bench a Petition Subscribed by 21 of them and desired my Lord Chief Justice to present it to the King for the sitting of the Parliament but the Court refusing to Act in it received it not And the said Jury were at the same time Discharged from further attendance It is said that they had at that time some Bills and Presentments before them against several Persons for being Popish Recusants in Order to their Conviction all which they would have found and presented in few Hours time had they not been Discharged among the rest a Bill against the Duke of York brought into the said Jury and Promoted and in some sort attested by several Lords and Members of Parliament viz. Huntington Shaftsbury Gray of Wark Brandon Russel Candish Sir Gilbert Gerrard Sir Edward Hungerford Sir Scroop How Sir William Cooper Sir Thomas Wharton John Trenchard Esq Thomas Thynn Esq and William Forester Esq And note that the Proceedings of the Petition abovesaid were disowned by another Grand Jury of Middlesex who the same Day came in and presented the Court with a Paper Subscribed by them to that purpose desiring the Court to take particular notice of their dissent to the irregular Proceedings of the other Jury On the last Day of the Term several who should have been Tryed about the' Plot were in regard the Attorny-General had not Evidence sufficient against them some Bail'd and some absolutely Discharged by vertue of the late Act of Habeas Corpus 31. Car. 2. Among the first were Sir James Symonds Edward Peters and Needham with several others who were reputed Priests Mr. Howard Mr. Heveningham both the Ropers Sir John Gage and young Langhorn were absolutely Discharged from their long Imprisonments some having lain by it for 23 Months and the reason of their Discharge was because Mr. Attorney-General declar'd that he had but one Witness against them Sir Anthony Dean and Mr. Pepys were also at the same time absolutely Discharg'd from further attendance But one Holcroft a Conventicle Preacher having removed himself by Habeas Corpus from Cambridge Goal and appearing to be a very Seditious and dangerous Person and to be in Prison not only by Warrant of the Justices on the Oxford Act but also on 17. Car. a Capias Excommunicatum was 2. c. 2. remanded On the first of July being the Day to which the Parliament had been formerly Prorogued it was further Prorogued by Commission to the 22d of the same Month the Duke of York being present in the House and from thence to the 23d of August Bethel who had been one of the Committee of Safety in the late Times and Cornish two reputed Phanaticks had been chosen Sheriffs of London last Midsummer for the Year insuing but appearing since uncapable to bear Office in any Corporation by the Stat. 13. Car. 2. Stat. 2. c. 1. a New Election was appointed to be at Guildhall on the 14th of July against which time they capacitated themselves by receiving the Sacrament and abjuring the Covenant c. As appointed by the said Act and stood for a New Choice against whom two other Competitors appear'd Fox and Nicholson in so much that they came to a Poll a thing unusual during which time a Rlotous Assault was Committed on the Person of Sir Simon Lewis one of the then Sheriffs by Osborn a Draper and others of Bethels Party which being Represented to the King the same Night by the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs in Person he Ordered a Commission of Oyer and Terminer to be Issued out for Tryal of the said Riot They continued Polling till Monday following and from thence by Adjournment to Thursday The King in the mean time being entertain'd at Supper at Sheriff Lewis's House Tuesday July 20. On the 29th of July and not before the Votes were declar'd at a Common Hall then Assembled at the Guild-Hall to stand thus Bethel 2276. Cornish 2483. Box 1428. Nicholson 1230. Whereupon the two first were declared lawfully Chosen with great Acclamations At the same time an Address was Presented to the Lord Mayor by Thomas Papillon Esq in the Name of the Commons of the City thereby Disowning all tumultuous and disorderly Proceedings in their last Assembly other than what might be the effect of Emulation for His Majesties Service and the Preservation of their own just Rights desiring his Lordship to Represent the same to the King and that he would in their Names humbly beseech His Majesty that the Parliament might speedily Assemble To which the Lord Mayor Answered in a short Speech That he had not misrepresented any thing touching their last Assembly to His Majesty That their Address touching the Parliament might have been spared in regard the King had been pleased not long since to declare to him and assure him That this Parliament should sit in November next however that he would not be wanting with all humility to lay the whole matter before him On the 23d of August being the Day to which the Parliament had been Prorogued the Houses met and were further Prorogued to the 21st of October following The King promising that they should sit then and Publishing