Preface

PREFACE.

The present volume of the Calendar covers the period from 1 March, 1678, to the end of the year. At the end are placed several undated documents, which fall within the period of Sir J. Williamson's secretaryship, i.e. between September, 1674, and February, 1679. Of these the most remarkable are:—Thorold's letter of June, 1676, about the prevalent reports of incendiary fires (p. 603), the piece of penwork presented to Williamson by Bowes (p. 607), Dr. Fell's letter about Mr. Benlowes, the distressed poet, and enclosing proposals of the Oxford Press about printing (p. 607), the Muggletonian pamphlet calendared on p. 609, Williamson's notes about the revenue (pp. 610, 611) and the account of Knevet, the Barnet prophet (p. 613).

Some of the most interesting contents of the present as of the last volume are the confidential letters of the Duke of York and the Earl of Danby to the Prince of Orange. Though most or all of the former have been printed in Dalrymple's Memoirs, Vol. II, they have been given for the reasons mentioned in the Preface to the last volume.

The volume referred to in this and preceding volumes as S.P. Channel Islands, 9, has been re-numbered and is now S.P. Channel Islands, 1.

The King and the Royal Family.

Probably in consequence of the critical condition of home and foreign affairs, the King omitted his usual spring visit to Newmarket. He went to Windsor the middle of August, and stayed there till near the end of September (p. 416), and went the beginning of October to Newmarket (p. 421). The weather hindered him from hawking, but did not prevent the Duke of York fox hunting. Races were going on there (p. 460). The King returned on the 16th (p. 463).

During the absence of the Court at Newmarket the Duchess of York and her step-daughter, Anne, went over to visit the Princess of Orange, whose confinement was expected (p. 422). She had had a miscarriage in April (p. 126), and was unwell in July (p. 277). The Duchess desired to be very incognito. The ladies were escorted by the Earl of Ossory (p. 444). The Duchess returned on the 16th (pp. 463, 466), well satisfied with her journey and with the Prince (p. 466).

In June the Duchess of Cleveland returned to England in order, it was reported, to break off the match between Lord Arlington's daughter and her son, the Duke of Grafton, whom she intended to marry to a spurious daughter of the King of France (p. 244).

Parliament and Foreign Affairs.

On 1 March the Dukes of Monmouth and Albemarle and the Earl of Feversham embarked at Deal with 400 soldiers for Ostend (pp. 2, 6, 10) and arrived there next day. Orders were issued for the behaviour of the garrison (pp. 8, 11) one of which was, that no soldier should offer any affront to any religious person on pain of death, or should enter into any of the churches or monasteries, and that, if any soldier should meet the Sacrament in the street, he should either avoid it, by going another way, or stand bareheaded while it passed. Notwithstanding these orders there was a serious riot (p. 73) on Palm Sunday, caused by a Dutch captain refusing to uncover as the procession passed. The burghers gave out that the English had affronted the clergy and murdered several of them, who were unarmed and unable to resist. About 60 were said to be killed and wounded.

The Duke of Monmouth's stay was but short, orders having been sent him to return with Lord Feversham and the other persons of quality with him (pp. 3, 17, 19). He visited Nieuport on the 6th (p. 16), and according to his orders sent a battalion to Bruges on the 9th, though he considered that Nieuport also urgently needed reinforcements (p. 24). He arrived at London early on the 10th (p. 34). These forces were sent on account of the progress of the French in Flanders. The town of Ghent had been taken the beginning of March, and the citadel fell shortly afterwards (pp. 2, 8, 26, 28).

Ypres, the next place attacked by the French, fell before the middle of March (pp. 24, 53, 54).

The delay in sending over more troops was due to the slowness of the Parliament in giving supplies, which Danby considered was partly caused by French intrigues with the members (p. 12). Danby feared that the States General would insist on peace at any price, and that it would not be in the power of the King or the Prince of Orange to prevent it. The King desired the Prince's opinion on this matter. The King had been informed by the French Ambassador that he had power to sign the treaty sent over by Lord Feversham the previous December, except that Tournay, Valenciennes and Condé were to be ceded to France. The Ambassador had likewise informed him that Spain had offered before the siege of Ghent to give up Tournay. This, with what the Pensioner had said to Mr. Hyde and the King's unprepared condition, had induced him to agree to give up Tournay and Valenciennes, if the Prince and the Spaniards should desire peace on these terms, and on which he believed that peace might be had before they took any more places, though the French seemed very positive for Condé. His Majesty, however, being resolved to pursue his treaty of alliance with the States, would not decide till he heard from the Prince. Should anything of the kind be approved, it would be of the utmost importance that it should be kept very secret and that nothing should appear but an armistice, while matters be formally treated at Nimeguen. His Majesty had thought it necessary that what the French ambassador had told him should be communicated by Mr. Godolphin to the Pensioner, both from the entire confidence in him always expressed by the Prince and because these terms came so near to what he proposed to Mr. Hyde. Mr. Godolphin was entrusted with the whole affair, but his Majesty would have the secret parts of it returned only to himself and not to the Secretaries of State, but that general answers be returned to Secretary Williamson's letters, who was not acquainted that Tournay or Valenciennes or one of them was the interpretation of the Pensioner's expression.

The Prince, in reply, considering the ill state of things in Flanders, begged the King to get them a peace on condition of ceding Valenciennes and Tournay (p. 61).

However, the Poll Bill passed the Commons on the 8th, and next day or the day after the levy money was to be given to the Colonels, who were to complete their regiments in six weeks (pp. 25, 38). It was hoped that the Poll Bill would receive the Royal assent on the 20th (p. 55), which it did, with some slight amendments made by the Lords and assented to by the Commons, but other money Bills went on very slowly in the House of Commons (p. 38). It was uncertain whether the proposed tax on new buildings in and about London would pass, so many members being interested in it, and the temper of the House seemed not good and as if some of them minded more how to get the power from the King than anything else (p. 55).

On 15 March the House of Commons voted an Address to the King for an immediate declaration of war (p. 155), but the Lords, after a conference, replied that they could not agree to it till the alliances with the Emperor, Spain and Holland at least should be completed.

The Duke of York believed from the temper of the French that war was inevitable, and wished the House of Commons would do their part, for the levies went on very fast and more ships were set out every day, but they had such groundless jealousies that they were making no advances in providing the rest of the money (p. 63).

Terms of peace to be proposed privately by the King to the French ambassador are given on p. 67.

On 29 March instructions were prepared for Ambassador Hyde. The King complained that, though he had been long and strongly pressed by the Ambassador of the States General to enter into an alliance with the Emperor and the King of Spain, when his Commissioners met the Ministers of the Emperor and the King, the Dutch ambassador had no powers to produce and could give no assurance that he could have any, though he had demanded them again and again (p. 79). The King therefore desired that they would send their ambassador powers to conclude the joint alliance. Mr. Hyde was to be informed that this letter was written to draw from the States a letter which might justify the King in all the measures they should now put him upon and that, however willing the King might be to help them their own way, even by a peace, yet the King must have it appear that they pressed for it (p. 78).

Another ground of complaint was that, though by the Poll Bill the importation of several of the principal French commodities had been prohibited, Holland refused to do the like (pp. 79, 83).

The Dutch, further to spare themselves, would undertake nothing in the Mediterranean (p. 83), and threatened to bring back to Holland Evertsen's squadron now at Cadiz, either on the news of the French having left Messina or from want of pay from the Spaniards. The consequence would be that the French would be absolute masters of the Mediterranean, the English squadron there not being strong enough to deal with them (p. 90).

Danby considered it unlikely that the proposals for peace sent by Mr. Godolphin would come to anything, because, since the taking of Ypres, he found from the French ambassador that they expected to keep that town as well as Condé. On the other hand, the Prince of Orange hoped to save Tournay or Valenciennes, so that in Danby's opinion the distance between their expectations was too great to be reconciled without further trial of war. For this England was preparing, but feared that Holland would not consent to those strict terms of continuing and supporting the war, which England would desire to be assured of.

The Duke of York was in earnest for war, and was resolved to go over with the army himself (p. 91).

The financial provisions for a war were wholly inadequate. The Ordnance required 492,000l., most of which was already spent. The charge of the Navy to Christmas would be 1,526,000l., and the whole charge of the year to Christmas was computed by the Lord Treasurer to be at least 2,400,000l. The Parliament had calculated the Customs at 600,000l., out of which they assigned 330,000l. to the Navy and 70,000l. to the Ordnance, but the prohibition of foreign commodities would cut off near 300,000l., and the abatement of trade by a war might diminish them a further 100,000l., so that the Navy could expect nothing from the King, but all must come from the Parliament (p. 98).

