you that grace which will teach and enable us to want as well as to wear a Crown which is not worth the taking up or enjoying upon sordid dishonourable or irreligious terms Do you always keep firm to the true Principles of Piety Virtue and Honour and you shall never want a Kingdom It will be your honour to afford all respect love and protection to your Mother who hath many ways deserved well of me especially in being a means to bless me with so many hopeful Children and being content with incomparable magnanimity to suffer with me and them May you be an Anchor of hope to these weather-beaten Kingdoms your Wisdom Justice Piety and Valour a repairer of what the folly and wickedness of some men have so far ruined as to leave nothing intire to the Crown Nobility Clergy or Commons of Laws Liberties Estates Order Honour Conscience or Lives Let those that love me find me when I am gone in your presence and vertues What good I intended do you perform when God shall put it into your power I pray God bless you and establish your Kingdom in Righteousness your Soul in true Religion and your Honour in the Love of God and your People Farewel till we meet if not on Earth yet in Heaven The good King having thus resigned himself and all his Affairs into the hand of God patiently submitted to his Cross and in a way of renunciation as it were and self-disposition of his Government transferred and bequeathed the Scepter together with his Advice and Direction for his wielding of it He applied himself wholly to the making preparation for his departing from an earthly to a heavenly Kingdom being assisted in his Piety and Devotion by Dr. Juxon Bishop of London And being upon the fatal 30th of January brought upon a Scaffold erected before his own Palace of Whitehall where he was barbarously murdered by his own Rebellious Subjects he delivered himself in the following Speech Being not likely to be much heard I could be silent did not silence intimate a submission to the guilt as well as to the punishment charged upon me But in my duty to my God and Country to clear my self an Honest Man a good King and a good Christian I protest before God to whom I must instantly give an account that as may appear from the date of their Commissions and mine I begun not the War against the Parliament nor intended I any incroachment upon their Priviledges they began with me and the Militia which they confest was mine but thought it fit to have it from me yet I charge not the guilt of these unhappy troubles upon the two Houses for I believe ill instruments betwixt us was the cause of all this Bloodshed however this Sentence is just upon me for an unjust Sentence permitted by me What Christian I am this good Man pointing to Dr. Juxon and others that have been inwardly familiar with me and know me as well as my self may bear witness I die in Communion with the Professors of the Reformed Religion that hath been Establisht in the Church of England in Queen Eliz. and my Fathers time of Blessed Memory and in Charity with all the World forgiving the worst of mine Enemies and praying God that this be not laid to their Charge As a good King I advise my Subjects not to ground your selves in Conquests without a good cause that you would give God the King and the People their dues You may give God his due by the advice of a national Synod freely chosen and freely debating among themselves How you may give the King his due the Law will instruct you and the People have their due when they have that Government and those Laws whereby their Lives and Goods are most their own I have delivered my Conscience I pray God you take those courses that may be for the Kingdoms and your own good Having finisht this Speech and poured forth his Divine Soul to God in Prayer it was sent by death to him that gave it where the great Assembly in Heaven joyfully welcomed that Martyred King and made room for Charles of Great Brittain The Life and Reign of Charles the first being thus determined by this untimely and fatal stroak his Eldest Son who likewise bore his Name immediately Succeeded him by the Title of Charles the Second Who was the Lawful and undoubted Heir not only of all his Dominions but also of his admirable and Heavenly Vertues being endowed with all those Qualifications which are requisite to or could possibly be desired in a Prince and under the influence of whose happy Reign these Nations might have enjoyed as much happiness and felicity as their Hearts would wish had not their own folly and madness for a time prevented it For no sooner had the Fatal Ax severed England and her Liberties by cutting off the Head of her King but the Parliament as the Juncto still presumed to call themselves the better to crush Monarchy and maintain what they had now so far prosecuted issued forth a Proclamation that none under penalty of being deemed guilty of High Treason should presume to Proclaim declare publish or any way promote the Prince of Wales Son to the late King or any other Person whatsoever to be King or Chief Magistrate of England or of any part of the Dominions or any part thereof by Colour of Inheritance Succession or Election or any other claim or pretence whatsoever without the free consent of the People in Parliament and which Proclamation altho not publisht till the 2 of February yet was in part Proclaimed on the very day of the Kings Murder And for the more ensuring and the better carrying on their Government with the more plausibility they publish an Act of State for the alteration of Writs wherein instead of King the Name Stile and Test and Custodes Libertatis Angliae Anthoritate Parliamenti should be used and no other All Writs being ordered to run so and those concerned in the Law required to take notice thereof yet they provided that all Patents granted by the late King should still stand in full force and vertue And having cast off the chief of those three Estates by which the Nation had been so long Governed they think likewise of abolishing the second that so they might usurp the whole power into their own hands in order whereunto having first Voted that they would make no farther Addresses to them nor receive any from them they made an Ordinance for abolishing the House of Lords as dangerous and useless And then having abolished the Ancient Governments of this Kingdom they proceeded to the consideration of Establishing another but found it a work of so much intricacy that they could come to no resolution but only agreed in a Negative Voice that there should for the future be no Government in England either by King or House of Lords and thereupon ordered the old Great Seal to be broken and a new one to
them that no man had long'd with more impatience to have those Bills past than he had done to pass them in regard he look't upon them as the Foundation of the Nations Peace and Security and that he did very willingly pardon all that were pardoned in the Act of Indempnity but assuring them withal that for the time to come the same discretion and conscience which had disposed him to the clemency that he had therein exprest and was most agreeable to his nature would oblige him to all Rigour and Severity how contrary soever it were to his Disposition towards those who should not now acquiesce but continue to manifest their Sedition and dislike of the Government not knowing any more probable way to assure himself of his peoples affections than by rendring himself just as well as kind to all The confluence of his felicities were about this time somewhat abated and the Joy of his Restauration somewhat allay'd by the immature and much lamented Death of his younger Brother Henry Duke of Gloucester a Prince of such extraordinary hopes that my silence will be his best Commendation since his vertues far transcend the highest expressions of my Pen. He dyed of the small-Pox and was privately buryed in Henry the 7th's Chappel The Princess of Orange soon after dispelling the grief which had been conceiv'd upon the account of his death by her Arrival from Holland to Joy and Felicitate her Brothers in the Recovery of their Rights About this time the King knowing that the Common wealth never thrives so well as when the Church and State are equally Interested in the Princes care applied himself to settle the Miter as wel as the Crown and provide for the wel ordering of Ecclesiastical affairs as well as he had done for the Civil by reestablishing Episcopcay and restoring the Bishops to their ancient Rights and Priviledges So that the Ecclesiastical Regiment by Bishops recover'd its self by the Kings piety and prudence near as soon and in almost as Triumphant a manner as Monarchy it self appointing Dr. Juxon that ancient and excellent Prelate that had been in his Fathers Reign Bishop of London and had assisted him at the time of his death on the Scaffold to the Arch-Bishopprick of Canterbury whose Translation was perform'd with great Solemnity And not long after several new Bishops chosen from among the eminent and valiant asserters of the Church and Lawâ— of England were consecrated in the Abby at Westminster and all the Vacant Diocesses fill'd up with men of the greatest Learning and Piety And now divine vengeance having with a sure though a slow foot trac'd the Murderers of the Royal Martyr through several Mazes at last overtake them For the Parliament having in detestation of their Crime and to wipe away the stain of that most accursed Pollution giv'n them up as Sacrifices to the Law and the Honour of their Country the King order'd their Tryal by a Commission of Oyer and Terminer to begin on the Ninth of October that so his Justice might appear equally as Respondent in the punishment of their Parricide as his Clemency had done in the pardon of all other Crimes They were all of them convicted according to Law the full benefit whereof was allow'd them being tryed by a Jury of their Peers against whom they had the liberty of excepting and Condemn'd to be Drawn Hang'd and Quarter'd and Harrison Carew Scot Clement Scrope Jones Peters Hacker Axtell and Cook were Executed accordingly The last of whom acknowledg'd that the Person of the Prince they had Murder'd was beyond any Parallel being most Virtuous most Innocent most Religious and that his Judges were for the most part mean and desparate Persons whose Hands were lifted up by Ambition Sacriledge Covetousness and success against the Life of that incomparable Prince whose lamented and barbarous death God would not suffer to go unrevenged Their quarters were dispos'd of to the several Gates and most of their Heads set on Poles upon the Bridge but the rest of the Prisoners that had surrendred themselves on Proclamation were respited from Execution till the farther pleasure of the Parliament was known and after Sentence past upon them remanded to the Tower from whence they came And having now in some measure reveng'd his Fathers Death his next respects were due to his Mother who being about that time come over from France he could not better welcome her to his Kingdoms than by rendring his Entertainments of her Innocent and free from that horrible guilt which had Divorc'd her from her Husband and for so long a Tract of time estrang'd her from his People since he could neither with Justice nor civility have receiv'd her here without satisfaction and expectation of those Crimes which had so rudely driven her to seek her safety abroad He brought her back to his Pallace at Whitehall on the Second of November after she had been nineteen Years absent from them together with his Sister the Princess Henretta who had not been suffered to breath in English Air above two years after her Birth This meeting after so tedious and desperate an absence was very joyous and the Entertainment highly Magnificent The Marquess of Argile upon the Kings Restauration had the confidence notwithstanding all the base Treasons he had covertly acted in that Kingdom since the Kings departure thence to come up from Scotland in hopes by his fair and specious pretences to obtain his pardon and that the King according to his Gracious Inclination would have past by those many undutiful and Irreverend usages he had receiv'd from him and the rest of his Associates whilst he was there amongst them But such was the general hatred and detestation of that People and especially the Nobility against him that he was committed to the Tower and from thence by Sea convey'd to Edenborough where his process was making ready The Earl of Middleton the Kings great Commissioner for that Kingdom following him thither about the end of December in order to his Tryal where he was convicted and Executed for those many Treasons he had perpetrated against both Kings Death having tasted of the Bloud-Royal by cutting off the Duke of Glocester as though there were a circulation of the very same in every individual and it naturally ran in the same distemper through a whole Family the Infection by a kind of Sympathy in the same disease of the Small-Pox seized the vitals of the Princess of Orange and in spite of all art and remedy hurried her to the grave leaving her Brother and the whole Court fill'd with grief and sadness and her Son the young Prince not above ten years and a month old she was privately buried by her Brother in Henry the 7thâ— Chappel And now the happy Parliament which rendred it self deservedly Famous by rebuilding the glorious structure of the English Ancient and Renowned Government and assured the Foundation thereof in the establishing the Throne of their rightful Soveraign came to its
