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THE
CONTINUATION
XX the L I F E of
Edward Earl of Clarendon,
Lord High Chancellor of ENGLAND,
AND
Chancellor of the University of 0 XFO RD.
Being a Continuation of
His History of the Grand Rebellion,
from the Restoration to his
Banishment in 1667.
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
Printed from his Original Manuscripts, given
to the University of OXFORD by
the Heirs of the late Earl of
CLARENDON
Nt quid Falji dicere audeat, tie quid Veri nw audeat. Cicero.
VOLUME THE SECOND.
DUBLIN;
Printed for P, Wilson, in Dame-Street, and J. Hoey^
Jun. in Skinner- Row,
"M,DCC,LlX7
THE
CONTINUATION
Of the LIFE of
£dward Earl of Clarendon, &c*
T — —
PART the SECOND.
Molins, 8th Day Reflections upon the moji material
of June, 1672. Pafjages which happened after
the King's Reparation to the
Time of the Chancellor's Bamfhment ; out of which
bis Children, for whofe Information they are only coU
letled, may add fome important PaJJages to his Life,
as the true Caufe of his Misfortunes.
THE eafy and glorious Reception of the .
City, and, except with reference to Epifcopacy, were
defirous to make themfelves grateful to the King in
the fettling all his Intereft, and efpecially in vindica-
ting themfelves from the odious Murder of the King
by loud and pafuonate inveighing againft that mon-
ftrous Parricide, and with the higheft Animofity de-
nouncing the fevered Judgments not only againft thofe
who were immediately guilty of it, but againft thofe
principal Perfons who had moft notorioufly adhered to
Cromwell in the Admin iftration of his Government^
that is, moft eminently oppofed them and their Fac-
tion. They took all Occafions to declare, " that the
*' Power and Intereft of the Party had been the chief
ic Means to bring home the King;" and ufed all pop
fible Endeavours that the King might be perfuaded to
think fa too, and that the very Covenant had at laft
done him Good and expedited his Return, by the
(baufing it to be hung up in Churches, from whence
Cromwell had caft it out, and their Minifters preifing
upon the Confcience of all thofe who had taken it,
" that They were bound by that Claufe which con-
*' cerned the Defence of the King's Perfon, to take
" up Arms if Need were on his Behalf, and to re-
" ftore him to his rightful Government •" when the
very fame Minifters had obliged them to take up Arms
againft the King his Father by Virtue of that Covenant,
and to fight againft him till They had taken him Pri-
foner, which produced his Murder. This Party was
much difpleafed, that ,the King declared himfelf fo
pofitively on Behalf of Epifcopacy, and would hear no
Other Prayers in his Chapel than thofe contained in
the Book of Common Prayer, and that all thofe Forma-
lities and Solemnities were now again refumed and.
practifed,
1 6 The Continuation of the Life of
practifed, which They had caufed to be abolifhed for
fo many Years pafl. Yet the King left all Churches
to their Liberty, to ufe fuch Forms of Devotion which
They liked bell ; and fuch of their chief Preachers who
defired it, or were defired by their Friends, were ad-
mitted to preach before him, even without the Sur-
plice, or any other Habit than They made choice of.
But this Connivance would not do their Bufinefs:
Their preaching made no Profelytes who were not fo
before; and the Refort of the People to thofe Church-
es, where the Common Prayer was again introduced,
was Evidence enough of their Inclinations ; and They
law the King's Chapel always full of thofe, who had
ufed to poflefs the chief Eenches in their AfTemblies :
So that it was manifeft that Nothing but the fupreme
Authority would be able to fettle their Difcipline ■,
Whitburgesznd therefore with their ufual Confidence They were
'f£rr/fZX-very imPortunate in trie Houfe of Commons, " that
caiGovem- *« the Ecclefiaflical Government might be fettled and
TntTtbe " rema'n according to the Covenant, which had been
Covenant. " pra&ifed many Years, and fo the People generally
" well devoted to it, whereas the introducing the Com-
" mon Prayer (with which very few had ever been
" acquainted or heard it read) would very much of-
" fend the People, and give great Interruption to the
" compofing the Peace of the Kingdom." This was
urged in the Houfe of Commons by eminent Men of
the Party, who believed They had the major Part of
their Mind. And their Preachers were as folicitous
and induftrious to inculcate the fame Doctrine to the
principal Perfons who had returned with the King,
and every Day reforted to the Court as if They pre-
fided there, and had frequent Audiences of the King
to perfuade him to be of the fame Opinion ; from
whom They received no other Condefcenfions than
They had formerly had at the Hague, with the fame
gracious Affability and Exprefl'ions to their Perfons.
That Party in the Houfe that was in Truth devo-
ted to the King, and to the old Principles of Church
and
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 17
and of State, which every Day increafed, thought not
fit fo to crofs the Prejbyterians as to make them defpe-
ratein their Hopes of Satisfaction, but, with the Con-
currence with thofe who were of contrary Factions,
diverted the Argument by propofing other Subjects
of more immediate Relation to the public Peace, as
the AEl of Indemnity which every Man impatiently
longed for, and the raifing Money towards the Pay-
ment of the Army and the Navy, without which that
unfupportable Charge could not be lellened, to be firft
confidered and difpatched ; and the Model for Reli-
gion to be debated and prepared by that Committee,
which had been nominated before his Majefty's Re-
turn to that Purpofe ; They not doubting to crofs and
puzzle any pernicious Refolutions there, till Time
and their own extravagant Follies fhould put fome End
to their deftruclive Defigns.
Jn the mean Time there were two Particulars,
which the King with much inward Impatience, though
with little outward Communication, did moil defire,
the difbanding the Army, and the fettling the Reve-
nue, the Courfe and Receipt whereof had been Co
broken and perverted, and a great Part extinguished
by the Sale of all the Crown Lands, that the old Of-
ficers of the Exchequer, Auditors or Receivers, knew
not how to refume their Adminiftrations. Befides that
the great Receipt of Excife and Cuftoms was not yet
veiled in the. King ; nor did the Parliament make any
Hafte to aifign it, rinding it neceifary to referve it in
the old Way, and not to divert it from thofe Aflign-
ments, which had been made for the Payment of the
Army and Navy, for which until fome other Provifion
could be made, it was to no Purpofe to mention the
difbanding the one or the other, though the Charge
of Both was fo vafl and unfupportable, that the King-
dom mull in a ihort Time link under the Burden.
For what concerned the Revenue and raifing Money,
the King was lefs folicitous, and yet there was not fo
much as any Allignation made for the Support of his
Vol. II. C Houfhold,
1 § Tbe Continuation of the Life of
Houfhold, which caufed a van: Debt to be contracted
before taken Notice of, the Mifchief of which is
hardly yet removed. He faw the Parliament every
Day doing fomewhat in it, and it quickly difTolved all
Bargains, Contracts and Sales, which had been of
any of the Crown Lands, fo that all that Royal Re-
venue (which had been too much wafted and impair-
ed in thofe improvident Times which had preceded the
Troubles) was entirely remitted to thofe to whom it
belonged, the King and the Queen his Mother ; but
very little Money was returned out of the fame into
the Exchequer in the Space of the firft Year -t fo dif-
ficult it was to reduce any Payments which had been
made for fo many Years irregularly, into the old
Channel and Order. And every Thing elfe of this
Kind was done, how flowly foever, with as much Ex-
pedition as from the Nature of the Affair, and the
Crowd in which it was neceffary to be agitated, could
reafonably be expected ; and therefore his Majeft y
was lefs troubled for thofe lnconveniencies which He
forefaw muft inevitably flow from thence.
The Nature But the Delay in difbanding the Army, how un-
and inchna- avoidable foever, did exceedingly afflict him, and the
ti-.r. of the re
Army. more, becaufe for many Reafons He could not urge
it nor complain of it. He knew well the ill Coniti-
tution of the Army, the Diftemper and Murmuring
that was in it, and how many Difeafes and Convul-
sions their infant Loyalty was lubject to ; that how
united foever their Inclinations and Acclamations
feemed to be at BLu-kbi-nth, their Affections were not
the fame : And the very Countenances then of many
Officers as well as Soldiers did fufliciently manifelt,
that They were drawn thither to a Service They were
not delighted in. The General, before He had form-
ed any Refolution to himlelf, and only valued himfelf
upon the Prefbyterian Intereft, had cafhiered fome
Regiments and Companies which He knew not to be
devoted to his Perlbn and Greatnefs ; and after He
found it necefiary to fix his own Hopes and Dcpend-
ance
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 19
ance upon the King, He had difmiffed many Officers
who He thought might be willing and able tocrofs
his Defigns and purpoies, when He fhould think fit
to difcover them, and conferred their Charges and
Commands upon thofe who had been disfavoured by
the late Powers ; and after the Parliament had decla-
red for and proclaimed the King, He cafhiered others,
and gave their Offices to fome eminent Commanders
who had ferved the King; and gave others of the
loyal Nobility Leave to lift Voluntiers in Companies
to appear with them at the Reception of the King,
who had ail met and joined with the Army upon
Blackheatb in the Head of their Regiments and Com-
panies : Yet, notwithstanding all this Providence, the
old Soldiers had little Regard for their new Officers,
at leaft had no Refignation for them ; and it quickly
appeared, by the felect and affected Mixtures of fullen
and melancholick Parties of Officers and Soldiers, that
as ill-difpofed Men of other Gaffes were left as had
been difbanded ; and that much the greater Part fo
much abounded with ill Humours, that it was not
fafe to adminifter a general Purgation. It is true that
Lambert was clofe Prifoner in the Tower, and as many
of thofe Officers who were taken and had appeared in
Arms with him when He was taken, were likewife
there or in fome other Prifons, with others of the fame
Complexion, who were well enough known to have
the prefent Settlement that was intended in perfect
Deteftation : But this Leprofy was fpread too far to
have the Contagion quickly or eafily extinguillied.
How clofe foever Lambert himfelf was fecured from
doing Mifchief, his Faction was at Liberty and very
numerous ; his difbanded Officers and Soldiers ming-
led and converfed with their old Friends and Compa-
nions, and found too many of them polTeffed with
the fame Spirit; They concurred in the fame Re-
proaches and Revilings of the General, as the Man
who had treacheroufly betrayed them, and led them
into an Ambufcade, from whence They knew not how
C 2. to
20 The Continuation of the Life of
to dilentangle themfelves. They looked upon him as
the fole Perfon who ftill fupported his own Model,
and were well affured that if He were removed, the
Army would be ftill the fame and appear in their old
Retrenchments ; and therefore They entered into feve-
ral Combinations to arTaifinate him, which They re-
iblved to do with the firft Opportunity. In a Word,
They liked neither the Mien nor Garb nor Counte-
nance of the Court, nor were wrought upon by the
gracious Afpecl and Benignity of the King himfelf.
All this was well enough known to his Majefty,
and to the General, who was well enough acquainted
and not at all pleafed with the Temper and Difpofi-
tion of his Army, and therefore no lefs defired it
fhould be difbanded than the King did. In the mean
Time, very diligent Endeavours were ufed to difcover
and apprehend fome principal Perfons, who took as
much Care to conceal themfelves; and every Day
many dangerous or fufpected Men of all Qualities
were imprifoned in all Counties : Spies were employ-
ed, who for the moft Part had the fame Affeclions
which They were to difcover in others, and received
Money on both Sides to do, and not to do, the Work
They were appointed to do. And in this melancho-
lick and perplexed Condition the King and all his
Hopes flood, when He appeared moft gay and exalt-
ed, and wore a Pleafantnefs in his Face, that became
him and looked like as full an AfTurance of his Security,
as was poflible to be put on.
Difunicncf There was yet added to this flippery and uneafy
*itk3f' ^°^uve °f Affairs, another Mortification, which made
a deeper Impreflion upon the King's Spirit than all
the reft, and without which the worft: of the other
would have been in fome Degree remediable ; that
was, the Conftitution and Difunion of thofe who were
called and looked upon as his own Party, which with-
out Doubt in the whole Kingdom was numerous
enough, and capable of being powerful enough to
give the Law to all the reft; which had been the
Ground
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 21
Ground of many unhappy Attempts in the late Time,
that if any prefent Force could be drawn together,
and pofTefTed of any fuch Place in which They might
make a Stand without being overrun in a Moment,
the general Concurrence of the Kingdom would in a
fhort Time reduce the Army, and make the King ili-
periour to all his Enemies ; which Imagination was
enough confuted, though not enough extinguished,
by the dear-bought Experience in the woful Enterprife
at Worcefter. However, it had been now a very jufti-
fiable Prefumption in the King, to believe as well as
hope, that He could not be long in England without
fuch an Apparency of his own Party, that wilhed all
that He himfelf defired, and fuch a Manifeftation of
their Authority, Interefl and Power, that would pre-
vent or be fufficent to fubdue any froward Difpofition
that might grow up in the Parliament, or more ex-
travagant Demands in the Army itfelf. An Appa-
rence there was of that People, great enough, who
had all the Wifhes for the King which He entertained
for himfelf. But They were fo divided and difunited^^w^^
by private Quarrels, Factions and Animofities ; or (o'th)s DijlmL
unacquainted with each other; or, which was worfe,/"^"*'0
fo jealous of each other; the Underltandings andj,^,. *
Faculties of many honeft Men were fo weak and
(hallow, that They could not be applied to any great
Trull ; and others who wilhed and meant very well
had a Peevifhnefs, Frowardnefs and Opiniatrety, that
They would be engaged only in what pleated them-
felves, nor would join in any Thing with fuch and
fuch Men whom They difliked. The fevere and ty-
rannical Government of Cromwell and the Parliament
had fo often banilhed and imprifoned them upon mere
Jealoufies, that They were grown Strangers to one an-
other, without any Communication between them :
And there had been fo frequent Betrayings and Trea-
cheries ufed, fo many Difcoveries of Meetings pri-
vately contrived, and of Difcourfes accidentally enter-
ed into, and Words and Expreihons rafhly and nnad-
C 3 vifedly
22 The Continuation of the Life of
vifedly uttered without any Defign, upon Which Mul-
titudes were ftill imprifoned and many put to Death ;
that the Jealoufy was founiverfal, that few Men who
had ever fo good Affections for the King, durft con-
fer with any Freedom together.
Most of thofe of the Nobility who had with Con-
itancy and Fidelity adhered to the laft King, and had
greatefl Authority with all Men who profeffed the
fame Affections, were dead, as the Duke of Richmond^
the Earl of Dorfet, the Lord Capel, the Lord Hopton>
and many other excellent Perfons. And of that Clajfis,
that is, of a powerful Intereft and unfufpected Inte-
grity (for there were fome very good Men, who were
without any Canfe fufpected then, becaufe They were
not equally perfecuted upon all Occafions) there were
only two who furvived, the Marquis of Hertford and
Earl of Southampton ; who were Both great and wor-
thy Men, looked upon with great Eftimation by all
the moft valuable Men who could contribute molt to
the King's Reftoration, and with Reverence by their
greateft Enemy, and had been courted by Cromwell
himfelf till He found it to no Purpofe. And though
the Marquis had been prevailed with once and no
more to give him a Vifit, the other, the Earl, could
never be perfuaded fo much as to fee him ; and when
Cromwell was in the New Foreji and refolved one Day
to vifit him, He being informed of it or fufpecting
it, removed to another Houfe He had at fuch a Dif-
tance as exempted him from that Vifitation. But thefe
two great Perfons had for feveral Years withdrawn
themfelves into the Country, lived retired, fent fome-
times fuch Money as They could raife out of their
long-fequeftered and exhausted Fortunes, by Meflen-
gers of their own Dependance, with Advice to the
King, ", to fit ftill and expect a reafonable Revolu-
" tion, without making any unadvifed Attempt;"
and induftrioufly declined any Converfation or Com-
merce with any who were known to correfpond with
the King: So that now upon his Majefty's Return,
They
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 23
They were totally unacquainted with any of thofe
Perfons, who now looked as Men to be depended up-
on in any great Action and Attempt. And for them-
felves, as the Marquis fhortly after died, fo the other
with great Abilities ferved him in his moft fecret and
important Counfels, but had been never converiant
in martial Affairs.
There had been fix or eight Perfons of general
good and confeffed Reputation, and who of all who
were then left alive had had the moft eminent Charges
in the War, and executed them with great Courage
and Difcretion ; fo that few Men could with any rea-
fonable Pretence refufe to receive Orders from them,
or to ferve under their Commands. They had great
Affection for and Confidence in each other, and had
frankly offered by an Exprefs of their own Number,
whilfl the King remained in France, " that, if They
" were approved and qualified by his Majefly, They
" would by joint Advice intend the Care of his Ma-
" jefly's Service i and as They would not engage in
" any abfurd and defperate Attempt, but ufe all their
" Credit and Authority to prevent and difcountenance
" the fame, fo They would take the firft rational Op-
" portunity, which They expected from theDivifions
" and Animofities which daily grew and appeared in
" the Army, to draw their Friends and old Soldiers
" who were ready to receive their Commands together,
" and try the utmoft that could be done with the Lots
" or Hazard of their Lives:" Some of them having,
befide their Experience in War, very considerable
Fortunes of their own to lofe, and were Relations to
the greateft Families in England, And therefore They
made it their humble Suit, " that this fecret Corref-
" pondence might be carried on and known to none
" but to the Marquis of Ormond and to the Chancel-
" lor ; and that if any other Counfels were fet on Foot
" in England by the Activity of particular Perfons, who
u too frequently with great Zeal and little Animad-
;c verfion embarked themfelves in impoflible Under-
C 4 " takings,
24 ?be Continuation of the Life of
*? takings, his Majefty upon Advertifement thereof
" would firft communicate the Motives or Pretences
" which would be offered to him, to them ; and then
" They would find Opportunity to confer with fome
" fober Man of that Fraternity" (as there was no
well-affected Perfon in England, who at that Time
would not willingly receive Advice and Direction from
moft of thofe Perfons) " and thereupon They would
" prefent their Opinion to his Majefty, and if the De-
" fign mould appear practicable to his Majefty, They
'* would chearfully embark themfelves in it, otherwife
" life their own Dexterity to divert it." Thefe Men
had been armed with all neceffary Commiffions and
Inftructions according to their own Defires ; the King
confented to all They propofed ; and the Cyphers and
Correfpondence were committed to the Chancellor, in
whofe Hands, with the Privity only of the Marquis
of Ormond, all the Intelligence with England, of what
Kind lbever, was intrufted.
Under this Conduct for fome Years all Things
fucceeded well, many unfeafonable Attempts were
prevented, and thereby the Lives of many good Men
preferved : And though (upon the curfory Jealoufy
of that Time, and the refllefs Apprehenfion of Crom-
well, and the almoft continual Commitments of all
who had eminently ferved the King and were able to
do it again) thefe Perfons who were thus trufted, or
the major Part of them, were feldom out of Prifon,
or free from the Obligation of good Sureties for their
peaceable Behaviour ; yet all the Vigilance of Cromwell
and his moft diligent Inquifitors could never difcover
this fecret Intercourfe between thofe Confidants and
the King, which did always pafs and was maintained
by Expreffes made Choice of by them, and fupported
at their Charge out of fuch Monies as were privately
collected for publick Ufes, of which They, who
contributed moft, knew little more than the Integrity
of him who was intrufted, who did not always make
fkilful Contributions.
It
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV. . 25
It fell out unfortunately, that two of thefe princi-
pal Perfons fell out, and had a fatal Quarrel, upon
a Particular lefs juftinable than any Thing that could
refult from or relate to the great Trufl They Both had
from the King, which ought to have been of Influence
enough to have fupprefled or diverted all Paiiions of
that Kind : But the Animofities grew fuddenly irre-
concilable, and if not divided the Affections of the
whole Knot, at lead interrupted or fufpended their
conftant Intercourfe and Confidence in each other, and
fo the diligent Accounts which the King ufed to re-
ceive from them. And the Caufe growing more pub-
lick and notorious, though not knov/n in a long Time
after to the King, exceedingly leflened Both their Re-
putations with the mofl fober Men ; infomuch as
They withdrew all Confidence in their Conduct, and
all Inclination to embark in the Bufinefs which was in-
trufled in fuch Hands. And which was worfe than
all this, one Perfon amongfl them of as unblemifhed
a Reputation as either of them, and of much better
Abilities and Faculties of Mind, either affected with
this untoward Accident, or broken with frequent Im-
prifonments and Defpair of any Refurrection of the
King's Intereft, about this Time yielded to a foul
Temptation ; and for large Supplies of Money, which
his Fortune flood in Need of, engaged to be a Spy to
Cromwell, with a Latitude which He did not allow to
others of that ignominious Tribe, undertaking only
to impart enough of any Defign to prevent the Mil-
chief thereof, without expofing any Man to the Lofs
of his Life, or ever appearing himfelf to make good
and juftify any of his Difcoveries. The reft of his
AfTociates neither fufpected their Companion, nor
lefTened their Affection or lUmoft Zeal for the King;
though They remitted fome of their Diligence in his
Service, by. the other unhappy Interruption.
This falling out during his Majefty's Abode in
Cologne, He was very long without Notice of the
Grounds of that Jealoufy, which had obflructed his
ufual
jj6 The Continuation of the Life of
ufual Correfpondence ; and the Matter of Infidelity
being not in the leaft Degree fufpecled, He could not
avoid receiving Advice and Proportions from other
honeft Men, who were of known Affe&ion and Cou-
rage, and who converfed much with the Officers of
the Army, and were unskilfully difpofed to believe
that all They, who they had Reafon to believe did
hate Cromwell, would eaiily be induced to ferve the
King : And many of the Officers in their Behaviour,
Difcourfes and Familiarity, contributed to that Belief ;
fome of them, not without the Privity and Allowance
of Cromwell, or his Secretary Tburlow. And upon
Overtures of this Kind, and wonderful Confidence of
Succefs, even upon the Preparations which were in
Readinefs, of and by his own Party, feveral Meffen-
gers were fent to the King ; and by all of them fharp
and paffionate Complaints againft thofe Perfons, who
were fo much and ftill in the fame Confidence with
him, as, Men who were at Eafe, and uninclined to
venture themfelves upon dangerous or doubtful En-
terprifes. They complained, " that when They im-
rents ; nor did They concern themfelves in the Edu-
cation of their Children, but were well content that
They lhoukl take any Conrfe to maintain themfelves,
that They might be free from that Expence. The
young Women converfed without any Circumfpeclion
or Modefty, and frequently met at Taverns and con>
monEating-houfes; and They who were finder an4
more fevere in their Comportment, became the Wives
of the feditious Preachers or of Officers of the Army,
The Daughters of noble and illuftrious Families be-
ftowed themfelves upon the Divines of the Time, or
other low and unequal Matches. Parents had no
Manner of Authority over their Children, nor Chil-
dren any Obedience or Submiilion to their Parents *
but every one did that which was good in his own Eyes,
This unnatural Antipathy had its firft Rife from the
Beginning of the Rebellion ; when the Fathers and
Sons engaged themfelves in the contrary Parties, the
P 4 om
40 Tbe Continuation of the Life of
one choofing to ferve the King, and the other the Par-
liament ; which Divifion and Contradiction of Affec-
tions was afterwards improved to mutual Animofities,
and direct Malice, by the Help of the Preachers, and
the feveral Factions in Religion, or by the Abfence of
all Religion : So that there were never fuch Examples
of Impiety between fuch Relations in any Age of the
World, Chriftian or Heathen, as in that wicked Time,
from the Beginning of the Rebellion to the King's
Return ; of which the Families of Hotham, and Vane,
are fufficient Inilances ; though other more illuftrious
Houfes may be named, where the fame accurfed Fruit
was too plentifully gathered, and too notorious to the
World. The Relation between Mailers and Servants
had been long fince difiblved by the Parliament, that
their Army might be increafed by the Prentices againft
their Mailers Confent, and that They might have In-
telligence of the fecret Meetings and Tran factions in
thole Houfes and Families, which were not devoted to
them; from whence iffued the fouleft Treacheries and
Perfidioufhefs that were ever practifed : And the Blood
of the Matter was frequently the Price of the Servant's
Villany.
Cpomwell had been moft Uriel and fevere in the
forming the Manners of his Army, and in chaflifing
all Irregularities ; infomuch that fure there was never
any fuch Body of Men, fo without Rapine, Swearing,
Drinking, or any other Debauchery, but the Wick-
ednefs of their Hearts : And all Perfons cherifhed by
him were of the fame Leaven, and to common Ap-
pearance without the Practice of any of thofe Vices,
which were moft infamous to. the People, and which
drew the publick Hatred upon thofe, who were noto-
rioirfly guilty of them. But then He was well pleafed
with the moft fcandalous Lives of thofe, who pretended
to be for the King, and wifhed that all his were fuch,
and took all the Pains He could that They might be
generally thought to be fuch; whereas in Truth the
greateft Part of thofe, who were guilty of thofe Dif-
crdeys,
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £s?r. 41
orders, were young Men, who had never feen the
King, and had been born and bred in thofe corrupt
Times, when there was no King in Ifrael. He was equal-
ly delighted with the Luxury and Voluptuoufnefs of
the Prejbyterians, who in Contempt of the Thrift, Sor-
didnefs, and affected ill Breeding of the Independants,
thought it became them to live more generoufly, and
were not flricTt in reftraining or mortifying the un-
ruly and inordinate Appetite of Flefh and Blood, but
indulged it with too much and too open Scandal,
from which He reaped no fmall Advantage ; and
wifhed all thofe, who were not his Friends, mould
not only be infected, but given over to the Pra&ice of
the moft odious Vices and Wickednefs.
In a Word, the Nation was corrupted from that
Integrity, good Nature and Generofity, that had been
peculiar to it, and for which it had been fignal and
celebrated throughout the World ; in the Room
whereof the vileft Craft and Diffembling had fucceed-
ed. The Tendernefs of the Bowels, which is the
Quinteffence of Juftice and Compaflion, the very
Mention of good Nature, was laughed at and look-
ed upon as the Mark and Character of a Fool ; and a
Roughnefs of Manners, or Hardheartednefs and Cru-
elty was affected. In the Place of Generofity, a vile
and fordid Love of Money was entertained as the
trued Wifdom, and any 'Thing lawful that would
contribute towards being rich. There was a total
Decay, or rather a final Expiration, of all Friend-
fhip ; and to diftuade a Man from any Thing He
affected, or to reprove him for any Thing He had
done amifs, or to advife him to do any Thing He
had no Mind to do, was thought an Impertinence
unworthy a wife ,Man, and received with Reproach
and Contempt. Thefe Dilapidations and Ruins of the
ancient Candour, and Difcipline, were not taken enough
to Heart, and repaired with that early Care and Seve-
rity that they might have been •, for they were not then
incorrigible > but by the Remiflnefs of applying Re-
medies
•42 'the Continuation of the Life of
medies to fome, and the Unwarinefs in giving a Kind
of Countenance to others, too much of that Poifon
infinuated itfelf into Minds not well fortified againft
fuch Infection : So that, much of the Malignity was
tranfplanted, inftead of being extinguished, to theCorr
ruption of many wholfome Bodies, which, being cor-
rupted, fpread the Difeafes more powerfully and more
mifchievoufly.
That the King might be the more vacant tothofe
Thoughts and Divertifements, which pleafed him bed,
He appointed the Chancellor, and fome others, to have
-frequent Confultations with fuch Members of the Par-
liament, who were moft able and willing to ferve him ;
and to concert all the Ways and Means, by which the
Tranfactions in the Houfes might be carried with the
more Expedition, and attended with the beft Succefs.
Thefe daily, conferences proved very beneficial to his
Majefty's Service ; the Members of both Houfes be-
ing very willing to receive Advice and Direction, and
to purfue what They were directed -, and all Things
were done there in good Order, and fucceeded well.
TMJCeur/eMl the Courts of Juftice in Weftminfter-Hall were pre->
icreT"rc "fently filled with grave and learned Judges, who had
either deferted their Practice and Profeflion during all
the rebellious Times, or had given full Evidence of
their Affection to the King, and the eftablifhed Laws,
in many weighty Inftances: And They were then
quickly lent in their feveral Circuits, to adminifter
Juftice to the People according to the old Forms of
Law, which was univerfally received and fubmitted
to with all poilible Joy and Satisfaction. All Com-
miflions of the Peace were renewed, and the Names
of thofe Perfons inferted therein, who had been moft
eminent Sufferers for the King, and were known to
have entire Affections for his Majefty, and the Laws ;
though it was not poilible, but fome would get and-
continue in, who were of more doubtful Inclinations,
by their not being known to him, whofe Province it
was to depute them. Denied it cannot be, that there
appeared,
Edward Earl of Clarendon, tSc. 43,
appeared, fooner than was thought poiTible, a general
Settlement in the civil Juftice of the Kingdom ± that
no Man complained without Remedy, and every Man
dwelt again under the Shadow of his own Fine, without
any Complaint of Injuftice and Oppreffion.
The King expofed himfelf with more Condefcen-
fion than was necefiary to Perfons of all Conditions,
heard all that they had a Mind to fay to him, and
gave them fuch Anfwers as for the prefent feemed full
of Grace. He was too well pleafed to hear both the
Men and the Women of all Fadtions and Fancies in
Religion difcourfe in their own Method, and enlarged
himfelf in Debate with them -y which made every one
believe that They were more favoured by him than
They had Caufe : Which Kind of Liberty, though at
firft it was accompanied with Acclamations, and Ac-
knowledgment of his being a Prince of rare Parts, and
Affability, yet it was attended afterwards with ill Con-
fequences, and gave many Men Opportunity to de-
clare and publifli, that the King had laid many Things
to them, which he had never laid ; and made many-
ConcefTions and Promifes to them, which He had ne-
ver uttered or thought upon.