Early in April the future Duke of Marlborough was sent to urge the Prince of Orange to reinforce the garrison of Bruges, where were four battalions of old English regiments, it being feared the French would besiege it in hopes of taking the English prisoners, or else to allow the English to be withdrawn (p. 101).

On Parliament reassembling after Easter, Sir Robert Sawyer was chosen as Speaker, but only to serve till Mr. Seymour's health should be restored (p. 106). On the 15th the Parliament was adjourned for a fortnight on account of the delay of the States General in joining the proposed alliance between the Emperor, Spain, England and themselves. The States continued to refuse to prohibit trade with France. Danby exhorted the Prince of Orange to get the thoughts of peace out of the Pensioner's mind and to make him encourage the States to the war and let them see that it was only thereby that a tolerable peace could be hoped for. He believed that they and the Parliament contributed more to the French successes than their best army could (pp. 118, 129). The Dutch actually supplied provisions to the French, who were in extreme necessity since the taking of Ghent (p. 136).

A pamphlet (p. 121), purporting to be a letter from Amsterdam, predicted the tactics actually adopted in the House of Commons.

"The King of France had intelligence that some of those in England, that last year were for war against him, now cry it down. Charging of pistols (i.e. pistoles) by a French hand may sometimes do more than all their cannon. The Court were reviled as being against the war and as pensioners to France; now the Court Ministers retort the like on you and your friends. Verily say the Dutch, yours is the Floating Island or founded on quicksilver. . . I advise to divide the courtiers and to use the envy of some of them against their fellows. . . . Tell his Majesty he is just and good, but counsels are ill or weak, no matter which. Endeavour the remove of the Ministers in possession, 'tis the ready way to come at the master. . . . Promote his Majesty's necessities, then work on these and tell him only new friends can remedy them. Say the war was most advisable last year, when he had neither preparations nor money for it, but not now that you have got him into it. Bring on new accounts of growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government. Charge them on evil counsellors. . . . Press again grand jurymen to petition for a new Parliament. The judges will not dare to hinder, if you rattle them roundly for what they have done. You have men of law enow, who gape for their places.

" 'Tis fine to see our Scottish friends trace the old method of 1640. . . . Lords and grievances came then together out of Scotland. . . . My Scotch confidants say no time is so fit, as when the King is engaged abroad, then it will do the French work and ours too. Our men of that nation write, preach and fight too; they likewise understand the way of supplicating the King's person against his authority. . . . Get out the great loon in Scotland. . . . If he cannot be impeached in Scotland, you may do it at Westminster. The pitcher has two ears, if you cannot lay hold on one side, take him by the other. Remember his name is not only Lauderdale but Guilford. Write on still. . . . Make sure of Andrew Marvell. He's a shrewd man against Popery, though for his religion you may place him as Pasquin placed Henry VIII, between Moses, the Messiah and Mahomet, with the motto Quo me vertam, nescio. . . . Blacken the whole undertaking. Say in this marching army is couched a standing one. Rant roundly at adjournments; say neutrality is better now when we are armed than it was when we were not.

"Say all you can to spoil this meeting of Parliament also; then follows, No money. . . . It may force the Court to do that for supply, which we may have reason to rail at afterwards and rouse men with a witness.

"Gather the Quakers and Fanatics together and allow them now for Protestants for all the Act of Uniformity; be kind, so that they may forget the tyranny of their elder brother and be all one again.

"If you will hatch somewhat like a Remonstrance, I like it well; go back to 1641 . . . but do not call it Remonstrance, a new name will do better to cover the purpose."

During the recess the Duke of Monmouth was appointed Capt.-General. The original warrant in the State Papers has been cancelled by the King's cutting out "ar" in his signature. This was done to appease the Duke of York's anger at the omission of "natural" before "son" (p. 137).

The House of Commons on re-assembling delayed giving any answer to what the Lord Chancellor had said by the King's command, and found fault with the treaties with Spain and the Emperor, attacked all the ministers and presented an address desiring their removal, adding Lauderdale by name (pp. 153, 161, 168). Notes of the debates of 4 and 7 May are given on pp. 154, 158. The question of the illegality of a standing army in time of peace was also raised (p. 159). These proceedings so discouraged moneyed men that the Paymaster of the Army had great difficulty in finding money, which delayed sending over the new raised forces to Flanders (p. 133). When the Address was presented to the King on Saturday the 11th, his answer was that it was so extravagant that he was not willing speedily to give them the answer it deserved, and to show his further displeasure he prorogued Parliament on Monday till the 23rd (p. 172).

The House of Lords, whose advice about the treaty with the Dutch had been desired by the King, had adjourned the debate on the 17th till the expected answer from the States General had come (p. 158). Notes by Williamson of a consultation with the Treasurer as what offer the King might make to France, and the objections to it, at which it was decided that no such offer could be made by the King till the arrival of the answer from Holland and its communication to the House of Lords for their advice, are given on p. 173.

On the 17th Danby wrote to the Prince (p. 177) that affairs at home were in so ill a posture, and the Parliament in so very ill a humour, that the King had no hopes of doing anything by his arms for the preservation of Flanders, and therefore desired the Prince to take his measures accordingly and to show his willingness to comply with the people of his country for the peace, and to use his endeavours with the Duc de Villa Hermosa, the Spanish Governor, to bring him to accept it. The Duke of York also wrote to the Prince a most private letter (p. 182), advising him to go along with the inclinations of the people and not lose his interest with them by opposing the peace, which would be whether he would or not, for he knew the miserable condition of Spain, and might see by what passed in the last session how little was to be expected from England. The King was very willing to have entered into the war, and had actually all his land forces ready, and by the end of the month would have 90 ships at sea, but the House of Commons had in five months given only the Poll Bill, which might be worth 300,000l. once paid, and had taken away so much a year by the prohibition of French commodities and, instead of giving any further supply, had fallen on the ministers and declared they would give no more, till they had satisfaction in religious matters.

When the House reassembled, they wasted the first two days, and it was expected they would spend a third in finding fault with the Chancellor's speech. The want of money was such that no more troops than the 56 companies already there could be sent over. With difficulty money had been procured to send a reinforcement to the North, disorders in Scotland being apprehended (p. 187). News of a cessation of arms to 27 July having arrived, the Commons on the 30th voted that the new raised troops should be disbanded, and on the 31st considered what money would be necessary for paying them off (p. 198). The charge of them to that day was estimated to be 171,445l., and the charge per diem 1,695l. (p. 204). On 4 June they voted for their disbandment. The bill for raising 200,000l. by a six months' tax to commence after the determination of the present monthly tax for paying them off and disbanding them passed the House of Commons on the 14th (p. 224), the forces at home to be disbanded by 30 June and those beyond sea by 27 July.

Shortly afterwards news came that the French refused to restore the towns in Flanders, till their ally, Sweden, had received satisfaction. Upon this the order for sending 20 companies of the new forces to Ireland was countermanded, and the House of Lords on the 21st lengthened the time for disbanding the new raised troops (p. 237). The Duke of York looked upon war as certain, if those in Holland would do their part, for the King would stick firm to them for restoring those towns. Sir W. Temple was sent over with full instructions, and also Lord Ossory (pp. 244, 253). The departure of the latter was, however, delayed (p. 247). Twenty-four additional companies were sent over to Nieuport and 16 to Bruges (p. 247). On 1 July Danby wrote to the Prince (p. 267) that he was confident that, should the King of France persist in refusing to restore the towns, it would wholly depend on the States what measures England would take. Without an assurance of their maintaining 25 or 30 thousand men in Flanders during the war and prohibiting commerce with France, and not making peace independently of England, nothing would be done, but with those assurances he believed England would go as far as the Prince could desire. The Duke of York was absolutely for the war, but it was unreasonable for England, which was out of the war, to engage in it, till absolutely assured that the Dutch, who were in it, would not abandon them.

The House of Commons refused to agree to the Lords' amendments extending the time for disbanding, denying that the Lords could amend a Money Bill (p. 271), and passed the well-known vote that Aids and Supplies are the gift of the Commons, &c. The Bill was consequently dropped, and the necessary money was provided by an addition of 206,462l. to the supply of 414,000l. for paying the extraordinary charge of the Navy and Ordnance and the 40,000l. for the portion of the Princess of Orange and for the repayment of the 200,000l. borrowed on the Excise to be raised by a 12 months' land tax to commence from 24 February, 1678–9.

On 5 July two more battalions were embarked for Nieuport, and three more were to be embarked early the following week for Nieuport and Bruges. When they were landed, 96 companies, amounting to over 9,000 men, would be in Flanders and more would be ready to follow when necessary (p. 277).