Exchecquer and Judges of the Law according to their several Dignities Trumpets Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber Knights of the Bath the Knights Marshal the Treasurer of the Chamber the Master of the Jewel House the Knights of the Privy Councel the Comptrollor and the Treasurer of the Kings-Household two Trumpets and Serjeants Trumpets two Pursivants at Arms Barons Eldest Sons Earls Youngest Sons Viscounts Eldest Sons Marquesses Youngest Sons Earls Eldest Sons two Pursivants at Armes Viscounts and Dukes Eldest Sons Marquesses Eldest Sons two Heralds Earls Earl Marshal and Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold Dukes Eldest Sons Serjeants at Armes on both sides the Nobility Clarencieux and Norroy Lord Treasurer Lord Chancellor Lord High-Steward the Duke of Ormond and two persons representing the Dukeâ— of Normandy and Aquitain Gentleman Usher Garter Lord Mayor His Royal Highness the Duke of York alone the Lord High Constable of England which was the Earl of Northumberland the Lord Great Chamberlain of England which was then the Earl Lindsey and the Sword carryed by the Duke of Richmond Equeries and Footmen followed next and about the King himself Gentlemen and Pensioners without them Master of the Horse which was the Duke of Albemarle leading a Spare Horse the Vice-Chamberlain to the King the Captain of the Pensioners the Captain of the Guard the Guard the Kings Life Guard Commanded by the Lord Gerrard the Generals Life Guard by Sir Phillip Howard a Troop of Voluntiers Troop and a Company of Foot by Sir John Robinson The way from the Tower to Aldgate was guarded by the Hamblets from thence to Temple-Bar by the Train-Bands on the one side and by the Livery on the other with the Banners of each Company the Windows were all along laid with Carpets and the best Tapistry Bands of Musick in several places and the Conduits running with Wine In St. Pauls Church-Yard stood the Blewcoat-Boyes of Christ-Church Hospital one whereof in the Name of the rest declared their joy for his Majesties wonderful Preservation and Restauration Humbly beseeching his Gracious Favour and Indulgence according to the example of His Royal Ancestors and his Father of Blessed Memory With which Speech he was well pleased and testified his being so by his rewarding the Boy that spoke it In the Strand and through Westminster the wayes were likewise gravelled and railed and guarded on both sides with the Trained-Bands of that City and the Kings two Regiments of Foot under the Command of Albemarl and Collonel Russel and the Houses adorned with Carpets and Tapestry like those in London When he came through Temple-Bar the Head Bayliffe and High-Constable in Scarlet met and received him with loud Musick and alighting off their Horses and kneeling down the Head Bayliff on behalf of the Dean and Chapter City and Liberty signified their Joyful Reception of His Royal Person into that Liberty Declaring how much their happiness exceeded any other part of the Nations in that their Soveraign Lord and King was come among them and humbly desiring His Majesty to continue his Grace and Favour to them whereby they might still be enabled to do His Majesty service Infinite and Innumerable were the Shouts and Acclamations from all parts as he past along to the no less Joy than amazement of the Spectators And the Pomp of this Solemnity was so great that it is vain to attempt the describing it it being not only unutterable but almost Inconceivable and many outlandish Persons who beheld it admired how it was possible for the English after such horrible confusions to appear in so rich and stately a manner It is incredible to think what costly Robes were worn that day it being scarcely discernable what their Cloaks were made of for the Gold and Silver Laces and Imbroidery that was laid on them besides the inestimable treasures of Diamonds Pearles and other Jewels and the Rich Liveries of their Pages and Footmen some suits whereof were so very rich that they amounted to near 1500 l. In this order he arrived at White-Hall where having retired himself to supper and so to Rest he came the next day which being St. Georges day was to consummate the Coronation from his privy Staires to the Old Pallace where in a Room behind the House of Lords called the Prince's Lodgings he stayed till the Lords and the rest of his Train had Robed and Ranked themselves in Westminster-Hall and so soon as they were ready descended the Stairs that went down into the Hall and placed himself in a Throne in the upper end thereof Then came the Dean and Prebends of Westminster in their Rich Copes each of them having a part of the Regalia and delivered them to the Lord High Constable who delivered them to the Lord Great Chamberlain and being by him set on a Table the King immediately distributed them St. Edwards Staff to the Earl of Sandwich the Spurrs to Pembrâ—ke the Sword called Curtana to Oxford the pointed Sword carryed on the Right Hand of it to Shrewsbury that carryed on the left to Derby and the Sword of State to Manchester the Scepter with the Dove to Albemarle the Orb with the Cross to Buckingham St. Edwards Crown to Ormond and the Pattina and Challice to the Bishops of London and Exeter And having thus bestowed the Regalia he set forward on foot much after the same order which was observed the day before upon blew Cloath spread on the ground from the Hall to his Chair in the Abby supported by the Bishops of Bath and Durham and having his Trayn carried up by the Lords Mandevill Cavendish Ossery and Piercy assisted by the Lord Viscount Mansfield Master of the Robes All the Peers with their Coronets in their hands went up along with him till he was placed in the Chair of State Then the Bishop of London on behalf of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury told the People he did there present them King Charles the Second the Rightful Inheritor of the Crown of this Realm and demanded of all those that came thither that day to do their Homage Service and Bounden Duty whether they were willing to do the same Whereupon all the Peers in their Parliament Robes and People gave a shout testifying their willingness Then the King rising from his Chair turned himself to the four sides of the Throne and speaking to the People who again with loud Acclamations signified their consent all in one voice After which the Choire sung an Anthem in the interim whereof he went supported by the Bishops of Bath and Durham attended by the Dean of Westminster to the steps before the Communion Table where upon Carpets and Cushions he offered a Pall and a piece of Gold and then removing to the right hand kneelled down during a short Collect then the Sermon began being Preacht by the Bishop of Worcester which ended the Bishop of London on behalf of the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury ask't Him If He would be pleased to take the Oath that was wont to be taken
believe the King was the least Thing in him And Posterity shall know the happiness of England and this Age when it shall see we are not silent of a good Prince after his Decease for it is a sign that there is as good a One or a better on the Throne And this Task I the more willingly undertake MY LORDS First because it is impossible for any man to want or matter or words while he writes of him and 't is a Subject that even Dulness it self wou'd Treat of wittily And secondly because not only all Europe but the whole World and Posterity it self will joyn with me in his Praises For the Outmost Rounds of the Earth were acquainted with him and he establish'd our Commerce so universally that whatever Product was generated in any Country seem'd to be the Native of Ours and in every Season of the Year we had a perpetual Autumn Fruits arriving from every part of this Globe And as his Name will be laid up in the Libraries of Asia and men must hear his Praises by Interpreters so likewise our Posterity no doubt will help us in praising him who are at present too much over-loaden with one burthen that of Grief for His inexpressible loss to undertake such another as that of celebrating him I shall not seek to fetch Encomiums from comparing him with his Ancestors and so try by lessening them to amplifie his Greatness That is a trick I do not pretend to let his fame stand at the expence of no mans else For as all the Talents and Virtues of his Forefathers he in such wise united in himself as that not one of them was wanting while he lived and as it is common for a Prince to be better than his Predecessors but to be better than all his Predecessors belong'd to him alone so he that detracts from them detracts from him And for one instance who dare sacrilegiously invade the Majesty of CHARLES the 1st in hopes to diminish it who neither said nor did nor wrote nor begot any thing but what was Great So Divine a Prince none was thought worthy by Heav'n it self immediately to Succeed but he And therefore after that Nature had made several Tryals in Henry the Great 's Daughter for five Years space towards the Production of something perfect and absolute she at length made this acceptable Present to the World As soon as Born Heaven took notice of him and ey'd him with a Star appearing in defiance of the Sun at Noon-day either to note That his Life shou'd be continu'd with Miracles as it began with one or that his Glory shou'd shine like a Star or else to prove That if it be question'd whether Sovereigns be given us by chance or by the hand of the Almighty it is here manifest that this Prince came from Heav'n and that there is a World of difference put betwixt Kings supernaturally made by God and those electively made by Man In his Education afterwards he excell'd in all those corporal Exercises and that growth of Body for which Antiquity appointed the Sons of the Gods and Husbands of the Goddesses to be so Remarkable And as the shape of his Body so the form of his mind was truly and universally Imperial It had the command of whatever Notion or Thing was presented to it whether Divine or Humane without any foreign Explication and as it were by Intuition he saw the Ideas of all things in his own breast In his first Years he promis'd that Virtue which his Fathers and his own Miseries gave him an early and a large Field to shew to the World and which he kept entire and unshaken to the last his Mind being still more and more strengthned by difficulties And to speak a little freely MY LORDS when Ye remember him amid all his distresses and the most insupportable stroaks of Fortune unrepining and not letting the least complaint escape from him or the least fear seize upon him You must either fancy something in him above Man or that the gods themselves might learn of him one Virtue that of constancy and firmness of mind For Seneca shews us that Hercules himself the great and perfect Model of true Virtue and Valour in his last Agonies did complain ev'n to Desperation Adorn'd with such Virtues who cou'd not but love him Even Sea-Rebels as rough and boisterous as their own Element grow tender-hearted and set their Admiral on shore delivering themselves up to him and the Love of the Prince prevails more with them than the Piety of their King When in Exile as with his Fame he had before fill'd other Nations so now he bless'd 'em with his presence By barbarous Rebels he was forc'd to venture the Hospitality of Princes yet the King of France was not afraid of abiding in the French Kings Dominions But whatever jealousies he might conceive of his own safety whatever bad news he received from England how great soever were the Progresses made by Cromwel he thought this his greatest Unhappiness that he shou'd have so many Calamitous Friends both at home and abroad His Restoration I can compare to nothing better than that easie delicious and jocund Temper of the Elements of Heaven the Air and Sea after a violent and outragious Tempest or rather after the great Deluge of the World at which Time he prov'd himself the Noah's Dove that finding no Rest any where was receiv'd again into his own Ark and brought a peaceable Olive-Leaf in his Mouth Which Revolution was the alone work of Providence and the General For nothing but an Almighty Power hath Dominion over the minds of Men. He did not leap on Shore with his Sword in his Hand by way of Compulsion but he was saluted with the free and unanimous Voice of three great Nations As he had no other real Enemies but his own Country so in this he appeared more than Conqueror that he vanquish'd the very minds of his enemies Never was such a Triumph seen at Rome Others have rode on a Chariot with four white Horses or more arrogantly have been carri'd on Mens Shoulders but he was brought in by the hearts of Men. That Name which others get by conquer'd Natâ—ons he got by repenting ones and only by returning out of exile into his own Country which was exil'd when he was so he lookt in the Poets Language Like Mars returning from the Noble Chace Of flying Nations through the Plains of Thrace At one time never was so much Joy heap'd together in England It seem'd as if all the Melancholly of the former years was purposely designed to introduce and heighten the so extravagant gladness of that great Day that some were ready to wish for a Renovation of the Civil Wars that they might have that day repeated to them over again Every man thought that himself received the shouts he gave and every subject fancied himself a Monarch The sick imagine they are restored to health by seeing his God-like Person Some cry they
have lived long enough Others Now they ought rather to live longer Traitors themselves drink the King's Health heartily They admire him more that he wou'd not than that ever he should be in a possibility to revenge himself and that he shou'd remember Injuries only to forgive them Let him ascend and there was a due Majesty restor'd to the Throne Authority to the Laws Reverence to inferior Magistrates and the sacred Order of Bishops to Religion like a Treasure found from a Ship-wrack after many Years rouling in a tempestuous Sea Thus terminating all publick differences and confusions by Peace he adorn'd Peace it self with good Arts which receiv'd both their Countrey with him and their Protection under him by his opening the Temple of Janus and that of the Muses at the same time For himself had as great a Knowledg in Letters as any Prince in Christendom and he most acurately understood Navigation Astronomy and most parts of the Mathematicks An huge delight he took in conversing freely with the most knowing Men in those pleasant and useful Studies And he endeavour'd to promote them as much as possible in others by publick Endowments and Liberal Rewards Besides this severer sort of Notices he had a great insight into all those softer Arts which become a private Gentleman And in his Reign we may say That Wit did first reign here and appear'd upon the Stage as on a Throne It was scarcely more encourag'd and environ'd with greater Pomp and Splendor at Rome under the peaceable Reign of Augustus after that long Civil War wherein the Sword would permit nothing else to be sharp besides it self Tho he had as much Good-Nature as wou'd perhaps have serv'd an Hundred other Men a Word peculiar to our English Tongue and a Thing peculiar to this Prince as the Great Chancellor remark'd yet he was observed to take an extream delight in that Part of Poesy which is not very famous for Good Nature I mean Satyr Doubtless this sort of Writing is the best and most beneficial of all others which the Poets follow for it not only tells Mankind of but it chastises them for their Faults And I wonder that the Ancients when they bestowed so many several kinds of Poetry to the Favour and Influence of so many Muses they could not find in their hearts to allow one Goddess to Satyr But whatever unkindness it finds in Heaven I am sure in our Age it has found Protection upon earth witness the great good Offices the French King hath done it in the Person of Boileau For that Prince is not like Alexander of a Spanish stamp and Complexion so wholly transported with the Giddiness of Romantick Stories as that he cannot dream of conquering the World without having Homer for his Bed-fellow but what he reads is good sense and honest Nature without any vain and extravagant additions And this he does in imitation of his Late Majesty who was the oldest and by consequence the most exemplary Prince in the Christian World tho under far worse Circumstances For the latter was much better capacitated through his extensive Knowledg in Nature and the Intricacies of Matter and Motion as well as in all Polite Learning and I think I shou'd do no man an Injury if I say he understood Butler the best in England How Good and Gracious a Master he was You MY LORDS can best declare Ye knew him the most searching Judg of Men that held in his hands both rewards and punishments In the last indeed he was very sparing and the offending Courtier was usually excus'd before hand very seldom to be excus'd The Punishment he thought was sufficient in the very Vexation of the Delinquent Warily and by Degrees his Rewards were distributed that there might still be a further Prospect in view by way of Encouragement For nothing conduces