The Chancellor was generally thought to have
mod Credit with his Matter, and moft Power in the
Counfels, becaufe the King referred all Matters of
what Kind foever to him. And whofoever repaired Jhe chanctI-
to him for his Direction in any Bufinefs was fent to/,^'^» y
the Chancellor, not only becaufe He had a great Con-'';1 'fu^,ck
fidence in his Integrity, having been with him fo many
Years, and of whofe indefatigable Induftry He and
all Men had great Experience ; but becaufe He faw
thofe Men, whom He was as willing to truft, and
who had at leafl an equal Share in his Affections,
more inclined to Eafe and Pleafure, and willing that
the Weight of the Work fhould lie on the Chancel-
lor's Shoulders, with whom They had an entire Friend-
fhip, and knew well that They fhould with more Eafe
be confulted by him in all Matters of Importance.
Nor
44 ¥be Continuation of the Life of
Nor was it poffible for him, at the firft Coming, t©
avoid the being engaged in all the Counfels, of how
diftind a Nature foever, becaufe He had been bell
acquainted with all Tranfa&ions whilft the King was
abroad ; and therefore Communication with him in all
Things was thought necefTary by thofe, who were to
have any Part in them. Befides that, He continued
ftill Chancellor of the Exchequer by Virtue of the
Grant formerly made to him by the laft King, during
whofe Time He executed that Office, but refolved to
furrender it into the King's Hand, as foon as his Ma-
jefly fhould refblve on whom to confer it •, He propo-
fmg Nothing to himfelf, but to be left at Liberty to
intend only the Difcharge of his own Office, which
He thought himfelf unequal to, and hoped only to
improve his Talent that Way by a mod diligent Ap-
plication, well knowing the great Abilities of thofe,
who had formerly fate in that Office, and that They
found it required their full Time and all their Facul-
ties. And therefore He did moft heartily defire to
meddle with Nothing but that Province, which though
in itfelf and the conflant Perquifites of it is not fuffi-
cient to fupport the Dignity of it, yet was then, upon
the King's Return ; and, after it had been fo many
Years without a lawful Officer, would unqueftionably
bring in Money enough to be a Foundation to a fu-
ture Fortune, competent to his Ambition, and enough
to provoke the Envy of many, who believed They
deferved better than He. And that this was the Tem-
per and Refolution He brought with him into England,
and how unwillingly He departed from it, will evi-
dently appear by two or three Inftances, which mall be
given in their proper Place. However, He could not
expedt that Freedom, till the Council fhould be fettled
(into which the King admitted all, who had been Coun-
sellors to his Father, and had not eminently forfeited
that Promotion by their Revolt, and many of thofe,
who had been and flill were recommended by the Ge-
neral, amongft whom there were fome, who would
not
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 45
not have been received upon any other Title,) and
until thofe Officers could be fettled, who might take
particular Care of their feveral Provinces.
The King had upon great Deliberation whilft He
was beyond the Seas, after that his Return appeared in
View, firmly refolved to reform thofe ExcefTes, which
were known to be in great Offices, efpecially in thofe
of his Houfliold, whilft the Places were vacant, and
to reform all extravagant Expences there •, and firft
himfelf to gratify thofe, who had followed and ferved
him, in fettling them in fuch inferionr Offices and
Places, as Cuflom had put in the Difpofal of the
great Officers, when they fhould become vacant after
their Admiffion. And of this Kind He had made
many Promifes, and given many Warrants under his
Sign Manual to Perfons, who to his own Knowledge
had merited thofe Obligations. But molt of thofe
Predeterminations, and many other Refolutions of that
Kind, vanifhed and expired in the Jollity of the Re-
turn, and new Inclinations and Affections feemed to
be more feafonable. The General, who was the fole«-
joyed. He was Liutenant of Ireland, and General or
all the Armies and Forces raifed, or to be raifed,
in the three Kingdoms ; and it was not fit that He
mould be degraded from either upon his Majefly's
Arrival : Therefore all Diligence was ufed in difpatch-
ing Grants of all thofe Commands to him under the
Great Seal of England. And that He might be obliged Aifofwm
to be always near his Majefly's Perfon, He was pre- JjJ^JJ
fently fworn Gentleman of the Bedchamber ; and <-&»»£»-, «>*/
might choofe what Office He liked beft in the Court,^"/'*'
whilft Titles of Honour were preparing by the At-
torney, and Particulars of Lands enquired after by
the Auditors and Receivers, which in all Refpec~ts
might raife him to that Height, which would mofc
pleafe him. He made Choice to be Mafter of the
Horfe,
46 The Continuation of the Life of
Horfe, and was immediately gratified with it j and
thereby all thofe poor Gentlemen, who had Promifes
and Warrants for feveral )?laces, depending upon that
great Officer, weredifappointed, and offered the King's
Sign Manual to no Purpofe for their Admiffion. The
General in his own Nature was an immoderate Lover
of Money, and yet would have gratified fome of
the Pretenders upon his Majefty's Recommendation,
if the vile good Hufwifery of his Wife had not en-
groiTed that Province, and preferred him, who offered
moil Money, before all other Confiderations or Mo-
tives. And hereby, not only many honeft Men, who
had feveral Ways ferved the King, and fpent the For-
tunes They had been Matters of, were denied the Re-
compenfes the King had defigned to them •, butfuch
Men, who had been mofl notorious in the Malice
againft the Crown from the Beginning of the Rebel-
lion, or had been employed in all the active Offices to
affront and opprefs his Party, were for Money prefer-
red and admitted into thofe Offices, and became the
King's Servants very much againft: his Will, and with
his manifefl Regret on the Behalf of the honed Men,
who had been fo unworthily reje&ed. And thisocca-
fioned the firft Murmur and Difcontent, which ap-
% peared after the King's Return, amongft thofe, who
were not inclined to it, yet found every Day frefh Oc-
cafions to nourith and improve it.
The fettling this great Officer in the Stables, made
it neceflary to appoint a Lord Steward of the Houf-
hold, who was a neceifary Officer for the Parliament,
being by the Statute appointed to fwear all the Mem-
The Miry««vbers of the Houfe of Commons ; and to this Charge
maaTurd the Marquis of Oimmd had been long defigned, and
S'h1j'ihfiJ was t^en fvvorn- And They had Both their Tables
' erected according to their old Models, and all thofe
ExcefTes, which the irregular Precedents . of former
Times had introduced, and which the King had fo
folemnly refolved to reform, before it could be faid to
trench upon the Rights of particular Perfons. But
the
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £s?i\ 47
the good Humour the King was in, and the Plenty
which generally appeared, how much foever without *
a Fund to fupport it, and efpecially the natural De-
lire his Majefty had to fee every Body pleafed, ba-
nifhed all Thoughts of fiich Providence ; inftead
whereof He refolved forthwith to fettle his Houfe
according to former Rules, or rather without any
Rule, and to appoint the Officers, whqimpatiently ex-
pected their Promotion. He directed his own Table
to be more magnificently furnifhed than it had ever
been in any Time of his PredecefTors ; which Example
was eafily followed in all Offices.
That He might give a lively Inftance of his
Grace to thofe, who had been of the Party which had
been faulty, according to his Declaration from Breda,
He made of his own free Inclination and Choice thejJ'^J*/
Earl of Manchejler (who was looked upon as one of Lord chaL
the principle Heads of the Prelbyterian Party) Lord*"^"'**
Chamberlain of his Houfe ; who, continuing ftill to
perform all good Offices to his old Friends, complied
very punctually with all the Obligations and Duties
which his Place required, never failed being at Chapel,
and at all the King's Devotions with all imaginable
Decency ; and, by his extraordinary Civilities and Be-
haviour towards all Men, did not only appear the fit-
tefl Perfon the King could have chofen for that Office
in that Time, but rendered himfelf fo acceptable to
all Degrees of Men, that none, but fuch, who were
implacable towards all, who had ever difTerved the
King, were forrv to fee him fo promoted. And it
mull be confeffed, that as He had ExprefTed much
Penitence for what He had done amifs, and was mor-
tally hated and perfecuted by Cromwell, even for his
Life, and had done many Acts of Merit towards the
King; fo He was of all Men, who had ever born
Arms again ft the King, both in the Gentlenefs and
Juftice of his Nature, in the Sv/eetnefs and Evennefs
of his Converiation, and in his real Principles for
Monarchy, the mcft worthy to be received into the
Truft
48 The Continuation of the Life of
Truft and Confidence, in which He was placed. With
his, the two other white Staves were difpofed of to
thofe, to whom they were defigned, when the King was
Prince of PFaks, by his Father : And all other infe-
riour Officers were made, who were to take Care of
the Expences of the Houfe, and were a great Part
of it.
And thus the King's Houfe quickly appeared in its
full Luftre, the Eating and Drinking very grateful to
all Men, and the Charge and Expence of it much ex-
ceeding the Precedents of the moft luxurious Times ;
and all this before there was any Provifion of ready
Money, or any Aflignation of a future Fund, to dis-
charge or fupport it. All Men were ready to deliver
their Goods upon Truft, the Officers too remifs in
computing the Difburfements; infomuch as, the Debts
contracted by thofe Exceffes in lefs than the firfl Year
broke all the Meafures in that Degree, that they could
not fuddenly be retrenched for the future ; and the
Debt itfelf was not difcharged in many Years.
The King had in his Purpofe, long before his
Return, to make the Earl of Southampton (who was
the moil valued and efteemed of all the Nobilitv, and
generally thought worthy of any Honour or Office)
Lord High Treafurer of England ; but He defired
firfl to fee fome Revenue fettled by the Parliament,
and that Part of the old, which had been fold and
difperfed by extravagant Grants and Sales, reduced
into the old Channel, and regularly to be received and
paid, and the Cuftoms to be put in fuch Order (which
were not yet granted, and only continued by Orders
as illegal, as the late Times had been accuflomed to,
and to the Authority whereof He had no Mind to ad-
minifter) before He was willing to receive the Staff.
And lb the Office of the Treafury was by Commiffion
executed by feveral Lords of the Council, whereof the
Chancellor, as well by the Dignity of his Place, as by
his (till being Chancellor of the Exchequer, was one,
and fo engaged in the putting the Cuftoms likewife
into
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 49
into Commiffioners Hands, and fettling all the other
Branches of the Revenue in fuch Manner as was
thought mod reafonable ; in all Debates whereof his
Majeity himfelf was (till prefent, and approved the5
Conclufion. But after a Month or two fpent in this
Method, in the Crowd of fo much Bufmefs of feveral
Natures, the King found fo little Expedition that He
thought it bed to determine that Commiffion, and fo
gave the Staff to the Earl of Southampton, and tnzde^eEar!»/
him Treafurer. And the Chancellor at the fame Time J" «ST
furrendering his Office of Chancellor of the Exchequer i'reaj*r&.
into the King's Hands, his Majefty upon the humble
Defire of the Earl, conferred that Office upon Sir /&z-^&VAa«
I bony Afloley Cooper \ who had married his Niece, and coT/ercE
whofe Parts well enough qualified him for the T)\{-(ellor cf th*
charge thereof; though fome other Qualities of his, f,equer"
as well known, brought no Advantage to his Majefty
by that Promotion. And from this Time the Chan-
cellor would never intermeddle in the Bufinefsof the
Exchequer, nor admit any Applications td him in it :
However, the Friendfhip was fo great between the
Treafurer and him, and fo notorious from an ancient
Date, and from a joint Confidence in each other in
the Service of the laft King, that neither of them con-
cluded any Matter of Importance without confulting
with the other. And fo, the Treafurer, the Marquis of
Ormond, and the General, with the two Secretaries of
State, were of ; that fecret Committee with the Chan-
cellor ; which, under the Notion of foreign Affairs,,
were appointed by the King to confult all his Affairs
before they came to a public Debate ; and in which
there could not be a more united Concurrence of
Judgments and Affe&ions.
Yet it was the Chancellor's Misfortune to be thought
to have the greateft Credit with the King, for theRea-
Tons mentioned before, and which for fome Time feem-
ed to be without Envy, by Reafbn of his many Years
Service of the Crown, and conftant Fidelity to the
fame, and his long Attendance upon the Perfon of his
Vol. II. E Majefty,
$o ¥he Continuation of the Life of
Majefty, and the Friendfhip He had with the moft
eminent Perfons who had adhered to that Intereft.
Yet He forefaw, and told many of his Friends, " that
" the Credit He was thought to have with the King,
" and which He knew was much lefs than it was
" thought to be, and his being obliged by the King
" to conduct many Affairs, which were foreign to
" thofe which principally concerned and related to his
" Office, would in a fhort Time raife fuch a Storm of
The cban- « Envy and Malice againft him, that He mould not
fstJffi" be able to ftand the Shock." All Mens Impatience
Envj ariftngto get, and Immodefty in aflving, when the King had
agami m, Nothing to give, with his Majefty's Eafinefs of Ac-
cefs, and that Imbecillitas Frontis which kept him from
denying, together with refcuing himfelf from the mofl
troublefome Importunities by fending Men to the Chan-
cellor, could not but in a fhort Time make him be
looked upon as the Man that obftrucled all their Pre-
tences •, in which They were confirmed by his own
Carriage towards them, which though They could
not deny to be full of Civility, yet He always difluaded
them from purfuing the Suits They had made to the
King, as unfit or unjufl for his Majefty to grant, how
inclinable foever He had feemed to them. And (oy
inftead of promifing to afiift them, He pofitively de-
nied fo much as to endeavour it, when the Matter
would not bear it ; but where He could do Courtefies,
no Man proceeded more chearfully and more unafked,
which very many of all Conditions knew to be true ;
nor did He ever receive Recompenfe or Reward for
any fuch Offices. Of which Temper of his there will
be Occafion to fay more hereafter.
a Di^ry The fir ft Matter of general and publick Impor-
fy York's tance, and which refulted not from any Debate in
Marriage Parliament, v/as the Difcovery of a great ArTeclion
"chancellor's tnat tne Duke had for the Chancellor's Daughter, who
Daughter. Was a Maid of Honour to the King's Sifter the Prin-
cefs Royal of Orange, and of a Contract of Marriage
between them : With which Nobody was fo furprifed
and
Edward JEarl of Clarendon, &c. 51
and confounded as the Chancellor himfelf, who being
of a Nature free from any Jealoufy, and very confi-
dent of an entire Affection and Obedience from all
his Children, and particularly from that Daughter,
whom He had always loved dearly, never had in the
lead Degree fufpected any fuch Thing; though He
knew afterwards, that the Duke's Affection and Kind-*
nefs had been much fpoken of beyond the Seas, but
without the leaft Sufpicion in any Body that it could
ever tend to Marriage. And therefore it was cherifh-
ed and promoted in the Duke by thofe, and only by
thofe, who were declared Enemies to the Chancellor,
and who hoped from thence, that fome fignal Difgrace
and Difhonour would befall the Chancellor and his
Family ; in which They were the more reafonably
confirmed by the Manner of the Duke's living to-
wards him, which had never any Thing of Grace in
it, but very much of Disfavour, to which the Lord
Berkley, and mod of his other Servants to pleafe the
Lord Berkley, had contributed all They could; and
the Queen's notorious Prejudice to him had made it
Part of his Duty to her Majefty, which had been a
very great Difcomfort to the Chancellor, in his whole
Adminiftration beyond the Seas. But now, upon this
Difcovery and the Confequence thereof, He looked
upon himfelf as a ruined Perfon, and that the King's
Indignation ought to fall upon him as the Contriver
of that Indignity to the Crown, which as himfelf from
his Soul abhorred, and would have had the Prefump-
tion of his Daughter to be punifhed with the utmofl
Severity, fo He believed the whole Kingdom would
be inflamed to the Punifhment of it, and to prevent
the Difhonour which might refult from it. And the
leaft: Calamity that He expected upon himfelf and Fa-
mily, how innocent foever, was an everlafting Ba-
nifhment out of the Kingdom, and to end his Days in
foreign Parts in Poverty and Mifery. All which un-
doubtedly muft have come to pafs upon that Occafion,
if the King had either had- that Indignation, which
E st had
$2, The Continuation of the Life of
had been juft in him ; or if He had withdrawn his
Grace and Favour from him, and left him to be fa-
crificed by the Envy and Rage of others •, though at
this Time He was not thought to have many Enemies,
nor indeed any who were Friends to any other honefl
Men. But the King's own Knowledge of his Inno-
cence, and thereupon his gracious Condefcenfion and
Interpofition, diverting any rough Proceeding, and fo,
a contrary Effect to what hath been mentioned having
been produced from thence ; the Chancellor's Great-
nefs feemed to be thereby confirmed, his Family efta^
blifhed above the Reach of common Envy, and his
Fortune to be in a growing and profperous Condition
not like to be fhaken. Yet after many Years Poflef-
fion of this Profperity, an unexpected Guft of Dif-
pleafure took again its Rife from this Original, and
overwhelmed him with Variety and Succeflion of Mis-
fortunes.
The Chancellor, as foon as the King was at White-
ball, bad fen t for his Daughter, having aDefign pre-
fently to marry her; to which Purpofe He had an
Overture from a noble Family, on the Behalf of a
well-bred hopeful young Gentleman, who was the
Heir of it. His Daughter quickly arrived at her Fa-
ther's Houfe, to his great Joy, having always had a
great Affection for her •, and She being his eldefb
Child, He had more Acquaintance with her, than
with any of his Children ; and being now of an Age
fit for Marriage, He was well pleafed that He had an
Opportunity to place her in fuch a Condition, as with
God's Blelling was like to yield her much Content.
The Suhu She had not been long in England, when the Duke in-
Baiarathn {oxm<*& the King " of the Affection and Engagement
«j it to the " %
'Kmg. " that had been long between them -, that They had
" been long contracted, and that She was with Child :"
And therefore with all imaginable Importunity He"
begged his Majefly's Leave and Permiflion upon his
Knees, " that He might publickly marry her, in fuch
44 a Manner as his Majeftv thought neceflary for the
M Con-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 53
u Confequence thereof." The King was much trou-
bled with it, and more with his Brother's Pallion,
which was exprefTed in a very wonderful Manner and
with many Tears, protefting " that if his Majefty
*' fhould not give his Confent, He would immediate-
" ly leave the Kingdom, and muft fpend his Life in
*' foreign Parts." His Majefty was very much per-
plexed to refolve what to do : He knew the Chancel-
lor fo well, that He concluded that He was not privy
to it, nor would ever approve it ; and yet that it might
draw much Prejudice upon him, by the Jealoufy of
thofe who were not well acquainted with his Nature.
He prefently fent for the Marquis of Ormond and the
Earl of Southampton, who He well knew were his Ik> nl k;»s
fom-Friends, and informed them at large and of ^^"fl^'f
Particulars which had paffed from the Duke to hrm,/^ Brfm-
and commanded them prefently to fee for the 'Chan-*™"/'"
r 3 . open the MaU
cellor to come to his own Chamber at Whitehall, where/er Wife, and the
" like." Upon which the Chancellor arofe, and with
a little Compofednefs faid, " Sir, I hope I need make
" no Apology to you for myfelf, and of my own in
" this Matter, upon which I look with fo much De-
" teftation, that though I could have wifhed, that,
il your Brother had not thought it fit to have put this
u Difgrace upon me, I had much rather fubmit and
" bear it with all Humility, than that it fhould be re-
" paired by making her his Wife ; the Thought
" whereof I do fo much abominate, that I had much
" rather fee her dead, with all the Infamy that js due
" to her Prefumption." And then He repeated all
that He had before faid to the Lords, of fending her
prefently to the Fozver, and the reft , and concluded,
" Sir, I do upon all my Oaths which I have taken to
" you to give you faithful Counfels, and from all the
" rlncere Gratitude I ftand obliged to you for fo many
" Obligations, renew this Counfel to you , and do be-
" feech you to purfue it, as the only Expedient that
" can free you from the Evils that this Bufinefs will
" otherwife bring upon you." And obferving by the
King's Countenance, that He was not pleafed with
his Advice, He continued and faid, " I am the dulicft
" Creature alive, if, having been with your Majesty
" fo many Years, I do not know your Infirmities bet-
E 4 M tier
56 the Continuation of the Life of
" tcr than other Men. You are of too eafy and gen->
" tie a Nature to contend with thofe rough Affronts,
*' which the Iniquity and Licence of the late Times
" is like to put upon you, before it be fubdued and
" reformed. The Prefumption all Kinds of Men have
" upon your Temper is too notorious to all Men, and
**. lamented by all who wifh you well : And, trull me,
" an Example of the highefl Severity in a Cafe that fo
" nearly concerns you, and that relates to the Perfon
" who is neareft to you, will be fo feafonable, that
*' your Reign, during the remaining Part of your Life,
" will be the eafier to you, and all Men will take
*' Heed, how They impudently offend you."
He had fcarce done fpeaking, when the Duke of
York came in ; whereupon the King fpake of fome
other Bufinefs, and fhortly after went out of the Room
with his Brother, whom (as was fhortly known) He
informed of all that the Chancellor had faid, who, aa.
foon as He came to his Houfe, fent his Wife to com-
mand his Daughter to keep her Chamber, and not to
admit any Vifits ; whereas before She had always been
at Dinner and Supper, and had much Company re-
forting to her : Which was all that He thought fit to.
do, upon the firft AiTault, and till He had flept upon
it (which He did very unquietly) and refle&ed upon,
what was like to be the Effedl of fo extravagant a
Caufe. And this was quickly known to the Duke,
who wa,s exceedingly offended at it, and complained
to the King, " as of an Indignity offered to him."
And the next Morning the King chid the Chancellor
for proceeding with fo much Precipitation, and re-
quired him <' to take off that Reflraint, and to leave
" her to the Liberty She had been accuilomed to."
To which he replied, " that her having not difcharg-r
u ed the Duty of a Daughter ought not to deprive
'•'■- him of the Authority of a Father; and therefore He
"'- mult humbly beg his Majefty not to interpofe his
** Commands, againil his doing any Thing that his.
- jwn Dignity required : Tlrdt He only expected what
"his
Edward Earl of Clarendon, iSc. 57
*' his Majefty would do upon the Advice He had
w humbly offered to him, and when He faw that, He
" would himfelf proceed as He was lure would be-
*c come him:" Nor did he take off any of the Re-r
ftraint He had impofed. Yet He difcovered after,
that even in that Time the Duke had found Ways to
come to her, and to flay whole Nights with her, by the
Administration of thole who were not fufpected by
him, and who had the Excufe, " that They knew
'* that They were married."
This Subject was quickly the Matter of all Mens7X«^i>
Difcourfe, and did not produce thofe Murmurs andf^f^f
difcontented Reflections, which were expected. The*»«rsa«j
Parliament was fitting, and took not the lead Notice ^"chZ'cti.
of it; nor could it be difcerned, that many were fcan^r «/*#*./;
dalized at it. The Chancellor received the fame Re-
fpects from all Men, which He had been accuflomed
to. And the Duke himfelf, in the Houfe of Peers,
frequently fate by him upon the Wool Sack, that He
might the more eafily confer with him upon the Mat-
ters which were debated, and receive his Advice how
to behave himfelf; which made all Men believe, that
there had been a good Underftanding between them.
And yet it is very true, that, in all that Time, the
Duke never fpake one Word to him of that Affair.
The King fpake every Day about it, and told the
Chancellor, " that He mull behave himfelf wifely,
" for that the Thing was remedilefs ; and, that his
" Majefty knew that They were married, which would
" quickly appear to all Men, who knew that Nothing
" could be done upon it." In this Time the Chan-
cellor had conferred with his Daughter, without any
Thing of Indulgence, and not only difcovered, that
They were unqueflionably married, but by whom,
and who were prefent at it, who would be ready to
avow it; which pleafed him not, though it diverted
him from ufmg fome of that Rigour, which He in-
fended. And He faw no other Remedy could be ap-
plied,
5 8 'The Continuation of the Life of
plied, but that, which He had propofed to the King,
who thought of Nothing like it.
At this Time, there was News of the Princefs
Royal's Embarkation in Ho/land, which obliged the
King and the Duke of Tork to make a Journey to
Dover to receive her, who came for no other Reafon,
but to congratulate with the King, her Brother, and
to have her Share in the publick Joy. The Morning
that They began their Journey, the King and the
Duke came to the Chancellor's Houfe ; and the King,
after He had fpoken to him of fome Bufinefs that was
to be done in his Abfence, going out of the Room,
the Duke flayed behind, and whifpered the Chancellor
in the Ear, becaufe there were others at a little Dif-
tance, " that He knew that He had heard of the Bufi-
"' nefs between him and his Daughter, and of which
" He confeffed He ought to have fpoken with him
" before ; but that when He returned from Dover,
" He would give him full Satisfaction : In the mean
" Time," He defired him, " not to be offended with
" his Daughter." To which the Chancellor made no
other Anfwer, than " that it was a Matter too great
*' for him to fpeak of."
When the Princefs Royal came to the Town,
there grew to be a great Silence in that Affair. The
Duke faid Nothing to the Chancellor, nor came nor
fent to his Daughter, as He had constantly ufed to do.
And it was induflrioufly publifhed about the Town,
that that Bufinefs was broken off, and that the Duke
was refolved never to think more of it. The Queen
had before written a very fharp Letter to the Duke,
full of Indignation, that He mould have fo low
Thoughts as to marry fuch a Woman ; to whom He
fhewed the Letter, as not moved by it. And now
The $*etn She fent the King Word, " that She was on the Way
JS3j ,„«„." to England, to prevent, with her Authority, fo great
fcdatit. « a Stain and Dishonour to the Crown;" and ufed
many Threats and pallionate Expreffions upon the
Subject. The Chancellor fate unconcerned in all the
Rumours
Edward Earl of Clarendon, -&c. 59
JRumours which were fpread, " that the Queen was
" coming with a Purpofe to complain to the Parlia-
" ment againft the Chancellor, and to apply the high-
" eft Remedies to prevent fo great a Mifchief."
Ik the mean Time it was reported abroad, that the
Puke had djfeovered Tome Diiloyalty in the Lady,
which He had never fufpe&ed, but had now fo full
Evidence of it, that He was refolved never more to
fee her ; and that He was not married. And all his
Family, whereof the Lord Berkley and his Nephew
were the chief, who had long hated the Chancellor,
fpake very loudly and fcandaloufly of it. The King^-A',^
carried himfelf with extraordinary Grace towards thejKJJ^
Chancellor, and was with him more, and fpake upon"*"**^
all Occafions and before all Perfons more gracioufly of^iX'X
him, than ever. He told him with much Trouble,^****.
" that his Brother was abufed ; and that there was a
" wicked Confpiracy fet on Foot by Villains, which,
" in the End, mull prove of more Dishonour to the
64 Duke, than to any Body elfe."
The Queen was now ready to embark, inflamed
and hafteried by this Occafion ; and it was fit for the
King and the Duke, to wait on her at the Shore. But
before his Majefty's Going, He refolved of himfelf to
do a Grace to the Chancellor, that mould publifh,
how far He was from being fhaken in his Favour to-
wards him, and to do it with fuch Circumftances, as
gave it great Luftre. From the Time of his Coming
into England, He had often offered the Chancellor to
make him a Baron, and told him, " that He was
" allured by many of the Lords, that it was moft
?' neceffary for his Service in the Parliament." But
He had ftill refufed it, and befought his Majcfty
" not to think of it ; that it would increafe the Envy
" againft him, if He fhould confer that Honour up-
" on him fo foon ; but that hereafter, when his Ma-
" jefty's Affairs fhould be fettled, and He, out of the
" extraordinary Perquifites of his Office, fhould be
" able to make fome Addition to his fmall Fortune,
" He
66 The Continuation of the Life of
u He would, with that Humility that became him,
" receive that Honour from him." The King, in
few Days after, coming to him, and being alone with
him in his Cabinet, at going away gave him a little
jWa*«£/w<*Billet into his Hand, that contained a Warrant of his
a'ojoo own Handwriting to Sir Stephen Fox, to pay to the
Founds. Chancellor the Sum of twenty thoufand Pounds •, which
was Part of the Money, which the Parliament had pre-
fented to the King at the Hague, and for which He
had been compelled to take Bills of Exchange again
from Amfterdam upon London ; which was only known
to the King, the Chancellor, and Sir Stephen Fox, who
was intruded to receive it, as He had done all the
King's Monies for many Years beyond the Seas. This
Bounty flowing immediately from the King, at fuch a
melancholick Conjuncture, and of which Nobody cfc u'd
have Notice, could not but much raife the Spirits of
the Chancellor. Nor did the King's Goodnefs reft
here, but the Night before He began his Journey to-
wards the Queen, He fent for the Attorney General,
whom He knew to be mod devoted to the Chancellor,
and told him, " that He mud intruft him in an AiTair,
" that He mufl not impan to the Chancellor;" and
then gave him a Warrant figned for the Creation of
him a Baron, which He commanded . to be ready to
*' pafs the Seal, againft the Hour of his Majefty's
" Return, and He would then fee it fealed himfelf :
" But if the Chancellor came firit to know it, He
mchj)<,,<&
fome Instances, which I prornifed before, and by^^JSj?"
which it will be manifeft ; how far the Chancellor
was from an immoderate Appetite to be rich, and to
raife his Fortune, which He propofed only to do by
the
7 8 The Continuation of the Life of
„fhe Perquifites of his Office which were confiderabfe
at the firft, and by fuch Bounty of the King as might
hereafter, without Noife or Scandal, be conferred on
him in proper Seafons and Occurrences ; and that He
was as far from affecting fuch an unlimited Power as
He was believed afterwards to be poffeffed of (and
of which no Footfteps could ever be difcovered in any
of his Actions, or in any one Particular that was the
Effect of fuch Power,) or from defiring any other Ex-
tent of Power, than was agreeable to the great Office
He held, and which had been enjoyed by mofl of
thofe, who had been his Predeceffors in that Truft,
Hirefufeda The King had not been many Weeks in England,
oprof ' when the Marquis of Ortnond came to him with his
Crmon ufual Friendship, and afked him, " whether it would
" not be now Time to think of making a Fortune,
" that He might be able to leave to his Wife and
44 Children, if He mould die." And when He found
that He was lets fenfible of what He propofed than
He>expected, and that He only anfwered, " that He
" knew not which Way to go about it " the Marquis
told him, u that He thought He could commend a
u proper Suit for him to make to the King ; and if
" his Modefly would not permit him to move the
" King for himfelf, He would undertake to move it
" for him, and was confident that the King would
" willingly grant it :" And thereupon fhewed him a
Paper, which contained the King's juft Title to ten
thoufand Acres of Land in the Great Level of the Fens,
which would be of a good yearly Value ; or They,
who were unjuftly poffefled of it, would be glad to
purchafe the King's Title with a very eonfiderable
Sum of Money. And, in the End, He frankly told
him, " that He made this Overture to him with the
" King's Approbation, who had been moved in it,
" and thought at the firft Sight, out of his own Good-
" nefs, that it might be fit for him, and wifhed the
" Marquis to propofe it tq him."
