Earl of Danby render himself to Justice by a certain day or in default thereof to be Attainted which Bill was read twice and committed In the mean time the Lords had past a Bill in their House for banishing and disabling the said Earl which being sent down to the Commons for their Concurrence was by them rejected as a Censure too favourable They also Vote an Address to be made to His Majesty That the said Earl be not permitted to reside in any of His Majesties Houses of Whitehall Somerset-house and St. James's Also another Address for a Proclamation to apprehend the said Earl and that no Subject presume to harbour or conceal him In the mean time the Bill of Attainder against the Earl of Danby was highly canvast at several Conferences between the Lords and Commons till at last on the 16th of April a Message is brought from the Lords House to acquaint the Commons That the Earl of Danby had the last night rendred himself to the Usher of the Black Rod and is committed by their Lordships to the Tower On the same 16th of April 4 of the 5 popish Lords in the Tower who had been on the 9th instant Impeacht gave in their Answers in Person viz. Powis Stafford Petre and Arundel but the Lord Bellasis being disabled by the Gout had his Answer received in Writing On the 20th of April the King was pleas'd to declare to His Privy Council His pleasure to dissolve them and to constitute a new one which for the future should consist of the constant number of 30 Members of which 15 to be certain viz. 1. The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 2. Bishop of London 3. Lord Chancellor 4. One of the Chief Justices 5. The Admiral 6. Master of the Ordenance 7. Treasurer 8. Chancellor of the Exchequer 9. Privy Seal 10. Master of the Horse 11. Lord Steward 12. Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold 13. Groom of the Stole And the two Secretaries The other 15 elective at the Kings pleasure 10 out of the Nobility and 5 Commoners Besides these such Princes of the Blood as shall be at Court A Lord President and a Secretary of Stotland but these uncertain And according to this new Model so many of them as were in Court did the next morning being April 21 meet in the Council Chamber and were there Sworn Privy-Counsellors The same day His Majesty was pleased to acquaint the two Houses with what he had done and that He was resolved in all His weighty and Important Affairs next to His great Council in Parliament to be advised by this Privy Council After this viz. on the 24th day of April Nathaniel Reading Esquire was Tryed before my Lord Chief Justice North and several other special Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer sitting in the Kings-Bench Court at Westminster His crime of which he stood indicted was for endeavoring to stifle Bedlo's Evidence against the Popish Lords or at least to lessen the same which being proved by the Oaths of the said Bedloe one Wiggins his Man and one Mr Speke which two last Bedloe had hid privately in his Chamber to over-hear their discourse he was found guilty had Judgment to stand in the Pillory for an hour in the Palace-Yard Imprisonment for one year and fined 1000 l. Which Sentence was accordingly Executed About this time it was that the Bishops of Ely Gloucester and Bath and Wells were accused for Papists but the Accusation quickly fell it being discovered to be a malicious contrivance to blast their Reputation and fix a Scandal on the whole Order On the 25th of April the Earl of Danby and Lord Bellasis appear'd in Person at the Bar of the Lords House the Earl putting in his Plea and the Lord Bellasis his Answer The next day the Lords Stafford Arundel and Powis appear'd at the same Bar and having retracted their former Pleas to their Impeachments which appeared insufficient to the House of Commons put in their further Answers to the same After this on the last day of April His Majesty was pleased to send for the Commons to attend Him in the House of Lords and acquaint 'em by the mouth of the Lord Chancellor That he was ready to agree to any Laws to secure Religion so the Discent of the Crown in the Right Line be not defeated and therefore he is willing that a Provision be made First to distinguish a Papist from a Protestant Successor then to limit the Authority of the First in these particulars viz that all Church preferment may be confer'd on Pious and Learned Protestants That there may not want a Parliament on the Kings Death but that the Parliament then in being or the last that sat should at such time reassemble without any new Summons or Election That during the Reign of any Popish Successor no Privy Counseller no Judge at the Common Law or in Chancery shall be put in or displaced but by Authority of Parliament That none but Protestants be Justices of Peace so also for Lord Lieutenants Deputy Leiutenants and Officers in the Navy not to be put in or removed but by Authority of Parliament concluding that it is hard to invent any other restraint to be put on a Popish Successor yet if any thing else can occur to the Wisdom of the Parliament whereby to secure Religion and Liberty without defeating the Right of Succession it self that His Majesty is most ready to consent to it After the Consideration of this Speech had been Adjourn'd over from time to time It was at last Resolved on the 11th of May in the House of Commons in defence of the Kings Person and the Protestant Religion that they will stand by His Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes and that if His Majesty should come by any violent Death which God forbid that they will revenge it to the utmost upon the Papists And according to this Vote they drew up an Address on the 14th with this varation in the form of Words viz. We shall be ready to Revenge upon the Papists any violence offered by them to your Sacred Majesty The Words by them being neither exprest nor intimated in their Vote though essential and necessary to the Justice of the intended Revenge Further then this they took no notice of the Kings Resolution exprest in the said Speech but contrary to that Clause which related to the Succession on the 15th of May they brought in a Bill to Disable the Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of England which being Read the first time on the said 15th of May was on the 21st read again and Committed to a Committee of the whole House yet the House divided on the Question Yeas 207. Noes 123. But the Parliament being soon after Prorogued it never proceeded further In the mean time the two Houses of Parliament are very earnest in debating the Methods relating to the Tryals of the five Popish Lords in the Tower and the Earl of Danby which last being on the third of
May demanded at the Bar of the Lords House whether he would rely upon and abide by the Plea of his Pardon return'd for Answer That being advised by his Council that his Pardon is good in Law he doth insist upon his Plea and desires that his Council may be heard With which their Lordships acquainting the Commons they Order a return to be made to their Lordships by the whole House in these words on the 5th of May. My Lords the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled are come up to demand Judgment in their own Names and the Names of all the Commons of England against Thomas Earl of Danby who stands Impeacht by them before your Lordships of High Treason and divers high Crimes and Misdemeanors To which he has pleaded a Pardon which Pardon the Commons conceive to be illegal and void and therefore they do demand Judgment of your Lordships accordingly On the 6th of May it was ordered in the House of Lords that Saturday next be appointed for the Earl of Danby's Plea to be argued and that the five Lords in the Tower be tryed this Day Sennight With which Orders they acquainted the Commons the next Day and that their Lordships had appointed an Address to be made to His Majesty to appoint a Lord Steward for the said Tryals The Commons not well satisfied with these proceedings desire that a Committee of both Houses may be nominated to consider of the most proper ways and methods of Proceeding upon Impeachments according to the usage of Parliament But the Lords refused to agree to the Proposal as inconformable to the Rules and Orders of proceedings of their House which is and ever must be tender in matters relating to their Judicature Upon this Answer the Commons resolve May 9. That no Commoner whatsoever presume to maintain the validity of the Pardon pleaded by the Earl of Danby without the leave of this House first had and that the Persons so doing shall be accounted Betrayers of the Liberties of the Commons of England After this it seems that the Lords did recede from their former resolution for on the 11th of May they acquainted the Commons by Message That they had appointed a Committee consisting of Twelve Lords to joyn with a Committee of the House of Commons to consider of propositions and circumstances in relation to the foresaid Tryals Which joint Committee of both Houses meeting they dis-agreed about the Bishops being present at the Tryals for the Lords having resolved in their House That the Lords Spiritual have a right to stay in Court in Capital Cases till the Court proceed to the Vote of Guilty or Not Guilty Hereupon the Commons resolved on the other side to insist upon it that the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any Vote in any Proceedings upon Impeachments against the Lords in the Tower The two Houses seeming to disser on this point the Bishops thought to find out a Medium and on the 16th of May desired leave of the House of Lords that they might withdraw themselves from the Tryals of the said Impeached Lords with the Liberty of entring their usual Protestations But this did not satisfie the House of Commons who on the 24th of May Resolve that they cannot proceed to the Tryal of the Five Lords before Judgment be given on the Earl of Danby's Pardon and in the point of the Bishops Voting in Capital Offences For which they drew up Reasons and the 26th of May delivered the same to the Lords at a Conference which being very large and in print I shall here omit And in this posture did the