On the 17th Lord Feversham and the Marquis de Borgomaniero, the Spanish ambassador extraordinary, were sent over to concert with the Prince of Orange and the Duc de Villa Hermosa measures for carrying on the war for the remainder of the campaign, in case England entered upon it, as to which the Duke of York felt no doubt, being certain that Holland would agree to Sir W. Temple's proposals (pp. 296, 297). The reasons for selecting Lord Feversham and the Marquis are given on p. 297.

The treaty between England and Holland had been signed by 19 July, and 2,000 horse and dragoons were being sent over as quickly as possible (p. 302). When, however, the treaty was received in England, it was found to fall far short of what the King had particularly insisted on, mainly regarding the prohibition of French commodities. It likewise contained no specification of the quota of land and sea forces to be supplied by each of the allies and the article for the restitution to each of whatever they might lose during the war was limited to places in Europe only. The King insisted that these points must be changed either by an elucidation or by separate articles, but notwithstanding would have the treaty ratified as it stood, and transmitted to Sir W. Temple, but with a direction that it was not to be exchanged till these points be redressed. In the meantime these exceptions were to be kept a perfect secret, and not the least notice to be taken, but that the treaty was absolutely concluded and entirely to the King's satisfaction (p. 309).

On Sunday, 28 July, the Duke of Monmouth embarked and landed on the 30th at Ostend. A journal of his proceedings in the Netherlands will be found on pp. 322– 328. It contains an account of the battle of 4 August before Mons, in which six English regiments took part and behaved with great gallantry, sustaining heavy losses. Lord Ossory especially distinguished himself (p. 358). The advantage was on the side of the Allies. The battle was followed by an armistice for five weeks, the time limited for the ratification of the peace, which had in the meantime been concluded at Nimeguen on 31 July separately between France and Holland without Spain. The news of it did not stop the embarkation of troops from England (p. 345).

The King was much surprised at the news of the separate peace, and on the 12th sent over Mr. Hyde to acquaint the Dutch with his sense of it, which was that the French had not performed their own project at Nimeguen in April, and that consequently, the treaty between England and Holland, which was last ratified, should be put in execution. If the States should do what they ought towards himself and Spain, he would stand by them for the neutrality of Cleves and Juliers, and, if they should declare themselves of his opinion that the French had not complied with their project of Nimeguen, he would be ready immediately to declare war against France. Peace or war would therefore wholly depend on the States. The King would do nothing in either but in concert with the Prince of Orange (p. 357). Further reinforcements were to be sent over to Flanders (p. 360).

Williamson relieved his feelings by recording what he considered to be Sir W. Temple's errors in his negotiations at Nimeguen, since Sir William's punctiliousness was such that they could not make those observations, exceptions and remarks on his conduct or dispatches without his falling into strange and unusual answers and expostulations, such as secretaries of state did not heretofore bear from those that served abroad within their provinces (p. 360).

According to what the Prince of Orange wrote about a general armistice, the King desired his plenipotentaries at Nimeguen to propose it. They were very impatient in England to hear what resolutions were taken on Mr. Hyde's arrival (p. 368). Further reinforcements, consisting of 27 troops of horse, 12 of dragoons and two battalions of foot of 9 companies each, to be commanded by Lord Feversham, were to be sent over towards the end of August (p. 370) to Antwerp to join the Prince's army, and the Duke of York himself hoped to be soon with him (p. 375). The two battalions, however, being the regiments of the Duchess of York and the Duke of Monmouth, were delayed at Margate by want of transport (p. 391), and eventually did not go (p. 396). There was much sickness among the forces (pp. 389, 398). They were to be divided into two brigades, one consisting of two battalions of Guards and one battalion each of the Holland, the Duchess of York's, and Lord Alington's regiments, and the other of a battalion of the Duke of York's, the Duke of Monmouth's and Colonels Legge's, Sidney's and Slingesby's regiments, to be commanded by Col. Churchill and Sir John Fenwick (p. 390). The treaty, however, was concluded the beginning of September, and the ships hired to carry over the troops were discharged, and a stop was put to more men going over (p. 397). The formalities of the signature of the treaty between France and Spain are described on p. 403. There was great rejoicing in Holland at the conclusion of peace (pp. 412, 462). As the last day for the exchange of ratifications was 19 October, the Parliament was further prorogued from the 1st to the 21st, since, till the exchange took place, the places occupied by the English would not be evacuated, and till then the King would be uncertain what to say (pp. 414, 420). Parliament might take it ill that the new raised troops had not been paid off, and it was suggested that the foreign ministers might ask the King to keep his troops in Flanders (p. 415).

The maximum number of foot sent over appears to have been 15 or 16 battalions, consisting of a battalion of Col. John Russell's regiment of Guards, and one of the Coldstreams, and two battalions each of the Holland and the Duke of York's regiments and one each of Col. Legge's, Lord Morpeth's, Lord Alington's (pp. 323, 573–5), Sir Thomas Slingesby's, Sir Henry Goodrick's, Sir John Fenwick's, Sir Charles Wheler's, Col. Sydney's and Col. Salusbury's (p. 589), and Lord O'Brien's (pp. 323, 356) regiments. (It is doubtful whether Sir C. Wheler's regiment ought to be included.) None were recalled before 1 January (p. 588), and there is no mention of the disbandment of any of the new raised forces in England before the end of the year, though early in January several regiments were paid off and disbanded.

In anticipation of the meeting of Parliament the Master of the Great Wardrobe was ordered to deliver the parcels specified on p. 362 for making ready the Parliament Chamber.

When Parliament met again on 21 October, the scene had completely changed. In August Charles had with his usual good sense treated with contempt the story of a plot concocted by Oates and Tonge. Oates on 6 September, and again on 28 September, had sworn before Sir Edmond Berry Godfrey long depositions containing his narrative of the Popish Plot, but it was not till his examinations before the Council on 28 and 29 September (pp. 425, 426, 431, 432) that much attention was paid to his revelations. What gave substance to them was the disclosures in Coleman's letters of designs to re-establish Popery in England by assistance from abroad and the murder a fortnight later of Sir Edmond Berry Godfrey. The mind of the public was full of suspicion, ready to accept any rumour, however improbable. For instance, in the summer of 1676 there was a widespread belief in England that French or Romish emissaries were wandering about England setting fire to towns (see Preface to Calendar, 1676–1677). Unfortunately nothing in the present Calendar, with one exception to be presently noticed, adds anything to our knowledge of the plot or the murder. There are indeed numerous documents relating to these subjects, but most of them have already been printed, and those that have not been add little or nothing new.

The one exception is found in the notes taken by Williamson on 20 October (p. 472) of the account the coroner gave of the view of Godfrey's body. Most of the coroner's description has already been known, but the last sentence discloses a fact that does not, as far as I know, appear elsewhere, "Extreme empty, therefore had not eaten in two days or more." Now Godfrey was last seen alive early on the afternoon of Saturday, 12 October (p. 472). It has been universally supposed that he was murdered that afternoon or evening. It is, to say the least, most improbable that Godfrey had not eaten at least as late as the Friday evening. If the above evidence is correct, he must therefore have been alive till at least Sunday evening, or perhaps till Monday. Praunce, it may be noticed, begins his examination thus (p. 586), "On a certain Monday," and also said "it was either the later end or the beginning of the week" that Godfrey was killed. No question of the day was put to Praunce at the trials of Hill and the others, it being assumed all along that Saturday was the date of the murder, as alleged in the indictment. Mr. Pollock (p. 160) thinks those statements were an attempt by Praunce to confuse his evidence. I on the contrary am inclined to believe that Praunce was probably right when he named Monday as the actual date of the murder. Again, Mr. Shillard, one of the surgeons who examined the body, on Friday the 18th, believed (State Trials, Vol. VII., Col. 186) that Godfrey might be dead four or five days before he saw him. This would again point to the murder having been committed on the Monday. What then became of Godfrey between his disappearance and his death, if he survived till the Monday ? He must have been kidnapped and confined somewhere without food and, when his enemies found they could not induce him to do something they required of him, have been done to death, probably from the appearance of the body in the manner described by Praunce, which however he represented as having occurred on the Saturday, omitting the confinement between the kidnapping and the murder.

That both Bedloe and Praunce knew something about the murder seems certain, but it is now probably impossible to disentangle with any confidence the truth, if any, in their evidence from the tissue of falsehood with which it is enveloped. The only facts that appear certain are: (1) That it was a case of murder, not suicide. (2) That robbery was not the motive. (3) That Godfrey was not murdered where his body was found, but that it was conveyed thither from some other place which had been the scene of the murder.