When
Edward Earl of Clarendon,, £sjV. 79
When the Chancellor had extolled the King's Ge-
nerality, that He could, in fo great Neceflities of his
own, think of difpenfing fo great a Bounty upon a poor
Servant, who was already recompenfed beyond what
He could be ever able to deferve ; He faid, that He
" knew very well the King's Title to that Land, of
" which He was in Poiieffion before the Rebellion
" began, which the old and new Adventurers now
" claimed by a new Contract, confirmed by an
" Ordinance of Parliament, which could not deprive
■' the Crown of its Right ; which all the Adventurers
" (who for the greater! Part were worthy men ) well
" knew, and would for their own Sakes not difpute,
" fince it would inevitably produce a new Inundation,
" which all their Unity and Confent in maintaining
" the Banks would and could with Difficulty enough
" but prevent. That He would advife his Majefty
" to give all the Countenance He could, to the carry-
" ing on and perfecting that great Work, which was
" of great Benefit as well as Honour to the Publick,
" at the Charge of private Gentlemen, who had paid
" dear for the Land They had recovered ; but that
" He would never advife him, to begin his Reign
" with the Alienation of fuch a Parcel of Land from
" the Crown to any one particular Subject, who could
" never bear the Envy of it. That his Majefty ought
" to referve that Revenue to himfelf, which was great
" though lefs than it was generally reputed to be -, at
" lead, till the Value thereof mould be clearly under-
" flood (and the detaining it in his own Hands for
** fome Time, would be the ben: Expedient towards
" the finifhing all the Banks, when the Seafon mould
" be fit, which elfe would be neglected by the D\(-
" cord among the Adventurers) and the King knew
" what He gave. Pie muft remember, that Pie had
" two Brothers," (for the Duke of Glocefler was yet
alive) " who were without any Revenue, and towards
" whom his Bounty was to be firft extended ; and that
' this Land would be a good Ingredient towards an
Ap-
So The Continuation of the Life of
u Appanage for them Both. And that till They were
" reafonably provided for, no private Man in his Wits
" would be the Object of any extraordinary Bounty
** from the King, which would unavoidably make
" him the Object of an univerfal Envy and Hatred.
" That, for his own Part, He held by the King's
" Favour the greateft Office of the Kingdom in Place r
*' and though it was not near the Value it was efteem-
*' ed to be, and that many other Offices were more
*' profitable, yet it was enough for hjm, and would
" be a good Foundation to improve his Fortune : So
" that," He faid, " He had made a Refolution to
" himfelf, which He thought He fhould not alter, not
" to make Hajie to be rich. That it was the principal
" Part or Obligation of his Office, to difluade the King
*' from making any Grants of fuch a Nature (except
" where the Neceflity or Convenience was very noto-
" rious) and even to flop thofe which fhould be made
•' of that Kind, and not to fuffer them to pafs the Seal,
" till He had again waited upon the King, and in-
" formed him of the evil Confequence of thofe Grants j
" which Difcharge of his Duty could not but raife him
" many Enemies, who mould not have that Advan-
" tage, to fay that He obftructed the King's Bounty
** towards other Men, when He made it very profufe
" towards himfelf. And therefore, that He would
" never receive any Crown Lands from the King's
" Gift, and did not wifh to have any other Honour
" or any Advantage, but what his Office brought
(i him, till (even Years mould pafs ± in which all the
" Diffractions of the Kingdom might be compofed,
" and the Neceffities thereof fo provided for, that the
•' King might be able, without hurting himfelf, to
" exercife fome Liberality towards his Servants who
" had ferved him well." How He feemed to part
from this Refolution in fome Particulars afterwards,
and why He did fo, may be collected out of what hath
been truly fet down before.
Whem
Edwapd Earl of Clarendon, &c 8i
When the Marquis of Ormond had given the King
a large Account of the Conference between him and
the Chancellor, and " that He abfolutely refufed to
" receive that Grant;" his Majefty faid, " He was a
" Fool for his Labour, and that He would be much
" better in being envied than in being pitied." And
though the Inheritance of thofe Lands was afterwards
given to the Duke, yet there were fuch Eftates granted
for Years to many particular Perfons, mod whereof
had never merited by any Service, that Half the Va-
lue thereof never came to his Highnefs.
As foon as the King and Duke returned from Portf-
moutb, where They had feen the Queen embarked for
France, the King had appointed a Chapter, for the ^f '«*'*«'
electing fbme Knights of the Garter into the Places va-^^-^
cant. Upon which the Duke defired him " to no-Gai'er.
*' minate the Chancellor," which his Majefty faid " He
" would willingly do, but He knew not whether it
" would be grateful to him ; for He had refilled fo
" many Things, that He knew not what He would
" take i" and therefore wifhedhim " to take a Eoat
" to IVorcefter-Houfe, and propofe it to him, and He
" would not go to the Chapter till his Highnefs re-
" turned." The Duke told the Chancellor what had
paffed between the King and him, and " that He was
" come only to know his Mind, and could not ima-
** gine but that fuch an Honour would pleale him."
The Chancellor, after a Million of humble Acknow-
ledgments of the Duke's Grace and the King's Con-
defcenlion, faid, " that the Honour was indeed too
" great by much for him to fuftain ; that there were
" very many worthy Men, who well remembered him
" of their own Condition, when He fir ft entered into
" his Father's Service, and believed that He was ad-
" vanced too much before them." He befought his
Highnefs, lt that his Favours and Protection might
*' not expofe him to Envy that would break him to
" Pieces." He afked " what Knights the King
" meant to make;" the Duke named them, all Per-
Vol. II. G fons
82 ¥be Continuation of the Life of
Tons very eminent : The Chancellor faid, " no Man
f* could except againfl the King's Choice; many would
rt juftly, if He were added to the Number." Hedefir-
ed his Highnefs " to put the King in Mind of the Earl
" of Lindfey, Lord High Chamberlain of England"
(with whom He was known to have no Friendship, on
the contrary, that there had been Difgufts between
them in thelaft King's Time); ll that his Father had
" loft his Life with the Garter about his Neck, when
" this Gentleman his Son, endeavouring to relieve
" him, was taken Prifoner ; that He had ferved the
" King to the End of the War with Courage and Fi-
'* delity, being an excellent Officer: For all which, the
" King his Father had admitted him a Gentleman of
" his Bedchamber, which Office He was now without :
f And not to have the Garter now upon hisMajefty's
" Return, would in all Mens Eyes look like a Degra-
*' dation, and an Inftance of hisMajefty's Difefteem;
" efpecially if the Chancellor fhould fupply the Place,
" who was not thought his Friend:" And, upon the
whole Matter, entreated the Duke " to referve his
" Favour towards him for fome other Occafion, and
" excufe him to the King for the declining this Ho-
" nour, which He could not fupport." The Duke re-
plied with an offended Countenance, " that He faw
" He would not accept any Honour from the King,
" that proceeded by his Mediation ;" and fo left him
in apparent Difpleafure. However, at that Chapter
the Earl of Lindfey was created Knight of the Garter,
with the reft ; and coming afterwards to hear by what
Chance it was, He ever lived with great Civility to-
wards the Chancellor to his Death.
And when the Chancellor afterwards complained
to his Majefty " of his Want of Care of him, in his
" fo eafily gratifying his Brother in a Particular that
that is, thofe Laws and Cufloms which the
Common -wealth had eflablifhed ; that He had hardly
left Footfleps by which the old might be traced out
again. The Power of the Nobility was fo totally fup-
preffed and extinguifhed. that their Perfons found no
more Refpect or Distinction from the common People,
than the Acceptation They found from Cromwell, and
the Credit He gave them by fome particular Trufl,
drew to them. Their beloved Prefbytery was become
a Term of Reproach, and ridiculous ; the Pride and
Activity of their Preachers fubdued, and reduced to the
lowed Contempt ; and the Standard of their Religion
remitted to the fole Order and Direction of their
Commander in chief. All criminal Cafes (except
where the General thought it more expedient to pro-
ceed
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &JV. 93
reed by martial Law) were tried and punifhed before
Judges fent from England-, and by the Laws of Eng-
land-, and Matters of civil Intereft before itinerant
Judges, who went twice a Year in Circuits through
the Kingdom, and determined all Matters of Right by
the Rules and Cuftoms which were obferved in Eng-
land. They had Liberty to fend a particular Number
that was alligned to them to fit in the Parliament of
England, and to vote there with all Liberty ; which
They had done. And in Recompenfe thereof, all fuch
Monies were levied in Scotland, as were given by the
Parliament of England, by which fuch Contributions
were raifed, as were proportionable to the Expence,
which the 'Army and Garrifons which fubdued them
put the Kingdom of England to. Nor was there any
other Authority to raife Money in Scotland, but what
was derived from the Parliament or General of Eng-
land.
And all this prodigious Mutation and Transfor-
mation had been fubmitted to with the fame Refigna-
tion and Obedience, as if the fame had been tranfmit-
ted by an uninterrupted Succeffion from King Fergus :
And it might well be a Queftion, whether the Gene-
rality of the Nation was not better contented with it,
than to return into the old Road of Subjection. But
the King would not build according to Cromwell's
Models, and had many Reafons to continue Scotland
within its own Limits and Bounds, and fole Depend-
ance upon himfelf, rather than unite it to England with
fo many Hazards and Dangers as would inevitably
have accompanied it, under any Government lefs ty-
rannical than that of Cromwell. And the refettling that
Kingdom was to be done with much lefs Difficulty,
than the other of Ireland, by Reafon that all who ap-
peared concerned in it or for it, as a Committee for
that Kingdom, were united between themfelves, and
did, or did pretend to defire the fame Things. They
all appeared under the Protection and Recommenda-
tion of tlie General ; and their Dependance was the
more
<54 $be Continuation of the Life of
more upon him, becaufe He Hill commanded thofe
Garrifons and Forces in Scotland, which kept them to
their Obedience. And He was the more willing to
give them a Teftimony of their Affection to the King,
and that without their Help He could not have been
able to have marched into England againft Lambert,
that They might fpeak the more confidently, "that
M They gave him that Aififtance, becaufe They were
" well aflurcd that his Intention was to ferve the King:"
Whereas They did indeed give him only what They
could not keep from him, nor did They know any of
his Intentions, or himfelf at that Time intend any
Thing for the King. But it is very true, They were
all either Men who had merited beft from the King,
or had fuffered moft for him, or at lead had acted
lead againft him, and (which They looked upon as
the moft valuable Qualification) They were all, or
pretended to be, the moft implacable Enemies to the
Marquis of Argyle, which was the Shibboleth by which
the Affections of that whole Nation were belt diftin-
guilhed.
SmeJeaunt The Chief of the Commiffioners was the Lord
CcmLiffuT. Selkirk, a younger Son of the Marquis of Douglafs,
"s- , _. who had been known to the King in France, where He
g/seiktrjs. had been bred a Roman Catbolick, which was the Re-
ligion of his Family, but had returned into Scotland
after it had been fubdued by Cromwell; and being a
very handlbme young Man, was eaiily converted from
the Religion of his Father, in which He had been
bred, to that of his elder Brother the Earl of Angus,
that He might marry the Daughter and Heir of James
Duke Hamilton, who from the Battle of Wotcefter,
where her Uncle Duke William was killed, had inherit-
ed the Title of Dutchefs, with the fair Seat of Hamil-
ton, and all the Lands which belonged to her Father.
And her Hufband now, according to the Cuftom of
Scotland, affumed the fame' Title with her, and ap-
peared in the Head of the Commilnoners under the
Style of Duke Hamilton, with the Merit of having
never
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. gg
never difTerved the King, and with the Advantage of
v/hatfoever his Wife could claim by the Death of her
Father, which deferved to wipe out the Memory of
whatever had been done amifs in his Life.
The Earl of Gkncame was another of the Com- of the Earl
miflioners, a Man very well born and bred, and 0f/Glencarne'
very good Parts. As He had rendered himfelf very
acceptable to the King, during his being in Scotland,
by his very good Behaviour towards him, fo even after
that fatal Blow at Worccfier He did not diffemble his
Affection to his Majeftyi but withdrawing himfelf
into the Highlands, during the Time that Cromwell re-
mained in Scotland, He fent over an Exprefs to affure
the King of his Fidelity, and that He would take the
firfl Opportunity to ferve him. And when upon his
Defire Middleton was defigned to command there, He
firfr retired into the Highlands, and drew a Body of Men
together to receive him. He was a Man of Honour,
and good Principles as well with Reference to the
Church as to the State, which few others, even of thofe
which now appeared moil devoted to the King, avow-
ed to be ; for the Prefbytery was yet their Idol. From
the Time that He had received a Protection and Safe-
guard from General Monk, after there was little Hope
of doing Good by Force, He lived quietly at his
Houfe, and was more favoured by the General than
any of thofe who fpoke moft loudly againft the King,
and was moft trufted by him when He was at Berwick
upon his March into England; and was now prefented
by him to the King, as a Man worthy of his Trufl in
an eminent Poft of that Kingdom.
With thefe there were others of lefs Name, but of the Eati
of good Affections and Abilities, who came together 5/Uuther-
from Scotland as Commiffioners ; but They found
others in London as well qualified to do their Country
Service, snd whofe Names were wifely inferted in their
Commillion by thofe who aflumed the Authority to
fend the other. The Earl of Lautherdale, who had
been very eminent in contriving and carrying en the
King's
96 The Continuation of the Life of
King's Service, when his Majefty was crowned in Scot-
land, and thereby had wrought himfelf into a very par-
ticular Efteem with the King, had marched with him
into England, and behaved himfelf well at Worcefter^
where He was taken Prifoner ; had, befides that Me-
rit, the fiiffering an Imprifonment from that very
Time with fbme Circumftances of extreme Rigour,
being a Man againft whom Cromwell had always pro-
feffed a more than ordinary Animofity. And though
the Scene of his Imprifonment had been altered ac-
cording to the Alteration of the Governments which
Succeeded, yet He never found himfelf in complete
Liberty till the King was proclaimed by the Parlia-
ment, and then He thought it not necelfary to repair
into Scotland for Authority or Recommendation ; but
fending his Advice thither to his Friends, He made
Hafte to tranfport himfelf with the Parliament Com-
miflioners to the Hague, where He was very well re-
ceived by the King, and left nothVig undone on his
Part that might cultivate thofe old Inclinations, be-
ing a Man of as much Addrefs and Infinuation, in
which that Nation excels, as was then amongft them.
He applied himfelf to thofe who were mofi trufted by
the King with a marvellous Importunity, and efpeci-
ally to the Chancellor, with whom,, as often as They
had ever been together, He had had a perpetual War.
He now magnified his Conftancy with loud Elogiums,
as well to his Face as behind his Back, remembered
44 many (harp Expreflions formerly ufed by the Chan-
44 cellor, which He confeffed had then made him mad,
44 though upon Recollection afterwards He had found
44 them to be very reafonable." He was very polite
in all his Difcourfes, called himfelf and his Nation
44 a thoufand Traitors and Rebels," and in his Dif-
courfes frequently faid, 4C when I was a Traitor," or
44 when 1 was in Rebellion," and feemed not equally
delighted with any Argument, as when He fcornfully
fpake of the Covenant, upon which He brake a hun-
dred jefls. in Sum, all his Difcourfes were fiich as
plea fed
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. $j
pleafed all the Company, who commonly believed all
He faid, and concurred with him. He renewed his
old Acquaintance and Familiarity with Middlcton by
all the Proteftations of Friendfhip, affured him " of
u the unanimous Defire of Scotland to be under his
" Command," and declared to the King, " that He
f* could not fend any Man into Scotland, who would
" be able to do him fo much Service in the Place of
" Commiffioner as Middleton, and that it was in his
*c Majefty's Power to unite that whole Kingdom to
*' his Service as one Man." All which pleafed the
King well: So that, by the Time that the Commif-
iioners appeared at London, upon fome old Promife in
Scotland, or new Inclination upon his long Sufferings,
which He magnified enough, the King gave him the
Signet, and declared him to be Secretary of State XQMtmyefth
that Kingdom ; and at the fame Time declared thatf/X^
Middleton mould be his Commiffioner ; the Earl of<&« &fpi*d
Glencarne his Chancellor ; the Earl of Rothes, who was^'
likewife one of the Commifiioners, and his Perfon very
agreeable to the King, Prefident of the Council ; and
conferred all other inferiour Offices upon Men moil
notable for their AfFe&ion to the old Government of
Church and State.
And the firft Propofition that the Commifiioners
made after their Meeting together, and before They
entered upon- Debate of thePublick, was, " that his
tC Majefty would add to the Council of Scotland, which
" mould refide near his Perfon, the Chancellor and
" Treafurer of England, the General, the Marquis of
*c Ormond, and Secretary Nicholas, who fhould be al-
" ways prefent when any Thing mould be debated and
" refolved concerning that Kingdom:" Which Defire,
fo different from any that had been in Times pail,
perfuaded the King that their Intentions were very fin-
cere. Whatever Appearance there was of Unity a-
mongft them, for there was Nothing like Contradic-
tion, there was a general Diflike by them ail of the
Power Lautberdak had with the King, who They
Vol. II. H knew
o8 The Continuation of the Life of
knew preflTed many Things without Communication
of rfe Ear/ with them, as He had prevailed that the Earl of Craw-
tf Crawfbrd^r^ Lind/ey mould continue in the Office He formerly
had of being High Treafurer of that Kingdom, though
He was known to be a Man incorrigible in his Zeal
for the Prefbyrery, and all the Madnefles of Kirk, and
not firm to other Principles upon which the Authority
of the Crown mull be eftablifhed ; fo that They could
not ib much as confuk in his Prefenee of many Parti-
culars of the higheft Moment and Importance to the
lick Settlement; Yet his having behaved himfelf
well towards the King, whiift He was in that King-
dom, and his having undergone great Persecution un-
der Cromwell, and profefling now all Obedience to hi3
Majefty, prevailed that He mould not be difplaced
upon his Majefty 's firft Entrance upon his Govern-
ment, but that anew Occafion fhould be attended to,
which was in View, and when the King refolved, with-
out communicating his Purpofe to Lautherdale, to con-
fer that Office upon Middleton, when He mould have
proceeded the firft Stage in his Commiflion ; and of
this his Refolution He was gracioufly pleafed to inform
him.
"TbeMarqui* The Marquis of Argyle (without, mentioning of
-.'"•'whom there can hardly be any Mention of Scotland)
though He was not of this Fraternity, yet thought He
could tell as fair a Story for himfelf as any of the reft,
and contribute as much to the King's abfolute Power
in Scotland. And therefore He had no fooner unque-
stionable Notice of the King's being m London, but He
made Hafte thither with as much Confidence as the
reft. But the Commifiioners who were before him
wrought fo far with the King, that in the very Minute
of his Arrival He was arrefted by a Warrant under
the King's Hand, and carried to the Tower, upon a
Charge of High Treafon.
He was a Man like Drances in Virgil.
Largus
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &?r. 99
Largus Opum, et Lingua melior, fedfrigida Bella tilt ci*r«t.
Dextera, Confiliis habitus non futilis Auftor,
Seditione pot ens.
Without Doubt He was a Perfon of extraordinary
Cunning, well bred ■, and though by the Ill-Placing
of his Eyes, He did not appear with any great Ad-
vantage at firft Sight, yet He reconciled even thofe
who had Averfion to him very ftrangely by a little
Converfation : Infomuch as after fo many repeated In-
dignities (to fay no worfe) which He had put upon
the late King, and when He had continued the fame
Affronts to the prefent King, by hindering the Scots
from inviting him, and as long as was poflible kept
him from being received by them-, when there was no
Remedy, and that He was actually landed, no Man
paid him fo much Reverence and outward Refpecl,
and gave fo good an Example to all others, with what
Veneration their King ought to be treated, as the Mar-
quis of Argyle did, and in a very fhort Time made
himfelf agreeable and acceptable to him. His Wit
was pregnant, and his Humour gay and pleafant, ex-
cept when He liked not the Company or the Argu-
ment. And though He never confented to any one
Thing of Moment, which the King afked of him, and
even in thofe Seafons in which He was ufed with moft
Rudenefs by the Clergy, and with fome Barbarity by
his Son the Lord Lome, whom He had made Captain
of his Majefty's Guard, to guard him from his Friends
and from all who He defired fhould have Accefs to
him ; the Marquis ftill had that Addrefs, that He
perfuaded him all was for the beft. When the other
Faction prevailed, in which there were likewife crafty
Managers, and that his Counfels were commonly re-
jected, He carried himfelf fo, that They who hated
jiim moft were willing to compound with him, and
that his Majefty mould not withdraw his Countenance
from him. But He continued in all his Charges,
H 2 and
3 CO .- Tkt Continuation of the Life of
and had a very great Party in that Parliament that
was mofl devoted to ferve the King ; fo that his Ma-
jefly was often put to defire his Help to compafs what
He defired. He did heartily oppofe the King's march-
ing with his Army into England, the ill Succefs whereof
made many Men believe afterwards, thatHe had more
Reafons for the Counfels He gave, than They had
who were of another Opinion. And the King was fo
far from thinking him his Enemy, that when it was
privately propofed to him by thole He trufted moH,
that He might be fecured from doing Hurt when the
King was marched into England, iince He was Co
much againfl it j his Majefty would by no Means con-
fent to it, but parted with him very gracioufly, as
with One He expected good Service from. All which
the Commifiioners well remembered, and were very
unwilling that He mould be again admitted into his
Prefence, to make his own Excufes for any Thing
He could be charged with. And his Behaviour after-
wards, and the good Correfpondence He had kept with
Cromwell, but efpecially fome confident Averments of
fame particular Words or Adions which related to
-the Murder of his Father, prevailed with his Majefty
not to fpeak with him, which He laboured by many
Addreffes, in Petitions to the King and Letters to fome
of thole who were trufted by him, which were often
prefented by his Wife and his Son, and in which He
only defired " to fpeak with the King or with fome of
" thoie Lords," pretending " that He fhould inform
44 and communicate fomewhat that would highly con-
*' cern his Majefty's Service." But the King not
vouchfafing to admit him to his Prefence, the Englijb
Lords had no Mind to have any Conference with a
Man who had fo dark a Character, or to meddle in
Sent into an Affair that muff, be examined and judged by the
**°//S. ' Laws of Scotland : And fo it was reiblved, that the
Marquis of Jirgyk fhould be fent by Sea. into Svothnd^
to be tried before the Parliament there when theCom-
miilioner fhould arrive;, who was difpat/ched thither
with
Edward Earl of Clare ndov, e?r. ioi
with the reft of the Lords, as foon as the Seals and
other Badges of their feveral OfHces could be prepared.
And what afterwards became of the Marquis is
known to all Men ± as it grew quickly to appear, that
what Bitternefs foever the Earl of Lautherdale had ex-
preffed towards him in his general Difcourfes, He had
in Truth a great Mind to have preferred him, and fo
kept fuch a Pillar of Preibytery againft a good Occa-
fion, which was not then fuipected by the reft of the
Commiflioners.
The Lords of the EngliJJj Council, who were ap-
pointed to fit with the. Scots, met with them to confult
upon the Instructions which were to be given to the
King's Commiflioner, who was now created Earl of
Middleton. The Scots feemed all refolute and impatient
to vindicate their Country from the Infamy of deliver-
ing up the lad King (for all Things relating to the for-
mer Rebellion had been put in Oblivion by his late
Majefty's AEl of Indemnity at his laft being in Scotland)
and ftrictly to examine who of that Nation had con-
tributed to his Murder, of which They were confident
/irgyk would be found very guilty. Middleton was very
earneft, " that He might, for the Humiliation of the 73* Earl of
" Preachers, and to prevent any unruly Proceeding pf^JjJJJ
" theirs in their Affembly, begin with refunding i\\tRtepabnjh-\
" Ail of the Covenant, and all other Acts which had""""/^'/-
" invaded the King's Power Ecclefiaftical, and then Scotland.
*£ proceed to the erecting of Bifhops in that Kingdom,
*' according to the ancient Inftitution :" And with him? rh a}1
Glencarne, Rothes, and all the reft {Lautherdale only ex- /»«« concur
cepted) concurred -, and averred, " that it would be^'^eLau"
" very eafily brought to pafs, becaufe the tyrannical
** Proceedings of the AfTemblies and their feveral
" Prefbyteries had fo far incenfed Perfons of all De-
fe grees, that not only the Nobility, Gentry, andcom-
" mon People would be glad to be freed from them,
" but that the molt learned and belt Part of the Mi-
" nifters defired the fame, and to be fubject again to
" the Bifhops ; and that there would be enough found
H 3 " of
[ 102 The Continuation of the Life of
" of the Scots Clergy, very worthy and very willing to
'* fupply thofe Charges."
Lauther dale, with aPaffion fuperiour to the reft,
inveighed againfl the Covenant, called ■* it a wicked,
" traiterous Combination of Rebels againft their law-
** ful Sovereign, and exprefsly againft the Laws of their
" own Country ; protefted his own hearty Repentance
" for the Part He had acted in the Promotion thereof,
" and that He was confident that God, who was
*' Witnefs of his Repentance, had forgiven him that
" foul Sin : That no Man there had a greater Reve-
** rencefor the Government by Bilhops thanHehim-
" felf had ; and that He was molt confident, that the
*' Kingdom of Scotland could never be happy in itfelf,
" nor ever be reduced to a perfect Submifiion and
" Obedience to the King, till the Epifcopal Govern-
" ment was again eftablifhed there. The Scruple that
" only remained with him, and which made him differ
" with his Brethren, was, of the Manner how it
*' fhould be attempted, and of the Time when it
" fhould be endeavoured to be brought to pafs."
And then with his ilfual Warmth when He thought it
neceffary to be warm (for at other Times He could be
as calm as any Man, though not fo naturally) He de-
fired " that the Commillioner might have no Inftruc-
" tion for the prefent to make any Approach towards
" either; on thecontrary, that He might be reftrained
wkoortfuUj" from it by his Majefty's fpecial Direction : For
MhJdn* " though his own Prudence, upon the Obfervation
td. " He ihould quickly make when He came thither,
u would reftrain him from doing any Thing which
" might be inconvenient to his Majefty's Service; yet
" without that He would hardly be able to reftrain
" others, who for Want of Underftanding, or out of
" 111- Will to particular Men, might be top forward to
" {tt fuch a Deiign on Foot."
He defired '; that in the firft Seffion of Parliament
" no farther Attempt might be made, than in Purfu-
f* ance of what had been firft mentioned, the vindi-
" eating
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 103
** eating their Country from all Things which related
'* to the Murder of the late King, which would com-
and feveral other Perfons of Qua-f^J/a{rw
lity, much the greater Number whereof had been
always notorious for the DiiTervice They had done
the King ; but upon the Advantage of having been
difcountenanced, and fuffered long Imprifonment and
other Damages, under Cromwell, They called them-
felves the King's Party, and brought Expectations
with them to be looked upon and treated as fuch.
Amongft them was a Brother, and other Friends,
made Choice of and more immediately trufted by Sir
Charles Coote, who remained in the Caftle of Dublin,
and prefided in that Council that fupplied the Govern-
ment, and was thought to have the beft Intereft in
the Army as well as in his own Province. " And
" thefe Men," He faid, " had been privy to the Ser-
" vice He meant to have done the King, and expected
" the Performance of feveral Promifes He had then
" made them by Virtue of fome Authority had been
" fent to him to allure thofe, who mould join with
il him to do his Majefty Service." All thefe Com-
miifioners from the State had Inftructions, to which
They were to conform in defiling Nothing from the
King, but " the fettling his own Authority amongft
" them, the ordering the Army, the reviving the
" Execution of the Laws, and fettling the Courts of
" Juftice" (all which had been diilblved in the late
Ufurpation) u and fuch other Particulars as purely
" related to the Publick." And their publick Ad-
drefles were to this and no other Purpofe. But then
to their private Friends, and fuch as They defired to
make
no . The Continuation of the Life of
make their Friends, mod of them had many Pretences
of Merit, and many Expedients by which the King
might reward them, and out of which They would
be able liberally to gratify their Patrons. And by
this Means all who ferved the King were furnifhed
with Suits enough to make their Fortunes, in which
They prefently engaged themfelves with very trou-
blefome Importunity to the King himfelf, and to all
others who They thought had Credit or Power to ad-
vance their Defires. Nor was there any other Art fo
much nfed by the Commiflioners in their fecret Con-
ferences, as to deprave one another, and to difcover
the ill Actions They had been guilty of, and how little
They defer ved to be trufted, or had Intereft to accom-
plifh. The Lord Brogbill was the Man of the bed
Parts, and had molt Friends by his great Alliance to
promife for him. And He appeared very generous,
and to be without the lead Pretence to any Advantage
for himfelf, and to be fo wholly devoted to the King's
Intereft and to the eftablifhing of the Government of
the Church, that He quickly got himfelf believed.