Publick Transactions in Parliament appear on the 27th day of May at which time it pleas'd His Majesty to Prorogue both Houses until the 14th day of August next About this time the King was pleased to remove Sir John Robinson from being Lieutenant of the Tower and confer the Place on Captain Cheek The Troubles in Scotland which broke out in this Month gave occasion of much discourse and no little alarm in England They begun in the Barbarous Murder of Dr. Sharp Archbishop of St. Andrews on the 3d of May as he was travelling from Edinburgh to his own Residency The Murderers were a company of Inveterate Covenanters who in regard the said Bishop had been formerly one of their Party and now revolted as they called his honest Reformation bore him a most immortal hatred having attempted his Life several times before But the Assassins stop not at Murder for soon after this they gather into a Body in the Western parts of Scotland and fall into open Rebellion and Treason on the 29th a Party of the Rebels well mounted and armed came to Rugland proclaim the Covenant and burnt the following Acts of Parliament viz. The Act concerning the Kings Supremacy The Recissory Act by which all the mock-Mock-Laws made in the times of the late Anarchy were repeal'd The Act for establishing Episcopacy And the Act appointing the Anniversary of the 29th of May They also publisht an Insolent Declaration full of Treason and the very Spirit of Scotch Covenanters commonly there called WHIGS With such as these their Army increased daily to such a considerable number that the King Commissioned the Duke of Monmouth as Generalissimo to suppress the Insurrection which not long after with the assistance of the Loyal Gentry and Heretors of that Nation he did in one Battle killing some and taking several Hundreds of Prisoners of which some few being hang'd especially those who were more immediately concern'd in the Arch-Bishops Murder the rest were Transported But to return to London On the 13th of June Thomas White alias Whitebread Provincial of the Jesuits in England William Harcourt John Fenwick John Gaven and Anthony Turner all Jesuits were Tryed at the Old-Baily and found Guilty of High Treason as Conspirators in the late Plot The next Day Richard Langhorn Esq a Barister of the Inner-Temple was Tryed at the same Bar for the same Crime and being also found Guilty all six had Sentence of Condemnation and were accordingly Executed the five Jesuits on Fryday the 20th of June and Mr. Langhorn on the 14th of July following All departing this Life with the greatest Protestations of Innocence as to the Crimes Objected as could be possibly expected On the last Day of Trinity-Term being the 9th of July Sir Anthony Dean and Samuel Pepys Esq two Members of the present Parliament were on a long debate let to Bail in the Court of Kings-Bench at Westminster the Principals in a Recognizance of 10000 l. a piece and every one of the Bail 5000 l. They had been Committed to the Tower by Order of the House of Commons on the 20th of May last their Accusation Treason Piracy and Felony on the Stat. 31. El. 4. And being on the first Day of this Term removed by Habeas Corpus into this Court the said Crimes were here charged against 'em in several Affidavits by Scot and Moon but it seems the
He had made choice of Sir Lionel Jenkins to succeed him in the Place of Secretary who was accordingly Sworn of His Privy Council that day and took his place at the Board Before the end of this Hillary Term the Court of Kings Bench produced several remarkable passages relating to the publick For besides the Tryal and Acquittal of Sir Thomas Gascoin of which before on the 9th of February Thomas Whitfield John Smallbones and William Laud having been formerly indicted for a Ryot in tearing a Petition which was some time since carried about to get Subscriptions to it concerning the sitting of the Parliament being now tryed for the same at the Kings Bench Bar they were found Not guilty of the Ryot and onely Mr. Whitfield guilty of tearing the Petition but what offence that action did amount to was not at that time declared by the Court. About the same time several Booksellers were punisht for publishing Seditious and Scandalous Libels but above all the Sentence against Benjamin Harris the Publisher of the Weekly Domestick Intelligence is most observable who having been Indicted Tryed and found Guilty of Vending a Scandalous Libel called An Appeal from the Country to the City had Judgment on the last day of the Term To stand in the Pillory before the Old Exchange on the Tuesday following Imprisonment for One year Three years Good behaviour and Fined 500 l. the said Appeal to be burnt by the Common Hangman On the fifth of March His Majesty was pleas'd to issue out His Proclamation against Highway-men promising thereby the Summ of 10 l. to any one who should discover any such from the date of the said Proclamation until the second of March following which said Summ was appointed to he paid immediately on the Conviction of such Robber by the Sherif of the County and to be allow'd on His Accounts On the ninth of March the King issued out another Proclamation against such who under a vain pretence of Honor take upon them to be the Revengers of their private Quarrels in Duels and single Combat which ought not to be upon any pretence or provocation whatsoever strictly charging and commanding all his loving Subjects of what quality soeve hat they do not either by themselves or others by Message Word Writing or other ways Challenge or cause to be Challenged any Person or Persons to fight in Combat or single Duel nor Carry Accept or Conceal any such Challenge or Appointment nor actually fight any such Duel or as a Second or otherwise accompany or be assistant therein declaring further That He will not grant His Pardon to any Person whatsoever that shall fight or be any way aiding or concerned in such Duel where any Person shall be slain or dye of his Wounds received therein but will leave all such persons to the utmost rigour and severity of the Laws And that He will not suffer or endure any person or persons to be or remain at Court who shall presume to intercede for any person or persons offending against this Proclamation straitly charging and commanding by the said Proclamation all persons whatsoever who shall receive or know of any Challenge sent or delivered as aforesaid forthwith to give notice thereof to some of the Privy Council or some Justice of Peace near the place upon pain of His highest Displeasure and being left to the strictest rigour and severity of the Law On the 15th of April being the day to which the Parliament was formerly Prorogued the King then absent at Newmarket my Lord Chancellor by Commission under the Great Seal Prorogued it further to the 17th of May following the Duke of York being present in the House On the 17th of May it was further Prorogued till the first of July And now it was that those Counties which had been lately so active in promoting Petitions for the sitting of the Parliament began to be ashamed of such Actions and to recant The City of Westminster was the first whose Grand Jury by their publick and formal Act at their Sessions after Easter disown'd the said Action of promoting Petitions and charged it on certain Factious persons unknown to them this and more to this purpose they desired their Steward Mr. Withens of the Middle Temple to represent in their names to His Majesty which he did soon after and was Knighted for his Loyalty by the Name of Sir Francis Withens After this followed the like Addresses from the Counties of Surry Essex Middlesex and Norfolk which last mentioned County of Norfolk had this further Acknowledgment in their Message viz. Their humble thanks to His Majesty for recalling the Duke from Flanders To the same purpose ought not to be omitted what happened in my Lord Shandois his Case who having been elected by the Turkey Company of Merchants to go Ambassador to Constantinople and desiring His Majesty's Approbation the King was pleas'd to reply That he having countenanced and been engaged in the Business of a Petition about the Parliament which His Majesty lookt upon as derogatory to His Prerogative and tending to Sedition He could not think him fit for this Favour Hereupon the said Lord desiring to be called into the Council of Foreign Affairs at Whitehall Apr. 26. did there humbly acknowledge to His Majesty his fault in having been concerned in the said Petition alledging That he was misled and drawn in by being given to understand that that proceeding was for His Majesty's Service but that being since better informed he abhorred and disowned all such Practices and humbly begg'd His Majesty's Pardon for what was past After which the King was pleas'd to receive him into His Favour and confirm his Election to the Embassie About this time it was that a false and dangerous Rumour flew abroad and was spread about the Town concerning a Black Box reported to be found wherein was said to be contain'd a Writing importing a Marriage or Contract between His Majesty and the Duke of Monmouth's Mother which report coming to the King's Ear He was pleas'd to Summon the Council to meet extraordinarily on the 26th of April in which He declared the said report to be altogether false and that He thought Himself obliged in Honor and Conscience to have the matter throughly examined and searched into In order whereunto Sir Gilbert Gerard who was rumour'd to have seen some such Writing being called in was examined in Council his Royal Highness and all the Judges of the Courts at Westminster being present touching the truth of what was reported To which he answered upon Oath That he never had any such Writing committed to his Custody nor did he know of any such thing or had ever seen such Writing To all which he also subscribed his Name His Majesty declaring He resolved to use all means possibly to find out the Author of this Report And accordingly a Committee of Council did sit for a great while afterwards to sift into the Business On the fifth of May all the Judges of