Parliament, on meeting, immediately threw themselves into the investigation of the plot, but little appears in the Calendar about their proceedings. At their request, a proclamation was issued on 30 October commanding all Popish Recusants to depart ten miles from London (p. 494), and another on 10 November to repair to their abodes and not to go more than three miles from them (p. 514), and a third on 20 December requiring all magistrates to disarm and secure all Popish Recusants and all suspected to be Papists, and to require them to enter into recognizances for good behaviour (p. 580). On 26 November a proclamation was also issued for the apprehension of priests, from which Huddleston, who had assisted the King in his flight from Worcester, was excepted by name (p. 533).

An over-zealous sergeant or corporal sent to seize two Jesuits in a house adjoining that of the Comte d'Egmont, the Spanish ambassador, violated the sanctity of the embassy. Though the corporal was committed to prison, and the lieutenant commanding the guard was sent to apologize, the ambassador addressed a circular to the other foreign ministers complaining of the breach of the Law of Nations and declaring that reparation should be made as publicly as the violation (pp. 454, 459).

On 31 October Bedloe wrote to a Secretary of State from Bristol desiring an order to appear before the Council to declare what he could not trust in a letter, and on 2 and 5 November both the Secretaries wrote to him and the Mayor that he should come up immediately with the utmost secrecy (pp. 503, 505, 506). He arrived in London on the 7th (p. 525).

Information having been given that John Lambert, who since the Restoration had been a prisoner at Plymouth, was implicated in the Plot, the Deputy Governor there and Sir Thomas Carew were ordered to examine him (p. 511). The examination was returned on 16 November (p. 526), but no copy of it exists among the papers.

From the country came abundance of alarming rumours. Companies of armed men, both horse and foot, were said to have been seen in Wiltshire (p. 517). A plot to blow up Tynemouth Castle, and a company of armed men on horseback in the North of Yorkshire were reported from Whitby (p. 521). The Vice-Chancellor of Oxford and the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire sent information that quantities of arms and ammunition had been carried out of Lord Carrington's house in that county (pp. 558, 572). Groundless reports that armed men had been seen in the Isle of Purbeck spread as far as Yorkshire (pp. 569, 575, 576, 583). In the West Riding (p. 562) the noise of the great plot filled people with great apparitions of armed men riding by night. Strong watches were set, the Militia drawn out, all Popish houses searched, and all in great expectation. However, not a word of truth could be found in any of these reports. To rumours of home dangers succeeded reports of foreign forces, that Spaniards were landed in Ireland, of whom 5,000 were to go over to Wales, and that French were landed in Scotland and were ready to be transported to England (p. 562).

Just at the close of this volume comes the impeachment on 23 December of Danby on the disclosure of Ralph Montagu, the former ambassador to France, of his complicity in the secret negotiations between the King and the King of France (p. 583). This was Montagu's revenge for his disgrace when he was recalled the previous July and his name struck out of the Council Book (p. 287), and for his suspension from his office of Master of the Great Wardrobe (p. 359). Danby endeavoured to retort by using the information given to Sir L. Jenkins by Olivencrantz, the Swedish plenipotentiary at Nimeguen, that Montagu had in 1677 had had several secret conferences with the Nuncio at Paris (p. 579).

The Purbeck peerage case is mentioned several times in this volume. To the order of 14 March, as recorded in Lords' Journals, is added that "The person that claims the title of Viscount Purbeck be not so entered in the book, before he be so judged (p. 42)." Some additional evidence taken on the 21st is set out on p. 58.

Accounts of the unopposed election of Mr. Thomas Browne of Frampton for Dorsetshire are given on pp. 11, 16. The cases of Edward Kinnaston, the petitioner, and of Sir Richard Corbet, the sitting member for Shrewsbury, are set out on pp. 34, 35, and the arguments on behalf of Sir John Reresby to support his election for Aldborough on p. 195.

During the recess a member, Michael Mallett, was committed to the Tower on 25 August, being accused of saying that Lord Stirling was a rogue, Mr. Chiffinch another, and the King as very a one as either of them (pp. 380, 410, 570). Secretary Coventry, when the House met, was to take notice of his absence and offer three affidavits (p. 472). He was set at liberty on 13 December on account of his indisposition contracted by his confinement on his promise to surrender himself when required (p. 570).

Unlicensed Books.

Under the warrant calendared in the last volume, (p. 659), a person was committed to Newgate for publishing Considerations of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government (p. 21). Samuel Packer, one of the clerks of the Poultry Compter, being charged with having brought a copy of that pamphlet to be stitched, absconded (p. 1) and was not arrested till July (p. 286). His examination is given on p. 305. A number of letters he wrote to his wife will be found on pp. 313, 314.

At the request of Roger L'Estrange, a warrant was granted for searching the house and warehouse of Mr. Axtell, son of Col. Axtell, who was executed with others of the King's judges, for the said pamphlet and other seditious papers (pp. 290, 294).

A warrant was issued for the arrest of the person who left to be bound a book entitled A Discourse of the Rise and Growth of Parliaments, of Laws, &c. (p. 54).

The Deputy Marshal of the King's Bench, after arresting Packer, searched the house of Jenks, the linen draper, and found behind a looking glass several pamphlets, particularly Harrington's Case, and in his closet Brown's Case during his Confinement (p. 313).

Roger L'Estrange, with much difficulty, found the Widow Brewster three months after the warrant had been issued against her (pp. 188, 372). He could prove that she had carried co the press in manuscript The Letter about the Test, The Speeches of the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Shaftesbury and Jenks' Speech. It was very probable that The Growth of Popery and the List of the Members of Parliament passed through the same hands. She would probably throw the whole blame on Mr. Marvell, who was lately dead.

In December a warrant was issued on the information of the Bishop of London for seizing certain obscene prints and the plates from which they were to be printed (p. 581).

Vigilant search was also made for unlicensed presses. Papers about them will be found on pp. 69, 120, 147, and an account of the actual discovery of one in Shoreditch on p. 124. After the discovery of the plot the attention of the Government was diverted to Popish books and the printers of them (pp. 488, 490).

Trade.

Patents were granted for a new spinning machine (pp. 19, 41) for bleaching hemp and flax (p. 54), for grinding and polishing glass (p. 175), for pumping engines (p. 413), and for melting lead ore in close or reverbatory furnaces with pit coal or turf (p. 429). A patent was granted to Amy Potter for her invention for making woollen flanders, colverteene and other laces and dresses all of woollen for burials and otherwise (pp. 356, 383, 409). Ministers and others, appointed by the Act for burying in woollen to keep registers, were ordered to allow inspection of the same, that offenders against the Act might be prosecuted (p. 484).

A statement on behalf of the Pewterers' Company about the Stannaries Bill then before Parliament described the previous practice relative to the farm of tin, and desired that a clause injuriously affecting the Company might be struck out (p. 31).

The London hat-makers petitioned that French hats might be included among the prohibited French commodities (p. 25).

When the Act prohibiting French commodities was passed, a question arose whether ambassadors were, notwithstanding, privileged to import them. Notes on the subject are given on pp. 96, 105.

An abatement of the heavy duty, almost amounting to a prohibition, on Portuguese wine, was proposed as a means of increasing the consumption of English manufactures there (p. 235).

On proposals for the new farm of the Hearth Money being received, the old farmers offered 158,000l. and others 162,000l (p. 367).

There are numerous entries about the purchase by foreigners of frames for making silk stockings and their attempts to induce members of the Framework Knitters Company to go abroad and introduce the manufacture there (pp. 373, 375). Some of the frames, it appeared, were in Somerset House and others in the house of the late Portuguese Ambassador, where also was one of the persons desired to be seized, supposed to be Marueil, the late Ambassador's secretary (p. 376). The opinion of the Attorney-General was desired as to what legal means the King had to recall the artisans already gone to Portugal or to forbid more to follow (p. 394).

The Church and Ecclesiastical Affairs.

Dr. Brideoke, the Bishop of Chichester, died at Windsor on 5 October (p. 446). He was succeded by Dr. Carleton, Bishop of Bristol (p. 451).

In April the Dean and Chapter of Windsor petitioned stating that their founder, Edward III. had, among other privileges, granted them freedom from all taxation, and therefore praying that his Majesty would recommend their privileges to the Commissioners for the Poll Act and that in future a proviso should be inserted in all Acts for raising money for their discharge (p. 128).

The Bishop of Hereford petitioned that a mandamus for a canon residentiary's place might be recalled, which by the statutes belonged to a person on whom he had conferred a small prebend, alleging the smallness of the bishopric, which had been further diminished by his having at the King's request granted a lease without fine to his predecessor's wife and daughters and also to Col. Birch the renewals of leases worth 2,000l. (p. 198). Rogers, who as prebendary and prælector was the person entitled to succeed, also petitioned (p. 368), and the King signified that, if Rogers was entitled by statute to succeed, he should be preferred thereto (p. 408).