And having free Accefs to the King, by mingling
Apologies for what He had done with Promifes of
what He would do, and utterly renouncing all thofe
Principles as to the Church or State (as He might
with a good Confcience do) which made Men unfit
for Trull, He made himfelf fo acceptable to his Ma-
jefty, that He heard him willingly, becaufe He made
all Things eafy to be done and compaHed ; and gave
fuch Aflurances to the Bedchamber Men, to help them
to good Fortunes in Ireland, which They had Reafon
to defpair of in England, that he wanted not their
TeiTimony upon all Occafions, nor their Defence and
Vindication, when any Thing was reflected upon to
his Difadvantage or Reproach.
9. Deputies 2. There were many other Deputies of feveral
■ffrZps*cnd Ckfies in Irehnd, who thought their Pretences to be
^■rey. as well grounded, as theirs who came from the State.
There were yet feme Eifhops alive of that Kingdom,
and
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. m
and other grave Divines, all ftript of their Dignities
and Eftates, which had been difpofed of by the nfurp-
ing Power to their Creatures. And all They (forne
whereof had fpentTime in Banifhment near the King,
and others more miferably in their own Country and
in England, under the Charity of thofe who for the
mod Part lived by the Charity of others) expected, as
They well might, to be reflored to what in Right be-
longed to them -, and befought his Majefty " to ufe
" all poflible Expedition to eftablifh the Government
" of that Church as it had always been, by fupply-
" ing the empty Sees with new Prelates in the Place
" of thofe who were dead, that all the Schifms and
" wild Factions in Religion, which were fpread over
" that whole Kingdom, might be extirpated and
" rooted out." All which Defires were grateful to the
King, and according to his Royal Intentions, and were
not oppofed by the Commiflioners from the State, who
all pretended to be Wellwifhers to the old Govern-
ment of the Church, and the more by the Experience
They had of the Diffractions which were introduced
by that which had fucceeded it, and by the Confufion
They were now in without any. Only Sir John Cht-
laortby (who, by the Exercife of very ordinary Facul-
ties in feveral Employments, whilft the Parliament
retained the fupreme Power in their Hands, had ex-
ceedingly improved himfelf in Understanding and
Ability of Negotiation) difTembled not his. old Animo-
fity againft the Bifhops, the Crofs, and the Surplice,
•and wifhed that all might be abolifhed ; though He
knew well that his Vote would fignify Nothing to-
wards it. And that Spirit of his had been fo long
known, that it was now imputed to Sincerity and
Plaindealing, and that He would not diiTemble (which
many others were known to do, who had the fame
Malignity with him ;) and was the lefs ill thought of,
becaufe in all other Refpects He was of a generous
and a jovial Nature, and complied in allDefigns which
might advance the King's Intereft or Service.
3. There
1 1 2 The Continuation of the Life of
%AJf'u™j~ 3* There appeared likewife a Committee deputed
by the Ad- be the Adventurers to iblicit their Right, which was the
venturers, more numerous by the Company of many Aldermen
and Citizens of the bell: Quality, and many honefl Gen-
tlemen of the Country ; who all defired " that their
" Right might not be difturbed, which had been fet-
" tied by an Aft of Parliament ratified by the lafl
" King before the Troubles; and that if it mould be
" thoughtjuft, and any of the Lands of which They
" Hood potTelTed mould be taken from them, upon
" what Title foever, They might firft be put into the
" PofTeflion of other Lands of equal Value, before
" They fhould be difpolTefTed of what They had al-
a -Account of" ready," All that They made Claim to feemed to be
tenwrers. confirmed by an Ad of Parliament. The Cafe was
this : When the Rebellion firft brake out in Ireland,
the Parliament then fitting, and there being fo much
Money to be railed and already raifed for the Payment
of and difbanding two Armies, and for the compofing
or compounding the Rebellion of Scotland, where the
King was at that Time ; it had been propounded,
" that the War of Ireland might be carried on at the
" Charges of particular Men, and fo all Impofition
" upon the People might be prevented, if an Aft of
" Parliament were palled for the Satisfaction of all
'.' thofe who would advance Monies for the War, out
" of the Lands which mould become forfeited."
And this Proportion being embraced, an Aft was
prepared to that Purpofe ; in which it was provided, that
" the forfeited Lands in Le'mfier, Munfier, Conaugbt,
" and Uljlcr, mould be valued at iiich feveral Rates by
" the Acie, and how many Acres in either mould be
" afiigned for the Satisfaction of one hundred Pounds,
" and lb proportionally for greater Sums. That for
" all Monies which mould be iubfcribed within fo
" many Days (beyond which Time there fhould be no
u more Subfcriptions; lor that Service, one Moiety
41 thereof fhould be paid to the Treafurer appointed,
" within fsiy Days, for the rueknt Preparations; an4
" the
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &?<\ **3
" the other Moiety be paid within fix Months, upon
" the Penalty of lofing all Benefit from the firft Pay-
•* ment. That when God mould fo blefs their Armies
" (which They doubted not of) that the Rebels mould
" be fo near reduced, that They mould be without
" any Army or vifible Power to fupport their Rebel-
" lion ; there mould a Commiflion iffue out, under
" the Great Seal of England, to fuch Perfons as mould
" be nominated by the Parliament, who mould take
u the beft Way They could in their Difcretion think.
" fit, to be informed, whether the Rebels were totally
" flibdued and fo the Rebellion at an End. And up-
*' on their Declaration, that the Work was fully done
** and the War finifhed, other Commiffions mould like-
*' wife iifue out, in the fame Manner, for the con-
" viewing and attainting all thofe who were guilty of
" the Treafon and Rebellion by which their Eftates
" were become forfeited ; and then other Commifli-
" ons, for the Diflribution of the forfeited Lands to
<; the feveral Adventurers, according to the Sums of
*' Money advanced by them. The King was to be
il reftrained from making any Peace with the Irijb Re-
44 bels, or Ce(Tation, or from granting Pardon to any
u of them ; but fuch Peace, Ceflation, or Pardon
*' mould be looked upon as void and null."
This Ad the King had confented to and confirm-
ed in the Year 1641, and in the Agony of many
Troubles which that Rebellion had brought upon him,
thinking it the only Means to put a fpeedy End to that
accurfed Rebellion, the Suppreffion whereof would
free him from many Difficulties. And upon the Se-
curity of this Ad, very many Perfons of all Qualities
and Affections fubferibed and brought in the firft
Moiety of their Money, and were very properly ftyled
Adventurers. Great Sums of ' Money were daily brought
in, and Preparations and Provifions and- new Levies
of Men were made for Ireland. But the Rebellion in
England being fhortly after fomented by the Parlia-
ment, They applied very much of that Money brought
Vol. II. I in
1 14 'the Continuation of the Life of
in by the Adventurers, and many of the Troops which
had been raifed for that Service, immediately againit
the King : Which being notoriouily known, and his
Majefty complaining of it, many honefl Gentlemen
who had fubfcribed and paid one Moiety, refufed to
pay in the other Moiety at the Time, and fo were.
liable to lofe the Benefit of their Adventure; which
They preferred before fuffering their Money to be ap-?
plied to the carrying on the Rebellion againfl the.
King, which They abhorred. And by this Means
Ireland was unfupplied; and the Rebellion fpread and.
profpered with little Opposition for fome Time. And.
the Parliament, though the Time for fubferibrng was.
expired, enlarged it by Ordinances of their own to a
longer Day, and eafily prevailed with many of their-
own Party, principally Officers and Citizens, to fub-
fcribe and bring in their Money ± to which it was no-
fmall Encouragement, that fo many had loft the Be-
nefit of their whole Adventure by not paying in the
fecond Payment, which would make the Conditions'
of the' new Adventurers the' le.fs hazardous.
When the Succefs of the Parliament had totally -
fubdued the King's Arrris, and himfelf was fo inhu-
manly murdered, neither the Forces in Ireland under
the King's Authority, nor the Irt/b, who had too late
promifed to fubmit to it, could make any long Re-
finance; fo that Cromwell quickly difperfed them by
his own Expedition thither: And by licenfmg as ma-
ny as defired it to tranfport as many from thence, for
the Service of the two Crowns of France and Spain, as
They Would contrail for, quickly made a Difappear-
ance of any Army in that Kingdom to oppofe his Con-
cjuefts.' And after the Defeat of the King at Worceftir,
He feemed to all Men to be in as quiet a PofleJlion
of Ireland as of England, and to be as much without
Enemies in the one as trie other Kingdom ; as in a
fhort Time He had reduced Scotland to the fame Exi-
gent.
Short-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. ii
Shortly after that Time, when Cromwell was
nvefted with the Office of Protector, all thofe Com-
miffions were iflued out, and all the Formality was
ufed that was prefcribed by that A6t for the Adven-
turers. Not only all the lrijb Nation (very few ex-
cepted) were found guilty of the Rebellion, and fo to
have forfeited all their Eftates ; but the Marquis of
Ormond, the Lord Inchiquin, and all \hzEnglifo Catho-
licks, and whofoever had ferved the King, were declar-
ed to be under the fame Guilt; and the Lands feized
upon for the Benefit of the State. There were very
vaft Arrears of Pay due to the Army, a great Part of
which (now the War was ended) muft be difbanded ;
for the doing whereof no Money was to be expected
out of England, but They muft be fatisfied out of the
Forfeitures of the other Kingdoms. The whole King-
dom was admeafured ; the Accounts of the Money
paid by the Adventurers within the Time limited, and
what was due to the Army for their Pay, were ftated *
and fuch Proportions of Acres in the feveral Provinces
were affigned to the Adventurers and Officers and Sol-
diers, as were agreeable to the Act. of Parliament, by
Admeafurement. Where an Officer of Name had
been likewife an Adventurer, his Adventure and his
Pay amounted to the more. And fometimes the
whole Company and Regiment contracted for Money
with their Captains or Colonels, and affigned their
Intereil in Land to them ; and Pofleffion was accord-
ingly delivered without any Refpect to any Titles by
Law to former Settlements, or Defcents of any Per-
fons foever, Wives or Children ; except in fome very
few Cafes, where the Wives had been great Heirs and
could not be charged with any Crime, fuch Proporti-
ons were affigned as were rather agreeable to their
own Conveniencies, than to Juftice and the Right of
the Claimers.
And that every Body might with the more Secu-
rity enjoy that which was affigned to him, They had
found a Way to have the Confent of many to their
I 2 own
1 1 6 %hc Continuation of the Life of
own Undoing. They found the utter Extirpation of
the Nation (which They had intended) to \)t in itfelf.
very difficult, and to carry in it fomewhat of Horrcur,
that made fome Imprellion upon the Stone-Hardnefs
of their own Hearts. After To many Thoufands de-
ll royed by the Plague which raged over the Kingdom,
by Fire, Sword, and Famine; and after fo many
Thoufands tranfported into foreign Parts ; there re-
mained ft ill fuch a numerous People, that They knew
not how to difpofe, of: i\nd though They were der
clared to be all forfeited, and fo to have no Title to
any Thing, yet They muft remain fomewhere. They
therefore found this Expedient, which they called an
Ail of Grace. There was a large Trac\ of Land, even
to the Half of the Province of Cdnaugbt, that was fe-
parated from the reft by a long and a large River,
and which by the Plague and many MaiTacres remained
almofl defolate. Into this. Space and Circuit of Land
They required all the Irijh to retire by fuch a Day,
under the Penalty of Death j and all who mould after
that Time be found in any other Part of the Kingdom*
Man, Woman, or Child, mould be killed by' any
Body who faw or met them. The Land w?thin this
Circuit, the molt barren in the Kingdom, was out of
the Grace and Mercy of the Conquerors atfigned to_
thofe of the Nation who were en doled, in fuch Pro-
portions as might with great Induftry preferve. their
Lives. And to thofe Perfons, from whom They had
taken great Quantities of Land in other Provinces,
They alligned the greater Proportions within this Pre-
cinct ; fo that it fell to fome Mens Lot, efpecially
when they were accommodated with Houfes, to have
a competent Livelihood, though never to, the fifth Part
of what had, been taken from them in a much better
Province. And that They might not be exalted with
this merciful Donative, it was a Condition that ac-
companied this their Accommodation, thatThey fhoukl
all give Releafes of their former Rights and Titles to
the Land that was taken from them, in Confideratioo
of
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. u*j
of what was now aillgned to them i and fo they mould
for ever bar themfelves and their Heirs from ever lay-
ing Claim to their old Inheritance. What fhould They
do? They could not be permitted to go out of this
Preeincl to lhift for themfelves elfewhere ; and with-
out this Aflignation They muft flarve here, as many
did die every Day of Famine. In this deplorable Con-
dition, and under this Confternation, They found them-
felves obliged to accept or fubmit to the hardeft Con-
ditions of their Conquerors, and fo figned fuch Con-
veyances and Releafes as were prepared for them, that
They might enjoy thofe Lands which belonged to
other Men.
And by this Means the Plantation (as They called
it) of Conaught was finifhed, and all the Irijb Nation
enclofed within that Circuit; the reil of behind being
left to the Englijh ; fome to the old Lords ahdjuft
Proprietors, who being all Protejlants (for no Roman
Catholick was admitted) had either never offended
them, or had ferved them, or had made Cornpofition
for their Delinquences by the Benefit of fome Articles ;
and fome to the Adventurers and Soldiers. And a good
and great Part (as I remember, the whole Province of
Tipperary) Cromwell had referved to himfelf, as a De-
mefne (as He called it) for the State, and in which no
Adventurer or Soldier mould demand his Lot to be
ailigned, and no Doubt intended both the State and
it for the making great his own Family. It cannot be
imagiped in how eafy a Method, and with what pea-
ceable Formality, this whole great Kingdom was taken
from thejuft Lords and Proprietors, and divided and
given amongft thofe, who had no other Right to it
but that They had Power to keep it ; no Men having
fo great Shares as They who had been Inftruments to
murder the King, and were not like willingly to part
with it to his Succeifor. Where any great Sums of
Money for Arms, Ammunition, or any Merchandife,
had been fo long due that they were looked upon as
defperate, the Creditors fubfcribed all thofe Sums as
I 3 lent
i lS The Continuation of the Life of
lent upon Adventure, and had their Satisfaction affign-
ed to them as Adventurers. Ireland was the great Ca-
pital, out of which all Debts were paid, all Services
rewarded, and all Acts of Bounty performed. And
which is more wonderful, all this was done and fettled,
within little more than two Years, to that Degree of
Perfection, that there were many Buildings raifed for
Beauty as well as Ufe, orderly and regular Plantations
of Trees, and Fences and Enclofures raifed through-
out the Kingdom, Purchafes made by one from the
other at very valuable Rates, and Jointures made upon
Marriages, and all other Conveyances and Settlements
executed, as in a Kingdom at Peace within itfelf, and
where no Doubt could be made of the Validity of
Titles. And yet in all this Quiet, there were very
few Perfons pleafed or contented.
And thefe Deputies for the Adventurers, and for
jhofe who called themfelves Adventurers, came not only
to afk the King's Confent and Approbation of what
)iad been done (which They thought in Juftice He
could not deny, becaufe all had been done upon the
-Warrant of a legal Act of Parliament) but to com-
plain " that Juftice had not been equally done in the
" Diftributions; that this Man had received much lefs
*' than was his Due, and others as much more than
" was their Due •, that one had had great Quantities
" of Bogs and wafleLand afligned to him as tenantable,
" and another as much allowed as Bogs and Wafte,
" which in Truth were very tenantable Lands." And
upon the whole Matter, They^all defired " a Review
" might be made, that Juflice might.be done to ail "
every Man expecting an Addition, to what He had al-
ready, not. fufpecting that any Thing would be taken
from him to be reftored to the 'true;Qwner.
jjptherctafs Amd this Agitation raifed another Party of Adven-
\zrs cp™cn.turers, who thought They had at lean: as good a Right
as any of the other j and that was, They, or the Heirs
and Executors of ihcm, who upon the (irft making of
£he Act o^ Parliament, had fiibfcribed feveral good
. Sums
Edward \Earl v/Clxr en don, &c. 119
Sums of Money, and paid in their firft Moieties ; but
the Rebellion coming on, and the Monies already paid
in being notorioully and vifibly employed contrary to
the A£t, and againft the Perfon of the King himielf,
They had out of Confcience forborne to pay the fe-
cond Moiety, left it might alfo be fo employed;
whereby, according to the Rigour of the Law, They
loft the Benefit of the firft Payment. And They had
hitherto fuftained that Lofs, with many other, with-
out haying ever applied themfelves for Relief. " But
*' now when it had pleafed God to reftore the King,
44 and fo many who had not deferved very well defired
*> Help from the King upon the Equity of that Act of
44 Parliament, where the Letter of the Law would do
44 them no Good, They prefumed to think, that by
44 the Equity of the Law They ought to be fatisfled
44 for the Money They did really pay -, and that They
44 fhould not undergo any Damage for not paying the
*c other Moiety, which out of Confcience and for his
44 Majefty's Service They had forborne to do." No
Man will doubt but that the King was very well in-
clined to gratify this Clajfis of Adventurers, when He
fhould find it in his Power. But it is Time to return
to the Committee and Deputies of the other Parties in
that diftra&ed Kingdom.
4. There was a Committee fent from the Army 4- /^Ctm-
that was in prefent Pay in Ireland "for the Arrears X'J^JJ1
44 due to them/' which was for above a Year's Pay -,
inoft of thofe who had received Satisfaction in Land
for what was then due to them, as well Officers as Sol-
diers, being then difbanded, that They might attend
their Plantations and Husbandry, but in Truth becaufe
They were for the molt Part of the Prefbyterian Fac-
tion, and fo fofpedted by Cromwell not to be enough
inclined to him. The Army now on Foot, and to
whom fo great Arrears were due, confuted for the
greateft Part of Independents, Anabaptijls, and Level-
lers, who had correfponded with and been directed by
the General, when He marched from Scotland againft
1 4 Lam-
1 20 yhc Continuation of the Life of
Lambert : And therefore He had advifed the King to
declare, " that He would pay all Arrears due to the
" Army in Ireland, and ratify the Satisfaction that had
" been given to Adventurers, Officers and Soldiers
" there •," which his Majefty had accordingly fignified
by his Declaration from Breda. And whoever confi-
ders the Temper and Conftitution of that Army then
on Foot in that Kingdom, and the Body of Prejbyte-
rians that had been difbanded, and remained ftill there
in their Habitations together with the Body of Adven-
turers, all Prejbyterians or Anabaptijis ; and at the fame
Time remembers the Difpofition and general Affection
of the Army in England, fevered from their Obedi-
ence to the General and the good Affection of fome
few fuperiour Officers ; will not wonder that the King
endeavoured if it had been poffible rather to pleafe
all, than by any unfeafonable Difcovery of a Refolu-
tion, how juft foever, to make any Party defperate \
there being none fo inconfiderable, as not to have been
able to do much MifGhief.
t.ACm*uu 5. The Satisfaction that the Officers and Soldiers
cffic7n™fo had received in Land, and the Demand of the prefent
kajj}rvc4 Army, had caufed another Committee to be fent and
m '"£• employed by thofe reformed Officers, who had ferved
the King under the Command of the Marquis of Or-
mond, from the Beginning of the Rebellion to the End
thereof, with Courage and Fidelity ; and had fince
fhifted beyond the Seas, and fome of them in his Ma-
jefty's Service, or fuffered patiently in that Kingdom
under the Infolence of their Opprefibrsi who, be-
caufe They had always fought againft the Irijb, wej&
by Articles, upon their laying down their Arms when
They could no longer hold them in their Hands, per-
mitted to remain in their own Houfes, or fuch as
They could get within that Kingdom. Thele Gen-
tlemen thought it a very incongruous Thing, " that
w They who had conftantly fought againft the King's
" Father and himfelf, mould receive their Pay and
I6 Reward by his Majefty's Care, Bounty and •Ailigna-
4C tion ;
Edward Earl of Clarendqn, &c. hi
" tion; and that They who had as conftantly fought
" for Both, fhould be left to undergo all Want and
" Mifery now his Majefly was reftored to his own."
And They believed their Suit to be the more rea-
fonable, at leaft the eafier to be granted, by having
brought an Expedient v/ith them to facilitate their
Satisfaction. There had been fome old Order or Or-
dinance that was looked upon as a Law, whereby it
was provided, that all Houfes within Cities or Cor-
porate Towns, which were forfeited, mould be re-
served to be fpecially difpofed of by the State, or in
fuch a Manner as it fhould direct, to the End that all
Care might be taken what Manner of Men fhculd be
the Inhabitants of fuch important Places: And there-
fore fuch Houfes had not been nor were to be promif-
cuoufly afiigned to Adventurers, Officers, or Soldiers,
and fo remained hitherto undifpofed of. And thefe re-
formed Officers of the King made in their Suit, that
thofe Houfes might be aihgned to them in Proportions,
according to what might appear to be due to their
feveral Conditions and Degrees in Command. And
to this Petition, which might feem equitable in itfelf,
the Commifiioners from the State gave their full Ap-
probation and Confent, being ready to take all the
Opportunities to ingratiate themfelves towards thofe
whom They had opprefTed as long as They were able,
and to be reputed to love the King's Party.
6. Lastly, there was a Committee for or rather5- ACemmtt-
the whole Body of the Jrijb Catbdicks, who, with tefeiS^ cl-
Modefty than was fuitabie to their Condition, demand- thoiieks.
ed in Juftice to be reftored to all the Lands that had
been taken from them ; alledging " that They were
u all at leaft as innocent as any of them were, to
u whom their Lands had been aligned." They urged
" their early Submifiion to the King, and the Peace
" They had firft made with the Marquis of Ormond9
" by which an Act of Indemnity had been granted
" for what Offences foever had been committed, ex-
u cept fuch in which none of them were concerned."
They
ill The Continuation of the Lifc of
They urged, " the Peace They had made with the
" Marquis of Ormond upon this King's firft coming to
" the Crown, wherein a Grant of Indemnity was a-
" gain renewed to them ■" and confidently, though
very unfkilfully, prefled " that the Benefit of all thofe
" Articles which were contained in that Peace, might
" ftill Be granted and obferved to them' fmce They
"had done Nothing to infringe or forfeit them, but
" had been oppreiTed and broken as all his Majefty's
" other Forces had been." They urged, " the Ser-
" vice They had done to the King beyond the Seas,
" having been always ready to obey his Commands,
" and flayed in or left France or Spain as his Majeily
"had commanded them, and were for the laft two
" Years. received and lifted as his own Troops, and
■•*. in his own actual Service, under theDuke.of York"
They preffed " the intolerable Tyranny They had
" fuffered under, now almoft twenty Years , the
" Maffacres and Servitude They had undergone, fuch
" Devaflation and laying wafte their Country, fuch
" bloody Cruelty and Executions inflicted on them,
" as had never been known nor could be paralleled
" amongft Chrillians: That their Nation almcft was
*c become defolated, and their Sufferings of all Kinds
u had been to fuch an Extent, that They hoped had
" fatiated their moffc implacable Enemies." And
therefore They humbly befought his Majefty, " that
" in this general Joy for his Majefty's blefTed Refto-
£s ration, and in which Nobody could rejoice more
" than They, when all his Majefty's Subjeds of his
*■ two other Kingdoms (whereof many were not more
u innocent than themfelves) had their Mouths filled
*' with Laughter, and had all their Hearts could defire,
" the poor Iriflj alone might not be condemned to
" perpetual Weeping and Mifery by his Majefty's
" own immediate Adt." Amongft thefe, with the fame
Confidence, They who had been tranfplanted into
Conaught appeared, related the Circumftances of
the Perfecution They had undergone, and " how
*f irn-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 123
cC impoffible it had been for them to refufe their Sub-
** million to that They had no Power to refill ; and
" therefore that it would be againft all Confcience to
" alledge their own Confent, and their Releafes and
" other Grants, which had They not confented to in
*' that Point of Time, They, their Wives and Chil-
" dren, could not have lived four and twenty Hours."
All thefe Particulars were great Motives to Compaf-
fion,- and difpofed his Majefty's Heart to wifh that
any Expedient might be found, which might confift
with Juftice and neceflary Policy, that though it might
not make them very happy, yet might preierve them
fromMifery, until He mould hereafter find fome Op-
portunity to repair their Condition according to their
ieveral Degrees and Merit.
These ieveral Addreffes being prefented to his^Ki'*?
Majefty together, before any Thing was yet fettled mj^/«£"
England^ and every Party of them finding fome iJjefl <-ontTj-
Friends, who filled the King's Ears with fpecious Dif-rf,-^
^courfes on their Behalf for whom They fpake, and
with bitter Invectives againft all the reft ; He was al-
moft confounded how to begin, and in what Method
to ptit the Examination of all their Pretences, that
He might be able to take fuch a View of them, as to
be able to apply fome Remedy, that might keep the
Difeafe from increafing and growing worfe, until He
could find fome Cure. He had no Mind the Parlia-
ment Ihould interpofe and meddle in it, which would
have been grateful to no Party ; and by good Fortune
They were fo full of Bufinefs that They thought con-
cerned them nearer, that They had no Mind to exa-
mine or take Cognizance of this of Ireland, which
They well knew properly depended upon the King's
own Royal Pleafure and Commands. But thefe Ad-
drefTes were all of fo contradictory a Nature, fo in-
confiftent with each other, and fo impoflible to be re-
conciled, that if all Ireland could be fold at its lull
Value (that is, if kingdoms could be valued at a juft
Rate) and find a fit Chapman or Pufchafer to difburfe
the
1 24 The Continuation of the Life of
the Sum, it could not yield Half enough to fatisfy
Half their Demands ; and yet the King was not in a
Condition pofitively to deny any one Party that which
They defired. -
The Commiflioners from the State, in Refpect of
their Quality, Parts and Intereft, and in Regard of
their Million and Authority, Teemed the moft proper
Perfonsto be treated with, and the moft like to be pre-
vailed upon not to infift upon any Thing that was moft
profoundly unreafonable. They had all their own juft
Fears, if the King mould be fevere ; and there would
have been a general Concurrence in all the reft, that
He fhould have taken a full Vengeance upon them :
But then They who had moft Caufe to fear, thought
They might raife their Hope3 higheft from that
Power that fent them, and which had yet Intereft
enough to do Good and Hurt ; and They thought
themfelves fecure in the King's Declaration from
Breda and his Offer of Indemnity, which comprehen-
ed them. Then They were alldefirous to merit from
the King; and their not loving one another, difpofed
them the more to do any Thing that might be grate-
ful to his Majefty. But They were all united and
agreed in one unhappy Extreme, that made all their
other Devotion lefs applicable to the publick Peace,
that is, their implacable Malice to the Irijb: Info-
much as They concurred in their Defire, that They
might gain Nothing by the King's Return, but be
kept with the fame Rigour, and under the fame In-
capacity to do Hurt,' which They were till then. For
which Inftance They were not totally without Reafon,
from their barbarous Behaviour in the firft Beginning
of the Rebellion, which could not be denied, and
from their having been compelled to fubmit to and un-
dergo the moft barbarous Servitude, that could not
be forgotten. And though Eradication was too foul
a Word to be uttered in the Ears of aChriftian Prince,
yet it was little lefs or better that They propofed in
other Words, and hoped to obtain : Whereas the
King
Edward Earl of Clarendon, $$c. 125
King thought that miferabJe People to be as worthy
of his Favour, as mod of the other Parties ; and that
his Honour, Juftice and Policy, as far as they were,
unreftrained by Laws and Contracts, obliged him
more to preferve them, at lead as much as He could.
And yet it can hardly be believed, how few Men, in
all other Points very reafonable, and who were far
from Cruelty in their Nature, cherifhed that Inclina-
tion in the King; but thought it in him, and more
in his Erother, to proceed from other Reafons than
They publilhed : Whilft others, who pretended to
be only moved by Chriftian Charity and Companion,
were more cruel towards them, and made them more
miferable, by extorting great Engagements from them
for their Protection and Interceihon, which being per-
formed would leave them in as forlorn a Condition as
They were found.
In this Intricacy and Perplexity, the King thought
it neceifary to begin with fettling his own Authority in
one Perfon over that Kingdom, who mould make
Hafte thither, and eftablifh fuch a Council there, and
all Courts of Juftice^ and other civil Officers, as might
bed contribute towards bringing the reft in Order.