His Proclamation to that purpose Several Remarkable Passages happen'd this long Vacation As the Death of the Earl of Ossery into whose Place of Lord Chamberlain to the Queen Succeeded the Earl of Feversham The Death of Bedloe one of the Evidence concerning the Plot. Also the Prince Palatine Eldest Son of the Elector being here in England on a Visit to the King he received News of the Death of his Father in Germany during his absence It was also during this Vacation that Elizabeth Celier before mention'd Publisht a Narrative of her Tryal and Sufferings in which were some words like Reproach to the Government for which she was Tryed found Guilty of Publishing a Libel Fined 1000 l. to stand Thrice in the Pillory Good Behavior during Life and her Book to be Burnt by the Hangman And now comes on the long expected 21st Day of October and with it the first Session of this Parliament The Day before which The Duke and Duchess of York began their Journey for Scotland by Sea The King Accompanying them as low as Woolwich and there Dineing with them on Shipboard The same Day many Members of both Houses to the Number of 200 as reported met in a kind of Caball at Dinner at the Sun Tavern behind the Exchange On the 21st the Kings Speech contain'd That He had during this long Prorogation made Alliances with Holland and Spain That He desired Mony of them for the Relief of Tangier which had already exhausted
His Most Sacred Majesty and his Royal Highness viz. Collonel John Rumsey Richard Rumbold Maulster Richard Nelthorp Esq Edward Wade Gent. Richard Goodenough Gent. Capt. Walcot William Thompson James Burton and William Hone For the Discovery of any of which 100 l. was offer'd as a reward to the Discoverer Also another Proclamation came out not long after Dated the 28th of June For the Apprehending of James Duke of Monmouth Ford Lord Gray Sir Thomas Armstrong Knight and Robert Ferguson who were also fled for the Discovery of any of which 500 l. was offer'd as a reward to the Discoverer The Crimes alledged in the said Proclamations are For Traiterously Conspiring to Compass the Death and Destruction of the King and His dearest Brother the Duke of York to effect which they have held several Treasonable Consultations to Levy Men and to make an Insurrection in this Kingdom On the 2d of July the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common Council of the City of London in a Body waited on His Majesty in the Banqueting-House and Presented him with their Address of Congratulation Importing their thanks to Almighty God for bringing to Light this impious and Execrable machination designed for the destruction of His Majesties Royal Person and of his dearest Brother James Duke of York and for the Destruction of His Majesties best Subjects and to involve this and the future Generation in Confusion Blood and misery carried on by Conventiclers and Atheistical Persons c. Which Address being Graciously received by His Majesty they then Waited on His Royal Highness and made their Complement to him on the same occasion Soon after this the Members of the Middle-Temple Address'd in the like manner who thought themselves concern'd more than ordinary to shew their Loyalty in regard some of the first Discover'd Conspirators did unhappily appear to be of that Society After which almost innumerable Addresses on the same Subject flow'd from all parts of the Kingdom At the same time also the Ambassadors and Ministers of Foraign Princes Congratuled His Majesty in their Masters Names for His happy Delivery from the Designed Assasination The King of France also Publisht in His Dominions an Edict or Proclamation for the Apprehension of those Four mention'd in our Kings Proclamation of June the 28th and proposed 500 Pistols for the Discovery of each On the 12th of July was Tryed at the Old Bayly the above mention'd Captain Walcot for this horrid Conspiracy and upon a full and cleer Evidence was found Guilty of High Treason The next Day the Lord Russel eldest Son and Heir apparent to the Earl of Bedford was Tryed for the same Treason and upon a cleer Evidence given by the Lord Howard of Escrick and others was found Guilty The same Day also Hone and Rouse were Tryed and found Guilty of the same horrid Crime All which received Sentence of Death the next day from the Recorder Sir George Treby viz. the Lord Russel by himself and Walcot Hone and Rouse together but the Judgment was the same to be drawn Hang'd and Quarter'd During the Tryal of the Lord Russel 4 Companies of the Guards were drawn into Smithfield and there posted all the Day two Companies of the Trained Bands in St Bartholmews Hospital and a Party of the Life Guard Waited at the Gates of the Old Bayly attending upon the Lord Howard In the mean time viz. on Friday the 13th of July about 9 of the Clock in the Morning a sad and desparate action was Committed on himself by one of these unhappy Conspirators Arthur Earl of Essex being a Prisoner in the Tower on the account of this execrable Treason was so far transported