The same Bishop requested that the books he had seized in the Roman Catholic establishment at Combe should be placed in the Cathedral Library, which had been completely rifled in the rebellion (p. 593).

Dr. Thomas, the Bishop of St. David's, having visited all the other deaneries in his diocese, came to Swansea on Saturday, 31 August, and next day preached and administered the Sacrament in the morning and in the afternoon confirmed three or four hundred young people (p. 399).

A dispensation was ordered to be granted to Dr. South to hold a Welsh living with that of Islip (p. 359).

Dr. Poole vindicated himself from the charge of having neglected to send Williamson a copy of his Synopsis Criticorum (p. 114).

A warrant for a charter incorporating the Corporation of the Sons of the Clergy and an abstract of the charter granted 1 July are given on pp. 247, 266, and the petition for incorporation on p. 231.

An account of articles to be supplied for the Chapel Royal will be found on p. 241.

The Duke of Monmouth, at the instance of Sir H. Goodrick, requested the Dean of Ely that the door lately made into the Goodrick Chapel, the burying place of that family, might be closed and that they might have leave to enclose the said chapel at their own cost (p. 280). The present Dean has kindly informed me that he cannot make out what part of the Cathedral is meant by this description, Lord Chancellor Goodrick, formerly bishop, having been buried in the central part of the presbytery, and there being now no monuments in the Cathedral of any other members of the Goodrick family.

A threatening letter to the Bishop of Norwich is given on p. 306.

An agent of the Government was employed to attend the meeting-houses of the Nonconformists in London and to take notes of the sermons (pp. 189, 202, 226, 246, 262). On one occasion he appears to have been assaulted (p. 279). I do not know who is meant by the Earl of Wimbleton, mentioned on p. 246 as present at a Presbyterian meeting. There was no peer of the title of Wimbledon at that time.

A controversy at Deal between an Anabaptist and two Presbyterian ministers, in which the latter, being weak scholars, declined the former's challenge, is described on p. 417. The incumbent of Deal, Mr. Garrerd, whose worthiness, travels and learning were well-known, had, however, not long before quashed and silenced the Anabaptist.

The Quakers at Windermere held a great meeting so near the church that they disturbed the congregation. Eight preachers and above 50 others were convicted under 22 Car. II., c. 1, and warrants issued for levying the fines (p. 442).

Lord Anglesey interceded on behalf of William Sheldrake, a Nonconformist minister (p. 577), who had been excommunicated either only on common report of his keeping conventicles or else for contempt of the court of the Chancellor of Norwich by non-appearance on summons, whereas he had feed a proctor to represent him. If there had been no appearance it was due to the proctor's neglect and no contempt of Mr. Sheldrake's.

Offence was taken at some reflections on the Nonconformists in the sermon of the Bishop of Bath and Wells before the Lord Mayor (p. 576).

Oxford and Cambridge.

The dispute at Oxford between the University and the city about the proctors' jurisdiction over persons not members of the University continued, and Williamson's influence with the Lord Chief Justice was again solicited (pp. 183, 205). The quarrel had become more acute from a recent incident. The proctor, examining an alehouse for scholars, was assaulted by the keeper with a sword, and, though with the help of his attendants he mastered it, yet such a rabble of town's men and women appeared that he could not execute his office, so that the whole discipline of the University was in danger. The town had a great advantage by the soldiers who were quartered there, whom they used to break the discipline of the University. One of the scholars on small or no provocation was first cudgelled and then stabbed by a soldier (p. 184). The Vice-Chancellor had heard that Oxford had been ever exempt from soldiers being quartered there, except when the King was in it.

The lease of the Press from the University had expired at Lady Day, and Williamson willingly consented, at Bishop Fell's request, to be one of the lessees again (pp. 92, 104). The History of Alfred, printed by the Press, was issued in August (p. 345). A catalogue of the books printed there is mentioned in p. 344. On p. 607 are calendared proposals by the undertakers of the Press, probably of an earlier date, for printing several works.

A Commission was in preparation in December for administering the oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy in the University (p. 560).

Dr. Goode, the Master of Balliol, died in April (p. 114).

A mandate was granted for conferring the degree of M.A. on Edmund Halley of Queen's College, the astronomer (pp. 517, 528).

The news from Cambridge is still scantier. Two scholars, one of St. John's and one of Jesus, had, like Coleridge in the following century, listed in Prince Rupert's dragoons. The Duke of Monmouth ordered them to be dismissed and restored to those who had the charge of them, and that in future care should be taken not to enlist any gownsmen (p. 123).

The City.

An account of the new buildings erected in and about the City from 1620 to 1656 and from 1656 to 1677, showing that the total in the former period was about 7,500 and in the latter about 10,000, and that the proposed tax on new buildings would produce much less than the estimate is given on p. 32.

A warrant to the Commissioners of Lieutenancy authorized them to levy the tax for the Militia (p. 50). The opinion of the Attorney-General and the Recorder that a new warrant was necessary, as since the former one a new Commission of Lieutenancy had been issued, is given on p. 30.

On p. 87 will be found an account of the hospitals under the care of the City, viz., Christ's, St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas', Bridewell and Bethlem.

The bills of mortality for the weeks ending 28 May and 2 July show in the first case an excess of 109 deaths over births and in the last of 162. In neither week was there any death from plague (pp. 192, 270).

A caveat was ordered by the Common Council to be entered against the grant of a market at Brook House, Holborn (p. 233).

Offence was given by 12 troops of dragoons marching through the City with drawn swords on their way to transportation (pp. 252, 260).

On 22 July Sir Edward Hungerford was granted a market on three days in the week on the site where the Charing Cross Station now stands (p. 308). Some objections to the grant were noted by Williamson (p. 334).

A list of the Trained Bands according to the July musters is given on p. 318.

A visitation of Gresham College was ordered, great abuses having crept into the administration thereof and some of the professors being negligent of their duty (pp. 334, 406).

At the desire of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, several ships from Malaga, where the plague was raging, were stopped. No goods or passengers were allowed to be landed from them and no person allowed to go on board them (pp. 531, 532). The restraint was removed a few days afterwards, the Aldermen being satisfied by the evidence produced by the merchants concerned in the fleet that the apprehended danger did not exist (p. 543).

Miscellaneous Notices.

On p. 1 is a description of the triumphant departure of Sir T. Medowes from Yarmouth after being elected member.

A reference of the petition of three of the Pendrells for an increase of their annuities is given on p. 3.

An ensign in the garrison of Plymouth was reprieved, if found guilty of the death of a man killed by him in a duel (p. 14).

An account of the government of Yarmouth and of the parties there will be found on pp. 20–22. In August the Common Council voted that none should be permitted to purchase their freedom or to serve the town in any office of profit that did not conform to the Church of England (pp. 373, 376). A dispute between the town and Lord Yarmouth about rights of anchorage on his side of the harbour is noticed on p. 421. A ship was burnt at the quay there, but fortunately the others were saved (pp. 452, 457).

Copyright was granted to four booksellers of London of a number of Greek authors, including Herodotus and Thucydides with Latin translations (p. 38), and to the Stationers' Company of a number of Latin authors, including Ovid, Virgil and Cicero (p. 569).

Moses Pitt, bookseller, issued proposals for a new Atlas in 11 volumes. Among the subscribers were the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of London, Oxford and Rochester, Robert Boyle, Gilbert Burnet, John Dryden, Isaac Newton and Samuel Pepys (pp. 167, 344).

On 13 March a warrant was issued to the keeper of Newgate for apprehending highwaymen (p. 41).

Sir William Jennens was granted the exclusive privilege for 14 years of erecting Turkish baths (pp. 51, 55).

A monstrous birth at Swansea is described on p. 116.

There is a warrant on p. 119 for the salary of Gerrit Wylenburch as purveyor and keeper of the King's pictures.

A very long paper to be presented to the House of Commons gives a history of the drainage of Lindsey Level and defends the rights of the drainers (pp. 142–145).

At the earnest importunity of some of the principal inhabitants about Covent Garden, a murderer was executed in a street in Covent Garden near where the murder was committed, as a terror to others (pp. 181, 182).

Sir William Scroggs' speech on being made Chief Justice is given on p. 197. In that Court "a man should have a lion's courage to support the throne, but not to worry a lamb or be grim to a young trembling gentleman, whose fear makes him so carefully to eye the judge's face that he forgets his business. . . . When the bench and bar treat each other with due regard, the King's justice is magnified and an overthrown client rests satisfied."

The observance of the Restoration Day at Lynn and at Lyme is described on pp. 194, 201.

Sir Richard Lloyd's opinion that lead not made into bullet is not contraband, is given on p. 233.

The collection of pamphlets published from the beginning of the Long Parliament to the Restoration, containing near 30,000 several pieces, of all sorts and on all sides (pp. 235, 236), is probably, what is now the Thomason Collection in the British Museum.