which the Religion may be preserved and the Monarchy not destroy'd that therefore they would provide for Religion and Government together with regard to one another because they support one another and that they would make the known Establisht Laws of the Land the Rules and Measures of all their Votes because He is resolved they shall be His. After this Speech the Commons return'd to their House and Chose for their Speaker William Williams Esq who had managed that Office in the last Parliament Who being the next Day presented made a Speech to the King and claim'd by humble Address as his Words were The Antient Rights of the Commons Nothing of extraordinary note passed till Saturday the 26th of March on which Day it was that the House of Commons were informed that the Lords had refused to proceed upon the Impeachment of the Commons against Edward Fitz-Harris for High Treason but had directed that he should be proceeded against at the Common Law Hereupon they Vote That this refusal of the Lords to proceed in Parliament upon such Impeachment is a Denial of Justice and a Violation of the Constitutions of Parliaments an Obstruction to the further Discovery of the Popish Plot and of great Danger to His Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion And further they resolve That for any inferior Court to proceed against Edward Fitz-Harris or any other Person lying under an Impeachment in Parliament for the same Crimes for which he or they stand Impeached is an high breach of the Priviledge of Parliament On the Monday following the Bill against the Duke of York was Read the first time and Order'd a second Reading When on a suddain the King sends for the Commons up to the House of Lords and tells them That He perceived heats betwixt the Lords and them and therefore He had Order'd the Chancellor to Dissolve the present Parliament which he accordingly did immediately The same Day the King left Oxford and came to Windsor that Night the next Morning by Eight a Clock to Whitehall Not long after this His Majesty was pleas'd to Publish in Print a Declaration to all his Loving Subjects in which He set forth the Reasons which induced Him to Dissolve His two last Parliaments His reasonable desires which He had proposed to 'em with their unwarrantable proceedings in return declaring however that He is not yet out of Love with Parliaments but that He will frequently advise with them as His great Council which He hopes ere long to find in a better Temper much to this purpose were the Contents of that Declaration which by His Majesties Order in Council was appointed to be Read in all Churches and Chappels About the same time all the Factious News call'd Domestick Intelligence and Weekly Printed for Francis Smith Ben. Harris and Langly Curtis were by Order of Council as reported put down and silenced And the abovemention'd Francis Smith a Notorious Libel Printer was Committed to Newgate In Easter Term this year Sir Francis Pemberton became Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench in the Room of Sir William Scroggs who had obtain'd a Writ of Ease Great Expectation there was to see what the Court would do in the Case of Edward Fitz-Harris and some Hesitation the Grand-Jury of Middlesex of which one Mr. Godfrey Brother and Heir to the late Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was the Foreman made to receive the Bill of Indictment against him in regard he had been Impeacht by the House of Commons till they were inform'd and satisfied by the Court that all the Judges of England had the Day before met and resolved upon that question Nemine Contrad cente that they might lawfully proceed in the Tryal notwithstanding the aforemention'd Votes of the House of Commons after this the said Jury found the Bill and Fitz-Harris was Arraign'd at the Bar on the last Day of April he was thrice bid to hold up his Hand insisting upon the Impeachment in Parliament but at last he held up his Hand and heard his Indictment Read which was for High Treason exprest in a certain Writing call'd The True Englishman full of most horrid Expressions against the King as if he were a Conspirator in the Plot and exciting the Nation to rise as one Man against him c. To which Indictment he put into Court a Dilatory Plea against the Jurisdiction alledging that he being Impeacht by the Commons in Parliament he cannot be Tryed here but this Plea not being under Councils Hand was refused to be received however the Court gave him time to consider whether he would stand by such a Plea in regard it might be fatal unto him in case it should be over-Ruled and assign'd him for Council Sir Francis Winnington Mr. Williams Mr. Pollexfen and Mr. Wallop as he desired to argue the said Point of Judicature next Wednesday if he persisted in such Plea On the said Wednesday being the 4th of May the Prisoner was again brought to the Bar attended with His Council at which time the Kings Attorney Sir Robert Sawyer enter'd a Demurrer to the Prisoners Plea and insisted chiefly on the manifest defect of form in regard the Plea run that the said Fitz-Harris was Impeacht at the late Parliament at Oxford de Alta proditione but does not say of what sort or manner of Treason nor sets forth the Impeachment at large which a Plea ought to do when it is to the Jurisdiction After this the Council of the Prisoner joyn'd in Demurrer but upon their earnest motion tho' opposed by the Attorney General time was given them to next Saturday Morning to maintain the said Plea by Argument if they can At which time it was argued largely by Williams Winnington Wallop and Pollexfen for the Prisoner and by the Attorney General the Sollicitor Serjeant Jeoffreys and Sir Francis Withens for the King the Kings Council and also the Court declaring that they medled not at all with the Priviledge of the House of Commons or Jurisdiction of the Lords in Parliament which was not in the Point tho in truth the Council for the Prisoner would fain have put that upon 'em but only as to the form of the Plea After all the debate which lasted from 8 till after 12 that Day the Lord Chief Justice declar'd that the Court would take a convenient time to consider before they gave their Judgment On the Wednesday following being the 11th of May the Prisoner being again brought to the Bar by the Lieutenant of the Tower my Lord Chief Justice in the Name of the whole Court gave Judgment and declar'd That he and his Brothers had Consider'd of the Plea that they had also consulted with others of the Judges and that himself Justice Jones and Justice Raymond were of opinion that the Plea was insufficient Dolbin doubting the Plea was therefore over ruled and the Prisoner ordered to Plead over and accordingly he pleaded not Guilty and alledging that a material Evidence on his part was now in
very little the substance of what he had to say or discover being by him delivered to Dr. Hawkins Minister of the Tower for his Wife and therefore it is to be presumed that he Dyed no Papist in regard he had the assistance of a Protestant Minister which all Papists have been known to rerefuse on those occasions His Discovery is since Printed About this time several Factious People were committed to the Tower for High Treason namely Rouse Hayns White and one Colledge commonly call'd the Protestant Joyner But above all let it be remember'd that on July 2. the Earl of Shaftsbury commonly call'd by way of Excellency The Protestant Earl was before the Council at Whit hall to which the King came from Windsor that day on purpose accused of High Treason and for the same committed to the Tower and his Papers seized At the Sessions at the Old Bayly which followed soon after the Earl of Shaftsbury and the Lord Howard moved to be Bail'd but they were answered by the unanimous opinion of the Judges That it was not in the Power of that Court to Bail out of the Tower At the same Sessions it was that a Bill of Indictment of High Treason was delivered to the Grand-Jury of London against Colledge commonly call'd the Protestant Joyner but the Jury made for the purpose as is supposed appear'd so partial and Arbitrary in their proceeding that notwithstanding the home Oaths of several Witnesses among which were Dugdale and Smith two of the great Evidence against the Plotters and another who had been a Member of the House of Commons they brought in the Bill Ignoramus But another Bill being exhibited soon after to the Grand-Jury at the Assizes at Oxford against the said Colledge part of the Treasonable Words and Matters being Transacted there the Bill was found there on the same Evidence which was rejected at the Old Bayly And in August he was Tryed Condemn'd and Executed at Oxford The Weather that happen'd this Summer was memorable for an extraordinary Drought all over England and also beyond Sea all April May and June and some part of July but about the beginning of July fell such plentiful Rains that the Ground which in all parts was Scorcht up like the High-Ways almost to a miracle became as fresh and Green again as on May Day Dayseys and the other Flowers of the Spring appear'd again towards the End of July With Grass in abundance in some places and expectations of a second Hay-time to recompence the want of the first On the 28 of July the Parliament sate in Scotland where his Royal Highness Presided as His Majesties High Commissioner At the opening of the Sessions the Kings Letter was read setting forth That He had call'd them at that time to advise of such things as may truly conduce to the security and Interest of that Kingdom and as an eminent Expression of His Favor He hath named his most dear and most intirely beloved Brother James Duke of Albany and York to be His Commissioner there c. After this the Duke made a Speech Declaring the high esteem he had of the great Honor and happiness the King had been pleased to do him in making choice of him to serve as his Commissioner in that his antient Kingdom since it shews to all the World the Goodness the King hath for him and Confidence he hath in him and capacitates him not only to serve His Majesty as becomes a Loyal Subject but also to evince the real concern he hath for the good of that Kingdom and his readiness to serve it and improve its Interest That His Majesty had commanded him to