by the Devils Temptations as to dispair of all mercy and during a short absence of them that attended to Murder himself by Cutting his own Throat with a Raisour On Friday the 20th of July Three of the foresaid Traytors were executed at Tyburn viz. Walcot Hone and Rouse according to the Common Judgment in Treason Drawn Hang'd and quartered But the Lord Russel by reason of his noble Birth had the favour from the King to have the Common Judgment mitigated thô he was against such mitigation as is reported in the case of the late Vicount Stafford and was on the day following viz. Saturday the 21th of July Beheaded in Lincolns-Inn Fields For which purpose a Scaffold was erected that Morning on that side of the Fields next to the Arch going into Duke Street in the middle between the said Arch and the corner turning into Queen-street 10 Companies of the Guards and a Troop of Horse were drawn up in the Fields at that time to secure the Peace against so vast a Concourse of People as appeared there on that occasion The Lord Russel was Beheaded by three stroaks of the Executioner at half an hour after 10 in the morning On the same Day the 21th of July was assembled a Convocation of the University of Oxford in their Convocation House there at which in a Solemn and formal manner they Condemn'd 27 Propositions as false seditious and impious and most of them Heretical and Blasphemous infamous to Christian Religion and destructive of all Government both in Church and State Which wicked Propositions were Collected out of several modern Authors namely Buchanan Milton Hobs Goodwin Baxter Julian Protestant Reconciler c. Which said Books were at the same time Ordered to be Burnt and were Burnt in the Court of the Schools of the said University On Saturday the 28th of July being St. Anns Day about 10 in the Evening The Lady Ann second Daughter to his Royal Highness was Married to Prince George Brother to the King of Danemark Which Prince arrived at Whitehall the Thursday sennight before The Ceremony of the Marriage was performed by the Bishop of London in the Presence of the King Queen Duke and Dutchess with most of the Great Personages of the Court. All That Night and the next the Bells Proclaimed the Publick Joy And presently after they received the Congratulations of all the Embassadours and Publick Ministers in Town The like also from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen in their Scarlet Soon after which was publisht His Majesties Declaration to all his loving Subjects dated the 28th of July whereby was set forth a short Narration of the Treasonable Conspiracy as it hath been lately discovered by undoubted proof and the Confession of divers of the Accomplices for which happy discovery His Majesty appointed by the said Declaration a Solemn day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God to be celebrated throughout the Kingdom on Sunday the 9th day of September next and that the said Declaration be publickly read in all Churches as well on Sunday the 2d Day of September as on the Day of Thanksgiving aforesaid The same Day of Thanksgiving was also appointed to be observed in Scotland On Tuesday the 7th of August Prince George was design'd to be Install'd Knight of the most Honourable Order of the Garter at
Hereupon His Majesty and his Royal Highness went down to the Secretaries Office where the Duke of Monmouth was who shew'd himself very sensible of his Crime in the late Conspiracy making a full Declaration of it and having shew'd an extraordinary Penitence for the same and made a particular Submission to his Royal Highness for his misbehavior to him His Majesty and his Royal Highness received so much satisfaction that upon his Royal Highness ' s desire and Mediation His Majesty was pleased to Pardon the said Duke and order the Attorney-General to stop further Proceedings against him On the last Day of Michaelmas Term six Prisoners then in the Tower for High Treason were Bail'd viz. the Lord Gerard Brandon Mr. Booth Mr. Trenchard Mr. Hamden Jun. Mr. Charleton and Major Wildman all which being accused for Conspirators in the late detestable Plot and but one Witness against them they were Bail'd out in 2000 l apiece and 1000 l their Sureties except Mr. Hamden against whom there being a Bill of Indictment for High Misdemeaners he was bound in 10000 l. himself and 5000 l. his Sureties On Thursday the 6th of December one Johnson a Cracktbraind Fellow met the King as he was walking in St. James Park and laying his Hand on his Sword told His Majesty he had wrong'd him and demanded satisfaction but being seiz'd by the Guards and appearing to be Distracted upon Examination he was tied Neck and Heels together for a while at the Guard Stables and let go again On Friday the 7th of December the Duke of Monmouth being fallen again into the Kings displeasure for refusing to Sign what he had confest upon his coming in was Banisht the Court and expell'd the Royal Presence This was on the same Day that Sidney was beheaded on the Tower-Hill