Ten letters that passed between Elizabeth, Lady Lindores or Lundoris, and her landlord, Francis Royley, of the Broad Sanctuary (pp. 280, 288, 303, 342, 353, 413, 261, 278, 280, 296) occur in the Calendar. She was probably the widow of the third holder of that obscure Scotch peerage. She was at Bristol, where she was drinking the waters, staying with the Bishop and his wife, whom on p. 353 she calls her dear wife. The chief subject of the letters are her attempts to be exempted from the Poll Tax.

On p. 288 is a letter from John Evelyn soliciting Williamson's patronage to a work of a Mr. Moxon.

A letter from Samuel Pepys (p. 289) complains of the insolence of two French men-of-war in not striking to the Dover, which on their refusal fired above 60 guns at them. A lieutenant they sent on board the Dover said they had orders to cause all nations to strike to the King his master, except the King of England's ships, and that they were not to strike to them or fight with them. The lieutenant was to be continued in custody.

The Dutch ambassador complained to the King that a Dutch man-of-war at Gravesend, having put out his flags in celebration of the conclusion of peace, the Governor of the fort shot at him to oblige him to strike his flag and to pay 6s. 8d. for the shot (p. 409). A memorandum by Williamson (p. 598) states that the rule had been laid down that no foreign ships be permitted to carry their pendants in any of his Majesty's ports being in view of any of his men-of-war or under the command of any of his castles.

In July Mistress Hyde, Sir Robert Vyner's step-daughter, was abducted by Cornet Wroth and his accomplices (p. 305). Warrants were issued for Wroth's apprehension (pp. 305, 330), and he was deprived of his post of Page of Honour (p. 315). A previous attempt to abduct her is alluded to on p. 302, about which more will be found in the Calendar for 1676–77, pp. 545, 546, where Gowerton(?) ought to be Emmerton.

In September the Newcastle arrived at Plymouth with the corpse of the Duke of Somerset, who had been shot at Genoa as he was coming out of a house (p. 395).

A prolonged drought at Deal, which had caused much sickness (p. 401), was broken up by a great storm the end of September (p. 419).

Prices of different kinds of corn in Warwickshire which had risen considerably, are given on pp. 401, 447, 461.

Notes about a dispute in the Corporation of Chichester are given on p. 404.

A merman, said to have been seen in the Bristol Channel, is described on p. 434. Such a thing had never been heard of there before, but several of the sailors affirmed that they had seen a mermaid in the American seas.

In November letters were sent to the ports to detain John Lindsey, an absconding goldsmith, and his partners, one of whom was Samuel Hartlib, Milton's friend, or perhaps his son (p. 510).

Anthony Verrio, the painter, and his family and his assistants, who were employed at Windsor Castle, were expressly exempted from any molestation on the ground of their being Popish Recusants (pp. 525, 549). Michael Mohun, the well-known actor, received a licence to stay in London notwithstanding the proclamation banishing all Popish Recusants, as he was indispensable to the playhouse (p. 571).

The Archbishop of Samos, who was collecting money for building a Greek Church (see last volume, p. xxxvii), was accused at Bristol of using dangerous words, some relating to the plot, by a prisoner there for debt on an action brought by the Archbishop (p. 548).

From a letter calendared on p. 578 it appears that the true date of the paper on the apportionment of the land taxes, wrongly calendared under March, 1677, in the last volume, p. 51, is December, 1678.

A correspondent suggested to the Bishop of London the brilliant idea that in revenge for the Pope's furtherance of the plot a detachment from the fleet in the Mediterranean might surprise Rome and carry off the Vatican library. Another landing party might march to Loretto "and by surprise take and raze that nest of superstition and bring away its treasure " (p. 590).

Ireland.

There are but few papers of interest relating to Ireland in this volume. Disputes occurred among the farmers of the Revenue, who were suspected of designing to throw up their contract at the end of May, yet so as to make the King responsible for the breach. This the Lord Lieutenant was directed to take all possible care to prevent, and also to cause no money to be paid except on account of the King's rent and the necessary salary of the officers till the arrear to the King was discharged (p. 179). Notes by Williamson on Lord Ranelagh's undertaking are given on p. 254. It was reported that his accounts had been audited by the Earls of Essex and Anglesey, who had found him 50,000l. in debt to the King (p. 152). Fresh orders were given for effecting the payment to the Irish Society of 4,000l. due to them in part payment for the customs of Londonderry, previous letters having proved ineffectual (p. 321). A licence was granted for the sale to the Corporation of Limerick of the well-known Lax (or salmon) weir on the Shannon (p. 456).

It was apprehended that in consequence of the severe proceedings against the Presbyterians in the western parts of Scotland, many of them would come over into Ireland, and some soldiers were quartered at Donaghadee, Larne, &c., to prevent them (p. 42). The negotiations for the marriage of Sir George Rawdon's daughter to Lord Granard's son were going on, but were waiting till her uncle, Lord Conway, should come over (pp. 42, 113). Lord Conway wrote that the marriage was to take place on 28 November. She was, he said, of a very good disposition and comely enough, but the youngest daughter, Brilliana, was one of the prettiest girls he ever saw, and the wittiest. (The original Brilliana was a daughter of the first Lord Conway, born when her father was governor of the Brill, and was named after the place, and the name occurs occasionally in the seventeenth century among the relations of that family.) The second had been injured by the small pox (p. 445). Sir George was anxious to arrange a suitable marriage for his only surviving son (p. 112).

It was expected that a Parliament would be held, but not before October (pp. 112, 152), and that the Lord Lieutenant would make a progress through the North, and preparations were made for his reception at Charlemont (pp. 164, 238), but later it was said that he would remain in Dublin till the bills preparing to be transmitted for a Parliament were sent over (p. 238).

The great funeral of Lady O'Neill, mother of the Marchioness of Antrim, is described on p. 209. She was Sir George Rawdon's sister-in-law, being a daughter of Sir Francis Stafford, the father of his first wife.

Exchange with England was very high (p. 108), at 9 per cent. (p. 137), and it rose later to 11 (p. 230).

As a favour to the Earl of Longford, to whom it belonged, the town of Granard was given the right of returning two members to Parliament (p. 316).

In October Dr. Michael Ward, Provost of Trinity College, was appointed to the Bishopric of Ossory (p. 482).

Lord Conway, for his wife's sake, procured the release of some Quakers imprisoned at Lisburn, though he found them a senseless, wilful, ridiculous generation of people, rather to be pitied than envied (p. 495).

Letters calendared on pp. 87, 103, relating to a grant of Portlester in Meath, furnish a good illustration of transactions about forfeited lands in Ireland. The late Lord Chancellor Eustace had been granted this townland and had paid a large sum to the former proprietor, but, the grant not being confirmed by the Act of Explanation and a flaw having been found in the old proprietor's title, it was lodged in the general stock to be disposed of according to the uses of the Act. The Duke of York placed his deficiencies on these lands, but the passing of the patent to him was obstructed thus. Sir Maurice Eustace, nephew to the late Chancellor and heir of all his estate except Portlester, being one of the guardians to Maurice Eustace, the Chancellor's bastard son, to whom Portlester had been left, made a discovery of it to the King and invited the Duchess of Cleveland to obtain a grant of it in Lord Longford's name, for which he was to have a compensation out of the land, which was to be recovered for the use of Sir Maurice. Mr. Eustace's other guardian, on the other hand, made a proposal to the Duke, and put himself wholly into his protection. By Lord Longford's grant the town was to have been made a corporation, returning two members to Parliament.

Charges against John Smith of oppressive proceedings, when sub-sheriff of Cavan, and of burglary and subornation of perjury are given on p. 264.

Scotland.

The accounts of Scotch affairs are on the contrary unusually full and interesting.

Early in March the Earl of Cassilis, the Duke of Hamilton's brother-in-law and supporter, visited Cumberland, where he met Sir George Fletcher and Sir John Lowther. An attempt was to be made to obtain a licence for his coming to London to represent to the King the grievances of Scotland. Against him and the Duke caption had been issued for not subscribing the bond (pp. 5, 9, 43).

The Committee of the Privy Council sat at Ayr and received arms from the West country. Few in Ayr refused the bond, but Irving and Mauchline refused it. The magistrates of those towns were to be altered and the burgesses fined and letters of lawburrows for taking the bond were to be issued (p. 43).

Several of the Western nobility and gentry went to Edinburgh to supplicate the Privy Council for a mitigation of the bonds, but the Council issued a proclamation that they should repair to their dwellings (p. 68).