more to following Honours than the former well administred And never at one leap was any supreme place conferred unless for some Transcendent and as I may call it supernatural piâ—ce of Loyalty Our Noblesse he both preserved and augmented lest the condition of such should be worse as deserved to have a Noble Posterity than of such as had Noble Ancestors Not a Soldier was there that had received Wounds in his Service but he counted and rewarded them in an ample manner And thorough all succeeding Ages He will be a Benefactor as well as an example to Soldiers at Chelsea where as long as we shall have a Country to Defend or an Enemy to Combate His Name will be evermore remembred for what is bestow'd upon Posterity ought to be Immortal You likewise MY LORDS can give the best Attestation to his Offices of Privacy and his great Virtues of Humility and Condescention which yet had a kind of Majestick Royalty with them Ye remember him when he was in Exile and as a private man how he resembled a King and how whilest a restored Monarch and in his most illustrious days he seem'd to be a private Citizen That in his greatest Prosperity he had not the least Haughtiness nor Elation of Mind but being secure of his own greatness was not afraid of degrading himself into the likeness of a Subject Ye know how much time he bestow'd on the cares of Empire how much on the Duties of Devotion Philosophy and Vertue how short his Sleeps and the unbendings of his mind were A smart walk a mouthful of fresh Air and a little ingenious raillery Such a Prince must needs be no less lov'd than admir'd The Affection and Reverence of his Subjects wou'd stand him instead of terror His own Virtue wou'd serve him for a Guard and his Sword rather for Ornament than Defence But what Charms can withstand the Ingratitude and Malice of accursed and diabolick Rebels Against his Sacred Life we had a Salamanca-Plot wherein the Sufferers seem'd to be more choqu'd at the Injustice of the Evidence than at the severity of the Sentence They seem'd to bear all magnanimously and with the bravery of Innocence And with good reason might they do so since they had for a Co-partner in Dishonour which to her was worse than Death the most Pious and Virtuous Princess that England ever deserv'd to see We had likewise a most hellish Fanatick Conspiracy the Discovery of which discover'd ALL. Then Heaven began to look kindly down upon us and withdraw its Plagues especially that great Egyptian Darkness wherewith we had been blinded And the Froggs and Vermine which were got into the Royal Bed-Chambers found it high time to recede Then the Delatores began to fear as much as they were fear'd before And the Laws were now more dreaded than perjur'd Schismaticks Then Sham-Magistrates put off their consulary Honours and public Spoils And the King of England became first LORD OF LONDON Which City while he restrain'd its Liberties he rendred more free But here MY LORDS we come to a full point and here ye must take your leave of him For when he had
take a prospect of all Generations that have been upon Earth before them They seem to give Eternity to themselves à Parte ante and to live as many years as they have read in Chronicles And by this knowledge of the time past they judge of the present and proceed to the fore-sight of the future For the best Astrology in the World is to be deriv'd from History and from the Consideration of those Luminaries that have mov'd in a Sphere above us either in point of Time or of Place Which since we see to be the Proper ends and uses of History without doubt that History is highly to be esteem'd which does not consist so much of Magnificent and Pompous things as the Description of Wars of Great Buildings and such matters as only bring an empty pleasure to the Reader but which does exhibit things useful and worthy his Imitation and that will fill up his mind Vpon this account the Lives of Eminent Men writ with fidelity and truth have certainly the greatest use since from thence we learn how to live well to moderate our passions and govern our selves in the various Circumstances of Life But whereas we cannot live well unlesâ— we live in Society and all Societies must have Rulers and Governors over them or else we must all disband and turn Barabbas's there is 〈◊〉 one Higher Degree of History whith we may looâ— upon as the most compleat for Estimation Proâ—â— and Vse And that is a Narration of the Liveâ— of Princes representing withal every action bearing a Relation and Analogy thereunto And his kind cannot stand without the fore-mention'd Additionals as I may Stile them and not Essentials of History as Arms and Fortifications and the like matters Which though they do concern no man in himself as to point of Happiness yet together with the great Delight they bring along with them they are mainly conducive to the well-fare of mankind in general and the Knowledge of 'em is requisite to many particular men as immediately ingag'd in them and is likewise universally Ornamental Which things being well weigh'd I think I have got under my Pen one of the most profitable as well as diverting Histories the Sun ever yet saw acted It being the Life of a Prince which may be an Example not only to publick but private men For it affords us the knowledge of Heaven and reads us a Lecture of Piety Justice Patience Fortitude and Clemency Which being virtues in a Prince have a singular Grace with ' em It is not an account of the Robberies of an Alexander but a Register of Providential Bounties and Appointments beautified with the various Scenes and Landskips of Humane Life to instruct our Judgments and amuse our Imagination It teaches us the Arts of Vnity and Concord and draws out the true lines of the English Government It cures those diseases of the mind Insolence self-conceit and Ambition and shews that it is the Subjects Interest as well as Duty to obey These are all things but of Yesterdays standing and very well known and remembred So that before hand I need not make any Professions here of my truth and sincerity in the following Relation it being not so easy to deceive as to be refell'd in things not in the least remote from our knowledge This indeed is all I have the vanity to fear that if this Book should happen to descend to Posterity they will rather think it the Panegyrick than History of our late admirable Prince because when I report nothing of him but what was landable they may ghess that I have pretermitted what was worthy reprehension The most renowned and mighty Monarch CHARLES the Second late King of England was in greatness of his Royal Descent Superiour to all the Princes in Europe being descended from our Royal Martyr Charles the good and great and Henrietta de Bourbon Daughter to Henry the Great the Fourth of that name of France By descending from which two Royal Persons he was related to all the Princes in Europe had some of all the Bloud-Royal of the Christian World concenter'd in his Princely Veins By his Father he deriv'd in a lineal descent from all the Brittish Saxon Danish Norman and Scottish Kings of Great Britain and by his Mother from the Bourbons of France the Austrians of Spain the Mediâ—es of Florence c. Being also allied to all or most of them by his own the Marriages of his Royal Brother our present most Glorious Monarch his Aunt his Sisters and his two Nieces their Royal Highness Mary Princess of Orange and the Princess Ann of Denmark He was born at St. James's May the 29th 1630 it being the Birth-day of St. Augustine who was sent by Gregory the great to our Ancestors the Saxons and was the first founder of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury At which time a new Star appeared over the Palaâ—â— where he was born which seemed from Heaven to congratulate his Birth by darting its promising Influence upon the place of it and displaying is officious Beams in the midst of that Air wherein he first drew breath notwithstanding the strenuous opposition of the shining Sun which thing was generally lookt upon as an Emblem of his future greatness and glory The Sun likewise soon after suffered an Eclipse which was a sad presage as some even then divined that his Glory should be for some time eclipsed His Royal Father having in him obtained that blessing which he desired above all things in the World went to St. Pauls and there in a publique and solemn manner gave thanks to Almighty God from whose bounty he received him He was baptized in the 27th of the following June by Dr. Laud Bishop of London Abbot who was then Archbishop of Canterbury being under an Irregularity according to the decent and laudible Custom of the Church of England whereof he was then made a Son that so â—he might hereafter be her Supream Head and Mediator His Godfathers were his two Uncles Lewis 13. King of France and Frederick Prince Elector Palatine of the Rhine represented by the Dukes of Hamilton and Richmond who were then the two first Peers of the Realm and his Godmother was the Queen Mother of France represented by the Dutchess of Richmond He was committed in his Infancy to the indulgent Care and pious Tuition of the Countess of Dorset and when his growing parts rendred him too masculine for a Feminine Conduct he was delivered to the Earl of Newcastle under whose Direction and Government he imbib'd those Principles of Virtue and desire of Learning which serv'd as an Introduction to fit and prepare him for his farther and more liberal Education under the Learned Dr. Duppa Dean of Christ-Church and Bishop of Chichester by whose extraordinary Pains and Industry his Great Soul was first seasoned with those Rudiments of Knowledge and Learning which afterward by his own observation and experience received so vast an increase and rendred him that sagacious and politick
Rights which none but such Monsters as themselves would unjustly detain from so great and so good a Prince Wherefore being deeply sensible of their danger they prepare for War but whether it should be Offensive or Defensive was yet a question among them But at last considering that if there must be a War it had ever been a Maxim among the greatest Politicians that it was most prudent to make the Enemies Country the Seat of it They resolved upon an Offensive War hoping that Scotland would quickly be weary of maintaining two Armies since it had so much ado to keep one And that since they were informed their Levies went on flowly they thought that their Forces which were already on Foot might easily go and surprize them before they lookt for them or were half ready to entertain them In order whereunto Cromwel being called out of Ireland was in great state made Captain General of all their Forces raised or to be raised in England Scotland and Ireland The Lord Fairfax who had in him some sparks of Loyalty waving at once that Employment and his own Commission not as some imagine to avoid the hazard of that Expedition for he was one that never turned his back upon danger but because he was unwilling any longer to be subservient to those base and vile Designs which he now began to abhor Whilst these preparations were making in England the King removed from the Hague to Diep in Normandy and from thence to Scheveling from whence after a dangerous Storm and narrow escape of some English Vessels which lay in wait for him he arrived safe at the Spey in the North of Scotland which the Parliament being informed of they sent some Lords to receive and attend him from thence to Edinburgh where he is received by the Parliament and Committee of Estates and Kirk with infinite expressions of Fidelity and Affection the common people like so many Echoes to their Superiors and the whole City sounding nothing but Vive le Roy. But Cromwel being advanced with his Army into Scotland and having been successful in some smaller Encounters and given them a total overthrow at Dunbar they found themselves in a sad and perplexed condition having not only the Enemy raging in the bowels of that Kingdom but being extreamly divided also amongst themselves wherefore they now thought it high time to unite among themselves In order whereunto a general meeting was appointed at St. Johnstons which should consist of King Lords and Commons and the Assembly of the Ministers in which Assembly several Lords formerly in favour with the Kirk were admitted to Commands in the Army and a Liberty to sit in Parliament as Hamilton Lauderdale and others And Major General Massey formerly Governour of Glocester for the Parliament but afterward reconciled to the King was admitted to a Command in the Army And as the perfection of all the Kings Coronation was there resolved upon so that now their wounds began to heal and their breaches to be made up again and it was generally hoped that these Clouds of Division being blown over a serene Sky would immediately follow and the Sun of Prosperity shine on their future proceedings The Parliament of Scotland in pursuance of those resolutions at St. Johnstons having dissolved themselves in order to the Kings Coronation it was performed on the first of January at Schone in as Solemn and Splendid manner as the exigency of the time could bear his Majesty with a great Train of his Nobles and others went first to the Kirk where a Sermon was Preacht by a Scotch Minister whose name was Duglass upon those words then they brought out the Kings Son and put upon him the Crown and gave him the Testimony and made him King and Jehojadah and his Son Anointed him saying God save the King 2 Chron. 23 11. Joined to these words and Jehojadah made a Covenant between all the People and between the King that they should be the Lords People v. 16. Which Sermon being ended he was conducted from his Chair of State which was placed in the Kirk to that erected for his Coronation by the Lord High Constable and the Earl Marshal where being placed he was Proclaimed King by Herald King at Arms and then clad with a Robe of State by the Lord Chamberlain and the Lord Steward After which sitting he consented to the National Covenant the Solemn League Covenant Directory and the Catechisms and promised upon his Royal word to perform them so far as he understood them to be agreeable to the Word of God in his own Family in his Kingdom of Scotland and in all his other Dominions as soon as it should please God to restore him thereunto Which being done the Coronation Oath was next read which was Enacted in the first Parliament of King James and is as follows That His Majesty shall maintain that Religion Discipline and Worship that is most agreeable to the Word of God to the best Patrons of Reformation and is against all Heresy Schism Idolatry Superstition and Prophaneness that he should govern the Kingdom by Law and Equity and that he should maintain the just Rights of the Crown and Priviledges of the People After the reading of which Oath he declared with an audible Voice that he did promise in the name of the great God who Lives for ever that he would to the uttermost of his Power endeavour to do the things contained in that Oath Which done Herald King at Arms went to the four corners of the Stage and demanded of the People four times whether they were willing that Charles the Second Son and Heir of Charles the First should be King over them to which the People answered Long live King Charles God Save the King Then the Marquess of Argile Presented him with the Royal Scepter the Earl of Eglington put on the Spurs the Lord High Constable set the Crown upon his Head and the Earl Marshal having unsheathed the Sword put it into his hand to defend the Faith withal which having held a while he delivered it to the Earl of Glencarn to be carried before him Then the Nobility Gentry and Commons of the Kingdom did as in the presence of the Great God that Lives for ever swear Allegiance Fealty and Obedience to him as to their Liege and Soveraign Lord and the whole Ceremony was concluded by an Exhortation of the Minister to his Majesty to the Nobility to the Clergy and to the Commons the sum and substance whereof was in reference to the Covenant which they then lookt upon as the Center from which every Line both of Soveraignty and the Subjects Duty was to be drawn in their respective Circumstances And for a power to perform what he then exhorted them to the assistance of God is invoked by prayer who being Alpha and Omega they made him the first with whom they began and the last with whom they finished So soon as the Crown was set upon his Head he made a