And to this Purpoie He made Choice of feveral Per-
fons of the Robe, who had been known by or recom-
mended to the Marquis of Ormond, but of more by
the Advice and Promotion of Daniel O Neik of his
Bedchamber, who preferred a Friend of his and an
Irijbman to the Office of Attorney General, ( a Place in
that Conjuncture of vaft Importance to the Settlement)
and many other to be Judges. And all this Lift was
made and fettled without the leaft Communication
with the Chancellor, who might have been prefumed
to be eafily informed of that Rank of Men. But to
find a Perfon fit to fend thither in the fupreme Autho-
rity, was long deliberated by the King, and with Dif-
ficulty to be refolved. The General continued Lord The Gecaufe? how acceptable foever both that Treaty and
Conclufion of it was then to the whole Kingdom, that
Affair was afterwards imputed to the Chancellor, and
in the Opinion of many proved to be the Caufe and
Ground of all his Misfortunes : I (hall here fet down
all the Particulars that introduced and attended that
Negotiation and Treaty, with all the Circum fiances,
fome whereof may appear too light, and yet are not
without Weight, to make it appear to all the World,
how
Edward Earl of Clarendon, 6?f. 14-7
how far the Chancellor was from being the Author of
that Counfel (and if He had been, there was no Rea-
fon to be afhamed of it) and that He did nothing be-
fore, in, or after that Treaty, but what was neceffary
for a Man in his Condition, and what very well be-
came a perfon of that Trull and Confidence He was
in with his Matter.
v It hath been remembered before, that upon the
Publication of the Duke's Marriage, and the Recon-
ciliation upon that Affair, the Chancellor was very
folicitous that the King himfelf would marry ; that
He defired the Marquis of Ormond very earneftly to
advife him to it : And himfelf often put his Majefty
in Mind of what He had faid to him in France, when
the Duke was perfuaded to treat about a Marriage
with Mademoifelle de Longueville, " that his Majefty
" was by no Means to confent, that his Heir Appa-
" rent mould marry before himfelf were married,"
for which He had given fome Reafons ; for which at
that Time He underwent great Difpleafures. And
this Difeourfe He had held often with the King : And
fure no Man in England more impatiently defired to
fee him married than He did. Indeed it was no eafy
Matter to find a Perfon in all Refpe&s fo fit, that a .
Man would take upon him to propofe in particular ;
nor did He think himfelf in many Refpe&s, and with
Reference to the Accidents which might probably or
poflibly fall out, fit, if He could have thought of
One, or be the Author of the Propofition.
One Day the King came to the Chancellor's Houfe7^ Port,u'
in the Afternoon ; and being alone with him, his Ma-j^Jr^i-
jefty told him, " that He v/as come to confer whhfes the Mar-
" him upon an Argument that He would well like, **"
" which was about his own Marriage," He faid, the
" Lord Chamberlain" (who was then Earl of Man-
cbefter) *'* had held a Difeourfe with him fome Days
44 paft, that feemed to have fomevvhat in it that was
" worth the thinking of. That He had told him,
" the Portugal Ambajjadour had made- him a Vifit, and
L % " having
1^8 The Continuation of the Life of
" having fome Conference with him concerning the King,
" towards whofe Perfon He profejfed a profound Rejpetl,
" He f aid it was Time for his Majefly to think of Mar -
" rixge ■, which Nothing could keep him from, but the
" Difficulty of finding a fit Con fort for him. That there
*' was in Portugal a Princefs in her Beauty, Per/on and
'■* Age, very fit for him, and who would have a Portion
" fuitdble to her Birth and Quality. That it is true She
u was a CzthoWck, and would never depart from her
" Religion \ but was totally without that Meddling and
" Activity in her Nature, which many Times made-thqfe
> " of that Religion troublefome and refilefs, when They came
*f into a Country where another Religion was praclijed.
'.* That She had been bred under a wife Mother, who was
u Jlill Regent in that Kingdom, who had carefully infufed
" another Spirit into her, and kept her from affecling to
" have any Hand in Bufinejs, and which She had never
'■' been acquainted with ; Jo that She would look only to
" enjoy her own Religion, and not at all concern herjelf
" in what others profejfed. That He had Authority to
" make the Proprfiiion to the King, with fuch Particular i-
" ties as included many Advantages above any, He thought,
" which could accompany any Overture of that Kind from
" another Prince. To which the Chamberlain had
*' added, that there could be no Quefiion, but that a Pro-
" tejlant Queen would in all Rejpetl s be looked upon as the
" great eft B I effing to the Kingdom: But if Juch a one
" could not be found, He did really believe, that a Prin-
** cefs of this Temper and Spirit would be the befi of all
" Catholicks. That the Trade of Portugal was great
" here, and that England had a more beneficial Commer eg
" with that Crown than with any other : Which had in-
u duced Cromwell to make that Peace, when He had
" upon the Matter forejworn it ; and the making it had
" been the moft popular Attwn He had ever performed."
His Majefly laid, " that He had only anfwered
" the Chamberlain, that He would think of it. But
" that the very Morning of this Day, the Arnbafia-
" dour of Portugal had been with him, and without
«< any
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &V. 149
" any Formality had entered into the fame Diicourfe,
6{ and faid all that the Lord Chamberlain had men-
" tioned : To which He added, that He had Authority
" to offer to his Majefty five hundred thou/and Pounds
a Sterling in ready Money , as a Portion with the Infanta ;
a and likewife to affign over, and for ever to annex to
*l the Crown of England, the Pojfejfion of Tangier upon
*{ the African Shore in the Mediterranean Sea, a Place
u of that Strength and Importance, as would be of infi-
" nite Benefit and Security to the Trade ^England ; and
il likewife to grant to the Englifh Nation a free Trade in
" Brafil and in the Eafh-Indies, which They had hitherto
11 denied to all Nations but them/elves. And for their
*c Security to enjoy that Privilege, They would put into his
" Majefty' s Hands and Poffefjion, and for ever annex to
" the Crown of England, the IJland of Bombay ne (with
li the Towns andCaJlles therein, which are within a very
" little Diftance from Bombay nej ; which hath within
" ttfelf a very good and fpacious Harbour^ and would be
" a vaft Improvement to the Eaft India Trade. And
" thqfe two Places, He faid, of Tangier and Bombay ne,
" might reafonably be valued above the Portion in Money y
The King mentioned all the Difcourfe as a Matter TheKing(!pa
that pleafed him, and might prove of notable Advan-£rc^ the
tage to the Kingdom ; and faid " that He had wifhed
" the Ambaifadour to confer with him (the Chan-
" cellor) upon it ;" and then afked him " what
" He thought of it :" To which He anfwered, " that
" He had not heard of it enough to think of it" (for
He had never heard or thought of it before that Mo-
ment); " and therefore He mould not be able to do
" more when the Ambaifadour came to him, than to
u hear what He faid, and report it to his Majefty for
" the prefent." He only afked, " v/hether his Ma-
" jefty had given over all Thoughts of a Proteftant
" Wife :" To which He anfwered, " He could find.
" none fuch, except amongfl his own Subjects; and
" amongft them He had feen none that pleafed him
*' enough to that End." And obferving the Chan-
L 3 cellor
150 The Continuation of the Life of
cellor to look fixedly upon him, He faid, " that he
" would never think more of the Princefs of Orange's
ic Daughter, her Mother having ufed him fo ill when
" He propofed it ; and if He mould now think of it,
u He knew his Mother would never confentto it, and
" that it would break his Sifter's Heart: Therefore
" He had refolved never to entertain that Thought
" again. And that he faw no Objection againft this
" Overture from Portugal, that would not occur in
*' any other, where the Advantages would not be fo
" many or fo great."
What could the Chancellor fay ? What Objection
could He make, why this Overture fhould not be
hearkened to? And what would the King have thought,
or what might He not have thought, if He had advifed
him to reject this Motion ? He gave him no other An-
fwer for the prefent, than " that He defired Nothing
" more in this World, than to fee his Majefty well
V married ; and He was very confident that all his
" good Subjects were of the fame Mind : And there-
" fore there muft be fome very vifible Inconvenience
*' in it, when He fhould dilfuade him not to embrace
" fuch an Opportunity. That He would be ready to
" confer with the Portugal Ambafladour when He
" came, and then He mould entertain his Majefty
" farther upon that Subject:." The Ambafladour
came to him, repeated what he faid and propofed to
the King, with little other Enlargement, than concern-
ing the Benefit England would receive by the two
Places of Tangier and Bombay ne, and the Description of
their Situation and Strength •, of all which the Chan-
cellor gave his Majefty a faithful Account, without
prefuming to mingle with it a Word of his own Ad-
vice. The King appeared abundantly pleafed, and
willing to proceed farther; and afked a what was next
44 to be done:" To which He anfwered, '* that it was
" a Matter of too great Importance for him to deliver
M any Opinion upon ; indeed too great for his Majefty
" himfelf to refolve, upon the private Advice of any
" one
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 15T
" one Man, how agreeable foever it fhould be to his
" own Inclination and Judgment." And therefore
He defired him " that He would call to him four or
* five Perfons, whom He thought to be the moll
" competent Ccnfiderers of fiich an Affair, and con-
" fult it very maturely with them, before he enter-
" tained any more Conference with the AmbafTadour.
" For whatfoever he mould refolve upon it, it ought
" yet to be kept in all poflible Secrecy : If it fhould
" be thought fit to be rejected, it ought to be with-
" out the leaft Noife, and the lead Reflection upon
" the Overture, which had been made with all the
" poflible Demonflration of Efteem : If it mould ap-
'* pear worthy of Entertainment and Acceptation, it
which They might eafily do ; that now Ships
L 4 w could
152 The Continuation of the Life of
lt could not tide there infuch a Wind," which his Ma-
jefly named ; " hut if there were a Mole, they would ride
" fecurely in all Weather ; and They would keep the Place
" againjl all the World, and give the Law to all the Trade
" of the Mediterranean :" With which Difcourfe his
Majefly feemed very much affe&ed. After many Quef-
tions and much Debate, and fome of the Lords wifh-
ing that it were poflible to get a Queen that was a
Protejlant, and One of them naming the Daughter of
Harry Prince of Orange, of whom They had heard
fome Mention when his Majefly was beyond the Seas,
and of whofe eldeft Sifter (then married to the
Elector of Brandenburgh) there had been fome Dif-
courfe in the Life of the late King ; (but his Majefly
quickly declared, " that He had very unanfwerable
ts Reafbns why he could not entertain that Alli-
" ance") ; All the Lords unanimoufly agreed, " that
" there was no Catholick Princefs in Europe, whom his
" Majefly could with fo much Reafon and Advantage
" marry, as the Infanta of Portugal. That the Por-
" tion propofed in Money, fetting afide the Places,
" was much greater, almofl double to what any King
" had ever received in Money by any Marriage. And
" the Places feemed to be fituated very ufefully for
" Trade, the Increafe whereof his Majefly was to
" endeavour with all poflible Solicitude j which coulcl
" only make this Nation flourifh, and recover the In-
" terefl They had loft, efpecially in the Indies and in
" the Mediterranean, by the late Troubles and Dif-
" tractions, and the Advantage the Dutch had thereby
" gotten over the Englifh in thofe Trades, as well as in
" other." The King approved all that had been faid,
and thereupon appointed all thofe Lords with the fame
Secrecy to enter into a Treaty with the Ambaffadour;
which was begun between them accordingly.
Th e Treaty neither was nor could be a Secret ;
nor was there any Thing more generally defired, than
that a Treaty of Alliance and Commerce fhould be
made with Portugal, that the Trade might continue
with
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. 153
with Security : And it was very grateful to every Eody
to know, that there was a Committee appointed to
that Purpofe. But the Proportion towards a Mar-
riage was ftill a Secret, not communicated to any, nor
fo much as fufpected by the Spanijh AmbafTadour, who
did all He could to obftrudt the very Treaty of Alliance ;
of whofe Proceedings there will be Occafion to make
Mention anon by itfelf. The Ambafladour offered
" to renew the Treaty (if that of the Marriage was
" confented to) in Terminis, that had been made with
" Cromwell, without being ib much as exempted from
" that yearly Payment, which had been impofed upon
" them for afTifting Prince Rupert" and had been af-
figned to the Merchants to fatisfy the Damages they
had fuftained by Prince Rupert ; and the Releafe where-
of mufl have obliged the King to pay it himfelf : And
therefore that Offer was looked upon as a generous
Thing. And the whole Treaty, which They had not
yet perufed, was generally looked- upon and believed
to be the mofl advantageous to England, that had been
ever entered into with any Crown.
It had been forefeen from the firft Motion towards
this Marriage, that it would be a very hard Matter
with fuch Alliance, to avoid fuch a Conjun&ion with
Portugal as would produce a War with Spain -, which
the King had no Mind to be engaged in. For befides
that He had received fome Civilities from that King,
after a World of Difobligations, hisRelident at Madrid
Sir Harry Bennet, had confented in his Majefly's Name,
that the old Treaty which had been made between
the two Crowns in the Year 1630, fhould be again ob-
ferved ; of which more anon. But his Majefly's firm
Refolution at that Time was, wholly to intend the
compofmg or fubduing the Diftempers and ill Hu-
mours in his three Kingdoms and all his other Domi-
nions ; and till that fhould be fully done, He would
have no Difference with any of his Neighbours, nor
be engaged in any War which He could avoid : A Re-
folution very prudently made •, and if it had been ad-
hered
154 ^e Continuation of the Life of
hered to, much Evil which fucceeded the Departure
from it, might have been prevented.
But the Lords found, upon Perufal of the Treaty,
one Article (which was indeed the only Article that
made any Show of Benefit and Advantage to Por-
tugal) by which Cromwell was obliged to aflift Portugal
when They mould require it, with fix thoufand Foot,
to be levied in England at their Charge. And now the
Ambaffadour urged, " that in Confideration of the
*' Marriage, the Portion, the Delivery of thofe Places,
" and his Majefly's own Intereft by that Marriage in
" Portugal, which upon the Death of the King and his
*' Brother muft devolve to his Majefty ; He would
** take upon him the Protection of that Kingdom,
" and denounce War with Spain:" To which his Ma-
jefty warmly and pofitively anfwered, " that He would
" admit no fuch Engagement ; that He was not in a
*' Condition to make a War till He could not avoid
" it. He would do what was lawful for him to do ;
" He would choofe a Wife for himfelf, and he could
" help a Brother and Ally with a Levy of Men at
" their Charge, without entering into a War with any
tt other Prince. And if Spain mould, either upon his
" Marriage or fuch Supply, declare a War againft him,
" He would defend himfelf as well as He could, and
" do as much Damage as He could to Spain ; and then
wbkh
of Mifdemeanor, the King was lb much incenfed,^"^^"
thatHefent the Secretary of State " to require him thcKiuginn.
" forthwith to depart the Kingdom, without feeing his
" Majefty's Face," which He would not admit him to
do ; and to let him know, " that He would fend a
" Complaint of his Misbehaviour to the King his
" Mafter, from whom He would expect that Juftice
" mould be done upon him." The AmbalTadour re-
ceived this MefTage with exceeding Trouble and Grief,
even to Tears, and defired, " to be admitted to fee
" the King, and to make his humble Submiilion, and
" to beg his Pardon ± which He was ready to do :"
Eut that being denied, within few Days He departed
the Kingdom, carrying with him the Character of a
very bold ram Man.
There was an Accident about this Time, that ity?» indent
is probable did confirm the King in his Refolution ^'7™/''/-
concerning Portugal. At this Time Cardinal Mazarin Marriage.
was dead, and had never been obferved to be merry
and to enjoy his natural pleafant Humour, from the
Time
i fo The Continuation of the Life of
Time of the King's Reftoration, which had deceived
all his Calculations, and broken all his Meafures.
Upon his Death the Miniftry was committed to three
Perfons (the King himfelf being ftill prefent at all
their Confutations), Monfieur de Tellier and Monfieur
de Lionne, the two Secretaries of State, and Monfieur
Fouquet, Surintendant of the Finances and Procureur
General du Roy, who was a Man of extraordinary-
Parts, and being not forty Years of Age, enjoyed his
full Vigour of Body and Mind, and in Refpect of his
fole Power over the Finances was looked upon as the
Premier Minijire. This Man, as foon as He was in the
Bufinefs, fent an Exprefs into England with a Letter
to the Chancellor. The Meffenger was La Bafleede,
who having been Secretary during the Time of his
being in England to Bordeaux whilft He was Ambafla-
dour, fpake Englijb very well. He, as foon as He
arrived, went to the Chancellor's Houfe, and defired
one of his Servants to let his Lord know, " that He
" was newly come from France, and that He defired
" to be admitted to a private Audience with him,
front, the molt jealous and moft apprehenfive Nation
in the World chofe rather to fend the Daughter of the
Kingdom to be married in England, and not to be
married till She came thither.
The King re- tjpon tfie wh0ie Matter, the Kincr thought nc 1 fit to
fefs the s» r+*
whoU to a make any farther Exceptions, but refolved to affemble
*cLnc?ry k's wno^e Privy Council, and to communicate the
Matter to them •, for it did remain a Secret yet, no
Man knowing or fpeaking of it. The Council wasfo
full, that there was only one Counfellor that was ab-
fent. The King informed them of all that had palled
in that Affair, " how k was firft propofed to him, and
44 the Objections which occurred to him againft it; for
" the better clearing whereof the Ambaffadour had
ft made a Voyage into Portugal, and was returned with
" fuch Satisfaction to all Particulars, that He thought
*' it now Time to communicate the Whole to them,
" that He might receive their Advice." He com-
manded then the particular Proportions, which were
offered by the Ambaffadour, to be reported. And
thereupon He commanded and conjured all the Lords
feverally to give him their Advice ; for He faid " He
•* had not yet fo firmly refolved, but that He might
*' change his Mind, if He heard Reafons to move
" him : And therefore They would not deal faithfully
" with him, if They did not with all Freedom declare
*c their Judgment to him." In fhort, every Man de-
livered his Opinion, and every One agreed in the
Opinion, " that it was very fit for his Majefty to em-
" brace the Proportions^ which were of great Ad-
** vantage
*.(.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. 179
** vantage to himfelf and the Kingdom ; and thatf^* u»a*
*4 their Advice was, that He mould fpeedily and with-"'™£; V
44 out more Delay conclude the Treaty." And there- J"*'"* tbe
iipon his Majefty faid* tc that He looked upon fo una-
*4 nimous a Concurrence as a good Omen, and that
" He would follow their Advice."
All this was done between the Difiolution of the??* *™
Parliament in December, and the affembling the c'.her Jere:'samnt *
in May following. And upon the firft Day of its
coming together, which was upon the eighth of May,
the very Day that his Majefty had been proclaimed
the Year before, He told them " that he had deferred The King-t
it a Week, That They might meet upon that Day,*"'**
for the Memory of the former Day." The King,
after fome gracious Expreffions of his Confidence in
them, told them, " that They would find what Me-
*4 thod He thought befl for their Proceeding, by two
this Warmth of his Majefty upon tiiis Subject
was not then more than needed : For the Armies be-
ing now difbanded, there were great Combina,: ;ns en-
tered into, not to confirm the Act of Oblivion ; which
They knew without Confirmation would lignify No-
thing. Men were well enough contented, that the
King mould grant Indemnity to all Men that had re-
belled againft him ; that He fhould grant their Lives
and Fortunes to them, who had forfeited them to
him : But They thought it very unreasonable and un-
juft, that the King fhould releafe thofe Debts which
were immediately due to them, and forgive thofe Tref-
pafles which had been committed to their particular
Damage. They could not endure to meet the fame
Men in the King's Highway, now it was the King's
Highway again, who had heretofore affronted them in
thofe Ways, becaufe they were not the King's, and
only becaufe They knew They could obtain no Juftice
againft them. They could not with any Patience fee
thofe Men, who not only during the War hadoppref-
fed them, plundered their Houfes, and had their own
adorned with the Furniture They had robbed them of,
ride upon the fame Horfes which They had then taken
from them upon no other Pretence, but becaufe they
were better than their own ; but after the War was
ended, had committed many infolent TrefpalTes upon
them wantonly, and to fhew their Power of Juftice of
Peace or Committee Men, and had from the loweft
Beggary railed great Eftates, out of which They were
well
Edward Earl of Clarendon, l$c. j8i
well able to fatisfy, at leaft in Tome Degree, the Da-
mages the other had fuftained. And thofe and other
Patiions of this Kind, which mud have invalidated the
whole Att of Indemnity, fould not have been extin-
guifhed without the King's Influence, and indeed his
immediate Interposition and Induflfy.
When his Majefty had fpoken all He thought fit #' «?*»;»$,
upon that Subject, He told them, " He could not con- hs'"»™Luj
*• elude without telling them Tome News, News that Marr'^-
*' He thought -would be very acceptable to them ; and
" therefore He fhould think himfelf unkind and ill-
u natured, if He mould not impart it to them. That
f He had been often put in Mind by his Friends, that
*' it was high Time to marry ; and He had thought fo
*' himfelf, ever fince He came into England: But there
11 appeared Difficulties enough in the Choice, though
" many Overtures had been made to him. And if
" He: ihould never marry till He could majce fuch a
** Choice, againft which there could be no Forefight
u of any Inconvenience that might en.fue, They would
" live to fee him an old Bachelor, which He thought
" They did not deiire to do." He (aid, '* He could
*' now tell them, not only that He was refolved to
f1 marry, but whom He refolved to marry, if it pleaf-
M ed God. That towards his Refolution, He had
*' ufed that Deliberation, and taken that Advice, tha
This was the whole Proceeding, from the Begin-
ning to the End of that Treaty aboiit the Marriage
of the King; by the whole Circumffances whereof it
is apparent enough, that no particular Corruption in
any fmglePerfon could have brought it to pafs in that
Manner, and that the Chancellor never propoied it,
npr heard of it but from the King himfelf, nor advanc-
ed it afterwards more than every One of the other
Lords
Edward Earl of Clarendon, t$c. 183
Lords did ; and if He had done Iefs, He could nei-
ther have been thought a prudent or an honeit Man :
To which no more (hall be added, than that neither
before or in the Treaty, or after the Marriage, He
ever received tl>e leaft Reward or the le^ft Prefent
from Portugal.
During the Interval of Parliament, the King had^™. BjfaP
made Choice of many very eminent and learned Men,"
who were confecrated to fome of the Sees of Bifhops
which were void •, that the Prefervation of the Sue-
ceffion might not depend upon the Livjss of the few
pifhops who remained, and who were all very aged :
Which could not have been done (boner, nor till the
other Parliament, to wiiom the Settlement of the
Church had been referred, was difiblved. Mor could
He yet give any Remedy totheLicenfe in the Practice
.of Religion, which in all Places was full of Scandal
andDiforder, becaufe the Liturgy was not yet finished j
till when, the Indulgence by his Declaration was not
to be reftrained. But at the fame Time that He iflued
out his Writs forconvening the Parliament, He had
likewife fent Summons to the Bifhops, for the Meeting ACwmc$L
of the Clergy in Convocation, which is the legal Synod »»>"»--'»"£
in England ,; againfl the Coming together whereof
the Liturgy would be finished, which his Majefty in-
tended to fend thither to be examined, ' debated and
confirmed. An4 then He hoped to provide, with
the Afliftance of the Parliament, fuch a Settlement
in Religion, as would prevent any Diforder in the
State upon thofe Pretences. And it was very ne-
ceifary to lofe no Time in the Profecuticn of that'
£ure; for the Malignity agajnfl the Church appeared
to increafe, and to be greater than it was upon the
.Coming in of the King.
The old $ifhops who remained alive, and fuch
peans and Chapters as were numerous enough for the
Corporation, who had been long kept failing, had.
pow Appetites proportionable. Moft of them were
very poor, and had undergone great Extremities ;
N 4 fame
1 84 fbe Continuation of the Life of
fome of the Bifhops having fupported themfelves and,
their Families by teaching Schools, and fubmitting to
the like low Condefcenfions. And others faw, that if
They died before They were enabled to make fome
Provifion for them, their Wives and Children muft
unavoidably flarve : And therefore They made Hafte
to enter upon their own. And now an Ordinance of
Parliament had not Strength enough to batter an Act
of Parliament. They called their old Tenants to Ac-
count for Rent, and to renew their Eftates if They
had a Mind to it ; for moft old Leafes were expired in
the long Continuance of the War, and the old Tenants
had been compelled either to purchafe a new Right
and Title from the State (when the Ordinance was paf-
fed for taking away all Bifhops, Deans and Chapters,
and for felling all the Lands which belonged to them),
or to fell their prefent Eftates to thofe, who had pur-
chafed the Reverfion and the Inheritance thereof : So
that both the one and the other, the old Tenants and
the new Purchafers, repaired to the true Owners as
foon as the King was reftored ; the former expecting
to be reltored again to the PorTeflion of what They
had fold, under an unreafonable Pretence of a Tenant
Right (as They called it), becaufe there remained yet
(as in many Cafes there did) a Year or fome other
Term of their old Leafes unexpired, and becaufe
They had out of Confcience forborne to buy the In-
heritance of the Church, which was firft offered to
them. And for the Refufal thereof and fuch a rea-
fonable Fine as was ufual, They hoped to have a new
Leafe, and to be readmitted to be Tenants to the
Church. The other, the Purchafers (amongft which
there were fome very infamous Perfons), appeared as
confident, and did not think, that according to the
Clemency that was pra&ifed towards all Sorts of Men,
it could be thought Jultice, that They mould lofe the
entire Sum They had diiburfed upon the Faith of that
Government, which the whole Kingdom fubmitted to ^
but that They (hould, inftead of the Inheritance They
Edward Sari of Cl/.rendom, &c. 185
had an ill Title to, have a good Leafe for Lives or
Years granted to them by them who had now the
Right; at lead, that upon the old Rent and moderate
Fines They mould be continued Tenants to the
Church, without any Regard to thofe who had Ibid
both their Pofleflion, and with that all the Right or
Title that They might pretend to, for a valuable Con-
fideration. And They had the more Hope of this,
becaufe the King had granted a Commiliion, under
the Great Seal of England, to fome Lords of the
Council and to other eminent Perfons, to interpofe and
mediate with the Bifhops and Clergy in fnch Cafes, as a clamor
ought not to be profecuted with Rigour. r"l£itbeB-
But the Bifhops and Clergy concerned had not the/**/* a„d
good Fortune to pleafe their old or their new Tenants. cyrzyb
S,. 111 i r \ \ - 1 .tt.tirienantt.
1 hey had been very barbarouily u(ed themielves;and
that had too much quenched all Tendernefa towards
others. They did not enough diftinguifli between
Perfons: Nor did the Suffering any Man had under-
gone for Fidelity to the King, or his AfFecVion to the
Church eminently exprefTed, often prevail for the Mi-
tigation of his Fine ; or if it did lbmetimes, three or
four Stories of the contrary, and in which there had
been fome unreafonable Hardnefs ufed, made a greater
Noife and fpread farther, than their Examples of
Charity and Moderation. And as honed Men did not
ufually fare the better for any Merit, fo the Purchafers
who offered moil Money, did not fare the worfe for
all the Villanies They had committed. And two or
three unhappy Inftances of this Kind brought Scandal
upon the whole Church, as if They had been all
guilty of the fame ExceiTes, which They were far
from. And by this Means the new Bifhops, who did
not all follow the Precedents made by the old, under-
went the fame Reproaches : And many of them who
had moft adhered to their Order, and for fo doing had
undergone for twenty Years together fundry Perfecu-
tions and Oppreifions, were not in their prefent Paflion
fo much pleafed with the renewing it, as They ex-
pected
iS6 The Continuation of the Life of
peeled to have been. Yet upon a very flricSt Examw
nation of the true Grounds of all thofe Mifprifion$
(except fome few Inftances which cannot be defend-
ed), there will be found more Paffion than Jujftice in
them ; and that there was even a Neceflky to raife as
much Money as could be juftly done, for the repairing
the Cathedrals, which were all mjferably ruinated or
defaced, and for the entirely building up many Houfes
of the Prebends, which had been pulled down or let
fall to the Ground. And thofe Ways much more of
thofe Monies which were raifed by Fines were iffued
and expended, than what went into the private Purfes
of them, who had a Right to them, and had Need
enough of them. But the Time began to be froward
again, and all Degrees of Men were hard to be pleaf-
ed ; efpecially when They faw one Claffis of Men re-
(tored to more than They had ever loft, and prefer-
red to a Plenty They had never been acquainted with,
whilft themfelves remained remedilefs after fo many
Sufferings,, and without any other Teftimony of their
Courage and Fidelity, than in the Ruin of their ForT
tunes, and the Sale of their Inheritance.
vbt King's Another great Work was performed, between the
Diffolution of the lafi and the Beginning of the next
Parliament, which was the Ceremony of the King's
Coronation ; and was done with the greateft Solem-
nity and Glory, that ever any had been feen in that
Kingdom. That the Novelties and new Inventions,
with which the Kingdom had been fo much intoxicat-
ed for Co many Years together, might be djfcounte-
nanced and discredited in the Eyes of the People, for
the Folly and Want of State thereof ± hisMajefty had
directed the Records and old Formularies mould be
examined, and thereupon all Things mould be pre-
pared, and all Forms accuftomed be ufed, that might
add Luftre and Splendour to the Solemnity. A Court
if Claims was ere&ed, where before the Lords Com-
miflioners for that Service, all Perfons made Claim to
thofe Privileges and Precedency, which "They con-
ceived
Cifexctisn.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, fge. 1J87
ceived to be due to their Perfons, or the Offices of
which They were poflefTed, in the Cermony of the
Coronation ; which were allowed or rejected as their
Right appeared.