assure them that he will inviolably maintain and protect the Protestant Religion as by Law Establisht in that Kingdom and the Church Government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops That he will maintain and allow the Properties and Rights of His Subjects according to the due course of Law and that he doth expect that they will not be short of the Loyalty of their Ancestors in vigorously asserting and cleering His Royal Prerogative and in declaring the Rights of His Crown in its natural and Legal course of Descent c. After this the Duke entertained the whole Parliament at a Splendid and Royal Feast The Lords by themselves and the Commons by themselves at several Tables On the First of August The Parliament returned a most Loyal and Dutiful Answer to His Majesties Letter which Answer being so mighty full of true Loyalty it would be an Injury to abridge it in this place every Line every word carrying the true and emphatical marks of gratitude and Duty I therefore refer to the Print Also in pursuance and Confirmation of their Loyal Affections on the 14th of Aug. the Parliament past a Bill entituled An Act acknowledging and asserting the Right of Succession to the Imperial Crown of Scotland By which they recognize and declare That the said Crown is by Inherent Right and the nature of the Monarchy as well as by the fundamental and unalterable Law of the Realm transmitted and devolved by Lineal Succession according to proximity of Blood and that no difference in Religion no Law nor Act of Parliament can alter or divert the Right of Succession and Lineal descent of the Crown to the neerest and Lawful Heirs and therefore they declare it High Treason by Writing Speaking or any other manner of way to endeavor the alteration suspension or diversion of the Right of Succession At the same time they past another Act ratifying all former Laws for the security of the Protestant Religion On the 31st of August Oates was by Order of Council expell'd from Whitehall his Sallery taken off and accused of Misdemeanors Great Numbers of Poor French Protestants about this time flockt over out of France to whom our King was so Gracious as by Act of Council to declare His Pleasure that all His Officers and Magistrates should give 'em the same Countenance and Favour with His own Subjects That He would take 'em into His Protection That He would grant 'em His Letters of Denization forthwith upon their request and That He would intercede with the next Parliament to obtain for them an Act of Naturalization He also granted very ample Letters Patents for Collecting Monies all over England for their Relief Dated the 10th of September this Year On Michaelmas Day being the Customary Day for the Annual Choice of the Lord Mayor of London Sir John Mooor an Addresser was Chosen into that Office for the Year Insuing tho' with a great and unusual opposition by the Fanatick Party The New Sheriffs were Alderman Pilkinton a City Member in the two last Parliaments and one Mr. Shute Which two New Sheriffs being employ'd to invite the King to the Lord Mayors Feast The King was Graciously pleas'd to accept of the Invitation and Declar'd That He liked the Message but not the Messengers This Summer the King was pleas'd to appoint under Him certain Deputies or
required upon the Certificate of the Judge or Two or more Justices of the Peace before whom such persons shall be convicted of such Apprehension and Conviction to pay unto the Person or Persons who shall apprehend such Offendors the Reward aforesaid within the i me aforesaid out of His Majesties Monies received by such Sheriff or Sheriffs in that County where such Conviction shall be which shall be allow'd unto him or them upon his or their accounts in the Exchequer And all Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Justices of the Peace Mayors Sheriffs Baylies and other Officers and persons whatsoever were required to take notice of the said Order and to be aiding and assisting in all things tending to the Execution of the same as they tender His Majesties displeasure and upon pain of being Proceeded against as Contemners of His Majesties Royal Authority This Christmass the restless and implacable Spirit of the Dissenters appeared again by dispersing in several Places in and about London a most Wicked False and Treasonous Libel relating to the Death of the Late Earl of Essex and upon strict search and enquiry after the Author One Henry Danvers Commonly call'd Colonel Danvers late of Newington in Middlesex appear'd to be the man but being upon the Discovery fled His Majesty was pleased on the 4th of Jan. to command publick Notice to be given That whereas the said Henry Danvers stands accused upon Oath of several Treasonable and Dangerous Practices and is fled from Justice Whoever shall apprehend the said Henry and cause him to be delivered into safe Custody that he may be proceeded against according to Law shall receive a Reward of 100 l. to be forthwith paid by the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury In the beginning of this Hillary Term Sir Scroop How one of the Knights of the Shire for the County of Nottingham in the late Parliaments appear'd in the Kings Bench Court to Answer to an Information for words spoke against His Majesty and Royal Highness which being Read he pleaded Guilty confest his offence with much sorrow and cast himself upon the King ' s and Duke ' s mercy To whom being the next Day introduc'd he was upon his humble Submission received to Grace upon which he acknowledg'd that he owed to his Majesties Goodness his Life and his Estate and that he would for the future dedicate both to the Service of His Majesty and the Royal Family Thus ended the 36th Year of His Majesties Reign in a State of Tranquillity and Peace after so many Terrors Disquiets and Tumults the Remembrance of which as it Magnifies our present Happiness by Comparison of past Troubles so ought we never to forget to pay our due Applause Love and Veneration to the Sacred Memory of our late Gracious Soveraign King Charles the 2d who under God has wrought this Blessed Change A Change by which He render'd His Subjects the most happy People of Europe and himself the most Glorious and Admired Prince of Christendom who by a Conduct truly Royal could reduce a People Plunged and almost overwhelm'd in Confusion into a Quiet not to be expected hardly to be hoped for and by his incomparable Prudence asswage a Faction blown up into a Tempest more Violent Deaf than Winds and Seas In what Words what Deeds can we express a Gratitude equal to such a Merit Statues of Marble and Tryumphal Arches may pay a lesser Debt of Veneration but for this Blessing such are too poor acknowledgments Let all True Englishmen raise him a Better a more lasting and more Worthy Monument a Monument of Grateful Hearts Let us Eternize His Glorious Name through all Generations Let our Applauses last for ever But above all let us express our Love and Esteem for His Memory by our unfained Loyalty true Faith and Allegiance to His most Royal and most Equal Brother the Brother of His Vertues Our present Gratious Soveraign King JAMES the Second whom God grant long to Live and Reign over us to the unspeakable Joy and Comfort of all His Majesties Good Subjects and to the Confusion of His Enemies ☞ Note that the year of our Lord in the running Title is to be supposed to begin according to the Almanack in January and not on the 25th of March. FINIS Errata PAge 15. l. penul r. tacking p. 59. l. 15. r. as was said p. 69. l. 4. r. Leoline p. 113. l. 3. for Bar. r. Court p. 149. l. 20. for Bar. r. Court p. 185. l. 17. f. Proceedings r. Judgment THE TABLE A. ADmiralty Page 198 Addresses Loyal 72 115 175 Ailworth Chamberlain of London 180 Aldermen of London changed 183 Anglesey Earl 153 Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews barbarously Murder'd 53 Argile Earl 129 Armstrong Sir Thomas 200 Arundel Earl 159 Association 93 138 Aston Lord 80 Ayres Captain 147 B. BAntham lost to the Dutch 164 Bedloe William 34 64 86 Bellasis Lord 28 45 47 Best Elias 203 Bethel Slingsby 84 91 Bishops accused unjustly for Papists 47 Whether to sit upon Tryals 52 Bishops in Scotland their Letter to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury 141 Black Box 74 Bonfires forbid 77 157 185 Box Ralph 148 152 154 Bristol Artillery Company their Loyal Address 137 Broom Coroner 165 168 C. CAmbridge Vniversity Their Address 139 Can Sir Robert 88 Captain Cheek Lieutenant of the Tower 53 Caryl John 77 Castlemain Earl 77 81 Celier Elizabeth 59 79 86 185 Clarendon Earl 95 194 Coleman Edward 27 34 Colledge Steven 119 120 121 A Comet seen 92 Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Preferments 125 202 Common Council in London Loyal 167 170 Conspiracy against the King and Duke Discover'd 173 Congratulation on the Discovery 175 Coningsmark Count 135 136 Conventicles 129 147 Conwey Lord 99 Cornish Henry 84 91 156 158 D. DAnby Earl 43 44 45 50 51 113 114 193 Dangerfield Thomas 59 79 81 Daniel Peter 180 182 Danvers Henry 206 Dashwood Francis 180 182 Dean Sir Anthony 55 Declaration upon the Dissolution of the Two last Parliaments 109 For a Thanksgiving 179 De Puy 114 Drought Extraordinary 121 Durham City 201 E. EMbassador from Morocco 160 from Bantam 160 Essex Earl 98 177 Exclusion Bill 49 89 93 94 95 99 108 Expedients proposed 47. 107 F. FAsts 11 28 43 Feversham Earl 86 95 Finch Lord Chancellor his excellent Speech in Parliament 16 Dyes 159 Fish Dye 196 Fitzharris Edward 107 110 112 113 117 119 French Protestants come over 124 Frost Remarkable 188 G. GAscoigne Sir Thomas 64 65 Prince George of Denmark Marries the Lady Anne 178 Elected into the Order of the Garter 180 Godfrey Sir Edmundbury 27 29 Godolphin Lord 197 Goodenough Richard 126 Gold Sir Thomas 156 158 Graham Richard 145 Serjeant Gregory Speaker 43 H. HAil Storm Remarkable 75 Hallifax Earl 95 154 Hamden John 186 195 Harris Benjamin 69 Hide Laurence 95 Honours confer'd 160 Holloway James 197 Howard of Escrick Lord 117 118 How Sir Scroop 207 Humphrevile Charles 81 I. JEffreys Sir George 89 116 182 Jenkins Sir Leoline 69 197