and Authority against all opposition whatsoever And for the better wipeing away all suspicion of the true intent and design of his Brothers coming he sent his Daughter away with him likewise No sooner had the General dismist his Bother but he received a visit from a Scotch Noble Man viz. the Earl of Nitsdale who after some private discourse with him assured him that the King would be restored within the compass of a very few months without the shedding of one drop of Bloud or the hazard of a cut Finger in the accomplishment thereof and that he lookt upon him as the principle Instrument by whose Wisdom and Conduct it was to be effected which prophettick discourse contributed very much toward his encouragment to push the business forward with the greater earnestness and speed Mr. Monk being safely arrived at London repaired privately to Sir John Greenvile and gave him an account that he had delivered his message to the General and imparted it to none else except his Chaplain only but told him as to the success of it he could give him no account being under an Oath of secresie However Sir John thought that was sufficient and therefore immediately acquainted the King with it who was so well satisfied therewith that he ordered him to wait an opportunity as soon as possible to treat personally with him which he did not long after and received a more full and satisfactory account from him how and in what manner he intended to proceed therein And for the discharging of this new Embassy to the Rump he repaired to Dr. Clergies who was Brother in Law to him and the General and Agent for the Scotch and Irish Armies to whom he was ordered by the General to impart his message to be delivered by him to the Parliament wherewith they were so highly pleased that out of a Sence of the Generals supposed Fidelity and to require his offered kindness they made as it were an expiring vote of revenge when they saw they must be forced to yield to Lamberts ambition and have their usurpt Authority suffer a second Rape wherein they constituted him about the seventh part of a Generalissimo which fell out very happily for the promoting his great and generous design for it was by Virtue of that power that he seemed afterwards to act and give forth Commissions And having received on the 7th of October the certain news that Lambert had by the assistance of the Army once more unhoused the Rump he publickly protested that he would not endure that unjust and arbitrary proceding and was resolved therefore to reduce the Military power to the obedience of the Civil and in order thereunto presently entred the Stage against Lambert and his Armies proceedings dispatching away the trusty adjutant Jeremy Smith who was afterwards Knighted for his Fidelity that afternoon to Edenburgh and Leith to secure those places and under the march of such Troops of Horse on whose Captains he could most rely and having stopt the Packquet which should have gone that Night for England he followed him the next day to Edenburgh where he reformed his Army making Captain Morgan Lieftenant Collonel and Captain Nichols Major of his own Regiment and the next day sent a party of Horse commanded by Captain Johnson to secure Barwick which he knew to be a place of great importance to his new designs which was done in the very nick of time for the Governour had no sooner clapt up his dissenting Officers according to the Generals directions but Collonel Cobbit entred the Town with instructions and Authority to assert and defend their Interest who being brought by Johnson to the General he sent him Prisoner to Edenburgh Castle and having assured the Soldiers to him he dispatched three Letters into England directed to Fleetwood Lambert and Lenthal wherein he acquainted them with his resolution to restore these Kingdoms to the free exercise of their Laws and Liberties which expression had more included than was exprest in it which was well enough understood by the Lord Fairfax and some others who were privy to the design These Letters gave some intimation of hope to the Rump that they should be a second time restored to their Authority and infinitely surprised Lambert and the other Grandees of the Army who did not expect to meet with any such opposition believing it diversly opposite to the interest of the Army in general for any one part of it to be divided against and oppose the proceedings of the rest and that although there should be any amongst the Souldiers who should love their Country better then their pay and that Monk should undertake to back them yet they were assured by some of his Officers who were then at London that his interest was too weak in Scotland to make head against them however to make all sure they sent Dr. Clergies and Collonel Talbut to him whom they intreated and conjured to use their utmost endeavors to allay those suddain heats of his which they affirmed had been kindled by some unhappy mistakes of their proceedings and assure him that he and his army should suddainly receive a satisfactory account about them But that attempt signified little for Talbut could not perswade him of the sincerity of Lamberts Friendship nor the reallity of his offered advantages and Clergies did but prevaricate with them that sent him and informed the General of the true state and condition of the English Army who had but little Money and no means left of raising more when that was spent in regard the Rump who saw their doom hastning had before they were turned out by Lambert voted it high Treason to raise money out of Parliament thereby covering their spite and revenge with the shadow of a pretended tenderness for their Countrys freedom These were soon after followed by Captain Dean Treasurer to the English Army who was sent by Fleetwood as a special messenger of his own with a very kind letter to the General and an offer of what preferment in the Army he would please to accept of if he would concur with them which he refused This messenger in his passage into Scotland dispersed divers papers where he endeavoured to seduce Monk's Soldiers by accusing their General of a design to bring in Charles Stuart upon them by his dividing the Army and told the General to his Face as he sat at dinner with him that Charles Stuart was at the bottom of his design upon which Dr. Price replyed no Mr. Treasurer it is you that will bring him in for by your late actions you have more then justified the late King who demanded only the Members of the House of Commons but ye have dissolved a Parliament And passing by one morning as a Company of Foot was drawing up he told them them that Lord Lambert was coming upon them and that all Monks Army would suffice him for a Breakfast to which he received as blunt an answer That Lambert had certainly a very good
according to those Directions Greenvile had brought from him But the King not thinking that place convenient for the Treaty removed with great speed and privacy to Breda a Town belonging to his Sister the Princess of Orange being complemented at his departure from Flanders by the Spanish Governour and honourably conveyed on his way way as far as Antwerp from whence his Publick Dispatches into England were dated Greenvile upon his return besides the Generals Commission to be Captain General of all the Forces then raised or to be raised brought him the King's Seals and Signet by which he was empowered to make a Secretary of State which Honour he conferred upon Morrice who was after the King's return Knighted and confirmed therein in consideration of the Service he had done in introducing Greenvile to the General 's presence And besides those Publick Letters which he was to reserve to be communicated in due time he brought a Private one directed to the General himself written with the King 's own Hand to which he returned an Answer by Mr. Bernard Greenvile in regard his Brother could not then be spared the Parliament being just ready to fit when he was to present to both the Houses the King's Letters and Declaration which Answer was very welcom to the King for that it brought him an assurance under the General 's own Hand of his Resolution to adhere to him against all opposition whatsoever About this time Lambert made his escape from the Tower and endeavoured to make Parties and draw Forces together to oppose his Loyal and Generous Designs which he being informed of acquainted the Council of State therewith and managed the business with so great Prudence that timely â—care was taken to suppress him and that Attempt which in it self threatned the contrary was made by his Wisdom to advance the King's Interest and hasten his happy Restauration For Coll. Ingoldsby being sent against him and his Forces which â—e had got together forsaking him upon the Collonels approach he betook himself to flight but being upon plowed Land his Horse failed him and notwithstanding he had by his valour in many former Battels obtained the name of Stout he presently yielded himself without drawing his Sword or making any other Defence than only crying out twice Pray my Lord let me escape for what good will my Life or perpetual Imprisonment do you The time being now come for the meeting of a new Parliament both Houses repaired to St. Margarets Church where Dr. Reynolds preached before them and after Sermon they repaired to their Houses The Lords making choice of the Earl of Manchester for their Speaker And the Commons of Sir Harbottle Grimstone And having settled their Committees and thereby prepared for their entrance upon business adjourned for some few days in the interim whereof Greenvile conâ—â—lted with the General at what time and in what manner he should deliver his Messages from the King to the several parties to whom they were directed That which was superscribed to the General himself to be communicated by him to the Army and Council of State he thought fit to have delivered to him at the Door of the Council Chamber In order whereunto Greenvile repaired thither when the Council were sitting and told Coll. Birch who was one of the Members that he desired to speak with the General who upon Birch's Intimation came to the Door and in the view of his Guards who attended there received the Letters from Greenvile without shewing any other respect either to his Person or his Business than only demanding of him if he would stay for an Answer and telling him otherwise his Guards should secure him And having commanded them to look to him went in to the Council and communicated to them the Letters whereupon Birch being examined whether he knew any thing of the matter protesting he was altogether ignorant both of the Gentleman and his Business Greenvile was sent for iâ— and examined by the President from whence those Letters came whose they were and how he came by them for they had not yet proceeded to open and read them he answered that â—he King His Master gave them to him with his own Hand at Breda Having â—hereby informed themselves whence â—he Letters came they deferred the openâ—ng of them until the Parliament sate â—gain and would have committed Greenâ—ile had not the General told them that 〈◊〉 knew him very well and would anâ—wer for his appearance before the Parâ—â—ament which were no sooner sate 〈◊〉 he delivered his Letters with incloâ—â—d Declarations to both Houses whereâ—â— the King expressed abundance of â—mpassion and tenderness to the Naâ—â—on which had been so long harassed 〈◊〉 a bloody and unnatural War and proâ—ised a free and general Pardon to all 〈◊〉 should in forty days after the pubâ—â—ation thereof lay hold upon that Grace â—less such whom the Parliament should â—ink fit to be excepted from the benefit â—â—ereof And that he would preserve 〈◊〉 to the uttermost of his power 〈◊〉 from all manner of Injuries in their â—â—es and Estates and grant Liberty for â—â—der Consciences for such as dissented 〈◊〉 the Established Religion provided â—â—ey did not disturb the Peace of the Nation That as to Sales and Purchases 〈◊〉 would refer himself in all matters to thâ— Determinations of Parliament and coâ—sent to any Act or Acts for the satisfyinâ— the Arrears of the Army and Navy which should thenceforward be receiveâ— into his Service upon as good Pay anâ— Conditions as they then enjoyed Thâ— like Letters and Declarations being 〈◊〉 sent by the King and delivered to Genâ—â—ral Monâ—ague to be by him communiâ—â—ted to the Fleet and to the Lord Mayâ— and Common Council of London The King's Letters and Declaratiâ—â— were received by the Parliament 〈◊〉 such an extraordinary Joy and Venâ—â—tion that I want words wherewith 〈◊〉 express it for as if some strange 〈◊〉 had suddenly seized upon their minâ— every man at the Speaker's naming 〈◊〉 King rose up and uncovering himâ—â—â—â— desired they might be immediately 〈◊〉 which was no sooner done but in anâ—â—tasie of joy they suddenly drew the â—â—â—tain and exposed the beautiful and â—â—rious Scene to the open view of â—â—â—longing Spectators wherein every 〈◊〉 might plainly behold the happy Issuâ— all those various Transactions which 〈◊〉 till then been Riddles too mysterious for vulgar understandings to unfold or once imagine to what they tended or where they would terminate By the House of Lords resolving that they did own and declare that according to the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of England the Government was and ought to be by Kings and that a Committee of eight Lords should forthwith joyn with a Committee of the Commons to consider of an Answer to the King's Letter and Declaration And by the House of Commons resolving likewise to appoint a Committee to prepare an Answer to the King's Letter and therein express their great and joyful sense of his gracious offers and to return him their humble