The King went early in the Morning to the" Tower
of London in his Coach, moft of the Lords being there
before. And about ten of the Clock They let for-
ward towards Whitehall, ranged in that Order as the
Heralds had appointed -, thofe pf the Long Robe, the
King's Council at Law,' the Mailers of the Chancery,
and Judges, going firft, and fo the Lords in their
Order, very fplendidly habited, on rich Footclothsi
the Number of their Footmen being limited, to the
Dukes ten, to the Earls eight, and to the Vifcounts
fix, and the Barons four, all richly clad, as their other
Servants were. The whole Show was the moft glori-
ous in the Order and Expence, that had been ever
feen in England; They who rode firft being in Fleet-
Jlreet when the King i(Tued' out of the Tower, as was
known by theDifcharge of the Ordnance : And it was.
near three of the Clock in the Afternoon, when the
King alighted at Whitehall. The next Morning the
King rode in the fame State in his Robes and with his
Crown on his Head, and all the Lords in their Robes,
to Weftminjler-Hall\ where all the Enfigns for the Co-
ronation were delivered to thofe who were appointed to
carry 'them, the Ear) of Northumberland being made
High Conftabje, and the Earl of Suffolk Earl Marftial,
for the Day, And then all the Lords in their Order,
and the King bimfelf, walked on Foot upon blue Cloth
from JVeftminJler-Halllo the Abbey Church, where after
a Sermon preached by Dr. Morley (then Bifhop of Wor-
cefter) in Henry the Seventh's Chapel, the King was fworn,
crowned and anointed, by Dr. Juxon Archbifhop of
Canterbury, with all the Solemnity that in thofe Cafes
had been ufed. All which being done, the King re-
turned in the fame Manner on Foot to Wejlminfter-
Hall, which v/as adorned with rich Hangings and
{Statues •, and there the King dined, and the Lords
on
]88 The Continuation of the Life of
on either Side at Tables provided for them : And all
other Ceremonies were performed with great Order
and Magnificence.
7 that asfbon as He mould be fettled in any Con-
Cttt King in- 1 _ _ J
undid. dition of Security, and no juft Apprehennon of fu-
ture Troubles, He would take up and remove the
Body of his Father, the laft King, from lVindfoi\ and
inter it with all Solemnity at Wejlminfter -f and that the
Court mould continue in Mourning till the Corona-
tion. And many good People thought this fo neeep
fary, that They were much troubled that it was not
done, and liked not the Reafons which were given*
which made it appear that it had been confidered. The
Reafons which were given in public Difcourfes from
Hand to Hand, were two. The firft ; that now ten
Years were pad fince that woful Tragedy, and the Joy
and the Triumph for the King's Return had compofed
the Minds of the People, it would not be prudent to
renew the Memory of that Parricide, by the Spectacle
of a folemn Funeral ; left it might caufe fuch Com-
motions of the Vulgar in all Places, as might pro-
duee
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. igx
duce great Diforders and Infurre&ions amongfl thole
who had formerly ferved the Kingdom, as if it were
a good Seafon and a new Provocation to take Revenge
upon their Neighbours who had formerly tyrannifed
over them ; which might likewife have caufed the Sol->
diers, who were newly difbanded, to draw themfelves
together for their own Security : And fo the Peace
would be at leaft difturbed. The other was $ that to
perform this Interment in any private Mariner, would
be liable to very j lift Cen fare, when all Things relating
to the King himfelf had mowed fo magnificently ; and
if it were done with the ufual Pomp of a folemn In-
terment of a King, the Expence would be fo vaft,
that there would be neither Money found nor Credit
for the Charge thereof.
These were the Reafons alledged and fpread £*' «A>»
abroad ; nor was either of them in itfelf withoutJXrjS
Weight to thinking Men. Eut the true Reafon was :«***/««£
At the Time of that horrid Murder, Wind/or was a
Garrifon under the Command of a Citizen, who was
an Anabaptift) with all his Officers and Soldiers. The
Men had broken down all the Wainfcot, Rails and
Partitions, which divided the Church, defaced all the
Monuments and other Marks, and reduced the Whole
into the Form of a Stable or Barn, and fcarce fit for
any other Ufe -f when Cromwell had declared that the
Royal Body mould be privately interred in the Church
of the Caftle at Wind/or, and the Marquis of Hertford^
the Duke of Richmond, the Earls of Southampton and
Lindfeyy had obtained Leave to be prefent (only to be
prefent, for they had no Power to prepare or do any
Thing in it) at their Mailer's Burial. Thofe great
Men were not fuffered to have above three Servant*
each, to enter into the Caftle with them; and it may
eafily be concluded, that their own noble Hearts were
too full of Sorrow, to fend their Eyes abroad to take
Notice of the Places by which They pafled. They
found the Church fo wild a Place, that They knew
ioot where They were ; and as foon as the Royal Body
was
iq 2 The Continuation of the Life of
was pur into the Ground, They were conducted out of
the Cattle to their Lodging in the Town, and the next
Morning returned to their feveral Houfes. Shortly
after the King returned from beyond the Seas, He
fettled the. Dean and Chapter of IVindfor, with Direc-
tion to put his Royal Chapel there into the Order it
ufed to be, and to repair the Ruins thereof, which
was a long and a difficult Work. His Majefty com-
manded the Dean carefully to inform himfelf of the
Place, in which the King's Eody had been interred,
and to give him Notice of it. Upon Enquiry He
tiould not find one Perfon in the Caftle or in the Town,
who had been prefent at the Burial. When the Par-
liament firft feized upon the Caftle and put a Garrifon
into it, fhortly after, They not only ejected all the
Prebends and Singingmen of the Royal Chapel, but-
turned out all the Officers and Servants who had any
Relation to the King or to the Church, except only
thofe who were notorious for their infidelity towards
the King or the Church : And of thofe, or of the
Officers or Soldiers of the Garrifon, there could not
now one Man be found, who was in the Church when
the King was buried. The Duke of Richmond and
the Marquis of Hertford were Both dead : And the
King lent (after He had received that Account from
the Dean) the two furviving Lords, the Earl of South-'
ampfimmd of JLdndfey, to IVindjor-, who taking with
them as many of thofe three Servants who had been
admitted to attend them, as were now living, They
could not recoiled their Memories, nor find any one
Mark by which They could make any Judgment, near
what Place the King's Body lay. They made fome
Guefs, by the Information of the Workmen who had
been now employed in the new Pavement of the
Church, and upon their Obfervation of any Place
where the Earth had feemed to lye lighter, that it
might be in or near that Place : But when They had
caufed it to be digged, and fearched in and about it,
They found Nothing. And upon their Return, the
King
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 193
King gave over all farther Thought of Enquiry : And
thole other Reafons v/ere caft abroad upon any occa-
sional Enquiry or Difcourfe of that Subject.
That which gave the King molt Trouble, and de-rhe ^ffa'>-s
prived him of that Eafe and Quiet which Pie had pro-^wJ"
mifed to himfelf during the Vacation between the two
Parliaments, was the Bufinefs of Ireland ; which We
fhall now take up again, and continue the Relation
without Interruption, as long as We mall think fit to
make any Mention of that Affair. We left it in the
Hands of the Lord Roberts, whom the King had de-
clared Deputy of Ireland, prefuming that He would
upon Conference with the feveral Parties, who were
all appointed to attend him, fo fhape and model the
whole Eulk, that it might be more capable of fome
farther Debate before his Majefty in Council : But that
Hand did not hold it many Days.
That noble Lord, though of a good Underftand-^™'*""'/
ing, was of fo morofe a Nature, that it was no eafy^''^0^"
Matter to treat with him. He had fome pedantick
Parts, of Learning, which made his other Parts of
Judgment the worfe, for He had fome Parts of good
Knowledge in the Law, and in Antiquity, in the Pre-
cedents of former Times ; all which were rendered
the lefs ufeful, by the other Pedantry contracted out
of fome Books, and out of the ill Converfation Pie
had with fome Clergymen and People in Quality much
below him, by whofe weak Faculties He raifed the
Value of his own, which were very capable of being
improved in better Company. He was naturally
proud and imperious : Which Humour was increafed
by an ill Education ± for excepting fome Years fpent
in the Inns of Court amongft the Books of the Law,
He might be very juflly laid to have been born and
bred in Cornwall. There were many Days paffed
after the King's Declaration of him to be Deputy,
before He could be periuaded to vifit the General,
who He knew was to continue Lieutenant ^ and when
He did vifit him, it was with fo ill a Gruce, that th<-;
Vol. II, O 9thzt
194 y'te Continuation of the Life of
other received no Satisfaction in it, and the lefs, be-
caufe He plainly difcemed that it proceeded from
Pride, which He bore the more uneaiily, becauie as
He was now the greater Man, foHe knew himfelf to
be of a much better Family. He made fo many
Doubts and Criticilms upon the Draught of his Patent,
that the Attorney General was weary of attending
him j and when all Things were agreed on at Night,
the next Morning produced new Dilemmas. But
that which was worfe than all this, He received thofe
of the Irijb Nation of the belt Quality,. and who were
of the Privy Council and chief Command in that King-
dom, fo fupercilioully ; received their Information la
negligently, and gave his Anfwers fo fcornfully ; that
after They had waited upon him four or five Days,
They befought the King that They might not be
obliged to attend him anymore. And it was evident,
that his Carriage towards them was not to be fubmit-
ted to by Perfons of his own Quality, or of any liberal
Education : Nor did He make any Advance towards
the Bufinefs.
This gave the King very great Trouble, and them
as much Pleafure who had1 never liked the Designation,
He knew not what to do with his Deputy, nor what
to do for Ireland. The Lord Roberts was not a Man
that was to be difgraced and thrown off, without much
Inconvenience and Hazard. He had Parts which in
Council and Parliament (which were the two Scenes
where all the King's Bufinefs lay) were very trouble-
fome ; for of all Men alive who had fo few Friends,
He had the moil Followers. They who converfed
mod with him, knew him to have many Humours
which were very intolerable ; They who were but a
little acquainted with him, took him to be a Man of
much Knowledge, and called his Morality Gravity,
and thought the Severity of his Manners made him
lefs grateful to the Courtiers. He had no fuch ad-
vantageous Faculties in his Delivery, as could impofe
upon his Auditors j but He was never tedious, and
his
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &?<:. 195
his "Words made Impreffions. In a Word, He was
fuch a Man, as the King thought worthy to be com-
pounded with. And therefore his Majefty appointed
the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Treafurer to confer
with him, and to difpofe him to accept the Office ofrh Ki*g
Privy Seal, which gave him a great Precedence that*"*" *"*
would gratify that Paffion which was ftrongeft in him •, offer «/ the
for in his Nature He preferred Place before Money, Privy *a/*
which his Fortune ftood more in Need of. And the
King thought, it would be no ill Argument. to incline
him to give over the Thought of Ireland, that it was
impoffible for the King, to llipply him for the prefent
with near any fuch Sum of Money as He had very
reafonably demanded, for the Satisfaction of the
Army there (which was upon the Matter to be new
modelled, and fome Part of it difbanded) with the
Reduction of many Officers, and for his own Equi-
They began their Approach to him, by afking him
" when He would be ready for his Journey lo Ireland"
to which He anfwered with fome Quicknefs, " that
" He was confident there was no Purpofe to fend
*' him thither, for that He faw there was no Prepa-
" ration of thofe Things, without which the King
*' knew well that it was not poilible for him to go -y
" nor had his Majefty lately fpoken to him of it.
" Belides He had obferved, that the Chancellor had
" for many Days pafl called him at the Council, and
" in all other Places where They met, by the Name
" of Lord Roberts \ whereas, for fome Months before,
f* He had upon all Occafions and in all Places treated
" him with the Style of Lord Deputy : Which gave
t4 him firft Caufe to believe, that there was fome Al-
" teration in the Purpofe of fending him thither."
They Both aifuredhim, " that the King had no other
" Peribn in his View but hirnfelf for that Service, it
" He were difpofed to undertake it vigoroufly ; but
" that the King had forborne lately to fpeak with him
** of it, becauie He found it impoffible for him to
O 2 " pro-
"196 The Continuation of the Life of
cc provide the Money He propofed \ and it could not
u be denied, that He had propofed it very reafonabfy
li in all Refpe&s. However, it being imppfliblc to
iC procure it, and that He could not go Without it, for
" which He could not be blamed, his Majefty mufr.
" find tome other Expedient to fend his Authority
" thither, the Government there being yet fo loofe,.
" that He could not but every Day expect to receive
" News of fome great Dhorder there, the ill Confe-
lt quence whereof would be imputed to his- Majefty's
" Want of Care and Providence. That his Majefty
, *.' had yet forborne to think, of that Expedient, till
" He might do it with his Content and Advice, and
" until He could refolve upon another Pull, where
*' He might ferve his Majefty with equal Honour,
c- and by which the World might fee the Efteem
'* He had of him. And therefore fi'nee it would be
ct both unreafonable and unjuft, to prefs him to go
" for Ireland without thole Supplies, and it was
" equally impoifible to prepare and fend thofe Sup-
" plies ;" They faid, " the King had commanded
" them to propofe to him, that He would make him
" Lord Privy Seal, an Office He well underftood.
" And if He accepted that and were poileifed of it
" (as He mould immediately be), his- Majefty would
" enter upon new Confiderations how to fettle the
" tottering Condition of Ireland" The Lord's dark
Countenance prefently cleared upr having no Doubt
expected to be deprived of his Title to Ireland, with-
out being aiiigned any other any where elfe : And
now being dfrered the third Place of Precedence in
the Nobility, the Privy Seal going next to the Trea-
furer, upon a very ihort Recollection, He declared,
" that He received it as a great Honour, that the
" King would make Ufe of his Service in any Place,
z^RobfrtsiC and that He iubmitted wholly to his apod Plea fur e,
Privy stai, " and would ferve him with great Fidelity." The
w'/?Mr\^next X)av the Kincr gave him the Privy Seal at the
J lace of L)e- • 1 /•
}*j. Council-board, where He was lworn and took his
Place ;
Edward Earl of Clare ndo:;, 0c. 197
'Place ; and to fhew his extraordinary Talent, found a
Way more to obftruct and puzzle Bulinefe, at leafl the
Difpatch of it, than and Man in that Office had e\er
done before : Infomuch as the King found himfeif
compelled in a fnort Time after, to give Order that
mod Grants and Patents, which required Halle, mould
pafs by immediate Warrant to the Great Seal, without
vifiting the Privy Seal; which Pretention was not uili-u,
and brought fome Inconvenience and Prejudice to the
Chancellor.
Though the King had within himfeif a Profpecl of
the Expedient, that would be fitted for him to make
Ufe of for the prefent, towards the Settlement of Ire-
land; yet it was abfolutely neceflary for him, even be-
fore He could make Ufe of that Expedient, to put the
feveral Claims and Petitions of Right which were de-
pending before him, and which were attended with
iuch an unruly Number of Suitors, into fome fuch
Method of examining and.determining, that they might
not be left in the Confuiion they were then in. And
this could not be done, without his impofing upon^rj 7§
himfeif the Trouble of hearing once at large, all that f«*«.
every Party of the Pretenders could alledge for the
Support of their feveral Pretences : And this He did
with incredible Patience for very many Days to-
gether. We (hall firft mention thofe Interests, which
gave the King leafl Trouble, becauie they admitted
leafl Debate.
lr was looked upon as very fcandalous, that the?7':' &*£'
Marquis of Ormond~ (hould remain fo long without thejfrlj 'fySa '
PofleHion of any Part of his.Eftate; which had been'' parlia-
taken from him upon no other Pretence, but his ad-
hering to the King. And therefore there was an Acl
of Parliament palled with the Confentof all Parties,
that He fnould be prefently reilored to all his Eftate -y
which was done with the more Eaie, becaufe the
;greatefl Part of it (for his Wife's Land had been be-
fore affigned to her in CromwelFs, Time, or rather in
Jus Son Harrys) lay within that Province, which
O j Crow-
198 The Continuation of the Life of
Cromwell out of his Husbandry had referved for hi m-
felf, exempt from all Title or Pretence of Adventurer
or Soldier : What other Part of his Eftate either the
one or the other were pofTeflTed of, in their own Judg-
ments it was fo impoifible for them to enjoy, that
They very willingly yielded it up to the Marquis, in
Hope of having Recompenfe made to them out of
other Lands. There could as little be faid againft the
Reftoration of the Earl of Inchiquin to his, Eftate,
which had been taken from him and diflributed a-
mongft the Adventurers and Soldiers, for no other
Caufe but his ferving the King. There were likewife
fome others of the fame ClaJJis, who had Nothing ob-
jected to them but their Loyalty, who were put into
the PofTeffion of their own Eftates. And all this gave
noOccafion of Murmur ; every Man of what Intereft
foever believing or pretending to believe, that the
King was obliged in Honour, Juftice and Confcience,
to caufe that Right to be done to thofe who had ferv-
ed him faithfully.
church ^ There could be as little Doubt, and there was as
,J!"J/«L"HttleOppofition vifibie, in the Claim of the Church : So
hi/bop* op. t'nat tjie Kincf made Choice of many grave Divines, to
Pointed. CT . ■«•'«"
whom He afligned Bifhopricks in Ireland, and fent them
thither, to be confecrated by the Bifhops who remain-
ed alive there according to the Laws of that Kingdom ;
and conferred the other Dignities and Church-Prefer-
ments upon worthy Men, who were all authorized to
enter upon thofe Lands, which belonged to their feve-
ral Churches. And in this general Zeal for the Church,
fome new Grants were made of Lands and Impropri-
ations, which were not enough deliberated, and gave
afterwards great Interruption to the Settlement of the
Kingdom, and brought Envy upon the Church and
Churchmen, when the Reftoration to what was their
own was generally well approved.
Tfie Pretences of the Adventurers and Soldiers were
much involved and perplexed : Yet they gave
rh_ King little other Trouble, than the general Care
and
Edward Earl of Clarendon-, £sV, 199
and Solicitude, that by an unfeafonabh Diiturbance
of their PofTeifion-s there, the Soldiers who had been
difbanded, and thofe of the ftanding Army (who for
the mod Part had the fame ill Affections,) might not
unite together, and feize upon fome Places of De-
fence, before his Affairs in that Kingdom fhould be
put in fuch an Order as to oppofe them. And next
that Apprehenfion, his Majefty had no Mind that any
of thofe Soldiers ; either who had been difbanded, and
put into Poffeiiion of Lands for the Arrears of their
Pay, and upon which They now lived ; or of the
other, the ftanding Army, many whereof were like-
wife in PolfelTion of Lands affigned to them ; I fay,
the King was not without Apprehenfion, that the Re-
fort of either of thefe into England might find too
many of their old Friends and Affociates, ready to
concord with them in any defperate Meafures, and for
controlinp' of which He was not enough provided even
in this Kingdom. But for their private and particu-
lar Intereft, the King cared not much how it was
compounded, nor confidered the Danger if it were
not compounded. For befides the Factions, Divifions,
and Animofities, which were between themfelves, and
very great ; They could have no Caufe of Complaint
againft the King, who would take Nothing from
them to which They had the leaft Pretence of Law
or Right. And for their other Demands, He would
leave them to litigate between themfelves; it being
evident to all Men, that there muft be fome Judica-
tory erected by Act of Parliament, that only could
examine and put an End to all thofe Pretences : The
Perufal and Examination of which Act of Parliament,
when the fame fhould be prepared, his Majefty re-
folved that all Parties fhould have, and that He
would hear their particular Exceptions to it, before
He would tranfmit it into Ire!a?id to be palTed.
That which gave the King the only Trouble and
Solicitude, was the miferable Condition of the Irijb
Nation, that was fo near an Extirpation ; the Thought
O 4. where-
goo The Continuation of the Life of
whereof his Majefty's Heart abhorred. Nor can it
be denied, that either from the Indignation He had
againfl thofe, in v/hofe Favour the other poor People
were miferably deflroyed, or from his own natural
Companion and Tendernefs, and the jufl Regard of
the Merit of many of them who had ferved him with
7&JW'"- Fidelity, He had a very flrong and princely Inclina-
vlZ a* p-t-tion to do the bed He could, without doing apparent
^"''/'Mnjuftice, to preferve them in a tolerable Condition of
licks. ' Subjects. This made him give them, who were raoft
concerned and folicitous on their Behalf, Liberty to
refort to his Prefence ; and hear all They could al-
ledge for themfelves, in private or in publick. And
this Indulgence proved to their Difadvantage, and
exalted them (p much, that when They were heard
in publick at the Board, They behaved themfelves
with lets Modefly tov/ards their Adverfarics, who
flood upon the Advantage-Ground, and with lefs
Reverence in the Prefence of the King, than the
Truth of their Condition and any ordinary Difcretion
would have required. And their Difadvantage was
the greater, becaufe They who fpake publickly on
their Behalf, and were very well qualified to fpeak,
and left Nothing for the Matter unfaid that was for
their Purpofe, were Men, who from the Beginning
to the End of the Rebellion, had behaved themfelves
eminently ill towards the King. And They of their
Adverfarics who fpake againfl them, had great Know-
ledge and Experience of all that had palled on either
£ide, and knew how to prefs it home when it was
feafonable.
fhiPleaof They of the Irijb, who were all united under the
thoiiclS. ^"Njinie of.TJpe confederate Calbolicfa of Ireland, made
their fir ft Approach wifely for Compaiiion ; and urged
" their great and long Sufferings ■, the Lofs of their
u Eftates for five or lix and twenty Years ; the waft-
*' ing ar.d fpending of the whole Nation in Battles,
'■ and Tranfportatjon of vafl Multitudes of Men into
'-'■ tht Parts beyond the Seas, whereof many had the
a Honour
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 201
u Honour to teftify their Fidelity to the King by real
'" Services, and many of them returned into England
'« with him, and were dill in his Service ; the great
*c Numbers of Men, Women and Children, that had
" been malfacred and executed in cold Blood, after
" the King's Government had been driven from
" thence ; the Multitudes that had been deflroyed by
" Famine and the Hague, thole two heavy Judg-
u ments having raged over the Kingdom for two or
" three Years; and at laft, as a Pcrfecution unheard
<; of, the tranfplanting the fmall Remainder of the
" Nation into one Corner of the Province of Conaught,
" where yet much of the Lands was taken from them,
" which had been avhgned with all thofe Formalities
" of Law, which were in Ufe, and praclifed under
" that Government."
(2) They demanded " the Benefit cf two
cc Treaties of Peace, the one in the late King's Time
" and confirmed by him, the other confirmed by his
" Majefly who was preient; by Both which," They
laid, " They flood indemnified for all Acts done by
" them in the Rebellion ; and infilled upon their In-
*.' nocence fmce that Time, and that they had paid ib
*' entire an Obedience to his Majefty's Commands
" whiift He was beyond the Seas, that They betook
" themfeives to, and withdrev/ themfelves from, the
--■
'* the Act itfelf was very prudent and neceffary, and"
" an AcTt of Mercy, without which an utter Extir-
o The Continuation of the Life of
^rt«% 'Anight fettle it; but on the contrary, the Breaches
trs aSnteJwexe made wider, and fo much Pailion and Injuftice
byiheFirfl fhewed, that Comolaints were brought to his Ma-
jefty from all Parts of the Kingdom, and from all
Perfons in Authority there. The Number of the
CommuTioners was fo great, and their Interefts fo
different, that They made no Difpatch. Very many
of them were in PoiTeifion of thofe Lands, which
others fued for before them ; and They themfelves
bought broken Titles and Pretences of other Men,
for inconiiderable Sums of Money, which They fup-
ported and made good by their own Authority. Such
of the Commiifioners, who had their own particular
Intereft and Concernment depending, attended the
Service very diligently : The few who were more
equal and juft, becaufe They had no Intereft of their
own at Stake, were weary of their Attendance and
Expence (there being no Allowance for their Pains) ;
and offended at the Partiality and Injuftice which
They favv practi fed, withdrew themfelves, and would
be no longer prefent at thofe Tranfa&ions which They
could not regulate or reform.
All Interefts were equally offended and incenfed ;
and the Soldiers and Adventurers complained no lefs,
of the Corruption and Injuftice than the Irijb did :
So that the Lords Juftices and Council thought it
Second a& neceffary to tranfmit another Bill to his Majefty,
of Settle- which^ as I remember, They called an explanatory
rJ^/iw/^Bill of the former ; and in that They provided, " that
Km&. u no perfon wno iivecj in Ireland, or had any Pre-
" tence to an Eftate there, mould be employed as a
" Commilfioner ; but that his Majefty mould be de-
" fired to fend over a competent Number of well
" qualified Perfons out of England to attend that Ser-
iC vice, upon whom a fit Salary mould be fettled by
" the Bill v and fuch Rules fet down as might direct
" and govern the Manner of their Proceeding ; and
** that an Oath might be prefcribed by the Bill, which
H the Commiliioners mould take, for the impartial
" Ad'^
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV. 22 z
u Administration of Juflice, and for tlieProfccution
** and Execution of this Bill," which was tranfmitted
as an Acl: by the King. His Majefty made Choicejfcw cm-
of feven Gentlemen of very clear Reputations ; one*"'^*"'5*'5*
r \ i • r> • t i pointed to ex'
or them being an eminent Serjeant at Law, whom™,/*,/.
He made a Judge upon his Return from thence ;
two others, Lawyers of very much Efteem ; and the
other four, Gentlemen of very good Extractions, ex-
cellent Understandings, and above all Sufpicion for
their Integrity, and generally reputed to be fuperiour
to any bale Temptation.
But this fecond Bill, before it could be tranfmit-
ted, took up as much Time as the former. The
fame numerous Retinue of all Interefts from Ireland
attended the King; and all that had been faid in the The different
former Debates was again repeated, and almofl with£^"*?5"
the fame Paflion and Impertinence. The IriJJj madeA';»r.
large Obfervations upon the Proceedings of the late
CommifTioners, to juflify thofe Fears and Appre-
henfions which They had formerly urged : And there
'appeared too much Reafon to believe, that their
greateft Defign now was, rather to keep off any Set-
dement, than that They hoped to procure fuch a one
as They defired; relying more to find their Account
from a general Diflatisfa&ion, and the Diffraction and
Confufion that was like to attend it, than from any
Determination that was like to be in their Favour..
Yet They had Friends in the Court, who made them
great Promifes ; which They could not be without,
fince They made as great Promifes to thofe who were
to protect them. There were indeed many particular
Men both of the Soldiers and Adventurers, who in
Refpect of their many notorious and opprobrious
Actions againft the Crown throughout their whole
Employment (and who even fince his Majefty's Re-
turn had enough expreffed how little They were fatis-
fied with the Revolution) were fo univerfally odious
both in England and Ireland, that if their particular
Cafes could have been fevered from the reft, without
Violation
p„zz Ike Continuation of the Life of
Violation of the Rule of Juftice that fecured all the
reft, any Thing that could have been done to their
Detriment would have been grateful enough to every
Eody.
After many very tedious Debates, in which his
Majefty endeavoured by all the Ways He could think
of to find (bme Expedient, that would enable him to
preferve the miferable Irijb from the Extremity of
Mifery ; He found it neceffary at laft, to acquiefce
with a very pofitive Aflurance from the Earl of Orrery
and others, who were believed to underftand Ireland
very exactly, and who, upon the Surveys that had
been taken with great Punctuality, undertook, " that
u there was Land enough to fatisfy all the Soldiers
" and Adventurers, and that there would be a very
" great Proportion left for the Accommodation of
" the Irijh very liberally." And for the better Im-
provement of that Proportion, the King prefcribed
ibme Rules and Limitations to the immoderate Pre-
tences and Demands of the Soldiers and Adventurers
upon the doubling Ordinance and imperfect Admeasure-
ment, and fome other Irregularities, in which his
Majefty was not in Honour or Juftice obliged to
Second Aa comply with them : And lb He tranfmitted this fe-
ot Settle- f u'll
iBertt/^i/.COnc! bill.
Whi lst this fecond Bill was under Deliberation,
there fell out an Accident in Ireland, which produced
great Alterations with Reference to the Affairs of that
Kingdom. The Differences which had every Day
ari fen between the three Juftices, and their different
Humours and Affections, had little advanced the fet-
tling that Government * fo that there would have
been a Neceflity of making ibme Mutation in it : So
that the Death of the Earl of Montrath, which hap-
pened at this Time, fell out conveniently enough to
the King; for by it the Government was again loofe.
For the Earl of Orrery was in England; and the Power
refided not in jets than two : So that the Chancellor,
who remained fingk there, was without any Autho-
rity
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &'c. 22£
rky to ad. And They who took the moft dif-
paffioned Survey of all that had been done, and
of what remained to be done, did conclude that No-
thing could reafonably produce a Settlement there,
but the deputing one fingle Perfon to exercife that
Government. And the Duke ,of Albemarle himfelf,^* Dukeef
who had a great Eftate in that Kingdom, which re/™xthe
made him the more long for a Settlement, and who°#"ff/Li;r<*
had before the King's Return and ever fince diiTuaded
the King from thinking of employing the Duke of
Ormond there, who had himfelf Averfion enough from
that Command, of which He had fufficient Expe-
rience : I fay, the General had now fo totally changed
his Mind, that He plainly told the King, " that
" there was no Way to explicate that Kingdom out
" of thofe Intricacies in which it was involved, but
" by fending over a Lord Lieutenant thither. That
*' He thought it not fit for his Majefly's Service,
" that himfelf, who had that Commiffion of Lord
" Lieutenant, mould be abfent from his Perfon ± and
*' therefore that He was very ready and defirous to
u give up his Commiffion : And that in his Judg-
" ment Nobody would be able to fettle and compofe
" the feveral Factions in that Kingdom, but the Duke
" of Ormond, who He believed would be grateful to
*' all Sorts of People." And therefore He advifed
his Majefty very politively, " that He would imme-
" diately give him the Commiffion, and as foon as
" mould be poffible fend him away into Ireland."