of His Majestys Revenue by the Prohibiting Act it was carry'd in the Negative Yeas 145 Noes 202. Saturday the 22th of June the Lords sent down the Bill for Disbanding with an enlargement of the time prefixt for one Month longer to which the Commons would not agree but desired a Conference at which to give their Lordships the reasons why they could not consent to the alteration Monday the 25th of July the Parliament was Prorogued to the first of August the King having then past the following Bills 1. An Act for granting a supply to His Majesty of 619388 l. 11 s. 9 d. for Disbanding the Army and other uses therein mentioned 2. An Act for granting an Additional Duty to His Majesty upon Wines for Three Years 3. An Act to enable Creditors to recover their Debts of the Executors and Administrators of Executors in their own wrong 4. An Act for Burying in Woollen 5. An Act for Admeasurement of Keels and Boats carrying Coals 6. An Act for Reviving a former Act of the 13th of this King ch 2. for avoiding unnecessary Suits and delays and for continuance of an other Act of 22. 23. Car ' 2. ch 10. touching intestates Estates 7. An Act for further Relief and Discharge of poor Prisoners for Debt 8. An Act touching Highways 9. An Act for preservation of Fishing in the River Severn On which said first of August they being again met they were again Prorogued over to the 29th Day of the same Month. Soon after that also there came out a Proclamation requiring a full Assembly at the said 29th Day But in the mean time the French being beaten from the Siege of Mons by the English chiefly under Command of my Lord of Ossery on the part of the Prince of Orange the King Issued out another Proclamation dated the 8th of August whereby reciting the last Proclamation but in regard the State of Affairs abroad was alter'd since then he is pleas'd to Prorogue the Houses over till the first Day of October next requiring then a full Assembly after this it was again Prorogued to the 21st of October In the mean time a Peace is concluded between France Spain and Holland and a Truce for some Months with the Emperor On Saturday Sunday Monday and Tuesday the 28th 29th and 30th of September and first of October the Privy-Council sate twice a Day The business a Popish Plot several were committed and others examin'd among whom Sir George Wakeman Physician to the Queen and Mr. Coleman belonging to Her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York which said Dutchess went with the Lady Ann that very Tuesday Morning to visit the Princess of Orange designing a stay only of 14 Days This Discovery of a Plot opening every Day more and more the aforesaid Mr. Coleman and Mr. Langhorn of the Temple were committed close Prisoners with several others their Studies search'd their Papers seized and sent to Whitehall And now just before the meeting of the Parliament one Sir Edmondbury Godfrey a Justice of the Peace in Middlesex a severe Enemy of the Papists as by some reported was found Dead in a Ditch not far from Hampstead He appear'd to the Coroners Jury to be strangled tho' afterwards his own Sword was run through him and so found with Money in his Pocket This was lookt on by the Town as a Confirmation of the above-mention'd Plot. On the appointed 21st of October the Houses met The Kings Speech contain'd these words and these words only concerning the Plot I have been informed of a Design against my Person by Jesuites of which I shall forbear any Opinion lest I may seem to say too much or too little but leave the matter to the Law The Chancellor on the same Head had these Expressions And tho' His Majesty doth in no sort prejudg the Persons accused yet the strict enquiry into this matter hath been a means to Discover so many other unwarrantable Practices of theirs that His Majesty hath reason to look to ' em The Examination of this Plot and the concurrent Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey employ'd the Commons so assiduously that towards the beginning of this Session they sate whole Days from Morning till late at Night The Product was a Fast Voted the minutes and Votes of the House of Commons forbid to be divulg'd several Lords Committed Bellasis Arundel of Warder Powis Stafford Petre Castlemain c. Soon after this came out a Proclamation appointing a Fast through all England on the 13th Day of November Thursday the 31st of October the House of Commons resolved upon the Evidence that hath already appear'd to this House this House is of Opinion That there hath been and is an Execrable and Hellish Design contrived and carry'd on by Popish Recusants for Assassinating and Murthering the King for Subverting the Government and for destroying the Protestant Religion by Law Establisht The same Day Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was Buried The Solemnity proceeded from Bridewell to St. Martins in the Fields 72 London Ministers Marching two and two before the Body and above 1000 Men in the same Order following after The next Day in pursuance of an Address presented to the King by the Commons the Saturday before came out a Proclamation whereby all Papists or such reputed be Banisht 10 Miles from London and Westminster to remove themselves by the 7th Day of November except Housholders and they to take the Oaths or suffer the Penalties inflicted by Law The same Day the Commons in Parliament resolved That an Address be made to the King that the Trained-Bands of London Westminster and Surry be rais'd for preservation of His Majestys Person and the Parliament during this Session On Munday the 4th of November came out an Order of the King in Council proposing That whoever can Discover any Officer or Soldier in any of the Kings Guards Horse or Foot who has taken the Oaths and Test and since turn'd Papist such Discoverer shall have 20 l. for every Man so Discovered Monday the 4th of November It was moved in the House of Commons that an Address be made to the King to remove the Duke of York from his Presence and Councils but the debate was Adjourn'd over to Fryday next at which time it being again moved the debate was again Adjorn'd over to Thursday following The next Day being Saturday the 9th of November His Majesty went to the Lords House in His Robes and made a Speech to both Houses Wherein after he had return'd them His most hearty Thanks for their very great and extraordinary care for preservation of His Person in this time of Danger He told 'em That he was as ready to joyn with them in all ways and means that may Establish a firm security to the Protestant Religion as their own Hearts can wish and this not only during His Life but in future Ages even to the end of the World And therefore He is come to assure 'em that whatsoever reasonable Bills they shall
multitudes of His Majesties Subjects which Proceedings being contrary to the Common and known Laws of this Land and tending to promote discontents among the People and to raise Sedition and Rebellion His Majesty doth therefore strictly charge and commad all and every his loving Subjects of what Rank or Degree soever that they presume not to agitate or promote any such Subscriptions nor in any ways joyn in any Petition of that manner to be preferred to His Majesty upon peril of the utmost rigour of the Law that may be inflicted for the same At the same time His Majesty issued out another Proclamation declaring His Resolution to Prorogue the Parliament from the 26th of January to the 11th of November next Notwithstanding the scope of these two Proclamations the business of Petitioning went forwards several were perfected and delivered not long after one from London Subscribed with many Thousands of hands others from York Essex Surrey and Wiltshire all which the King receiv'd but coldly and as appeared afterwards ineffectually for on the 26th of January being the Day to which the Parliament was Prorogued His Majesty was pleased to make a short Speech to both Houses containing That when he declared in Council His Intention of putting off the Parliament to a time so remote as November it was not without mature Consideration That he cannot be perswaded from any thing that has happened since in reference to Affairs within the Kingdom to alter or repent of that Resolution That notwithstanding considering the present danger which threatens some of our Neighbours and Allies He thinks fit to appoint a day for their meeting again in April yet the Distractions and Jealouses at home are of such a nature and so heightned and improved by the malice and and Industry of ill men that he is unalteablylos opinion that a longer Interval of Parliament will be absolutely necessary for composing and quieting of Mens minds in order to which he is afraid the most proper Remedies would prove ineffectual without the assistance of some further time He resolves therefore that on the said meeting in April there shall be a further Prorogation unless the Condition of our Allies abroad do then require our immediate assistance Hereupon he commanded the Lord Chancellor to Prorogue the Parliament to the 15th of April In the mean time Articles of high Misdemeanor were offer'd by way of Complaint to the King and Council against the Lord Chief Justice Scroggs by Oates and Bedloe who had formerly declar'd themselves unwilling to give any Evidence against any Papists or concerning the late Popish Conspiracy in any Court where the said Chief Justice should fit as Judge But the Prosecution of this Affair soon fell and the Cause never came to be heard further than the Chief Justices Answer In the beginning of Hillary Term Sir Thomas Gascoigne a York-shire Knight of 85 years of age was Arraigned at the Kings Bench Bar in Westminster Hall upon an Information of High Treason in conspiring the Death of the King and the Subversion of the Government He was afterwards brought to his Tryal at the same Bar the Jury were all York-shire Gentlemen the Foreman Sir Thomas Hodson The chief Evidence against him one Balron who had formerly been Baily of his Colepits and one Mowbray who had also belonged to his Family but their Testimony it seems not being of that Weight or credibility with the Jury as some expected they brought in their Verdict Not Guilty whereupon the Prisoner was immediately discharged