and hearty thanks for the same and to assure him of their Loyalty and Duty And that they would give him a speedy Answer to his gracious Proposals Resolving moreover that the sum of 50000 l. should be presented him from that House and 10000 l. to each of his Royal Brothers the Dukes of York and Glocester Which Resolves were no sooner reported in London then the Citizens were extreamly transported with Joy The harmony of Bells and the flaming Piles which enlighted every Street surrounded with incredible Shouts and Acclamations being sufficient demonstrations of the infinite Pleasure and Satisfaction which every one took in that no less strange than happy Revolution And the several Countries taking Allarm from London contended which should outvy the other in expressions of Loyalty and Joy And General Mountague having communicated to the Fleet the Letters he received from the King and the Duke of York together with those directed to the Parliament they unanimously declared their Resolution to adhere to him and to live and die in his defence humbly desiring the Generals to present the same to the King whereupon Mountague himself immediately fired a Gun crying God bless His Majesty and the whole Fleet. Thereupon presently appeared in its pride and glory with Pendants loose Guns roaring Caps flying and Vive le Roys loudly ecchoing from one Ships Company to another which were answered by the great Guns from Dale and Sandwich Castles nor was this Joy confined to England but spread it self into Scotland and Ireland also And now the Parliament longing for the King's presence amongst them as the Israelites did for the return of King David drew up a Letter in answer to that which they had receiv'd from him superscribing it to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty wherein they requested his speedy return to the exercise of his Kingly Office appointing Commissioners to go over to Holland and attend him during his stay there and in his Voyage for England There being six appointed for the House of Lords and twelve for the House of Commons to which upon the Request of the Lord Mayor and Common-Council of London was added twenty on the behalf of that City who having receiv'd their Instructions set sail for Holland with several Frigots appointed by the Parliament to attend them the whole Fleet being likewise committed to the King's pleasure the General whereof had Orders from the Parliament to obey such Orders and Directions as he should receive from His Majesty The Commissioners upon their arrival at Breda delivered their respective Messages with all imaginable reverence and veneration according to the Instructions they had received from their Principals beseeching His Majesty in the name of his Parliament and People to return to his Inheritance and re-assume his Crown and Scepter assuring him that he should be infinitely welcome to them without any Tearms which Invitation was gladly accepted and the Commissioners were received by him with a Grace and Port like himself and entertain'd with extraordinary Magnificence and Bounty The Parliament in the mean time proceeded to the Proclaiming of him which was perform'd with all that Joy Splendor and Magnificence that their Loyalty could inspire the Lord General attended by all the Peers the most Eminent of the Commons the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with the Trained Bands of London assisting at the Ceremony The Proclamation being as followeth viz. Although it can no way be doubted but that his Majesties Right and Title to these Crowns and Kingdoms is and was every way compleat by the Death of his Most Royal Father of Glorious Memory without the Ceremony or Solemnity of a Proclamation yet since Proclamations in such cases have been always used to the end that all good Subjects might upon this occasion testify their Duty and Respect and since the Armed violence and other Calamities of many years last past have hitherto deprived us of any opportunity wherein we might express our Loyalty and Allegiance to his Majesty We therefore the Lords and Commons now Assembled in Parliament together with the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of the City of London and other Freemen of this Kingdom now present do according to our Duty and Allegiance heartily joyfully and Unanimously acknowledge and Proclaim that immediately upon the Decease of our late Soveraign King Charles the First the Imperial Crown of the Realm of England and all the Kingdoms Dominions and Rights belonging to the same did by Inherent Birth-right and Lawful undoubted Succession Descend and come to his Most Excellent Majesty King Charles the Second as being Lineally Justly and Lawfully next Heir of the Blood Royal of this Realm And that by the Goodness and Providence of Almighty God he is of England Scotland and Ireland the Most Potent Mighty and Undoubted King and thereunto we Most Humbly and Faithfully do submit and oblige our selves our Heirs and Posterities for ever At the reading whereof the whole City rang with the Sound of God Save and God Bless King Charles the Second the Shouts and Acclamations of the crowding multitudes being so extraordinary that although all the Bells throughout the City and Suburbs were then Ringing their Noise was not to be heard The King having now by his extraordinary Wisdom and Conduct thus happily contriv'd his return to his Crown and Kingdom without the spilling of his Subjects Blood and having brought his Affairs to their desired Issue prepared to leave Holland and after so long and tedious an Exile returned to his Harass'd and almost ruined Realms being upon his departure Splendidly Treated by the Dutch for a Fortnight together with all the Pomp and Magnificence imaginable and presented with the Richest Bed and Furniture together with Tapestry for Hangings Embossed with Gold and Silver and adorned with Pictures that could be procured and Highly Complemented by all the Forreign Ministers then Resident there For these Noble Entertainments which together with the Present of the Dutch about one hundred Thousand Pounds he gave the States General and those of Holland his Hearty Thanks in their Publick Assemblies whither he went on Foot and having taken his leave of them and commended to them the interest of his Sister and his Nephew the Prince of Orange they delivered their sence of the present circumstance of Affairs and declared the greatness of that joy they conceived for his Miraculous Restauration in the following Speech If one may judge of the content which we have to see your Majesty depart from our Province by the satisfaction we had to possess you we shall have no great trouble to make it known to you your Majesty might have observed in the countenance of all our People the Joy they had in their Hearts to see a Prince cherished of God a Prince wholly miraculous and a Prince that is probable to make a part of their quietness and felicity your Majesty shall see presently all the Streets filled all the ways covered and all the Hills loaden with People which will
Judicial proceedings And then he return'd to White-Hall where he chose the Lords of his Privy Council amongst whom were several of the long Parliament that had given sufficient Testimony of their sincere repentance and their resolution to be Loyal for the future and he appointed Judges for the Benches and Courts of Judicature Several Addresses were likewise made to him from the Nobility and Gentry of all the Countreys in England wherein they congratulated his Restitution to his Crown and Kingdom assuring him of their exceeding Joy and willingness to maintain his Royal Person and Authority Divers persons that had been eminent for their service and affection to him were about that time also dignified with the honour of Knighthood And several men guilty of his Fathers murder having made their escape beyond-Sea a Proclamation was Issued forth wherein all those persons who had â—ate gave Judgment or any way assisted in that horrid and detestable fact were commanded to surrender themselves within fourteen days to the Speaker or Speakers of Parliament to the Lord Mayor of London or the Sheriff of that County wherein they then resided forbidding all persons to conceal or harbour them under misprision of Treason whereupon divers submitted themselves and were secur'd in the Tower The Commons in drawing up the Act of Oblivion order'd that some others besides those who had actually sate in Judgment upon the late King should be excepted out of it viz. Broughton Phelps Cook Dâ—nby and Hugh Peters which so affrighted others who had a hand in that execrable murder that Col. John Hutchinson a Member of that Parliament and Coll. Frâ— Lussels presented their Petition to them wherein they confest their guilt and declar'd the artifices which were us'd to draw them in by which submission they obtain'd pardon upon some small forfeitures only But Peters being shortly after taken in Southwark was clapt up into the Tower And the Parliament not looking upon themselves nor the people of England free from the guilt nor safe from the punishment which in those unhappy times they had contracted unless they laid hold of the Kings offer of Grace in his Declaration from Breda did therefore resolv'd in a full house that they did in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England lay hold on the gracious pardon mention'd in that Declaration with reference to the exclusion of such as should be excepted in an Act of Pardon and they order'd a Declaration that their Resolution should be drawn up which was done accordingly and presented to the King by Denzell afterward Lord Hollis some of the most eminent in Office under the late Usurpers having in the mean while to make sure of that Grace gotten their particular pardons exemplified under the great Seal of England To prevent which trouble the King was more than ordinary pressing for the speedy passing the Act of Oblivion taking care to express his grateful sentiments of the Loyalty and services of several Illustrious personages that were principally instrumental in accomplishing his Restauration by dignifying them with Places and Titles of honour And to shew how highly the Generals Loyalty had advanc'd him in his good Opinion he was dignifi'd by him with the Titles of Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington and Baron of Potheridge Beauchamp Teyes had his Temples deserv'dly incircl'd with a Ducal Coronet by the hand of his Majesty being thereby invested with the right of Peerage in all the three Kingdoms whose equal Felicity and Honour he had preferr'd before his own and therefore now most deservingly shar'd with them therein by his Investure in those Dignities which were compleated on the 13th of the following July by his taking his place in the House of Lords being attended by the Commons and introduc'd by the Duke of Buckingham Montague was made Earl of Sandwich Ormond Earl of Brecknock and Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold the Earl of Lindsey Lord High Chamberlain Manchester L. Chamberlain of the Kings Houshold Southhampton Lord High Treasurer Greenvile Earl of Bath and Groom of the Stole Sir Frederick Cornwallis Treasurer of the Kings Houshold by an old grant and Sir John Berkley Controller Divers rich Presents were now made to him from the several Cities and Burroughs of the Kingdom in Gold and Plate and the resignation of several Feefarm Rents which had been purchas'd from the Usurpers the City of London among the rest with a Complement of their good Stewardship rendred their grant of new Perk in Surrey and all the Rents accruing at Michaelmas Day were now secured from the late Purchasers of Crown and Church Laws to the utter disappointing of their unjust and covetous expectations from such base and unwarrantable Penny-worths A Peace was now made Proclaim'd between us and Spain and a Splendid Embassy dispatcht from Denmark to congratulate his happy Restauratian The Court of Soissons who had Married Cardinal Mazarines Neece being sent from the French King on the same Errand entring London with all the sumptuous and extraordinary Magnificence imaginable and there was no Prince nor State in Europe but what sent an Embassador thither to congratulate him upon that happy and wonderful occasion And the Parliament having after many debates and disputes alterations and insertions at last finish'd the long desir'd Act of Oblivion which was extraordinary comprehensive and indulgent even to the regret of many injur'd Loyalists who found no better Argument to perswade their acquiescing therein than their unchangeable Loyalty to the King whose special Act that was There were no more excepted out of it but only the Regicides and Murderers of the late King only Lambert Vane and twenty more were thereby reserv'd to such forfeitures as should be afterward declar'd by Parliament the principal whereof was Hazelrick St. John Lenthal the Speaker Philip Nye Burton of Tarmouth and some Sequestrators Officers and Major Generals of the Army among whom was Desbrough Pine Butler Ireton c. They likewise past an Act for the perpetual Anniversary Thanksgiving on the 29 of May which was the day both of his Birth and Restauration and therefore deserv'd a perpetual memorial and to be made by a Parliamentary Canonization the most auspicious in the English Kallender to both which he gave his Royal assent and shortly after at their adjournment to another for disbanding the Army and paying off the Navy which although they once threatned us with a perpetuating our slavery yet were now forc'd by the happy conjunction of his Fortune with his Wisdom and Goodness after many models to submit to its last desolation And the Commons having after the passing of their Bills acquainted him that they had nothing more to ask or offer at that time but that if his Majesties occasions would permit they might adjourn and go into their own Countries where they should endeavour to make his subjects sensible of their extraordinary happiness in having such a King to Rule and Govern them He consented to it telling