And Both the King and the General fpake with the ^J'^DuH
Duke of Ormond, and prevailed with him to accept £f^m,°nd
it, before either of them communicated it to the
Chancellor, who the King well knew would for many
Reafons, and out of his great Friendfhip to the Duke,
diffuade him from undertaking it ; which was very true.
And the King and the Duke of Ormond came one
Day to the Chancellor, to advife what was to be
done for Ireland ; and (concealing the Refolution) the.
King told him what the General's Advice was, and
afked
422 The Continuation of tie Life of
afked him " what He thought of fending the Duke
" of Ormond his Lieutenant into Ireland." To which
the Chancellor anfwered prefently, u that the King
" would do very ill in fending him, and that the Duke
" would do much worfe, if He defired to go." Up-
on which They Both fmiled, and told him, tC that
tc the General had prevailed with the King, and the
"j! *f~
the Irijb, which had been looked upon as unquettiona-irifli.
bly forfeited, and of which the Englift had been long
tin Pofleffion accordingly.
This raifed fo great a Clamour that the EngliJJj re- *
fufed to yield Pofleflion upon the Decrees of the Com-
miflioners, who, by an Omiflion in the Act of Parlia-
ment, were not qualified with Power enough to provide
for the Execution of their own Sentences. The Courts
of Law eftablifhed in that Kingdom would not, nor
indeed could, give any Afiiftance to the Commifli-
oners. And the Lord Lieutenant and Council, who
iiad in the Beginning, by their Authority, put many
into the Pofleflion of the Lands which had been de-
creed to them by the Commiflioners, were now more
-tender and referved in that Multitude of Decrees
that had lately paffed : So that the Irijh were ufing
their utmofl Endeavours, by Force to recover the
Pofleflion of thofe Lands which the Commiflioners
nad decreed to them •, whilft the Englijj were like-
wife refolved by Force to defend what They had
been fo long poffeflTed of, notwithftanding the Com-
miflioners Determination. And the Commiflioners
were fo far troubled and diflatisfied with thefe Pro-
ceedings, and with fome intricate Claufes in the Act
■of Parliament concerning the future Proceedings ;
that, though They had not yet made any Entrance
upon the Decifion of the Claims of the EnglijJj or of
the Irijh Proteftants^ They declared " that They would
** proceed no farther in the Execution of their Com-
!** million, until They could receive his Majefty's
■" farther Pleafure." And that They might the more
effectually receive it, They defired Leave from the
King that They might attend his Royal Perfon -, and
there being at the fame Time feveral Complaints
made againit them to his Majefty, and Appeals to
Q^3 him
230 The Continuation of the Life of
him from their Decrees, He gave the Commiflioners
Leave to return. And at the fame Time all the other
Interefls fent their Deputies to folicit their "Rights •, in
the Profecution whereof, after much Time fpent, the
King thought fit likewife to receive the Advice and
Afliftance of his Lieutenant : And fo the Duke of
Ormond returned again to the Court. And the Set-
tlement of Ireland was the third Time brought before
the King and Council -, there being then likewife tranf-
rJ^Smitted a third Bill, as additional and fupplemental to
*Ti»rdTimethe other two, and to reverfe many of the Decrees
y'je '"^made by the Commiflioners, They bearing the Re-
proach of all that had been done or had fucceeded
amifs, and from all Perfons who were grieved in what
Kind foever.
The King was very tender of the Reputation of his
Commiflioners, who had been always efleemed Men
of great Probity and unqueftionable Reputation : And
though He could not refufe to receive Complaints, yet
He gave thofe who complained no farther Counte-
nance, than to give the others Opportunity to vindicate
themfelves. Nor did there appear the lead Evidence
to queftion the Sincerity of their Proceeding, or to
make them liable to any reafonable Sufpicion of Cor-
ruption : And the Complaints were ftill profecuted by
thofe, v/ho had that taken from them which They de-
fired to keep for themfelves.
The Author^ Th e Truth is; there is Reafon enough to believe,
Kw?that uPon the firft Arrival of the Commiflioners in
ivgM cf the Ireland, and fome Converfation They had, and the
c«™#- Observation They made of the great Bitternefs and
Animofities from the Englifo, both Soldiers and Ad-
venturers, towards the whole Irijb Nation of what
Kind foever ; the fcandalous Proceeding of the late
Commiflioners upon the firft Aft, when They had
not been guided by any Rules of Juflice, but rejected
all Evidence, which might operate to the taking away
any Thing from them which They refolved to keep,
the Judges themfelves being both Parties and Witnefles
in
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £dV. 221
in all the Caufes brought before them ; together
with the very ill Reputation very many of the Sol-
diers and Adventurers had for extraordinary Malice to
the Crown, and to the Royal Family ; and the no-
table Barbarity They had exercifed towards the Irijh,
who without Doubt for many Years had undergone
the molt cruel Oppreifions of all Kind that can be
imagined, many Thoufands of them having been
forced, without being covered under any Houfe, to
perilh in the open Fields for Hunger ; the infamous
Purchafes which had been made by many Perfons,
who had compelled the Irijh to- fell their Remainders
and lawful Pretences for very inconfiderable Sums of
Money : I fay, thefe and many other Particulars of
this Kind, together with fome Attempt that had been
made upon their firft Arrival, to corrupt them againft
all Pretences which fhould be made by the Jnjb,
might probably difpofe the Commiilioners themfelves
to fuch a Prejudice againft many of the English, and
to fuch a Companion towards the Irijh, that They
might be much inclined to favour their Pretences and
Claims ; and to believe that the Peace of the King-
dom and his Majefty's Government might be better
provided for, by their being fettled in the Lands of
which They had been formerly poifeffed, than by fup-
porting the ill gotten Titles of thofe, who had mani-
fefted all imaginable Infidelity and Malice againft his
Majefty whilft They had any Power to oppofe him,
and had not given any Teftimony of their Converfion,
or of their Refolution to yield him for the future a
perfect and entire Obedience after They could oppofe
him no longer ; as if They defired only to retain thofe
Lands which They had gotten by Rebellion, together
with the Principles by which They had gotten them,
until They fhould have an Opportunity tojuftify Both
by fome new Power, or a Concurrence amongft them-
felves. Whencefoever it proceeded, it was plain e-
nough the Irijh had received more Favour than was
expected or imagined.
CL4 And
£2>% The Continuation of the' Life of
And in the very Entrance into the Work, to avoid
the Partiality which was too apparent in the Englijb
towards each other, and their Animofity againft the
Irifh as evident, very ftrict Rules had been fet down:
by the Commiifioners, what Kind of Evidence They
would admit to be good, and receive accordingly.
And it was provided, " that the Evidence of no'
" Soldier or Adventurer fhould be received in any
" Cafe, to which himfelf was never fo much a
" Stranger ;" as, if his own Lot had fallen mMun-
Jier, and He had no Pretence to any Thing out of
that Province, his Evidence fhould not be received,'
as to any Thing that He had feen done in Leinjier or
Conaugbt or Uljier, wherein He was not at all concern-
ed : Which was generally thought to be a very unjuft
Rule, after fo many Years expired, and fo many Per-
fons dead, who had likewife been prefent at thofe
Actions. And by this Means many Men were de-
clared not to have been in Rebellion, when there
might have been full Evidence, that They had been
prefent in fuch and fuch a Battle, and in fuch and fuch
a Siege, if the Witneffes might have been received'
who were then prefent at thofe Actions, and ready to
give Teftimony of it* and of fuch Circumftances as
could not have been feigned, if their Evidence might
have been received.
Tonnanyof That which raifed the greatefl Umbrage againft
iki i infh **-the CommiiTioners was, that a great Number of the
tl th£r moil infamous Perfons of the Irijh Nation, who were
Eflates. looked upon by thofe of their own Country with the
greatefl Deteftation, as Men who had been the moft
violent Fomentors and Profecutors of the Rebellion, and
the greatefl Oppofers of all moderate Counfels, and
of all Expedients which might have contributed to-
wards a Peace in the late King's Time (whereby the
Nation might have been redeemed), and who had
not had the Confidence fo much as to offer any Claim
before the late Commiifioners, were now adjudged
and declared innocent, and fo reilored to their Eflates :
And
Edward Earl of Clarendon, Wc. 233
And that many others, who in Truth had never been fj£*&j
in Rebellion, but notoriously ferved the King againft^ h*g
the Rebels both in England 'and Ireland, and had never™^ Hr^
been put out of their Eftates, now upon fome flight
Evidence, by the Interception of Letters, or Confef-
fion of Meflengers that They had had Correfpondence
with the Rebels (though it was evident that even that
Correfpondence had been perfunctory, and only to
fecure them that They might purfue his Majefty's
Service), were condemned and had their Eftates
taken from them, by the Judgment of the Com-
miffioners.
And of this I cannot forbear to give an InHance, An hfiance
and the rather, that it may appear how much a $&*&£"£/£'
fonal Prejudice, upon what Account foever, weighs Earl De-
fons and Abilities of the Commiflioners, were not yet/''"™'/*''-
fatisfied with their Defence ; nor did They believe,yL?fr/'"*
that
240 The Continuation of the Life of
that They were fo ftri&ly bound ..to judge upon the
Teftimony of Tufpedted Witneffes ; but that They
were therefore milled with an arbitrary Power, be-,
caufe it was forefeen that Juries were .not like to be
entire : So that They were, upon weighing all Cir-
cumftances, to declare what in their Confciences They
believed to be true and juft. That if They had
bound themfelves up by too ftricl and unreafonable
Rules, They fhould rather in Time have reformed
thofe Rules, than think to fupport what was done
amifs, by the Obfervation of what They had pre-
ferred to themfelves. And it was believed, that the
entire Exclufion of the Englifb from being Witnefles
for the proving of what could not in Nature be other-
wife proved, was not juft or reafonable. That their
Want of Power to reverfe or alter their own Decrees,
upon any emergent Reafons which could afterwards
occur, was a juft Ground for their more ferious De-
liberation in and before They palfed any fuch Decrees.
And their Excufe for not granting longer Time when
it was prelfed for, was founded upon Reafons which
were viiibly not to be juftified •, it riot being poflible
for any Man to defend himfelf againft the Claims of
the lrijby without knowing what Deeds or Witneffes
They could produce for making good their Suggefc
tions ; and therefore it was as impoffible for them to
have all their Evidence upon the Place. Befides that
it was very evident, that in the laft ten Days of their
Sitting (which was likewife thought to be when their
Power as to thofe Particulars was determined, and in
which They had made more Decrees than in all the
Time before), They had made fo many in a Day,
contrary to their former Rule and Method, that Men
were plainly furprifed, and could not produce thofe
Proofs which in a (fiort Time They might have been
fupplied with ; and the refuting to allow them that
Time, was upon the Matter to determine their In^
tereft, and to take away their Eftates without being
once heard, and upon the bare Allegations of their
Adver-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c\ 241
Adverfaries. And in thefe laft Decrees many In-
stances v/ere given of that Nature, wherein the Evi-
dence appeared to be very full, if Time had been
given to produce it.
There was one very notable Cafe decreed by the ^Decree jr.
Cammiflioners extremely complained of, and dried m^uIU
out againft by all Parties, as well Irijh as Englijh j Antrim W*
and for which the Commiflioners themfelves made no^»»J*7w"
other Excufe or Defence, but the Receipt of a Letter
from the King, which was not thought a good Plea
for fworn Judges, as the CommifTioners were. It was
the Cafe of the Marquis of Antrim. Which Cafe
having been fo much upon the Stage, and fo much
enlarged upon to the Reproach of the King, and
•even to the traducing of the Memory of his blelfed Fa-
ther ; and thofe Men, who artificially contrived the
doing of all that was done amifs, having done all
They could to wound the Reputation of the Chancel-
lor, and to get it to be believed, " that He had by
" fome fmifter Information mifled the King to oblige
" the Marquis :" It is a Debt due to Truth, and
to the Honour of Both their Majefties, to fet down
a very particular Narration of that whole Affair ± by
which it will appear, how far the King was from fo
much as wifhing that any Thing fhould be done for
the Benefit of the Marquis, which mould be contrary
to the Rules of Juitice.
Whilst his Majefty was in foreign Parts, We Awry parti-
received frequent Advertifements from England and'^ trhi ej£j*
from Ireland, " that the Marquis of Antrim behaved ?«>^An-
u himfelf very undutifully towards him ■, and thattnm' "*"
" He had made himfelf very grateful to the Rebels,
" by calumniating the late King : And that He had
" given it under his Hand to Ireton, or forne other
" principal Perfon employed under Cromwell, that his
*' late Majefty had fent him into Ireland to join with
" the Rebels, and that bis Majefty -was not offended with
" the Irifh for entering into that Rebellion:" Winch
was a Calumny fo falfe and fo odious, and reflected
Vol. II. R fo
242 "The Continuation of the Life of
fo much upon the Honour of his Majefty, that the
King was refolved, as foon as God mould put it into
his Power, to caufe the ftricteft Examination to be
made concerning it ; the Report having gained much
Credit with his Majefty, by the Notoriety that the
Marquis had procured great Recommendations from
thofe who governed in Ireland, to thofe who governed
in England ; and that upon the Prefumption of that
He had come into England., and as far as St. Albans
towards London, from whence He had been forced
fuddenly to return into Ireland by the Activity of his
many Creditors, who upon the News of his Coming
had provided for his Reception, and would unavoidably
have call him into Prifon. And no Recommenda-
tion could have inclined thofe who were in Autho-
rity, to do any Thing extraordinary for the Protection
of a Per lbn, who from the Beginning of the lrijb
Rebellion lay under fo ill a Character with them,
and had fo ill a Name throughout the Kingdom.
The King had been very few Days in London,
after his Arrival from the Parts beyond the Seas,
when He was informed that the Marquis of Antrim
was upon his Way from Ireland towards the Court :
And the Commiilioners from Ireland, who have been
mentioned before, were the firft who gave his Ma-
jefty that Information, and at the fame Time told
him all that his Majefty had heard before concerning
the Marquis, and of the bold Calumnies with which
He had traduced his Royal Father, with many other
Particulars ; " all which," They affirmed, " would
" be proved by unqueftionable Evidence, and by
" Letters and Certificates under his own Hand."
Upon this full Information (of the Truth whereof
his Majefty entertained no Doubt), as foon as the
Marquis came to the Town, He was by the King's
fpecial Order committed to the Tower ; nor could
any Petition from him, or Intreaty of his Friends,
of which He had feme very powerful, prevail with
his Majefty to admit him into his Prefence. But by
the
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV. 243
the firft Opportunity He was fent Prifoner to Dublin,
where He was committed to the Cajlle ; the King
having given his Direction, that He fhould be pro-
ceeded againft with all Strictnefs according to Law :
And to that Purpofe, the Lords Juflices were re-
quired to give all Orders and Directions necefTary.
The Marquis ftill profeffed and avowed his Innocence,
and ufed all the Means He could to procure that He
might be fpeedily brought to his Trials which the King
likewife expected. But after a Year's Detention in
Prifon, and Nothing brought againft him, He was
fet at Liberty, and had a Pafs given him from the
Council there to go into England. He then applied
himfelf to his Majefty, demanding Nothing of Fa-
vour, but faid, " He expected Juftice ; and that after
" fo many Years being deprived of his Eftate, He
" might at laft be reftored to it, if Nothing could be
" objected againft him wherein He had difTerved his
« Majefty."
He was a Gentleman who had been bred up in the
Court of England, and having married the Dutchefs
of Buckingham (though againft the King's Will) He
had been afterwards very well received by Both their
Majefties, and was frequently in their Prefence. He
had fpent a very vaft Eftate in the Court, without
having ever received the leaft Benefit from it. He
had retired into Ireland, and lived upon his own Eftate
in that Country, fome Years before the Rebellion
brake out ; in the Beginning whereof He had under-
gone fome Sufpicion, having held fome Correfpon-
dence with the Rebels, and poflibly made fome Un-
dertakings to them : But He went fpeedily to Dublin,
was well received by the Juftices there, and from
thence tranfported himfelf with their Licenfe to Ox-
ford, where the King was ; , to whom He gave fo
good an Account of all that had paffed, that his Ma-
jefty made no Doubt of his Affection to his Service,
though He had very little Confidence in his Judg-
ment and Underftanding, which were never remark-
R 2 able.
244 The Continuation of the 'Life of
able. Befides that it was well known, that he had a
very unreafonableJEnvy towards the Marquis ofOrmond.,
and would fain have it believed that his Intere.ft in
Irehnd was fo -great, that He could reclaim that whole
Nation to his Majefty's Obedience ; but that Vanity
and Preemption never gained the leaft Credit with
his Majefty : Yet it may reasonably be believed that
He thought fo hi,mfelf, and that it was the Source
from which all the bitter Waters of his own Misfor-
tune iiTued.
Upon the Scnts fecond Entering into England with
their Army upon the Obligation of the Covenant, and
all his Majefty's Endeavours to prevent it 'being dif-
appointed, the Marquis of Mountrofe had propofed to
the King, "' to make a Journey .privately into Scot-
u land, and to get into the Highlands, where, with
u. his Majefty's Authority, He hoped He mould be
" able to draw together fuclr a 'Body cif Men, as
" might give his Countrymen Caufe to call for their
" own Army out of England, to fecure themfelves."
And with this Overture or upon Debate thereof, He
wimed " that the Earl of Antrim' (for He was then
no more) *' might be like wife fe'nt into Uljler^ where
" his Intereft lay, and from whence He wotildbe able
" to tranfport a Body of Men into the Highlands,
** where He had likewife the Clan of 'Macdonnels, who
" acknowledged him to be their Chief, and would be
" confcqucntly at his Devotion-, by which Means,
" the Marquis of Mountrofe would be enabled the
*' more powerfully to proceed in his Undertaking."
The Eari of Antrim entered upon this Undertaking
with great Alacrity, and undertook to the King to
perform great Matters in Scotland • to which his own
Intereft and Animofity enough difpofed him, having
an old and a fharp Controverfy and Conteftation with,
the Marquis of /Jrc?yk, who had difpoifefled him of a
large Territory there. All Things being adjufted for
this Undertaking, and his Majefty being, well pleafed
with the Earlv, Alacrity, 'He created him at that Time
a Mar-
Edward Earl of Clarendon,. &c. 245
a Marquis, gave hi m Letters to the Marquis of Or-
mond his Lieutenant thene, as well to fatisfy him of
the good Opinion He had of the Marquis of Antrim,
and of the Truft He had repofed in him* as to wifh
him to give him all the Ailifbnce He could with
Convenience,, for the carrying on the Expedition for
Scotland,
And for the better preventing of any Inconve-
nience, that might fall out by the Raflbnefs and In-
advertency of the Marquis of Antrim towards the
Lord Lieutenant, his Majefty fent Daniel 0 \ Neile ' of
his Bedchamber into Ireland with him, who had great
Power over him, and very much Credit with the
Marquis of Or mond \ and was a Man of that Dexte-
rity, and Addrels, that no Man could fo well prevent
the Inconveniences and Prejudice, which the natural •
Levity and Indifcretion of the other might tempt him
to, or more difpofe and incline the Lord Lieutenant
to take little Notice of thofe Vanities and Indifcre-
tions. And the King, who had no Defire that the
Marquis lfiould Hay long in Dublin, upon his Pro-
mife that He would ufe all poffible Expedition in
tranfporting himfelf into Scotland, gave him Leave to
hold that Correfpondence with the IriJJj Rebels (who
had the Command of all the Northern Parts, and
without whofe Connivance at lead, He could very
hardly be able to make his Levies and tranfport his
Men) as was neceffary to his Purpofes : Wirhin the
Limits of which, it is probable enough that He did
not contain himfelf: for the Education and Conver-
fation He had in the World, had not extirpated that
natural Craft in which that Nation excels, and by
which They only deceive themfelves ; and might fay
many Things, which He had not Authority or War-
rant to fay.
Upon his Coming to Dublin, the Lord Lientenant
gave him all the Countenance He could wifh, and
aififted him in all the Ways He could propofe, to
profecute his Delign •, but the Men were to be railed
R 2 in
246 The Continuation of the Life of
in or near the Rebels Quarters. And it cannot be
denied, but that the Levies He made, and fent over
into Scotland under the Command of Calkito, were
the Foundation of all thofe wonderful Acts, which
were performed afterwards by the Marquis of Moun^
\ trofe (They were fifteen hundred Men, very good,
and with very good Officers, all fo hardy, that nei-
ther the ill Fare nor the ill Lodging in the Highlands
gave them any Difcouragement), and gave the firft
Opportunity to the Marquis of Mountrofe of being in
the Head of an Army ; under which He drew to-
gether fuch of the Highlanders and others of his
Friends, who were willing to repair to him. But
upon any military Action, and Defeat given to the
Enemy, which happened as often as They encounter^
ed the Scots, the Highlanders went always home with
their Booty, and the Irijh only ftaid together with
their General. And from this Beginning the Mar-
quis of Mountrofe grew to that power, that after
many Battles won by him with notable Slaughter of
the Enemy, He marched vidorioufly with his Army
till He made himfelf Matter of Edinburgh, and re-
deemed out of the Prifon there the Earl of Crawford^
Lord Ogilby, and many other noble Perfons, who had
been taken and fent thither, with Refolution that
They mould all lofe their Heads. And the Marquis
of Mountrofe did always acknowledge, that the Rife
and Beginning of his good Succefs was due and to be
imputed to that Body of lrijh, which had in the Be-
ginning been fent over by the Marquis of Antrim -t
to whom the King had acknowledged the Service by
feveral Letters, all of his own Handwriting ; in which
were very gracious Expreflions of the Senfe his Ma-
jefty had of his great Services, and his Refolution to
reward him.
I t is true, that the Marquis of Antrim had not
gone over himfelf with his Men, as he had promifed
to do, but flayed in Ulfler under Pretence of raifmg
3 greater Body of Men, with which He would ad-
venture
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sJV. 247
venture his own Perfon ; but either out of Jealoufy or
Difpleafure againft the Marquis of Mountrofe, or hav-
ing in Truth no Mind to that Service of Scotland, He
profecuted not that Purpofe, but remained flill in
Ulfler, where all his own Eftate lay, and fo was in the
Rebels Quarters, and no Doubt was often in their
Councils i by which He gave great Advantages againfl
himfelf, and might in Strictnefs of Law have been as
feverely punifhed by the King, as the worfl of the
Rebels. At lad, in his moving from Place to Place
(for He was not in any Expedition with the Rebels)
He was taken Prifoner by the Scots, who intended to
have put him to Death for having fent Men into
Scotland; but He made his Efcape out of their Hands,
and tranfported himfelf into Flanders, and from thence
having AfTurance that the Prince (his Majefty that
now is) was then in the IVejl, He came with two
good Frigates into the Port of Falmouth, and offered
his Service to his Royal Highnefs ; and having in his
Frigates a Quantity of Arms and fome Ammunition,
which He had procured in Flanders for the Service of
Ireland, moft of the Arms and Ammunition were
employed, with his Confent, for the Supply of the
Troops and Garrifons in Cornwall : And the Prince
made Ufe of one of the Frigates to tranfport his
Perfon into Sally, and from thence to Jerfey ; with-
out which Convenience, his Highnefs had been ex-
pofed to great Difficulties, and could hardly have
efcaped the Hands of his Enemies. After all which,
when Dublin was given up to the Parliament, and the
King's Authority was withdrawn out of that Kingdom,
He again (not having wherewithal to live any where
elfe) tranfported himfelf into Ireland, made himfelf
gracious with the lrijh, and was by them fent into
France, to defire the Queen Mother and the Prince of
Wales " to fend the Marquis of Ormond to reafTume
" his Majefty's Government in that Kingdom ;"
which was done accordingly, in the Manner that is
mentioned elfewhere,
R 4 The
It be Continuation of the Life of
The Marquis of Antrim alledged all the Particulars,
and produced many original Letters from the late
King (befides thofe which are mentioned), the Queen
Mother, and the Prince, in all which his Services had
been acknowledged, and many Promifes made to him ;
and concluded with a full Proteftation, " that He de-
" fired no Pardon for any Thing that He had ever
" done againft the King ; and if there were the leaft
" Proof that He had failed in his Fidelity to him, or
" had not according to the beftof his Underftanding
" advanced his Service, He looked for no Favour.
" But if his being in the Irifb Quarters and confuhing
" with them, without which He could not have made
" his Levies for Scotland, nor tranfported them if He
" had levied them, and if his living amongft them af-
" terwards, when his Majefty's Authority was drawn
" from thence, and when He could live no where
" elfe, do by the Uriel Letter of the Law expofe him
44 to Ruin without his Majefty's Grace and Favour,
tC He did hope his Majefty would redeem him from
** that Mifery, and that the Forfeiture of his Eftate
" mould not be taken, as if He were a Traitor and
vc a Rebel to the King." And it appeared that if He
were reftored to all He could pretend to, or of which
He had ever been poffefled, his Debts were fo great,
and his Creditors had thofe legal Incumbrances upon
his Eftate, that his Condition at befl would not be
liable to much Envy.
Though the King had been never taken Notice of
to have any great Inclinations to the Marquis, who
was very little known to him ; yet this Reprefentation
and clear View of what He had done and what He
had fuffered, raifed great Companion towards him in
the Royal Breaft of his Majefty. And He thought it
would in fome Degree reflect upon his own Honour
and Juftice, and upon the Memory of his blefled
Father, if in a Time when He palled by fo many
Tranfgreflions very heinous, He mould leave the Mar-
quis expefed to the Fury of his Enemies (who were
only
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c, 249
only his Enemies becaufe They were pofTeffed of his
Eftate, and becaufe He defired to have his own from
them) for no other Crime upon the Matter, than for
not having that Prudence and that Providence in his
Endeavours to ferve the King, as He ought to have
had ; that is-, He ought to have been wifer. And the
Rigour exercifed towards him upon his firft Arrival, in
fending him to the Tower and afterwards into Ireland.
by thoie who enough wifhed his Deftruclion, and that
They had not been able to make the leaft Proof a-
gainft him, improved his Majefty's good Difpofition
towards him. Yet He refufed pofitively to write a
Letter to the Commiflioners on his Behalf; which the
Marquis mod importunately defired, as the only Thing
that could do him Good. But his Majefty directed a
Letter to be prepared to the Lord Lieutenant, in
which all his Allegations and Suggeftions mould be fet
down, and the Truth thereof examined by him.; and
that if He mould be found to have committed no
greater Faults againft the King, than thofe which He
confefled, then that Letter mould be fent to the Com-
miilioners, that They might fee Both their Majefties
Testimonies in fuch Particulars as were known to
themfelves. And this Letter was very warily drawn,
and being approved by his Majefty, was fent accor-
dingly to the Lord Lieutenant. And fhortly after a
Copy of it figned by the King (who conceived it only
to be a Duplicate, left the other fhouldmifcarry) was,
contrary to his Majefty's Kefolution, and contrary to
the Advice of the Chancellor and without his Know-
ledge, likewife fent to the Commiilioners ; who had
thereupon made fuch a Decree as is before mentioned,
and declared, " that They had made it only upon that
** Ground ; which gave his Majefty fome Trouble,"
and obliged him to infert aClaufe in the next Bill con-
cerning that Affair,
And this was the whole Proceeding that related to
the Marquis of Antrim : And it is yet very hard to
comprehend, wherein there was more Favour (hewed
towards
250 'fhe Continuation of the Life of
towards him by his Majefty, than He might in Truth
very reafonably pretend to, what Noife foever was
railed, and what Glofles foever made ; which pro-
ceeded only from the general Diflike of the Man,
who had much more Weaknefs than Wickednefs in
him, and was an Object rather of Pity than of Malice
or Envy.
When his Majefty entered upon the Debate of the
third Bill, which was tranfmitted to him for a Supple-
ment and Addition to the other two, He quickly found
the Settlement propofed, and which was the End of
the three Bills, was now grown more difficult than ever.
ihe Difficul- £\\\ the Meafures, which had formerly been taken from
!/"XJr»-'"tne great Proportion of Land which would remain to
ereafed. be difpofed of, were no more to be relied upon, but
appeared to have been a wrong Foundation from the
Beginning ; which was now made more defperate, by
the vaft Proportions which had been afligned to the
By ftmeim-lrijb by the Commiflioners Decrees : And fomewhat
52ft? naci intervened by fome Acts of Bounty from his Ma-
awitfy/BAfcjefty, which had not been carefully enough watched
King' and reprefented to him.
The King had, upon palling the former Bills, and
upon difcerning how much the Irifh were like to fuffer,
refolved to retain, all that mould by Forfeiture or
otherwife come to his Majefty, in his own Power ; to
the End, that when the Settlement mould be made,
He might be able to gratify thofe of the Irijb Nation,
who had any Thing of Merit towards him, or had
been leaft faulty. And if He had obferved that Re-
folution, very much of the Trouble He underwent af-
terwards had been prevented : For He would then,
befides that which Cromwell had referved to himfelf
(which was a vaft Tract of Ground), have had all
thole Forfeitures which the Regicides had been pof-
fefTed of, and other criminal Perfons; which amounted
to a huge Quantity of the beft Land. And though
the King had before defigned all thofe forfeited Lands
to his Brother the Duke, yet his Highnefs was fo
pleafed
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £s?r. 251
pleafed with the Refolution his Majefty had taken, to
retain them to that Purpofe, that He forbore to profe-
cute that Grant, till He heard of great Quantities of
Land every Day granted away by his Majefty to his
Servants and others ; whereby He faw the main End
would be difappointed. And then He refolved to be
no longer a Lofer for the Benefit of thofe, who had no
Pretence to what They gotj and fo proceeded in getr
ting that Grant from the King to himfelf of thole
Lands defigned to him.