We are now arrived at the end of the 31st year of His Majesties Reign a year observable for many Revolutions thô all concluding peaceably and well through the Mercy of God and the Wisdom of our Superiours the factious Rabble having been never more ready for Combustion since the late Wars of Cursed Memory Anno 32 Car. 2. Anno Dom. 1680. THE Conclusion of the last Year left his Royal Highness in Scotland but the beginning of this must be remarkable for his return to England which healing Action in the entrance will I hope as a good Omen prognosticate Peace and Happiness to the King and Kingdom during the rest of this Thirty second Year of His Majesty's Reign On the 31 of January the Duke acquainted the Lords of the Privy Council at Edinburg That he had received a Letter from the King calling him very speedily to Court That though he did very chearfully obey His Majesty's Commands and went with much joy to attend Him yet he could not part from their Lordships so soon without a great deal of Reluctancy and Trouble having both at his reception and during the short time of his abode there met with all possible demonstration of civility and kindness both from the Nobility Gentry and from the Representatives of the several Bodies of the Nation particularly from the Council of which he had so just a resentment that he could not in all his life forget them and should not fail upon all occasions to meet their great kindness and affection shewn him with all the service he was capable to do them That he would acquaint His Majesty that He had in Scotland a brave and loyal Nobility and Gentry a regular Privy Council and the Judicatures filled with able Persons well affected to His Majesty's Service and Interest That he had observed the disaffected Party were nothing so considerable as their Friends in England studied industriously to represent them to be He then recommended to the Council the setling of the Differences between several Gentlemen of the Highlands whom he had always observed to be firm to His Majesty's Interest The Lord Chancellor in the name of the Council acknowledged the great happiness they had had in hi Presence Conduct and Advice and declared how much devoted they all were to the Service of His Majesty and his Royal Highness and that they could not express the great grief they had to part so soon with him to whose Council and Presence they owe so many Advantages After this the Duke Duchess and all their Retinue began their Voyage by Sea for London where he arrived at the Court Privy Stairs on the 24th of February about Three in the afternoon not without all the due signs of Joy and Welcome There arrived at the same time from the Privy Council of Scotland a Letter full of Loyal Expressions to the Kings Service with abundance of Recommendation and Protestations for the Duke's Interest Two days after his arrival his Royal Highness was attended by the Lord Mayor Court of Aldermen Recorder and Common Council of the City of London at which time the Recorder having in all their names Congratulated his safe arrival they all kist the Hands both of the Duke and Duchess On the 11th of February His Majesty was pleased to declare in Council that He had granted His Secretary Coventry leave to resign his Place of Secretary of State That His intention was to continue him however of His Council And that
His Purse That He would not have them meddle with the Succession of the Crown in the Right Line but proceed in the Discovery of the Plot and to the Tryals of the Lords c. After this the Chancellor making no set Speech the Commons return'd to their own House and unanimously chose for their Speaker Mr. Williams of Grays-Inn Recorder of Chester One of the first things the House of Commons did was to Purge their own House of certain Members Sir Robert Can a Burgess for Bristol for having said there is no Plot but a Presbyterian Plot Sir Francis Withins head Steward of Westminster and one of the Burgesses for the same for having Declar'd himself abhorrent to the late Tumultous Petitions for the Parliaments sitting The first of these was expell'd the House and Committed to the Tower the other only expell'd But both Order'd to receive their Censure on their Knees And several other Members were declar'd Guilty of the last mention'd Offence On the 30th of October the King Publisht a Proclamation promising His Pardon to all that within two Months shall come in and make any further Discovery of the Plot. And this was done upon an Address of Parliament In the mean time the Commons not satisfied in punishing their own Members who had appear'd against Petitioning for the Parliaments fitting they take notice of others who were without their Walls and among the rest Sir George Jeffreys becomes the Object of their Displeasure who being Recorder of London the Kings Serjeant at Law and Chief Justice of Chester is for the pretended Crime above specified on the 13th of November Voted a Betrayer of the Rights of the Subject and an Address Order'd to be made to His Majesty to remove him from all Publick Offices At the same time it was Order'd that a Committee enquire into all such Persons as have been advising or promoting the late Proclamation stiled a Proclamation against Tumultuous Petitioning But about the same time a matter of much greater concern was thus mannaged On the 11th of November was past in the House of Commons a Bill entituled An Act for securing the Protestant Religion by disabling James Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and the Territories thereunto belonging Which Bill was on the 15th carryed up to the Lords House by my Lord Russel attended by almost all the Commons who gave a Hum at the Delivery They being departed it was read once and being put to the Vote whether it should be read a second time it was carryed in the Affirmative by two Voices On the second reading it was debated till 11 a Clock at night the King being present all the while and then thrown out of the House by a Majority of about 30 Votes in which Majority were all the Bishops then present which were 14. Several other matters were transacted in Parliament of great moment but in regard the Daily Votes and transactions of the House of Commons was by Order of that House daily made publick in Print I refer the Reader for Particulars to what has been publisht and in these Papers take notice only of some of the most material Passages Among which it may be observed that Mr. Seymour the late Speaker and for whose Election the Commons in the late short Parliament did very much stickle was now ordered to be Impeacht and thò not at the same time yet not long after Impeachments were Voted and drawn up against Sir Francis North Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas Sir William Scroggs Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench Sir Thomas Jones second Justice of the said Court and Sir Richard Weston Puisny Baron of the Exchequer for several pretended Misdemeanors In the mean time William Lord Viscount Stafford one of the 5 Popish Lords in the Tower was brought to his Tryal on an Impeachment of High Treason The Tryal began in Westminster Hall on Tuesday the 30th of November being the next day after the Term ended Which Impeachment and Evidence upon the same was managed by a Committee of the Commons The Tryal lasted for a Whole Week and The Evidence against him were Oates Turberville and Dugdale Of the Lords who sate upon the Tryal the Lord Chancellor being Lord High Steward 31 pronounced him not Guilty and 55 Guilty And accordingly Judgment was pronounced against him on Wednesday the 7th of December But his Execution was respited till Wednesday the 29th of December on which day he was Beheaded on Tower-Hill protesting with his last breath his Innocency as to those Crimes of which he stood Condemn'd It is observable that Bethel and Cornish being then Sheriffs of London and having received the Kings Writ for the Execution of the said Viscount Stafford by severing his Head from his Body according to the constant Course in such Cases had notwithstanding the Confidence to demur upon it whether he ought to be Beheaded or according to the Common Judgment hang'd and quartered and for this they apply'd themselves to the two Houses of Parliament To which the most Honourable House of Lords Answered roundly That the Kings Writ ought to be obey'd But the Commons by way of Concession viz. That they were Content that the said Lord be Executed by severing his Head from his Body only During these Transactions a Comet with a most Prodigious Stream of light appear'd in the West the Star from which the Blaze proceeded was but small and when first discover'd appeared not much above the Horizon but every night afterwards it appear'd higher and higher in the beginning of the Night and consequently setting later and later its Lustre and magnitude also decaying I am neither able nor willing to make any Remarques on the Nature of these Meteors Or to say how far such noxious Exhalations may incline Mankind to Mischief And least of all will I pretend to Interpret whether this Finger of the Almighty is thus seen in the Heavens to Point out Good or Bad Events All that I design is innocently to observe and Remember the Naked Matters of Fact as they happen without disguize or Comment Two things more very observable happen'd before Christmass One was An Address of the House of Commons presented to His Majesty on the 21st of December in answer to His Speech of the 15th wherein he demanded once more Supplies of Mony for the defence of Tangier The effect of the said Address was to deny in as modest Terms as could be all Supplies of Mony for that purpose unless His Majesty would be pleas'd to pass a Bill to Seclude the Duke of York from Inheriting to the Crown and to enable the Protestants of this Nation to Associate themselves for the security of the Protestant Religion the Defence of the King and Kingdoms The other was a most Remarkable Speech Spoke in the House of Lords by the Earl of Shaftesbury the King being then present at least wise so pretended and Printed which being full of Audacious and