be the better able to entertain War when they had made provisions for it And he being sensible of their drift therein thought it not convenient for him to be altogether idle and therefore resolved so to order his Affairs as to be in as good a readiness as they whensoever the War should commence To which end he required the City to lend him One Hundred Thousand Pound referring them to the Lord Treasurer for Terms of Repayment which Request was receiv'd with such a dutiful compliance by the Common-Council that it was presently granted thereby acquitting themselves at once both in point of Loyalty and Prudence by serving the KINGS present Necessity and providing for their own future Safety This Money he imploy'd in fitting out two considerable Fleets and intending to employ Sir John Lawson who then blockt up Argier and some of the Ships under his Command therein he commanded his Return for England Captain Allen being ordered to succeed him there who brought these Pirates into such distress that shortly after they were forc'd to accept of Peace upon terms advantageous enough for England The Dutch Embassadour propounding such conditions as were not to be accepted he sent back Sir George Downing thither with full Instructions how to behave himself towards them who had upon his Arrival several Conferences with the States about Satisfaction for Damages received but could not prevail with them to return a positive Answer to any thing he propounded nor come to any terms of Agreement which they were the more willing to delay in regard they expected the speedy Arrival of a vast Treasure in several great Fleets of Merchants Ships But this being not unknown to him and he being a Prince that well enough understood how strong the Nerve of War Money was resolved to way-lay those vast Masses of Wealth as they past homeward through his own Channel especially being informed by secret Intelligence that they were resolved in contempt of his Power to send their Guiney Preparations by Sea and that Opdam should convey them through the Channel To which end and purpose that he might be before-hand with them in their preparations he endeavoured with all imaginable speed and diligence to make his Navy ready not sparing to oversee and order things with indefatigable paines and industry in his own Royal Person which was abundantly answered by the success For such was the Alacrity of his Subjects when they saw him continually Travelling from place to place to forward the work and see all things effectually and speedily performed encouraging them by his Presence that the City at the very first mention of it by the Earl of Manchester Chamberlain of His Household supplyed him with a second Loan of One Hundred Thousand Pounds By which means while the Dutch flattered themselves with suppositions of his want of Men and Money and his being broken with the Calamities of the Raging Pestilence which hapned about this time and was the severest that ever was known in England they were only forced to look on and with Envy behold his Vigorous preparations and see the Sea covered with such a Magnificent Navy as the Ocean had scarcely ever supported in any former Age. However having duely considered the dangers of the Northern passage they seemingly laid aside all thoughts of going about by Scotland and continued firm to their former Resolution of forcing their passage though the Channel In order whereunto having Re-victualled Opdams Fleet they commanded him to hasten to Sea with the first Wind and conduct the Guiney-Succors through the Channel having ordered some other Ships from the Vlie and Texel to Joyn with him and sent a Galliot before to give notice to their Director General in Guinea of their Proceedings therein Which Resolution taken and carryed on with so much Vigour most men Imagin'd to have been extorted from them by the exigency of their present condition for they had scattered many base contempts upon the King and Subjects of England Nor was the Issue of that Bravado other than what their Fears presented For about the middle of October Prince Rupert appeared at the Spitt-Head with sixteen Saile of Ships who was not long after joyned by the Duke then Lord High Admiral of England and the Earl of Sandwich so that it was a matter of the greatest difficulty and hazard for them to unlock the narrow Seas And great dispute there was amongst them whether Opdam who lay with his Fleet in the Gore should adventure out or no but the Wind continuing cross put an end to that dispute and furnisht them with a plausible excuse for their not appearing at Sea upon so great disadvantages as they would in all probability have met withall However Prince Rupert kept the Sea with the English Fleet to attend their Motion and was rewarded by all or most of their Bourdeaux Fleet falling into his hands which with other Prizes taken that Year by the English amounted to about One Hundred Thirty Five There having been as yet no Publick Declaration of War on either side the King still continued to Treat for Peace with His Arms in His Hand and ordered Sir George Downing to press in the heat of all that preparation and action for satisfaction of Damages And finding that they were not like to be brought to such terms as he expected and knowing that it would mightily advance his Credit and strike Terror into his Enemies to be alway before hand with them he caused an Embargo to be laid upon their Ships with so much Secrecy that His Embassadour there had notice of it at least eight dayes before the States that so he might give secret Intelligence to the English and hasten their departure by which means when their Embargo came it found only two small inconsiderable Vessels and an Oyster Boat to seize And the King acquainting the Parliament which met in November how unkindly he had been Treated by the Dutch and what preparations he had thereupon made for War and telling them he had out of his own Credit set forth a Navy which he was sure would not decline meeting with all the Power of the Dutch for the Finishing where of he had borrowed so liberally out of his own stores and of the City of London that to discharge the one and replenish the other would require little less then Eight Hundred Thousand Pounds They to demonstrate their Love and Affection to their Soveraign and how hearty they were in their Resolutions to support His Honour and their Countries Rights against Forreign Encroachments gave him more then thrice that Summ in an Act Entituled An Act for granting a Royal Aide of Twenty four Thousand Threescore and Seventeen Thousand and Five Hundred Pounds And finding that the Dutch did but trifle with him in hopes of gaining time he resolved to forbear them no longer and therefore in the February following denounc'd War against them by a Publick Declaration prohibiting all Manufactures coming from thence and granting Letters of
according to his accustomed Wisdom foreseeing it would otherwise be impossible to have it uniform and decide the Controversies which would arise about dividing the Ground belonging to each House and oblige the Repairers to build with Brick or Stone provided an Act of Parliament for the setling all things in relation thereunto and the erecting a Court of Judicature to judge and determin all Differences that might arise between Party and Party prohibiting in the mean time the hasty building any publick Edifices and proclaiming a general Fast through England and Wales ordering the distresses of those who were ruined thereby to be then recommended to the Charity of all well-disposed persons and the Money so gathered to be afterward distributed by the hands of the Lord Mayor The Act was pass'd in the approaching Parliament wherein besides the provision for the building the Houses of Brick or Stone it was enacted That the most eminent Streets should be of a considerable breadth and those toward the Water-sides wide enough to render Passages convenient that a fair Wharf should be left all along the River's-side and no Houses built thereon but at a convenient distance appointed therein none whereof were to be inhabited by Dyers Brewers or Sugar-Bakers And that an exact Survey should be made of the Ruins for the satisfaction of particular Interests and a Model framed of the whole Building the better to understand if it were convenient for them to appoint any alterations therein And to shew his Pious Care for the Rebuilding of the Churches for the Service of God as well as Houses for his Subjects to dwell in he recommended that Work to the Charity and magnanimous Bounty of publick spirited Persons and for an encouragement to others promised to Rebuild the Custom-house and Enlarge it for the Benefit of Merchants at his own Charge which he afterward performed engaging to part with all his Right and Benefit arising from his own Lands within the City for the Publick Good and to remit the Duties arising from Hearth-Money to those who should Erect any New Buildings according to his Declaration for Seven Years And to demonstrate his Resolution to perform whatsoever he had promised in his Declaration commanded one Knight to be committed to Prison for presuming to Print certain Propositions for the Rebuilding the City with considerable Advantages to the Crown which were repugnant to his gracious Offers in that Declaration So that London being ashamed to lye longer smothered under Ashes when all those Provisions were made for its Resurrection was by Sir Jonas Moore according to the appointed Model first roused in Fleet-street and from that beginning grew so hastily towards a perfection that within the compass of a few years it outvyed all its ancient Glory and Splendour and appeared far more beautiful in its rise than its fall had rendred it abject and desolate But the burning of London was not the only unhappy Accident that fell out in that Year of Wonders for the Fire which had laid the City in Ashes threatned the Court with the like dissolation for having by the misfortune of a Candle falling into the straw violently seized upon the Horse-Guard in the Tilt-Yard over against White-Hall it burned down the North-West part of that Building but being so close under the King 's own eye it was by timely help in a little time mastered And at a place called Welbourn in Lincoln-shire after a prodigious Thunder with Hail-stones of a more than ordinary bigness there followed such a Storm and Tempest that its violence threw down most of the Houses to the ground tore up Trees by the Roots and dispersing several Ricks of Corn and Hay passed to the next Village called Willington where it threw down firm Houses and going forward to Nanby it fell so violently upon the Church that it dash'd the Spire in pieces and so tore and rent the Body of the Church that it almost levelled it with the ground And that Scotland might likewise bear a share in that Year's Calamities a Seditious Zeal having inspired some Malecontents with revenge against Sir James Turner for executing too vigorously as they pretended the Laws against them they committed an insolent Ryot upon his person taking him out of his Bed and carrying him naked into the Market-place where they were hardly restrained from cutting him in pieces which Tumult was first raised by a small and an inconsiderable Rabble but in a short time increased to a Body of One thousand six hundred Men who marching toward Edenburgh were encountred and defeated near Glencarn many of them being slain and more taken the Ring-leaders whereof were executed and most of the rest pardoned But in the midst of all these unhappy Distractions he did not neglect the making all necessary Preparations for carrying on and maintaining his War with Holland France and Denmark the latter whereof was now entered into a League offensive and defensive with the States of the Vnited Provinces upon pretence of the Assault made upon the Dutch in his Port of Berghen although he had the freedom of that Port frankly offered him by the King of Denmark himself at a time when he thought nothing of it and that in order to the doing those very Acts of Hostility wherewith he was then unjustly reproach'd by that King as he declared in his Declaration of War against Denmark published about that time And for a good Omen of his future success he not long after his Declaration of War received News that the Vice-Admiral of Denmark was taken by some of his Frigots upon the Coast of Scotland However the King of Sweden having become a Mediator for Peace between him and the States-General and prevailed with him to condescend thereunto and appoint Breda for the place of Treaty the Dutch notwithstanding busied themselves in making Preparations for continuing the War resolving to treat of Peace in a posture and condition to fight if it succeeded not and he not being ignorant of their intentions to make him spend that Summer in needless Expences for War and only keep himself upon his own guard But we having therefore but a small Fleet abroad the Dutch upon intimation thereof got out to Sea betimes and finding no Enemy to resist them made an attempt on Burnt Island but being beaten off with loss they next attempted the Fort of Sheerness which being then a place of small force was after a short but stout resistance abandoned by Sir Edward Spragg and so the Mouth of that narrow River was left open to them And being encouraged by this success they landed about three thousand men near Felton-Cliff and with two thousand of them adventured to make two Assaults upon Languard-Fort but were beaten off and forced to retire in such haste that they left their Scaling-Ladders behind them and had about one hundred and fifty slain upon the place the other thousand which were left behind the Cliff to secure their retreat being encountered by the Trained-bands
it and they having taken some of our Merchants Ships Sir Thomas Allen was sent to revenge the Injury who coming before the Town they desired a Treaty offering to make restitution of what Money they had taken from an English Ship bound for the East-Indies but not agreeing to some other Demands he resolved to beat them into a complyance and having seized a Barque loaden with Corn and a Brigantine which rowed in the Harbour in view of the Town departed to Tripoly the Bassa of which place sent him an assurance of his readiness and resolution to preserve a Peace and continue a good Correspondence with his Master And the Hampshire Portsmouth Jersey and Centurion Frigots under the Command of Captain Beach not long after meeting with Seven of the Algerines notwithstanding the least of them had Thirty eight Guns and were all full of Men forced them to run their Ships on shore which were all burned two by themselves and the rest by the English in which Action most of their Men were lost and Two hundred and fifty Christian Captives redeemed But Sir Thomas Allen after having made many Attempts upon those Pyrates whose Cowardize still shun the Fight returned home and left Sir Edward Spragg to Command in his room who meeting with Nine of their Men of War and three Merchantmen near Bugia they retired upon his appearance under the shelter of the Castle and put themselves into the best posture of defence but Spragg in the mean time attacked them with so much Valour and Success that he set most of them on fire and those which escaped the flame fell into his hands and were made Prizes of And to compleat the Victory Captain Beach brought him another Ship which he had newly taken of Forty Guns and Three hundred and fifty men So that Spragg believing that this Loss might dispose the Algerines to accept of Terms of Peace made a speedy return to his station before that Port whereupon constrained by necessity they concluded a Peace as honourable and advantagious as any we ever had with those Rovers About this time a strange and odd kind of Action happened which for its unusualness was the matter of much wonder and discourse For one Thomas Bloud commonly called Captain Bloud being discontented upon pretence of an Estate detained from him in Ireland and having a little before with five persons in his company armed and mounted seized the Duke of Ormond as he was going home between St. James's and Clarendon-house forcing him out of his Coach and attempting to have carried him away had he not been rescued by others coming in to his assistance a Fact which rendred him not more bold in the undertaking than the Duke memorable in forgiving But not being able to carry off the Duke he next adventured to attempt the Crown In order whereunto he coming to the Keeper of the Jewel-house and desiring to see the Crown and Jewels which being shewed him he gratified the Keeper more liberally than it was usual for others to do in such cases telling him that he had some Friends who were very desirous to see them and that he would bring them the next Morning Accordingly he came with three others with him and the old Gentleman being prepared by Bloud 's liberality gave them a ready admittance into the Jewel-house but their design being to take and not to see they gagg'd and secured the Keeper and then putting the Crown and Ball into two Baggs which they brought with them for that purpose fairly walked away and had certainly carried them off having pass'd most of the Centinels with them had not