Towards the end of the month a number of Scotch noblemen, headed by the Duke of Hamilton, passed through Carlisle on their way to London to complain of Lauderdale's severity (p. 75). All those who had refused the bond and whose arms had been taken, supplied themselves with new arms and were drawing together in great expectations from the mission of the nobility to the Court (p. 107).

By the intervention of the Duke of Hamilton and the other noblemen and gentlemen accompanying him with the King, the militia, that had been sent to the West, were ordered to return to their own homes (p. 151).

In consequence of the prevalence of field conventicles, orders were sent to the Privy Council for raising more forces. The 10,000l. lying in Edinburgh Castle was to be applied for the immediate charge of raising and maintaining them, and the Earl of Linlithgow was appointed commander in chief of all the forces in Scotland (pp. 161, 162). As a beginning, in May two additional troops of dragoons were ordered to be levied (pp. 183, 184), and in September a new foot regiment to be commanded by the Earl of Mar, three troops of horse to be commanded by the Earls of Airlie and Home and Graham of Claverhouse, and a troop of dragoons (p. 416).

In October measures were taken for re-organizing the militia (pp. 484, 568), a picked force of 5,000 foot and 500 horse being selected from the whole body of 20,000 foot and 2,000 horse offered by Parliament, to be divided into five regiments and five troops and to be kept together four days in every month and carefully exercised.

To check the frequent robberies and other disorders in the Highlands, two companies of Highlanders of 150 men each were to be raised, to be quartered with 100 men from the regiment of Guards in garrison at Inverlochy or at any other place in the Highlands that the Privy Council considered the fittest (p. 393).

A proclamation was also issued summoning all the chiefs to give bond to preserve the peace. This was principally contrived in Argyle's favour, to prevent combinations against him, occasioned through his oppression of the Macleans, which he was increasing during the minority of the heir (p. 468).

In May a foot regiment and four troops of horse and three of dragoons were sent to Berwick and Carlisle and other places in the North to be in readiness in case of disturbances in Scotland (p. 193).

The conventicles met notwithstanding as frequently as ever. On 5 May three were held near Dumfries, at one of which John Welsh preached (p. 164). Next Sunday there was a great conventicle. A company of the Guards was sent to disperse them. The minister escaped, but they took a great many prisoners, and the soldiers left not a ring on the fingers of any of the women there. The same day the Governor of the Bass sent out a party to scatter a great conventicle, but the conventiclers killed one of them and disarmed the rest (p. 184).

James Lermont and another were tried for the murder of the soldier. The judges held that the presence of persons at a field conventicle with arms, or, though without arms, using encouraging words, when a slaughter happened, was sufficient to infer them guilty of the murder. The jury found Lermont guilty of being present, and declaring "Let no cowards be here to-day, and let those that have arms come aside," but not guilty of murder. The Lord Justice General, Sir Archibald Primrose, refused to sit, pretending to be sick, and Lord Castlehill, brother to the late Ambassador Lockhart, refused to pass sentence of death on Lermont. The next day the Privy Council sent Lords Moray and Ross to vote instead of the Lord Justice General and Castlehill, whereon Lermont was sentenced to be beheaded. His behaviour was very good; he suffered none of the Episcopalian clergy to attend him, but performed all that was requisite very gravely (pp. 402, 425). The Lord Justice General and Castlehill were in consequence removed, and Sir George Mackenzie of Tarbet appointed Lord Justice General (p. 476).

The constitution of all the judicatories was absolutely at Lauderdale's beck, so that in judgment a dog could not move his tongue against him, and he was able to effect anything he pleased (p. 477). A caustic remark of Sir George Lockhart on the Scotch judges will be found on p. 477.

Another great conventicle, at which seven or eight thousand people were expected, was to be held near Dumfries the first Sunday in June (p. 201).

Notwithstanding the efforts of Hamilton and his party, the King wrote to the Privy Council fully approving of their proceedings (p. 193).

In May a Convention of Estates was summoned to meet on 26 June (p. 185). Great interest was taken in the elections throughout Scotland, and both the Lauderdale and Hamilton parties were uncertain of the result. In Dumfries-shire the latter were successful, Sir Robert Dalzell, who had been commissioner at every Parliament since the Restoration, being rejected. In Clydesdale there was a double return, the freeholders who had subscribed the bond returning two of their number and the non-subscribers two of themselves (pp. 232, 233).

With the preparations for the Convention begins the series of letters from the person calling himself Matthew Mackaile to Alderman Sir John Frederick. He writes as a merchant, e.g., asking time for payment, but from the whole tenour of his letters he was apparently some one of much higher rank. He mentioned that he attended Lauderdale beyond Berwick on his return to England and kissed his hands (p. 354), and he was on familiar terms with the Earl of Arran (p. 523). It does not appear how the letters came into the Secretary of State's office, whether they were forwarded by Sir John Frederick, or intercepted in the post. I am inclined to think the latter was the case. Whoever the writer may have been, the letters give a singularly full and vivid account of the state of Scotland and of the proceedings at the Convention from an opposite point of view to that of the Lauderdale Papers, Vol. III, p. 154.

In his first letter (p. 232) he divided Scotland into three several interests, the Episcopal and Court interest, that for liberty and privileges, now followed by Hamilton and his party, and that of religion and Presbytery. Lauderdale and the clergy of England and Scotland had represented the other two parties to the King as divided only in appearance, but as really ready to rise in actual rebellion, and so had contrived a bond, wherein he would have obliged the party that pretend for liberty to persecute those that pretend for religion, and, because they showed their unwillingness, they were reduced to difficulties.

The next letters (pp. 234, 243) describe the proceedings of Lauderdale and Hamilton on their arrival at Edinburgh. It had been thought that the latter was in danger of being arrested on his way. The Council had ordered 800 of the troops at Berwick to be ready for any other commands, Lauderdale having no reason to trust a single regiment of the militia of Scotland. There was great uncertainty which party would prevail in the Convention.

A full account follows (p. 249) of the proceedings on the first day of the Convention, 26 June. Subsequent letters describe how the Committee appointed to consider the validity of elections, which was nominated by Lauderdale and did not include one of the Hamilton party, decided in every case in favour of candidates of the former party (pp. 251, 258), and how their decisions were upheld by the Convention (p. 269).

When the Convention was constituted, they agreed to grant the subsidy requested for the payment of forces required for suppressing the numerous field conventicles, and a committee was appointed to consider the quota (p. 274). The Convention was dissolved on 11 July, having voted a subsidy of 150,000l. sterling to be levied by a land tax in five years (p. 284).

An ironical letter of 16 July (p. 291) describes the condition and feelings of Scotland, adding that the Presbyterians think the Solemn League and Covenant is still in force, and will never refuse to be judges in their own cause, but the English army was the bugbear. The day before Lauderdale had gone to repose himself at his own house at Lethingtoun, from which he returned the 23rd (p. 313).

Richard Maitland, Lauderdale's nephew, went to Stirling Castle to marry the Earl of Argyle's eldest daughter on 6 August, and immediately afterwards Lauderdale set out for London. A thousand horse escorted him as far as Berwick (pp. 340, 354). The Duke of Hamilton went to Bath with Major-General Drummond (p. 346).

On 28 June the claim of Sir Patrick Home of Polwarth to sit for Berwickshire was rejected by the Convention. He was arrested on 1 July on a warrant charging him with having endeavoured to create disturbances in the King's affairs (p. 254). His papers were searched to make it appear he had been keeping correspondence with some members of the House of Commons (p. 270). He was kept close prisoner indicta causa (p. 353) first in Edinburgh Tolbooth, whence he was removed on account of his health, first to Dumbarton and afterwards to Stirling Castle (pp. 393, 579). Sir James Stuart, an old Arch-covenanter, was also arrested early in August (p. 340), but was soon afterwards released (p. 366).

Macdougal of Garfland was apprehended, being accused of saying that the King and Lauderdale intended nothing but an arbitrary government (p. 354). His accusers did not appear at the criminal court in September, so the case was adjourned till November (p. 402).

The activity of the Presbyterians continued. The first Sunday in August John Welsh, with 36 other Nonconformist ministers, assembled 10,000 men at Maybole, celebrated the Lord's Supper, and preached up the Solemn League and Covenant and the lawfulness of defensive arms, drilling themselves before and after the sermons, and appointed another celebration for the following Sunday at Fenwick, within 34 miles of Edinburgh, declaring they would defend themselves if opposed (pp. 346, 353). Welsh, with his guard of horse, afterwards entered Ayr. The magistrates excused themselves to the Council for not apprehending him, alleging they had not a suitable force (p. 365). Many of the courtiers having gone with Lauderdale, the remaining members of the Council could better lament than remedy those proceedings (p. 354), the forces being so few and the conventicles so numerous (p. 370).