for secluding him from the Succession of these Crowns when they should happen to fall to him by the old known Laws of Inheritance Which action being of such mighty Consequence to the Peace or perpetual Trouble of this Nation and the Question being so happily settled it being also a leading President to many other healing actions which have happen'd since let me once take leave to break the concise Method which I at the beginning of these Notes propounded and remember in this place some Verses writ immediately upon that Transaction by a true Lover of his King and the Royal Family Glorious and great Indeed These these are they Who truly thus their noble Blood display And by the Soul which they this day have shewn Make all the Lawrels of their Line their own These are old Englands Peers hearts that despise To be o'reawd by Number and by Noise No they 're too Brave too Loyal and too Wise Thus did their mighty Ancestors combine When Force misplac'd the Crown from the right Line Thus they stood firm to Truth and never fail'd Tell the unblemisht Rose of York prevail'd And must again that sad Dispute appear No we are much too young for Plato's year Our Renown'd Peerage will not have it so The Demi-Gods and Heroes Thunder NO What remote noise is this Hark how it grows Neerer and lowder now the Torrent flows All Europe shouts aloud Spring-Tydes of Joy Salute the Brittish sle Hark how they cry Fame now is yours more from one Law refus'd Than half the Numerous Laws ye ever us'd Anno 33. Car. 2. Anno Dom. 1681. IN the beginning of this Year City and Country were busy in the Election of Members to serve in the next Parliament to be holden at Oxford For the most part the Old Members were chosen again I shall give a short account of what happen'd at London on this occasion by which a guess or estimate may be made of the Transactions elsewhere The Election for that City was perform'd at Guild-Hall on Fryday the 4th of February and the choice which the Common Hall fixt upon were Sir Robert Clayton Sir Thomas Player Thomas Pilkinton and William Love Esquires To which four as soon as the Election was over a Paper was presented in the Name of the Citizens of London then Assembled in Common Hall containing a return of their most hearty thanks for their faithful and unweary'd endeavors in the two last Parliaments to search into and Discover the depth of the Plot to preserve His Majesties Royal Person the Protestant Religion and the well Establisht Government of this Realm to secure the meeting and sitting of frequent Parliaments to assert our undoubted Rights of Petitioning and to punish such who would have betray'd those Rights to promote the long wisht for Union of His Majesties Protestant Subjects to Repeal the 35. El. and the Corporation Act and more especially for their endeavors in promoting the Bill of Exclusion of James Duke of York In fine they conclude that being confidently assured that they the said Members for the City will never consent to the granting any Mony-supply till they have effectually secured us against Popery and Arbitrary Power they resolve by Gods assistance to stand by their said Members with their Lives and Fortunes After this another Paper was presented from the said Citizens to the two Sheriffs requesting them in the Name of all the said Citizens then Assembled in Common Hall to return their grateful acknowledgment to the Earl of Essex and by him to the rest of the Lords who presented the late Petition and Advice to His Majesty In like manner were the former Members of Parliament again Chosen in most places and in many such Papers of Address presented to them in their respective Countries as had been done by the Communalty of London to their Members Also contrary to the Old Customes of the Members Treating the Country where they stood now the Country in most places Treated them or at least every Man bore his own Charges About a Week before the Session the King left London and removed to Oxford appointing certain Companies of Foot and Troops of Horse to keep Garison in the Meuse during His absence Many Members of the House of Commons especially those of London went to Oxford accompany'd or attended with the Cerimonious Cavalcade of a numerous Train of Friends On the 14th of March The King and Queen enter'd Oxford Received and Presented by the Mayor and Body of that City at the East-Gate and from thence attended with Acclamations and all sort of Demonstrations of Joy to Christ-Church The next Day the Body of the University waited on Their Majesties and received the Honour to kiss Their Hands presenting at the same time to the King a large Oxford Bible and to the Queen the Cuts belonging to the History and Antiquities of the University both Richly bound The 21st of March being now arrived and the Members of both Houses of Parliament Assembled at Oxford according to the Kings Writs of Summons the Lords sate in the Gallery at the Schools and the Commons in the Convocation House His Majesties Speech at the opening of the Sessions contained That the unwarrantable Proceedings of the last House of Commons were the occasion of the Dissolution of the last Parliament That as he will never use Arbitrary Government himself so He is resolved never to suffer it in others That whosoever shall calmly consider the Proceedings in the last Parliament may perhaps more wonder at His Patience so long than that He grew weary at last That it is as much His Interest and care as theirs to preserve the Liberty of the Subject because the Crown can never be safe when that is in Danger that neither Liberty nor Property can subsist long when the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown are Invaded or the Honour of the Government brought low and into disreputation that He hath call'd this Parliament so soon to shew that no Irregularities in Parliaments shall make him out of Love with them That the Just care they ought to have of Religion ought not to be so managed and improved into unnecessary fears as to be made a Pretence for Changing the Foundation of the Government that He hopes the Example of the ill success of former heats will dispose them to a better Temper that they would not lay so much weight upon any one Expedient against Popery as to determine all other are ineffectual that they ought to remember that without the safety and Dignity of the Monarchy neither Religion nor Property can be preserved that He cannot depart from what he had formerly so often declar'd touching the Succession but to remove all reasonable fears that may arise from the possibility of a Popish Successors coming to the Crown if means can be found out that in such a Case the Administration of the Government may remain in Protestant Hands he shall be ready to hearken to any such Expedient by
Commissioners of Ecclesiastical Affairs to whom He delegated His Power to dispose of all such Ecclesiastical Preferments which belong to His immediate Patronage The Names of which Commissioners were the Arch Bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London the Lord Radnor Lord Hallifax Lord Hide and Mr. Seymour Note by the Common Law the Lord Chancellor of England shall present to all Churches in the Kings Gift which He hath in Right of His Crown under the value of 20 Marks per annum Fitz. h. N. B. Fol. 35. k. At the Sessions for the County of Middlesex held at Hicks-Hall the Week before Michaelmas Term Sir George Jefferies being then Chairman on the Bench required Goodenough the under Sheriff to alter two of the Panel as the Justices may do by the Stat. 3. H. 8. ch 12. Which He refusing the two High Sheriffs were call'd and not appearing they were Fin'd each 50 l. Notwithstanding that the Recorder put in a Protest that the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex were never bound to attend or appear in Person at Hicks-Hall After this the said Fine being Estreated a Common Council in London Declar'd that they would stand by their Sheriffs and defend them against any Suit of Law that shall be brought touching this matter and that at the Charges and Expence of the City At the Sessions for London held at this time one Rouse being Charged with High Treason and a Bill of Indictment Exhibited to the Grand Jury attending for that City against Him They found the Bill Ignoramus after the same manner as had been formerly done in the Case of Colledge On the 24th of November all the Judges of England sate with the Mayor and Aldermen by special Commission of Oyer and Terminer at the Old-Baily and the Grand Jury being call'd and Sworn of which Sir Samuel Barnardiston Foreman a Bill of Indictment of High Treason was deliver'd to them against the Earl of Shaftsbury The Evidence were all Examined in open Court who all Swore very full to the Treason two of which Evidence were Turbervile and Smith but the Jury return'd this Bill also Ignoramus upon which the People gave a shout The Witnesses who gave Evidence against the said Earl were assaulted by the Rabble and in such Danger of their Lives that the Sheriffs were necessitated to Guard them at Night as far as the Savoy homewards Several Bonfires were made that Night in the City at which several Riotous Actions were Committed In particular one Capt. Griffith living in Newgate-street a Capt. of the Trained Bands and a Common Council-man coming home about 11 at Night and finding a Bonfire neer his own Door and endeavouring to oppose it was knockt down wounded in the Head and in danger of His Life Others were seen about the same time of Night to march through Warwick-Lane one of which had his Sword drawn crying no York no Popish Successor and at the same time crying up a Monmouth a Shaftsbury a Buckingham and thus they Proceeded till stopt by the Watch at Ludgate On the 28th of November the last day of the Term the Earl of Shaftsbury and Lord Howard prisoners in the Tower were admitted to Bail in the Kings Bench the Earl of Shaftsbury had for his Bail the Lord Russel Sir William Cooper Mr. Mountigue and Mr. Charlton Himself was bound in a Recognizance of 3000 l. and the Bail each in 1500 l. The Lord Howard was also Bailed in the same manner By Order of Council to the Lord Mayor and from him to the Officers of every Ward and Parish all Bonfires and Bells Ringing