Friday the 4th of January the Lord Peters who had lain a long time a Prisoner in the Tower on the account of Oates's Plot without being brought to his Tryal departed this Life in his said Confinement A little before his departure the said Lord sent to the King a Letter wherein he disown'd in his last Words and upon his Salvation the matters which he stood accused of About the middle of December this Year began a very eminent and extraordinay Frost it lasted without any considerable Intermission till the 5th of February during which time the Thames was Frozen over with a solid and Contiguous Ice in all places above the Bridge Booths built thereon with Thousands of People continually walking over and Sliding I my self walkt over at the Temple and so all along the Channel to Westminster Stairs on the 9th of January Also on or about the same Day Coaches went over at Sommerset-House and at the Temple In the Extremity of this Weather the King granted His Letters Mandatory Dated the 4th of January to the Bishop of London to make a Collection in all Parishes in London and the Subburbs of the same for the relief of the Poor encouraging His Subjects to such a needful Charity by his own Example having order'd large Sums of Mony to be Issued out of His Treasury for that purpose which Letters were Read in all Churches the two following Sundays and Collections made accordingly On the 23d of January being the First Day of Hillary Term the Lawyers went over the Ice from the Temple to Westminster-Hall and back again as familiarly as on the Land some walkt on Foot and some went in Coaches which carried People from the Temple Stairs to Westminster for the same fare as by Land and plied between those two places though not in so great Numbers as the Watermen do in Summer Abundance of Booths were erected Cross between the Temple and Southwark in which place an absolute Fair was held for above a Fortnight of almost all sorts of Trades and Printing Presses erected both for Letters and Pictures a Bull Baited a Fox Hunted and a whole Ox Roasted on the Ice over against Whitehall Nor was this Frost thus Wonderful only above the Bridge but Booths were erected and People past over on the Ice frequently in diverse places below the Bridge And the Sea it self frozen for divers Miles from the Shore on the Coasts of England France and especially Holland Insomuch that for above a Fortnight no Packet Boat or any other Vessel of Intelligence could either come out of those parts or go from hence Thus ends this Year a Year of Extraordinary note in England for the happy Discovery of a Hellish Conspiracy against the Lives of his Sacred Majesty and Royal Highness and against the Antient Government of this Kingdom both in Church and State a Conspiracy contrived and carried on by Protestant Dissenters inveterate Calvinists and old Common-wealths-men Nor was this Year less remarkable abroad partly for the Death of Anna Teresia Queen of France and Alphonso King of Portugal but above all for the formidable and Bloody Descent of the Turks into Hungary Invited thither by Count Tekeley a Protestant Rebel against the Emperor The Mahumetan Army consisting of 150000 fighting Men Horse and Foot came before Vienna on the 9th of July Commanded by the Grand Visier in Person The Emperor had retired two Days before and left the City under the Command of Count Staremberg who defended it bravely notwithstanding all the Bloody Assaults and utmost endeavors of the Enemy till on the 12 2 of September the Seige was rais'd in the highth of the Defendants Extremity by the coming of the King of Poland who having joyn'd with the Imperial Forces Commanded by the Duke of Lorrain not only beat off and routed the Turkish Army with vast Slaughter and no less Booty but pursuing his Blow took from them the Fort of Barkan and the City of Gran formerly call'd Strigonium after it had been possest by the Turks 78 Years Which City had been formerly before it was lost by the Christians the Metropolitan City of Hungary To the Glory of the English Nation some of our Country Men were present at the Siege of Vienna in defence of which they Signalliz'd their Valour In particular the Lord Landsdown Eldest Son of the Earl of Bath whom for his extraordinary merits the Emperor created a Count of the Sacred Empire An Honour which the Ancestors of the Lord Arundel of Warder had formerly attain'd in the defence of Strigonium One thing more renders this Year remarkable which was partly Domestick and Partly Foraign Tangier in Africa being possest by the Portugals came to the Crown of England with our now Queen Catherine and having cost our King since he had it vast Sums of Mony in defending it against the Moors and also in making the greatest part of a Mole there which not being found so feasible as expected the Charges very great and certain the Expectation of any advantage from thence very uncertain His Majesty was pleased about the end of this last Summer to commission my Lord Dartmouth attended with about 20 Sail of Ships to go and