the Keeper's Son-in-law accidentally came by and seeing the condition his Father lay in run out hastily and cryed to the Guards to stop them Whereupon fear making them to mend their pace they became the means of their own discovery and being thereupon suspected and commanded to stand they fired a Pistol at the Centinel but others coming in to his assistance two of them were seized and carried to White-Hall and after examination sent Prisoners to the Tower where they had committed that bold Attempt The King now finding himself at leisure resolved to look after the condition of his Western Sea-port Towns and spend the Summer in a kind of Sea-Progress For going first to Portsmouth he went in his Yacht to the Isle of Wight and took a view of most of the considerable Ports in that Island from whence he returned to Hurst-Castle and from thence to Corfe-Castle and having viewed and taken order for the furnishing those places with all necessary Provisions returned again to Portsmouth and from thence attended with five Frigots sailed to Dartmouth Plymouth and other places in those parts knowing that according to the ancient Proverb the Master's eye quickens the Servant's diligence Notwithstanding the many Losses sustained by the Dutch in their former War with England and the difficulty they met withal in attaining a Peace yet they took no care to preserve it but by new Affronts laid a foundation for a second War and therefore the King having long concealed his just Displeasure against them resolved now to let them know his ill Resentments of their unworthy Dealings towards him Pursuant to which he declared in the following Spring That seeing his Neighbours were making great Preparations both by Sea and Land He thought himself obliged to appear in such a posture as might best secure his own Government and his Peoples peace to make such Preparations as should be answerable to the preservation of both which could not be done without fitting out a considerable Fleet against the approaching Spring In order whereunto Money being at that time wanting he was forced to put a stop to the payment of any Money then brought in or to be brought into the Exchequer for the space of one whole Year declaring that nothing could have moved him thereunto but the looking upon his Government as unsafe under the threatening Preparations of the States General and other neighbouring Princes without appearing in the same posture And that therefore seeing the necessity was inevitable some extraordinary course must be taken until Money could be otherwise procured However before he would enter into War with them he endeavoured to bring them to terms of Peace by the threatning of it and therefore ordered Sir George Downing who was his Embassador to the States to be very urgent with them on the Affair of the Flagg which notwithstanding it had ever been accounted a Ceremony due to the Kings of England as an acknowledgment of their Sovereignty in the narrow Seas had been for some time denied by them But having by several Instances and Memorials pressed for an Answer to his Demands and finding nothing but delays and several personal affronts to him he returned without Orders for England and was for so doing after a private Examination by some Lords of the Council and Report thereof made to the King Committed to the Tower for not
Protestant Successor and limit the Authority of the former if any such should be by providing that all Church-preferments should be conferred on Pious and Learned Protestants That the Parliament which should happen to be in being at his own Death or if none the last that sate should thereupon assemble without any new Summons or Election That during the Reign of any Popish Successor no Privy Councellor or Judg of the Common Law or Chancery should be put in or displaced but by consent of Parliament That none should be Justices of Peace but Protestants and that the Lord Lieutenants and Deputy Lieutenants of Counties and Officers in the Navy should not be put in nor removed but by the Authority of Parliament Telling them he conceived it hard to invent any other Restraint to be put on a Popish Successor Yet if any thing did occur to their Wisdom whereby their Religion and Liberties might be better secured he was ready to consent to it Whereupon the Commons after they had several times adjourned the consideration of this Speech on the 11th of May resolved That they would stand by His Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes And that if he should come by any violent Death which they prayed God to avert they would revenge it to the utmost upon the Papists According to which Vote an Address was drawn up and presented by them to the King with this Variation in the form of words We shall be ready to revenge upon the Papists any violence offered by them to your Sacred Majesty which words were neither exprest nor intimated in their Vote altho absolutely necessary and essential to the Justice of their designed Revenge And without taking the least notice of the Resolution exprest in his Speech Not to suffer any alteration in the Descent to the Throne brought in a Bill to disable his Royal Highness to inherit the Imperial Crown of England which being put to the Vote was carried in the Affirmative by One and Twenty Voices but being prorogued soon after it proceeded no further In the mean while the Two Houses were very earnest in debating the methods whereby they should bring the Lords in the Tower to their Trials And Danby being demanded at the Bar of the Lords House Whether he would rely on and abide by the Plea of his Pardon returned for answer That having been advised by his Council his Pardon was good in Law he would insist upon his Plea and requested his Council might be heard And the Lords acquainting the Commons with his desire instead of granting it they in the Names of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament and all the Commons of England demanded Judgment against him upon the Impeachment affirming his Pardon to be illegal and void However the Lords appointed him a day to argue his Plea and ordered the Five Lords to be tried the Week after and an Address to be made to the King for the appointing a Lord Steward for their Trials But the Commons not satisfied with their proceedings desired a Committee of both Houses might consider of the most proper methods of proceeding upon Impeachments according to the usage of Parliament but the Lords refused it as contrary to the known Rules and Orders of their House which ever was and ought to be tender in matters relating to their Judicature Whereupon the Commons resolved That no Commoner should presume to maintain the Validity of the Pardon pleaded by Danby without the leave of that House And that the persons so doing should be accounted Betrayers of the Liberties of the Commons of England Upon which the Lords to take away all occasion of disgust between the Two Houses receded from their former resolution and appointed a Committee to treat with them but a difference arising in that joynt Committee about the Bishops Right to be present at Trials in capital cases the Lords affirming they might stay till the Court proceeded to the Vote of Guilty or Not Guilty and the Commons denying it the Bishops endeavour'd to find out a Medium which might satisfie both and therefore desired leave of the Lords to withdraw themselves from the Trials with liberty of entring their usual protestations But this not satisfying the Commons they resolved not to proceed to the Trial of the Five Lords before Judgment given on Danby's Pardon and to insist upon the Bishops having no Right of Voting in capital Offences which made the King who saw that these heats took up their whole time and prevented their entring upon such Debates as more nearly concerned them and would have conduced more toward the setling of the Nation thought it best to prorogue them in hopes that in their next meeting their Debates might be more happy and unanimous About this time the Faction ran higher in Scotland and boiled into an open Râ—bellion which took its first beginning from the barbarous Murder of Dr. Sharp Archbishop of St. Andrews and Primate of that Kindom on the 3d of May 1679. by a company of inveâ—â—â—ate Covenanters as he was travelling from Edenborough to his own Residence who had born him an immorâ—al hatred because having formerly been one of their Party he had revolted as they termed his honest Reformation But appeared more visible toward the latter end of that Month in the Western parts of Scotland when a party of Rebels well mounted and armed coming to Rugland proclaimed the Covenant burnt the following Acts of Parliament viz. Those which concerned the King's Supremacy the Eâ—â—â—blishment of Episcopacy the appointing the Anniversary of the 29th of May and the Recissory Act by which all the Mock-Laws made in the late Anarchy were repealed And publisht an insolent Declaration full of Treason and stuft with the very Spirit and Quintescence of Rebellion inviting others to joyn with them which the Covenanters commonly there called WHIGS from whence the Name was afterward brought into England and applied to all the Dissenting Party accepted of and flockt so fast to them that their Army increased daily to such a considerable number that they became formidable Whereupon the King hastned away the Duke of Monmouth as his Generalissimo to suppress them which with the Assistance of the Loyal Gentry and Herritors of that Nation he easily performed in one Battel at Bothwell-Bridg For having forced his passage over the Bridg and seized the only piece of Cannon they had they fled toward Hamilton-Park And altho they afterward rallied again and Faced about upon the advantage of a rising ground yet so soon as the Cannon began to play on them they all fled in disorder and confusion Robert Hamilton who was their chief Commander being one of the first There were many of the Rebels kill'd in the place and several hundreds taken Prisoners whereof some few were Executed The King who was willing to try all means to please and satisfie his people fearing the Animosities of that Parliament were too great to admit of a Reconciliation and would prevent their doing any
it on certain factious persons unknown to them which they desire Mr. Withins Steward of that Court to represent in their Names to the King which he accordingly did and received the Honour of Knighthood as a Reward of his Loyalty After which several such like addresses were directed from many of the Counties and that from Norfolk had a farther acknowledgment of their humble thanks to the King for calling home the Duke And the Lord Shandois having been elected by the Turky Company to go Embassador to Constantinople and desiring the Kings approbation the King 〈◊〉 him that having been concerned in promoting petitions which were â—â—rogatory to his Prerogative and tended to sedition he could not think him fit for his Favour whereupon he humbly acknowledged his fault to the King in Council protesting â—â—at he had been misled and drawn into it by being perswaded it was for his Mâ—jesties Service but being now better informed he abhorred and disowned all such Practices and humbly begging his Pardon he as freely obtained it Upon the 18th of May so great a Storm of Hail fell in London and the adjacent parts that the like had not been seen in many Years before the Stones being of an extraordinary bigness and very hard till they had lain a while many of them being as large as Pullets Eggs. One which I saw measured was somewhat more than Nine Inches about several Rooks in the Temple Garden being beaten down and killed with them and the Glass of many Sky-lights battered and broken to pieces And now the Parliament which had been several times this Summer prorogued met on the 21st of October according to â—he King's Declaration to them at their meeting in April to whom he declared in a Speech to both Houses That he had during that long prorogation made Alliances with Holland and Spain and desired money of them for the relieving Tangier the defence whereof had very much exhausted his Treasure and advising them not to meddle with the Succession of the Crown but proceed to the discovery of the Plot and the Trial of the Lords The Commons having chosen Mr. Williams a Barrester of Grays Inn and Recorder of Chester for their Speaker to convince the World that the King had not without Reason deferred their sitting so long and that neither he nor the Nation would have been losers if they had not sate then fell to purging their house expelling Sir Robert Can a Burgess for Bristol for having said there was no other Plot but a Presbyterian one and Sir Francis Withins for having declared himself an Abhorrer of the late tumultuous Petitions for the Parliaments sitting The former was committed by them to the Tower and both ordered to receive their Censure on their knees from the Speaker Several other Members were likewise declared guilty of the same Offence with Sir Francis Withins And not content with punishing their own Members they take notice of others who were without their Walls amongst whom Sir George Jeffries Recorder of London one of the King's Serjeants at Law and Chief Justice of Chester became the Object of their displeasure and was Voted a Betrayer of the Subjects Rights and an Address was made to the King to remove him from all publick Affairs and Impeachments Voted and drawn up against Sir Francis North Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir William Scrogs Chief Justice of the Kings-Bench Sir Thomas Jones one of the puisny Judges of that Court and Sir Richard Weston one of the Barons of the Exchequer for several pretended misdemeanors that of Sir Francis North being the advising and drawing up of the Proclamation against Petitions But not contenting themselves to deal with Subjects they proceeded next to a matter of a far greater concern For on the 11th of November notwithstanding the King's desire at their opening That they would not meddle with the Succession a Bill past in the House of Commons intituled An Act for securing the Protestant Religion by disabling James Duke of York from inheriting the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and the Territories thereunto belonging which notwithstanding all the opposition made against it by the unbiassed and Judicious Loyalists who tho their Reasons were strongest yet their number were fewest was carried up to the Peers by the Lord Russel attended by almost all the Commons who gave a Hum at the delivery of it The Lords having ordered it upon their departure to be read put it to the Vote whether it should be read a second time which being carried in the Affirmative by Two Voices only after the second reading it was debated till Eleven a Clock at night the King being present all the while and then thrown out of the House by a Majority of about Thirty Voices in which number were all the Bishops then present to shew how careful the Prelacy is to promote Monarchy Soon after the Parliament proceeded to the Trial of William Lord Viscount Stafford which began in Westminster-Hall on Tuesday the 30th of November and the Impeachment and Evidence upon the same were managed by a Committee of the Commons and the Witnesses against him were Oates Turberville and Dugdale The Lord Chancellor Finch was created Lord High Steward for the solemnity of his Trial which lasted a whole week and being found Guilty by the Majority of Four and Twenty Voices he received Sentence on the 17th of December and on the 29th of that Month was beheaded on Tower-Hill protesting his Innocency with his last breath as all those had done who died for the Plot before him Some were so bold as to question the King's power to dispence with the Rigor of the Sentence and the unhappy Lord Russel was said to be one of them During these publick Transactions a large and prodigious flame of Light appeared in the West The Star from which the Blaze proceeded was but small and when first discovered seemed to be not much above the Horizon but every night after appeared somewhat higher in the beginning of the night and consequently set later its lustre and magnitude decreasing by degrees Whether this finger of the Almighty so visibly seen in the Heavens portended good or bad Events to the World in general or England in particular is a matter too mysterious for me to unfold and therefore shall I leave it till made more plain by the Effects which will be the best Commentatary thereon The King finding the Commons taken up with other business without taking the least care of providing him Money for the supplying his pressing wants and the relieving Tangier then besieged by the Emperor of Morocco recommended the matter more seriously to them in his Speech on the 15th of December But all the Answer he could obtain from them was an Address complaining of several pretended Grievances and refusing all supplies of Money for the Relief of Tangier or any other use unless he would pass a Bill for the Exclusion of the Duke and to enable all Protestants to associate