were Prohibited that Night The Act of Test which past in the Parliament in Scotland the last Sessions was the occasion of several Discontents and Emotions amongst the Fanatick Party there The Act enjoyn'd a certain Oath or Ingagement to be taken by all Officers in Church and State and Graduates in their Universities to maintain the Form of Government as now Establisht which Test tho' explain'd and qualified was notwithstanding so contrary to the sense of the Factious Party in that Kingdom that several of their Ministers refused it and some of the Laity among whom of greatest note was Archibald Campbel Earl of Argile a Man of such Turbulent behaviour that he was about this time Impeacht of High Treason and found Guilty But being after his Conviction kept for some time a Prisoner at Edinborough he found means to make his Escape into England as some thought where he harbour'd unknown after whose flight his Arms were with all publick Solemnity reverst and torn and such other marks of dishonour denounced against him as in such like Cases are by the Customs of Scotland due to Traytors The Proceedings of the Justices of Peace for the County of Middlesex at their Sessions at Hick-Hall before Hillary Term were of note on diverse accounts First They order'd by their publick Act of Sessions dated the 13th of January that whereas the Constables and Church Wardens c. of every Parish and Precinct within the said County had been enjoyn'd last Sessions to make a Return the first Day of this of the Names of the Preachers in Conventicles and the most considerable frequenters of the same within their several Limits which Order not being obey'd but contemn'd by some it was therefore by the Justices then Assembled desired that the Lord Bishop of London will please to direct those Officers which are under his Jurisdiction to use their utmost diligence that all such Persons may be Excommunicated who commit crimes deserving that Ecclesiastical censure and that the said Excommunications may be Published in the Parishes where the Persons live that they may be taken notice of and obvious to the Penalties that belong to Persons Excommunicate viz. Not to be admitted for a Witness or returned upon Juries or capable to sue for any Debt And they further Order'd at the said Sessions that the Stat. 1. El. and 3. Jac. be put in due execution for the Levying 1 s. per Sunday upon such Persons who repair not to Divine Service and Sermons at their Parish or some other publick Church Also there was another Act of the same Sessions at Hicks-Hall which bore Date the 18th of January with which the Justices of Peace attended upon His Majesty at White-Hall the same Day and presented the Paper to His Royal Hands It contain'd That they the said Justices were sensible of their great Honour and happiness in being the first who return'd their humble and hearty acknowledgment for His most Gracious Declaration which being followed by a multitude of Addresses from all Parts of the Kingdom His Majesty hath had a full Discovery of His Peoples affections and that his Enemies were neither so numerous nor formidable as they were by some apprehended to be That now as His Majesty can have no cause to fear them so they the said Justices hope He will never be perswaded to trust them That they are ashamed that they were not likewise the first
in expressing their Indignation against that most Execrable and Trayterous designed Association lately Discovered by His Majesty which certainly in the Judgment of all good Men may more corrupt the Blood of the wicked Inventers than if they should be discovered and attainted by Law That the said Treason was not only against the King but the Monarchy c. To this purpose were several other Congratulations or Addresses to the King some before some after this of Middlesex viz. from Norwich from Hereford from the Lieutenancy of London c. All which were a Second Edition of Loyalty or a New sort of Addresses circulating from most parts of the Nation a Second time The Conclusion of this Year brought forth a Remarkable passage in the City of London Some unknown but base and malignant hearted Rascal had in the Night cut mangled and defaced the Duke of Yorks Picture which with the Kings both Nobly Painted hung up in Guild-Hall as a signal Ornament to the City Soon after which Action The Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen Publisht in Print a Declaration In which protesting their deep Resentment of that insolent and vilinous Act to be abhorr'd by every good and Loyal Subject and being greatly concern'd and desirous to find out the Author thereof they therefore unanimously Publish and declare That whosoever can discover the Person who Committed that Fact the said Lord Mayor and Aldermen will not only acknowledge the said Discovery as a most acceptable Service to the said City but also pay to such Discoverer the Sum of 500. l. upon the offenders Conviction Dated the 27th of January 33. Car. 2. and Signed Wagstaff In return to which Act of the City his Royal Highness sent a Gentleman out of Scotland to complement the Mayor and Court of Aldermen and thank 'em for their respect and Justice to his Cause Anno 34 Car. 2. Anno Dom. 1682. IN the beginning of this Year a most Barbarous and inhuman Murder was committed on the Person of Thomas Thinne of Longlect Esq a Gentleman of great Quality and Note both in City and Country The Bloody Murderers were Christopher Vratz George â—oroski and John Stern all Forainers and Servants or Dependants on a Swedish Lord called Count Coningsmark which first named three suddainly coming up to Mr. Thirne's Coach as he was passing in it near the Haymarket on Sunday Night the 12th of February one of them shot him into the Body with Two Brace or Bullets The Murderers were soon after apprehended and Committed to Newgate On the 28th of February they were Tryed found Guilty and Condemned and were most deservedly all Three Hanged and one of them Hang'd in Chains on the Road not far from Mile-End In March His Royal Highness Arrived out of Scotland he Landed at Yarmouth on the 10th where he was Treated at Dinner by the Magistrates with all the Ceremonies of Honour they could express and from thence attended by the High Sheriff of Norfolk and a Train of the Neighbouring Gentry to Norwich where again he was Nobly entertain'd by the publick Magistrates with Banquets and Bonfires and lay that Night at the Bishops House the next Day about 6 in the Evening he arrived at New-Market where he was received by both their Majesties with all the Marks of kindness and affection having been met several Miles out of Town by the Noblemen and Gentlemen then attending about the Court. The next Day being the 12th of March the King was Presented at Newmarket with an Address of Abhorrency from the Artillery Company in Bristol of which sort of Address I made some mention towards the end of last year yet because the Association there mention'd is more particularly daecipher'd in this from Bristol than any formaer I have seen I can not omit to observe that the said Loyal Artillery Company in Bristol did by their said Address Express from the bottom of their Souls an utter Abhorrence of all Covenants and Associations whatsoever made against or without His Majesties approbation especially that Treasonable one seized in the Closet of the Earl of Shaftsbury wherein the securing the Protestant Religion and the defence of His Majesties Royal Person and Estate is made the pretence but the subversion of the Establisht Religion and the final destruction of His Majesty and Lawful Successors is the real design and this to be performed by devolving the whole power of His Majesties Crown and Scepter into the Major part of the Members of both Houses subscribing that Association thô dissolved without regard to their quality or number His Majesties Guards for the defence of His Royal Person falsly stiled mercenary Forces and a terror to all the good People of the Land His Majesties Royal Brother to be excluded and destroyed if he comes into England and all who shall oppose that Rebellious accursed hellish and unpresidented Association are to be pursued to dedruction thô in defence of His Majesties Title concluding that they will assert and defend the Rights and Prerogatives of His Majesty and Lawful Successors in opposition to all Unions and Societies made to the Contrary and that they cannot think that Man fit to be a Representative in Parliament who will not disown such Associations These words are contain'd in that Address and by this President we see what good Subjects abhor Not long after this the University of Cambridge sent their Vice-Chancellor Dr. Coga to wait on the King at Newmarket with a Loyal Address of Abhorency at which time also the said Vice-Chancellor waited upon the Duke and in the name of the said University Wellcom'd him into England acknowledging that by his Royal Highness good Conduct the Government of Scotland both in Church and State is settled in Peace and therefore they could by no means doubt but that under His Majesty his Royal Highness ' s presence would have a great Influence in effecting the same here in England by which means all Great Brittain being joyn'd in one the Church of England and Rights of the Crown may for ever flourish To which his Royal Highness was pleas'd to Answer after Thanks for their kind Expressions that he was very glad of this and all other occasions to declare that he would ever stand by the Church of England as now establisht and countenance the Members of it as having seen by experience that they are the best Supporters of the Crown and that he would use his Endeavors and Interest for preservation of the Kings person and the Government in the State and the Church of England as now establisht by Law Several other Addresses also which were made to the King had words in them congratulating the Dukes return into England And when his Royal Highness came with His Majesty to London His Majesty was on the 10th of April attended by the Lord Mayor the Recorder and Court of Aldermen who having paid their Duty to the King they went to St James's where they waited upon his Royal Highness Congratulating his safe