In September 14,000 received the Sacrament at a meeting in Galloway (p. 416). Some people expected that there would be a rising, before the supply for the new forces could be raised (p. 450).

From Scotland the infection spread across the Borders. Great meetings were held on the borders of Northumberland. A skirmish took place near Learmouth between Welsh and his followers and a party commanded by Col. Strother, in which Capt. Robert Morley was killed, and Pringle and Carr, two Scotchmen (pp. 411, 413, 415, 416, 417). Orders were given to the Duke of Monmouth as General to order the forces in those parts to assist in dispersing all such unlawful assemblies and in seizing the teachers and their chief followers (p. 407), and to the Duke of Newcastle as Lieutenant of the county (p. 408) to recommend to the deputy lieutenants and justices to do their utmost to suppress such assemblies and to arrest the teachers. The Duke of Monmouth wrote accordingly to the commander of the forces in the North (p. 412). Forces in England were, if necessary, to pursue the fugitives into Scotland, and if any fled into England, to assist such as should pursue them out of Scotland (pp. 417–419). The Mayor and Aldermen of Newcastle were ordered to put the Act against Conventicles into effectual execution (p. 418), and warrants were accordingly issued against Nonconforming ministers there (p. 446). The Mayor of Berwick was also ordered to put the said Act into effectual execution (pp. 553, 560). Additional troops were sent down to Northumberland (p. 419), namely, a troop of horse and three troops of dragoons (p. 433).

The Duke of Ormonde was ordered to keep a strict guard on all the passages between the North of Ireland and Scotland for apprehending any of the ringleaders who should attempt to escape to Ireland, and a description of Welsh was sent him (p. 428).

Hamilton was in London the end of September, where he and Major-General Drummond were admitted to kiss the King's hand (p. 425). He retained his popularity in Scotland (p. 467), but Lauderdale endeavoured to prejudice him with the King and the Duke of York, saying he had done the King many ill offices in Scotland, and principally by questioning his prerogative about nominating committees, and that his not voting against the subsidy was only to colour his other practices. Hamilton having replied, the King said he did not see wherein he could be prejudiced, but desired Lauderdale to put his charges in writing, and assured Hamilton he would have an opportunity to answer them. When Mackaile heard this, he thought Hamilton's cause had triumphed, but he changed his mind on hearing that James Daes, one of the advocates who followed Hamilton to London, was arrested.

The Marquess of Athol, having joined Hamilton's party, was deprived of his Commissionership of the Treasury, his captaincy of the Life Guards of Horse and it was said also of the office of Privy Seal (pp. 402, 486, 498). The vacant Commissionership was given to the Earl of Moray, whose son had married Lauderdale's step-daughter, and the captaincy to the Marquess of Montrose. The Marquess being accused as a countenancer of field conventicles answered that he thought himself not obliged to execute the commands of the Council, but, if his Majesty gave him a commission, he would not be wanting. He was taken at his word, a commission was sent down, on which he wrote peremptorily to his deputies to use all rigour against field conventicles, so that on Sunday, 20 October, some who had met were surprised by a number of Highlanders. Some were killed, others plundered, others were stripped naked, women were forced and many were taken prisoners. Hamilton was much more cautious as to endangering his interest in the affections of the so-called good people, for he not only would not concur to injure them, but declared that the people in his neighbourhood were so irreconcilable to episcopacy that he told the King that in his private opinion it was tolerable, but could not be established in Scotland (p. 483).

Even Lauderdale managed to have an interest with the Nonconformists, many of whom would never be persuaded but he minded their good, and so weakened that party by a division. He installed one of the Presbyterian ministers in a public congregation in the face of the clergy, who dared not gainsay him, and his policy was that of absolute supremacy in the King, and he valued the clergy as little as the Presbytery when it came in competition with that point (p. 477).

Mackaile wrote in October (p. 498): "The Presbyterian party keep their old method of preaching from house to house and in the open fields, when they have opportunity, and in effect the strength of the kingdom is that way, only authority is altogether contrary and every day more and more so. I cannot say they are the fewer that they are under the rod, for not only old folks are so inclined, but also very many of the young choose that way, and are as willing to suffer as any, and the old ministers are daily emitting young men, who go through the whole country teaching and preaching."

An anecdote of the disrespect shown by Lord Arran, Hamilton's son, to the Archbishop of St. Andrews, is given on p. 523.

In November the houses of several Papists were searched and their papers seized (p. 523). "A seminary priest had almost been seized, but the pursuit is much hotter against the Presbyterian party, who usually get the ill deeds and the Papists the evil words, as appears by their bringing in so many prisoners. If it is but known they have heard a Presbyterian minister preach, they must all be packed for Virginia in a ship ready for them, and, lest they should overpower the mariners, there is invented, as is alleged by the famous Bishop of Galloway, a certain screw to couple their thumbs together to disable them from defensive or offensive war. The number is some 60 or 70."

"All judicatories civil and officers military are of a Lauderdale substitution, and great care is taken that no Presbyterado creep into the government," on which account three of the four aldermen of Edinburgh who refused to take the Declaration were turned out (p. 539). Mackaile, in the same letter, describes how some witches, till they were strangled, continued confessing the sin and deprecating the judgment. At Coldingham a drunken fellow, who was in the habit of swearing "Devil take my soul, if this be not true," on his way back from an alehouse fell asleep in a churchyard. He was awaked by two grim men, who told him they came to demand his soul according to his bargain. He gave them his coat as a pledge, and with much difficulty got home, and died a day and a half afterwards.

An abatement of 1,500l. sterling was ordered to Capt. Dick, tacksman of Orkney and Zetland, a ship of his which contained the fermes and duties of Zetland for 1676 and part of 1675 having been totally lost the previous October (p. 123).

Channel Islands, Colonial and Foreign.

There is but little news from the Channel Islands. Notwithstanding Williamson's efforts, there was great delay in repairing the fortifications at Guernsey (pp. 127, 332). The governors of that island and Jersey were urged to do their utmost to procure intelligence from France (pp. 127, 332).

In Virginia the Indians who had killed five persons on a plantation had been delivered to the English, and were tried for their lives (p. 117). The Indians were at war with one another, but desired the English to remain neutral (p. 120). The crop was at first reported to be indifferent (p. 121), but afterwards good (p. 402), and the country generally was in a good and peaceable condition (pp. 329, 355).

Barbados also was in a good and peaceable condition, and the crop was expected to be good (pp. 139, 216, 321).

In May Lord Carlisle, the Governor, sailed for Jamaica (p. 163). He had not arrived there on 16 June (p. 483).

In March or April there were three great earthquakes at St. Jago de Cuba (p. 218).

The English in the West Indies were in apprehension of the French fleet, commanded by d'Estrées, after the taking of Tobago (p. 218, 220). These apprehensions were soon dissipated by the loss of the greater part of the fleet on rocks while they were going to surprise the Dutch island of Curacoa. The ships of the Admiral, Vice-Admiral, and Rear-Admiral were lost with five other men-of-war (pp. 317, 318, 322, 329, 333, 341).

In the last volume (p. 493) is calendared a warrant for the trial of John Hartley at Madras for the murder of William Gilbert. There seems to be some mistake about this, for in the present volume there is a warrant (p. 597) for the trial of William Gilbert for killing John Hartley.

Some notices occur of the indecisive fighting between the Danes and Swedes (pp. 222, 248, 329, 349, 363).

Perpetual fighting was going on in Russia between the Russians, Muscovites, Poles, Tartars and Turks (p. 401).

A question arose whether Sallee subjects and goods on board the Algerine man-of-war taken by Capt. Herbert were confiscated or not, Sallee being at peace with England (p. 248).

Another Algerine man-of-war was driven ashore and burnt by Capt. Rooke near Arzila (p. 406). Sir John Narbrough retook an English vessel from the Algerines (p. 56), and the gallant Capt. Holt beat off the attack of an Algerine man-of-war of superior force off Cape St. Vincent (p. 56). On the other hand a Yarmouth ship from Malaga was taken (p. 115). Algerine men-of-war were reported on the Irish coast (pp. 185, 217), and four of them took four English ships off Bourgneuf, the men escaping in their boats (pp. 363, 378).

Words and Phrases.

On p. 55 there is a grant of the office of Spigurnell or sealer to the Great Seal. In Tomlin's Law Dictionary this word is said to be derived from the name of the first holder of the office in the reign of Henry III.

An early example of the phrase "I smell a rat" occurs on p. 102.

In the phrase, speaking of an unlicensed press, "They are printing and dollaring" (p. 70), "dollaring" probably refers to the noise made by the press. It does not occur in the New English Dictionary (p. 148).

"Lockroms" were a sort of linen made at Locronan, i.e. St. Ronan's cell in Brittany.

F. H. Blackburne Daniell.