joyn with him therein went on by themselves and poll'd for Four Heads with a Salvo Jure to their former Election The next day the Mayor having caused his Books to be cast up and finding the Majority of Voices to be for Box he declared North and him to be Sheriffs But Box refusing to serve and paying in his Fine according to Custom the Mayor call'd another Common-Hall on the 19th of September and proposed Peter Rich Esq to be chosen in his stead who having the Majority of Voices and being declared Sheriff the Mayor dissolved the Court and returned home But the Two Sheâ—iffs notwithstanding the Mayor's dissolution continued this Assembly as they had done the former and demanding of their own Party the rest being departed with the Mayor whether they would abide by their former Choice for Papillion and Duboise proceeded likewise to a Poll and having cast up their Books declared them to be Sheriffs Elect. Whereupon the Mayor acquainting the King with their Proceedings he commanded them to attend him in Council where they were severely checkt and not dismist without giving sufficient Bail to answer to an Information which should be exhibited against them for their unwarrantable proceedings But notwithstanding this ill success they were not so discouraged as to desist from the like practices for the future For on Michaelmas-day when the Citizens met for the Election of a Mayor they mustered up their utmost strength and appeared with as much Violence against Sir William Pritchard the next in course as they had done against North and Box setting up Gold and Cornish against them altho Cornish had been Sheriff but the very year before However Pritchard carried it by the Majority of Voices In this year died the Illustrious Prince Rupert in the 63d year of his Age The Constableship of Windsor-Castle which had been enjoyed by him for many years being after his Death conferred by the King on the Earl of Arundel And on the 18th of December died Henâ—eage Earl of Nottingham and Lord High Chancellor of England who had enjoyed that place ever since it was taken from Shaftsbury in the year 73. and was succeeded by Sir Francis North Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas This year was very remarkable also for the Arrival of Two Extraordinary and Famous Embassages from Two Princes never known to have sent any into England before one from the Emperor of Fez and Morocco who in his Letter exprest much Kindness and a great Veneration to the King His Name was Hamet Benhamet Benhaddu Otter a man of a Majestick Presence and great Wisdom His business was about setling a Peace in relation to Tangier and his Person and Conversation was so pleasant and taking that he was received and caressed with more Honour and Respect both by the King and his Nobles than any Embassador I ever knew at Court And so he was by both Universities which he visited seeming to have an equal Esteem and Valuation for our Nation Nor was there ever any Embassador before him so much admired by the common people great multitudes always attending before his House which was near Katherine-street in the Strand to gaze upon and wonder at the strange Garb worn by him and his Attendants one whereof was an English Renegado formerly a Barber somewhere about Temple bar but being afterward a Soldier in Tangier he ran away from that Garison to the Moors and was by them highly advanced for his perfidious directing them in their Wars against that Town The other Embassage was from the King of Bantham in the East-Indies whose business was about the East-India Trade who would have been as much admired as the former if he had come another time but all mens Eyes were so generally fixt upon the Morocco that they were less minded than otherwise they would have been They brought the King several rich presents of Diamonds and other things of great value But not long after their return we received ill news when we least expected it For the Dutch having under pretence of assisting the Rebel Prince who was commonly called The Young King of Bantham against his Father the Old King seized upon that Town turn'd out the English whom they found there and seized on their Factory to the great damage of the English Nation On the 24th of April hapned one of the most famous and extraordinary Exploits that was ever known in London For one Broome Clerk of Skinners-Hall and Coroner of Landon having a Latitat out of the Kings-Bench in an Action upon the Case at the Suit of Papillion and Duboise agaiâ—st the Lord Mayor Sheriff North and several Loyal Aldermen Upon acquainting them therewith they all submitted to his Arrest and went with him as Prisoners to Skinners-Hall where they remained till about midnight Eight Companies of the Trained Bands being raised by order of the Lieutenancy upon that altogether new and unusual attempt to prevent Tumults But one Fletcher a Serjeant of the Poultrey-Compter having an Action of Debt upon a Bond of 400. l. agaiust Broome who had the Week before promised to give Bail to it but neglecting it and seeing him act so imperiously against the Chief Magistrate of the City took him into custody and carried him forthwith to the Compter The Mayor and his Fellow-prisoners seeing Broome carried away by a Serjeant demanded if there were any in the house who had Orders to detain them which being answered in the Negative they all peaceably departed to their several homes In the next Month was tried at Guild-Hall before the Lord Chief Justice Saunders Pemberton having been removed to the Common-Pleas upon North's receiving the Seal the great Riot committed the year before at the Election of Sheriffs Fourteen being found Guilty thereof and Fined And the better part of the City both for Number and Quality Resolved at a Common-Council held on the 22d of that Month That notwithstanding the Action in which the Mayor was Arrested at the Suit of Papillion and Duboise was said to be prosecuted at the Instance of the Citizens of London yet they to deliver themselves and the said Citizens from that false imputation did declare they were no way privy or consenting to that Action and therefore did disown and disapprove the same But the City having in the Judgment of Lawyers forfeited their Charter by several illegal proceedings the King thought the best way to prevent such kind of Tumults which might be of ill consequence to the Nation in general for the future would be the taking that Forfeiture that so by having the Charter delivered up into his hands they might by a more absolute dependance upon his Goodness be obliged to a stricter performance of their Allegiance and take the greater care to preserve the publick peace and quiet Whereupon he ordered a Writ of Quo Warranto to go out against their Charter which was grounded chiefly on their illegal exacting of Tolls in their Markets and their having framed and printed a scandalous
City and Suburbs for the Relief of many Thousand miserable Wretches who would otherwise have perished and to encourage others to so needful a charity by his own example ordered several great Sums of Money to be issued out of his Treasury for that Purpose On the 23d of January being the first day of Hillary Term the Lawyers went over the Ice to Westminster and back again as familiarly as on the Land some on Foot and others in Coaches and there was for above a fortnight together a Fair or Mart kept between the Temple and that part of Southwark which is opposite to it This Year Vienna the Imperial City of Germany was closely besieged and greatly distressed by the Turks who brought it to the very last extremity but were then beaten off and forced to raise their siege by the Blessing of God upon the Valour of the King of Poland and the Duke of Lorrain in which Action the Lord Landsdown Eldest Son to the Earl of Bath behaved himself with so much Valour that he was afterward as a Reward of his Courage created a Count of the Sacred Empire And Tangier having cost the King abundance of Treasure to defend it against the Moors and make the Mole there he now resolved in regard the charges were so very great and the Expectation of Advantage very uncertain to relinquish it and therefore ordered the Lord Dartmouth to repair thither wih about 20 sail of Ships and demolish the Town Castle and Mole choak up the Haven to render it useless to any who might otherwise have thought the Town worth rebuilding and bring off the Inhabitants which was done accordingly About the middle of February 1684. was the Earl of Danby after a long and tedious Imprisonment admitted to Bail by the Eminent and Loyal Sir George Jeffrys who succeeded Sir Edward Sanders in the Lord Chief Justiceship of England all the Judges of the Kings-Bench having first given their several opinions about it and delivered their Reasons why he ought to be bailed and the other four Lords one of them viz. Peters being dead sometime before having just before his Death in a Letter to the King denied upon his Salvation his being any way Guilty of what he stood accused of being within the like Reasons were admitted to the like advantage and so was the Earl of Tyrone who had been almost as long a Prisoner in the Gate-house as they had been in the Tower The King having about the Year 81 appointed under him certain Deputies or Commissioners of Ecclesiastical Offices viz. The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London the Lord Radnor Hallifax Hide and Mr. Seymor to whom he delegated his Power to dispose of all such Ecclesiastical Preferments as were within his immediate Patronage was pleased this Year to revoke their Commission and take those preferments again into his own immediate disposal as likewise a commission formerly granted to several Persons to execute the Office of Lord High Admiral of Eugland which was now again fully enjoyed and exercised by his Royal Highness Acts of Hostility being this Spring-fiercely pursued between the French and Spaniards by Sea and Land he commanded by Proclamation that being at Amity with both those Nations the Peace should be kept inviolably by them whilst they were in any Roads Creeks and Ports of his Dominions and that his Commanders and Officers should oppose themselves against those who should presume to assault any of the Ships of his Allies in any of his Roads or Places under his Protection Oates the Salamanca Doctor and Plot-Master-General not content with having falsly charged his Royal Highness the Kings only Brother and Heir with divers base and improbable Stories as tho he had plotted with the Papists against the King his Brother suffered his Spleen to boil to such an exorbitant degree that he saucily and impudently abused him with base and scurrilous Language calling him Traytor declaring That he hoped to see him hang'd with divers horrid devilish and abominable Expressions The Dukes patience not being easily provoked bore long with him but finding that forbearance did but render him more bold and increase his malignity at last he brought his Action of Scandalnm Magnatum against him upon which he was arrested at the Amsterdam Coffee-house on the back-side of the Royal Exchange and carried to Woodstreet Compter and from thence removed by Habeas Corpus to the Kings Bench and having let Judgment go in the next Term by default a Writ of Enquiry was issued out and executed before the Lord Chief Justice in the Kings-Bench Court when the Jury upon hearing the Evidence to shew their detestation of such an unheard of impudence gave 100000 Damages The Hambrough Company out of Gratitude for some great Favour received from the King did this Spring erect a most elaborate and curious Statue of him in Gray Marble in the very middle or Center of the Royal Exchange cut by Mr. Grinlin Gibbons the most Famous Statuary that England ever produc'd and equal if not superior to the best at this Time in Europe in the Garb and Habit of a Roman Caesar It was placed upon a curious Pedestal made of the same Marble upon which was the following Inscription Carolo II Caesari Britanico Patriae Patri Regnum optimo Clementissimo Augustissimo Generis Humani Deliciis Vtriusque fortunae Victori Pacis Europae Arbitro Maris Domino Vindici Societas Meâ—catorum Adventur Angliae Quae per CCCC jam prope Annos Regia Benignitate floret Fidei Intemerata Gratitudinis Aeternaâ— Hoc Testimonium Venerabunda posuit Anno sal Humanae MDCLXXXIV The Council sitting on the 28th of May at Hampton Court as it used frequently to do when he was at Windsor as the most convenient place for his coming to it he told them that he thought it fit and did intend his Brother should be present at the Meetings of the Council who accordingly took his Seat that Day and ever after during his Brothers Life And in October following the King made a Review or Muster of his Land-Forces upon Putney Heath where there was a most gallant Military Appearance the Horse consisting of the Three Troops of Guards the Granadeers the Earl of Oxford's Regiment of Horse and the Lord Churchels Regiment of Dragoons and the Foot of two Battalians formed and the Regiment of Guards with their Granadeers one from the Coldstream Regiment of Guards and Granadeers one from the Earl of Dumbartons Regiment and another from the Admiral Regiment with their Granadeers the whole Number of Horse and Foot between 4000 and 5000 being all exactly trained and well cloath'd most of the Horse march'd in the morning in Gallant Order through the Streets of London and so over the Bridg to Putney This Michaelmas Terms several Factious Persons were convicted of speaking scandalous and seditious Words against the Government for which one Best commonly call'd the Protestant Hop-Merchant was fined 1000 l. and ordered to stand in the Pillory