The King had fwerved from that Rule, before it
was fcarce difcerned : And the Error of it may be fbis impn-
very juftly imputed to the Earl of Orrery, and to none^/IiT""
but him ; who believing that He could never be well£»w«/or-
enough at Court, except He had Courtiers of all Sortsrery-
obliged to him, who would therefore fpeak well of
him in all places and Companies (and thofe Arts of
his put the King to much Trouble and Lofs both in
England and Ireland), He commended to many offuch
Friends (though He had advifed the King to the for-
mer Refolution) many Suits of that Kind, and fent
Certificates to them, oftentimes under his own Hand,
of the Value thofe Suits might be to them if ob-
tained, and of the little Importance the granting of
them would be to his Majefty ; which, having been
fhewed to the King, difpofed him to thofe Conceili-
ons, which otherwife He would not fo eafily have
made. Then He directed them a Way (being then
one of the Lords Juftices) for the more immediate
paffing thofe Grants They could obtain, without
meeting thofe Obftructions which They had been
fubjecT: to ; for when any of thofe Grants had been
brought to the Great Seal of England, the Chancellor
always flopped them, and put his Majefty in Mind
of his former Refolution : But this new Way (in it-
felf lawful enough) kept him from knowing any of
thofe Tranfactions, which were made by Letters from iih fai
the King to the Lords Juftices ; and thereupon th^^/iX
Grants KnrwUgi.
252 The Continuation of the Life of
Grants were prepared there, and paffed under the
Great Seal of Ireland.
There was then likewife a new Claufe introduced
into thofe Grants, of a very new Nature ; for being
grounded always upon Letters out of England, and
paffed under the Seal of Ireland, the Letters were
prepared and formed there, and tranfmitted hither
only for his Majefty's Sign Manual : So that neither
the King's learned Council at Law, nor any other his
Minifters (the Secretaries only excepted), had any
Notice or the Perufal of any of thofe Grants. The
Aid with a* Qaufe was, " that if any of thofe Lands fo granted
/vS/wl" by his Majefty fhould be otherwife decreed, his Ma-
j'r/edintbe-it jefty's Grantee mould be reprifed with other
" Lands :" So that in many Cafes, the greater! In-
ducement to his Majefty's Bounty being the Incertainty
of his own Right, which the Per ion to whom it was
granted was obliged to vindicate at his own Charge,
the King was now bound to make it good, if his
Grant was not valid. And fo that which was but a
contingent Bounty, which commonly was the fole Ar-
gument for the palling it, was now turned into a real
and fubftantial Benefit, as a Debt ; which created another
Difficulty in the Settlement : Which was yet the more
hard, becaufe there were many Claims of the Iri/b
themfelves yet unheard, all the falfe Admeasurements
to be examined, and many other Uncertainties to be
determined by the Commiflioners ; which left thofe
who were in quiet PofTeflion, as well as thofe who were
out of it, in the higheft Infecurity and Apprehenfion.
This Intricacy and even Defpair, which pofleffed
all Kind of People, of any Settlement, made all of
them willing to contribute to any that could be pro-
poled. They found his Majefty very unwilling to
confent to the Repeal of the Decrees made by the
Com mi ilion ers ; Which muft have taken away the
Confidence and AfTurance of whatfoever was to be
done hereafter, by making Men fee, that what was
fettled
Edward Earl vf Clarendon, £s?r. 2c
fettled by one Act of Parliament might immediately
be unfettled by another : So that there was no Hope
by that Expedient to increafe the Number of Acres,
which being left might in any Degree comply with
the feveral Pretences. The MJb found, That They
might only be able to obftrud any Settlement, but
fhould never be able to get fuch a one as would
turn to their own Satisfaction. The Soldiers and
Adventurers agreed lefs amongfl themfelves : And the
Clamour Was as great againil thofe, who by falfe
Admeafurements had gotten more than they fhould
have, as from thofe who had received lefs than was
their Due -, and they who had leaft feared any new Ex-
amination could not yet have any fecure Title, before
-all the reft were fettled. In a Word, all Men found
that any Settlement would be better than none 5 and
that more Profit would arife from a fmaller Propor-
tion of Land quietly poffeffed and hufbanded accor-
dingly, than from a much greater .Proportion under
a doubtful Title and an Incertainty, which croft dif-
hearten any Induftry and Improvement.
Upon thefe Confiderations and Motives, They
met amongft themfelves, and debated together by
what Expedient They might draw Light out of this
Darknefs. There appeared only one Way which ad-
miniftered any reafonable Hope -, which was, by in-
-ereafmg the Stock for Reprifals to fuch a Degree,
that -all Mens Pretences might in fome Meafure be
.provided for : And there was no. other Way to arrive
■to this, but by every Man's parting with fomewhat
'which He thought to be his own. And to this They
had one Encouragement, that was of the higheft Pre-
valence with them, which was, that this Way an End
would be put to the illimited Jurifdi&ion of the Com-
millioners (which was very terrible to all of them),
who from henceforth could have little other Power,
than to execute what iriould here be agreed upon.
In Oopcluiion, They brought a Proportion to the
King, raked and d-igefted between themfelves, ." that
" all'
254 The Continuation of the Life of
P' fJ^tlaff1* a" ^er^ons' wh° were t0 receive any Benefit by this
agree •upm an^ Act, fhould abate and give a fourth Part of what
for^feuie- " They hac*> towards the Stock for Reprifals 3 all
went. " which the Commiflloners fhould diftribute amongft
" thofe Iri/b, who fhould appear moft fit for his Ma-
" jetty's Eounty." And this Agreement was fo una-
nimous, that though it met with fome obftinate Op-
pofition after it was brought before the King, yet the
Number of the Oppofers was fo fmall in Refpect of
the others who agreed to it, that They grew weary
Hereupon the ancj afhamed of farther Contention. And thereupon
:b" Third" that Third Act of Settlement, as fupplemental to the
AaofSet- other two, was confented to by the King; who, topub-
lifh to the World that Nothing ftuck. with him which
feemed to reflect upon the Commiflioners, refolved
to make no Change : And fo though two of them,
who had Offices here to difcharge, prevailed with his
Majefty that They might not return again into Ire-
land; the other five v/ere continued, to execute what
was more to be done by this Act, and fo to perfect
the Settlement. And no Doubt it will be here faid,
that this Expedient might have been fooner found,
and fo prevented many of thofe Diforders and Incon-
veniences which intervened. But They who knew
that Time, and the Perverfenefs and Obftinacy that
poffeffed all Pretenders, muft confefs that the Seafon
was never ripe before : Nor could their Confent and
Agreement, upon which this Act was founded, ever
be obtained before.
These were all the Tranfactions which paffed with
Reference to Ireland, whilft the Chancellor remained
at that Board ; in which He acted no more than any
other of the Lords who were prefent did : Except
when any Difficulties occurred in their private Meet-
ings and Debates, They fometimes reforted to him
for Advice, which He was ready to give ; being
always willing to take any Pains, which might make
that very difficult Work more eafy to be brought to
a good End. But as He never thought He deferved
any
Edward Earl of Clarendon, fj?c. 255
any Reward for fo doing, fo He never expected the
Benefit of one Shilling in Money or in Money's
Worth, for any Thing He ever did in that Affair ;
and was fo far from entertaining any Overture to that
Purpofe, that it is notorioufly known to many Perfons
of Honour, who I prefume will be ready to teftify
the fame, that when, upon his Majefty's firfl Return
into England, fome Propofitions were made to him of
receiving the Grant of fome forfeited Lands, and for
the buying other Lands there upon the Defire of the
Owners thereof, and at fo low a Price that the very
Profit of the Land would in a fhort Time have paid
for the Purchafe, and other Overtures of immediate
Benefit in Money (which others did and lawfully
might accept) ; He rejected all Propofitions of that
Kind or relating to it, and declared publickly and
privately, " that He would neither have Lands in
" Ireland nor the lead Benefit from thence, till all
" Differences and Pretences in that Kingdom mould
" be fo fully fettled and agreed, that there could be
" no more Appeal to the King, or repairing to the
" King's Council for Juftice ; in which," He faid,
" He mould never be thought fo competent an Ad-
" vifer, if He had any Title of his own in that King-
" dom to bias his Inclinations." And He was often
heard to fay, " that He never took a firmer Refolu-
" tion in any Particular in his Life, than to adhere
" to that Conclufion." Yet becaufe it was notorious^ Vmiha-
afterwards, that He did receive fome Money out^j^J-J*
of Ireland, and had a lawful Title to receive more with Regard
(with which He was reproached when He could not^jfJyIJ,1,h
anfwer for himfelf ) ; it may not be amifs in this Place,
for his Vindication, to fet down particularly how that
came to pafs, and to mention all the Circum-
ftances which preceded, accompanied or attended,
that Affair.
In the Bills which were firfl: tranfmitted from Ire-
land after his Majefty's happy Return, there was an
Impofition of a certain Sum of Money upon fome
fpecifled
2.56 The Continuation of the Life of
fpecified Lands in feveral Provinces, " which was to
" be paid to his Majefty within a limited Time, and
" to be difpofed of by bis Majefty to.fuch Peribns who
*4 had ferved him faithfully, and differed in fo doing,"
or Words to that Effect i for He often protefted that
He never faw the Act of Parliament, and was moil
confident that He never heard of it at the Time when
it pafTed, He being often abfent from the Council,
by Reafon of the Gout or other Accidents, when fuch
Matters were tranfa&ed. But two Years after the
King's Return or thereabout, He received a Letter
from the Earl of Orrery, " that there Would be in his
u Hands, and in the Earl af Anglefeys and the Lord
11 MaJJareris" (who it feenns were appointed Tr earn rers
to receive the Money to be raifed by that Act of Par-
liament,) " a good Sura of Money for him>i which
" He gave him Notice of, to the End that He might
* »■
For it was now the eighth of July. His Majefty told
them, " that it was to put himfelf in Mind as well, as.
u them, that He fo often, as often as He came to them,
" mentioned to them his Declaration from Breda.,r
And He faid, " He mould put them in Mind of
44 another Declaration publifhed by themfelves about
S 3 " thai- f
ft 62 The Continuation of the Life of
" that Time, and which He was perfuaded made his
" the more effectual, an honed, generous and Chriflian
" Declaration, figned by the moft eminent Perfons,
" who had been the moft eminent Sufferers ; in which
" They renounced all former Animofities, all Me-
" mory of former UnkindnefTes, vowed all imagina-
" ble Good-Will and all Confidence in each other.'*
AH which being preffed with fb much Inftance by his
whrtup™ Majefty prevailed with them : And They then forth-
ihcy «n/mwith difpatched that Bill ; and the King as foon con-
firmed it, and would not ft ay a few Days, till other
important Bills fhould be like wife ready to be prefent-
ed to him.
And there cannot be a greater Inftance of their De-
fire to pleafe his Majefty from thenceforth, than that
before that Seffion was concluded, notwithftanding the
Prejudice the Clergy had brought upon themfelves (as
I faid before) upon their too much good Husbandry in
granting Leafes, and though the Prelbyterian Party
was not without an Intereft in Both Houfes of Parlia-
ment ; They parTed a Bill for the Repeal of that Act
of Parliament, by which the Bifhops were excluded
from fitting there. It was firft propofed in the Houfe
of Commons by a Gentleman, who had been always
*75,?S"'ta'cen t0 ke °^ a Pre^yterJan Family : And in that
for rearing Houfe it found lefs Oppofition than was looked for \
fbaTsJat, a^ ^en knowing, that befides the Juftice of it, and
iu Parlia* the Prudence to wipe out the Memory of fo infamous
an Act, as the Exclufion of them with all the Cir-
cumftances was known to be, it would be grateful to
the King.
But when it came into the Houfe of Peers, where
all Men expected it would find a general Concurrence,
it met with fome Obftruction ; which made a Difco-
very of an Intrigue, that had not been fufpected.
For though there were many Lords prefent, who
had induftrioufly laboured the pafling the former
Bill for the Exclufion, yet They had likewife been
guilty of fo many other ill Things, of which They
were
tient.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. 263
were aihamed, that it was believed that They would
not willingly revive the Memory of the Whole, by
preievering in fuch an odious Particular. Nor in
Truth did They. But when They faw that it would
unavoidably pafs (for the Number of that Party was
not confiderable), They either gave their Contents,
as many of them did, or gave their Negative without
Noife. The Obftruction came not from thence. The
Catholicks lefs owned the Contradiction, nor were guilty
of it, though They fuffered in it. But the Truth ts,tri>icih*t~
it proceeded from the mercurial Brain of the Earl off^ff^*/
Bri/lol, who much affected to be looked upon as the^* b {i*
Head of the Catholicks ± which They did fo little de- a°[ *
lire that He ihould be thought, that They very rarely
concurred with him. He well knew that the King de-
fired (which his Majefty never diffembled) to give the
Roman Catholicks Eafe from all the fanguinary Laws j
and that He did not defire that They ffaould be liable
to the other Penalties which the Law had made them
fubject to, whilfl They mould in all other Refpects
behave themfelves like good Subjects. Nor had They
fmce his Majefty's Return fuflained the leaft Prejudice
by their Religion, but enjoyed as much Liberty at
Court and in the Country, as any other Men ; and
with which the wifeft of them were adundantly fatis-
fied, and did abhor the Activity of thofe of their own
Party, whom They did believe more like to deprive
them of the Liberty They enjoyed, than to enlarge it
to them.
When the Earl of Br'ijlol faw this Bill brought
into the Houfe for reftoring theBifhops to their Seats,
He went to the King, and informed his Majefty,
" that if this Bill mould fpeedily pafs, it would ab-
" folutely deprive the Catholicks of all thofe Graces
" and Indulgence which He intended to them ; for
" that the Biihops, whenr They fhould fit in the
" Houfe, whatever their own Opinions or Inclinations
" were, would find themfelves obliged, that They#
" might preferve their Reputation with the people,
84, " te>
264 The Continuation of the Life of
" to contradict and oppofe whatfoever mould look
" like Favour or Connivance towards the Catholicks :
" And therefore, if his Majefty continued his former
" gracious Inclination towards the Roman Catholicksy
" He muft put fome Stop (even for the Eifhops own
7 tnent meets
thirtieth or July, met again upon the twentieth or jyo-again.
vember, with the fame Zeal and Affection to advance
the King's Service. And the King himfelf came to
them upon the fame Day They met, and told them,
" that He knew that Vifit was not of Courfe ; yet if^Zf J**^
" there were no more in it, it would not be ftr^nge,^" '
" that He came to fee what He and They had lb long
*» defired to fee, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal^
" and the Commons of England, met together to
" confult for the Peace and Safety of the Church and
" State, by which Parliaments were reftored to their
" primitive Luftre and Integrity :" His Majefty faid,
" He did heartily congratulate with them for that
" Day." But He told them withal, " that He came
" thither upon another Occafion ; which was to fay
" fbmewhat to them on his own Behalf, to afk fome-
" what of them for himfelf, which was more than
** He had done of them, or of thofe who met before
" them, fince his Coming into England. Nor did He
" think, that what He had to fay to them did alone,
" or did mod concern himfelf: If the uneafy Con-
dition He was in, if the Streights and Neceilities
He was to flruggle with, did not manifeftly re-
late to the publick Peace and Safety, more than
to his own Particular, otherwife than as He was
concerned in the Publick, He would not give them
that Trouble that Day ■, He could bear his Necef-
fities which merely related to himfelf, with Patience
enough."
He told them, " that He did not importune therh
to make more Hafte in the fettling the conftant
Revenue of the Crown, than was agreeable to the
7 o
Method They had propofed to themfelves, nor to
confider the infupportable Weight that lay upon it,
the Obligations it lay under to provide for the In-
tereft, Honour and Security of the Nation, in ano-
Vol. II. T ** ther
%i
274 Th* Continuation of the Life of
u ther Proportion than in any former Times it had
" been obliged to : His Majefty well knew, that They
" had very affectionately and worthily taken all that
** into their Thoughts, and would proceed in it with
lt Expedition : But that He came to put them in Mind
tc of the crying Debts which did every Day call upon
** him, of fome necelTary Provifions, which were to
4t be made without Delay for the very Safety of the
li Kingdom, of the great Sum of Money that mould
u be ready to difcharge the feveral Fleets when they
" came Home, and for the neceffary Preparations
*' that were to be made for the fetting out new Fleets
" to Sea againfl the next Spring. Thefe were the
u prelling Occafions which He was forced to recom-
" mend to them with all poifible Eameflnefs, and He
" did conjure them to provide for as fpeedily as was
" poffible, and in fuch a Manner as might give them
iC Security at Home, and fome Reputation abroad."
His Majeily faid, " that He made this Difcourfe to
'* them with fome Confidence, becaufe He was very
'* willing and defirous that They fhould thoroughly
" examine, whether thofe Neceffities which He men-
" tioned were real or imaginary, or whether they were
" fallen upon him by his own Fault, his own ill Ma-
" nagery, or Exceffes, and provide for them accor-
" dingly. He was very willing that They fhould
" make a fulllnfpeclion into his Revenue, as well the
w Dimurfements as Receipts; and if They iliould find
" that it had been ill managed by any Corruptions in
" the Officers He traded, or by his own Unthriftinefs,
** He fhould take the Advice and Information They
" mould give him very kindly.
He told them, •» that He was very forry that the
u general Temper and Affections of the Nation were
" not fo well compofed, as He hoped they would have
" been, after fo fignal Bleffings from God Almighty
" upon them all, and after fo great Indulgence and
" Condefceniions from him towards all Interefls. But
" that there were many wicked Inftruments ftill as
M adive
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 2*]%
tc active as ever, who laboured Night and Day to
" difturb the publick Peace, and to make all People
" jealous of e#ch other : It would be worthy their
" Care and Vigilance to provide proper Remedies for
" the Difeafes of that Kind j and if They fhould find
" new Difeafes, They muft ftudy new Remedies. For
" thofe Difficulties which concerned Matters in Reli-
*' gion," his Majefty confeffed to them, " that They
" were too hard for him ; and therefore He did re*-
" commend them to their Care and Difcretion, which
" could beft provide for them."
The two Houfes were abundantly pleafed with all
that his Majefty had faid to them, and immediately
betook them to the Consideration of thofe Particulars,
which He had principally recommended to them.
And though for the prefent They looked upon that
Claufe of his Majefty's Speech, wherein He referred
to them to make an Infpeclion into his Revenue and
his Expences, but as a generous and princely Con-
defcenfion, which would not become them to make
Ufe of (nor indeed had They at that Time the leafl
Prejudice to or Jealoufy of any, who were of the
neareft Truft about his Majefty) ; yet four Years
after, when the Expences had grown to be much
greater, and it may be all Difburfements not fo war-
rantable, and when the Factions in Court and Parlia-
ment were at a great Height, and Men made Ufe of
publick Pretences to fatisfy their private Animofitiea
and Malice, They made Ufe of that frank Offer of
his Majefty, to entitle themfelves to make Inquifition
into publick and private Receipts and Dilburlements*
in a very extraordinary Manner never practifed be-
fore.
Let no Mart wonder, that within fo little Time asr^? tenfih
a Year and a Half or very little more after the King's ^^%kt
Return, that is, from May to November in the nextw* f»
Year, and after fo great Sums of Money raifed byireat-
Acts of Parliament upon the People, his Majefty's
Debts could be fo crying and importunate, as to
T 2 diflurb
276 Tl>s Continuation of the Life of
difturb him to that Degree as He exprefled. It was
never enough understood, that in all that Time He
never received from the Parliament more than the
feventy thoufand Pounds towards his Coronation ;
nor were the Debts which were now fo grievous to
him contracted by himfelf (though it cannot be fup-
pofed but that He had contracted Debts himfelf in
that Time) : All the Money that had been given and
raifed had been applied to the Payment of the Land
and Sea Forces, and had done neither. Parliaments
do feldom make their Computations right, but reckon
what They give to be much more than is ever re-
ceived, and what They are to pay to be as much
lefs than in Truth They owe ; fo that when all the
Money that was collected was paid, there remained (till
very much due to the Soldiers, and much more to
the Seamen : And the Clamour from Both reached
the King's Ears, as if They had been levied by his
Warrant and for his Service. And his Majefty un-
derftood too well, by the Experience of the ill Hus-
bandry of the lait Year, when both the Army and
the Ships were ib long continued in Pay, for Want of
Money to difband and pay them off, what the
Trouble and Charge would be, if the feveral Fleets
fhould return before Money was provided to difcharge
the Seamen ; and for that the Clamour would be only
upon him.
But there was an Expence that He had been en-
gaged in from the Time of his Return, and by which
He had contracted a great Debt, of which very few
Men could take Notice ; nor could the King think
fit to difcover it, till He had firft provided againft
the Mifchief which might have attended the Difco-
very. It will hardly be believed, that in fo warlike
an Age, and when the Armies and Fleets of England
had made more Ncitc in the World for twenty Years,
had fought more Battles at Land and Sea, than all
the World had done befides, or any one People had
done in any Age before •> and when at his Majefly's
Return
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 277
Return there remained a hundred Ships at Sea, and
an Army of near threefcore thoufand Men at Land -,
there mould not be in the 'Tower of London, and in
all the Stores belonging to the Crown, Fire-Arms
enough, nor indeed of any other Kind, to arm three
thoufand Men ; nor Powder and naval Provifions
enough to fet out five Ships of War.
From the Death of Q-omwell, no Care had been
taken for Supplies of any of the Stores. And the
Changes which enfued in the Government, and put-
ting out and in new Officers ; the Expeditions of Lam-
bert againft Sir George Booth, and afterwards into the
Norths and other Preparations for thofe Factions and
Parties which fueceeded each other; and the conti-
nual Opportunities which the Officers had for Embez-
zlement ; and laftly, the fetting out that Fleet which
was fent to attend upon the King for his Return ; had
fo totally drained the Stores of all Kinds, that the
Magazines were no better replenished than is menti-
oned before : Which as foon as his Majefly knew, as
He could not be long ignorant of it, the firft Care
He took was to conceal it, that it might not be
known abroad or at Home, in how ill a Poflure He
was to defend himfelf againft an Enemy. And then
He committed the Care of that Province to a noble
Perfon, whom He knew He could not truft too
much, and made Sir William Compton Mafter of the
Ordnance, and made all the Shifts He could devife
for Monies, that the Work might be begun. And
hereby infenfibly He had contracted a great Debt ■:
And thefe were Part of the crying Debts, and the
neceflary Provifions which were to be made without
Delay for the very Safety of the Kingdom, which He
told the Parliament. And in this He had laboured
fo effectually, that at the Time when the firft Dutch
War was entered into, ail the Stores were more
completely fupplied and provided for, and the Ships
and all naval Provisions in greater Strength and
plenty, than they had ever been in the Reign of
T 3. any
% f -y gained by the
\ hough, (jod be thanked, not yet with the fame Sue- Condons
cefs. And there is great Reafon to believe, that theKm"!J o o at White-
cully, m a Style that feemed to have more of Expoftu- hail.
lation
2 84 The Continuation of the Life of
lation and Reprehenfion than They had been acctif-
tomed to.
??£? He faid> " He rPake his Heart t0 fhem when
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 289
" no Churches : For that it was well known the
** Church of England did not allow Reordination, as
*' the ancient Church never admitted it; infomuch as
'* if any Prieft of the Church of Rome renounces the
*' Communion thereof, his Ordination is not queftion-
" ed, but He is as capable of any Preferment in this
" Church, as if He had been ordained in it. And
" therefore the not admitting the Minifters of other
** Proteftants to have the fame Privilege, can proceed
41 from no other Ground, than that They looked not
44 upon them as Minifters, having no Ordination ;
44 which is a Judgment the Church of England had
" not ever owned ; and that it would be very im-
44 prudent to do it now."
To this it was anfwered, " that the Church of
" England judged none but her own Children, nor
" did determine that other Proteftant Churches were
44 without Ordination. It is a Thing without her
44 Cognizance : And moft of the learned Men of
M thofe Churches had made Neceflity the chief Pillar
*6 to fupport that Ordination of theirs. That Ne-
" ceflity cannot be pleaded here, where Ordination
" is given according to the unquestionable Practice of
" the Church of Chrift : If They who pretend foreign
" Ordination are his Majefty's Subjects, They have
" no Excufe of Neceffity, for they might in all Times
c a-u.je ;/prelent St took not up fo much Time, and in Truth
CwafcRt* was littJe taken Notice of : That is, a Form of Sub-
fcription that every Man was. to- make, who had re-
ceived, or before He received, any Benefice or Pre-
ferment in the Church ; which comprehended all the
Governoun?, Supenoiirs an-d Fellows, in all the Col-
leges and -Halls of either Univerhty, and all School-
roafters and the like, who are fubfervient towards
Learning. Every fuch Perfon was to declare " his
" unfeigned AlTent and Content to all and every
"• Thing contained and prefcribed in and by the Book,
44 entitled The Hook of Common Prayer, &c." The
Sublcrrption was generally thought fo reasonable,
that it fcarce met with any Oppofition in either
Houfe. But when it came abroad, and was to be
fubmitted to, all the diflenting Brethren cried out,
u that it was a Snare to catch them, to fay that which
"■ could not confift with their Conferences. They
Hook great Pains to diftinguim and to make great
Difference between Affent and Coxfent : " They could
u be content to read the Book in the Manner They
**■ were obliged to do, which ihewed their Confent ^
** but declaring their unfeigned AlTent to every Thing
" con-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 291
u contained and prefcribed therein would imply, that
u They were fo fully convinced in their Judgments,
" as to think that it was fo perfect, that Nothing
•' therein could be amended, which for their Part
" They thought there might. That there were many
" Expreflions in the Rubrick, which They were not
" bound to read ; yet by this Aflent They declared
" their Approbation thereof." But after many tedious
Difcourfes of this tyrannical Impofition, They grew
by Degrees afhamed of it ; and were perfuaded to
think, that Ajjent and Confent had fo near the fame
Signification, that They could hardly > confent to do
what They did not affent to: So that the chiefeft
amongft them, to avoid a very little Inconvenience,
fubfcribed the fame.
But there was fhortly after another Claiife added, rh But
that gave them Trouble indeed. When the Bill had J^ *>'**
paffed the Lords Houfe, it was fent of Courfe to the
Commons ; where though all the Factions in Reli-
gion had too many Friends, for the moft contrary
and oppofite one to another always were united and
reconciled againft the Church, yet They who were
zealous for the Government, and who hated all the
other Factions at lead enough, were very much fu-
periour in Number and in Reputation. And the Bill
was no fooner read there, than every Man according
to his Paflion thought of adding fomewhat to it, that
might make it more grievous to Somebody whom
He did not love ; which made the Difcourfes tedious
and vehement and full of Animofity. And at lalt^/Ww^a
They agreed upon a Claufe, which contained another^ J? tht
Subfcription and Declaration, which every Man wasc«iw»?w.
to make before He could be admitted into any Bene-
fice or Ecclefiaftical Promotion, or to be a Governour
or Fellow in either of the Univerfities. He mull fir ft
declare, tl that it is not lawful, upon any Pretence
" whatfoever, to take Arms againft the King ; and
" that He doth abhor that traiterous Pofition of taking
*' Arms by his Authority againft his Per fon, or againft
U 2 *4 thole
2 9 2 The Continuation of the Life of
11 thofe that are commiilioned by him : and that He
*' will conform to the Liturgy of the Church of Eng-
*' land, as it is now by Law eftablifhed." And He
doth declare, " that He doth hold there lies no Ob-
" ligation upon him, or on any other Perfon, from
" the Oath commonly called The folemn League and
" Covenant, to endeavour any Change or Alteration
" of Government, either in Church or State -, and
" that the fame was in itfelf an unlawful Oath, and
" impofed upon the Subjects of this Realm, againft
" the known Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom j"
with fome other Claufes, which need not be mentioned
yK-BiFirc becaufe they were afterwards left out. And with this
*Vf/" '*' Addition, and fome other Alterations, They returned
the Bill again to the Lords for their Approbation.
The framing and forming this Claufe had taken
up very much Time, and raifed no lefs Pallion in the
Houfe of Commons : and now it came among the
Lord's, it was not lefs troublefome. It added to the
Difpkafare and Jealoufy againft the Bifhops, by whom
it was thought to be prepared, and commended to
their Party in the lower Houfe. Many Lords, who
had taken the Covenant, were not fo much concerned
that the Clergy (for whom only this Act was prepared)
mould be obliged to make this Declaration j but ap-
prehended more, that when fuch a Claufe mould. b$
once palled in one Aft of Parliament, it could not
after be difputed, and fo would be inferted into all
other Acl:s which related to the Function of any other
Offices, and fo Would in a fhort Time be required of
themfelves. And therefore They oppofed it warmly
DsiaMnttn" as a Thing unneceffary, and which would widen
th*tnn™d Ci *^e &reach> inftead of clofing up the Wounds that
iytbtCm. " had been made* which the King had made it his
mu. te Eufinefs to do^ and the Parliament had hitherto
tc concurred with his Majcfty in that Endeavour.
tl That many Men would believe or fear (which in
" fuch a Cafe is the fame), that this Claufe might
" prove a Breach of the Aft of Indemnity, which had
" not
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £5V. 291
" not only provided againfl Indictments and Suits at
Ct Law and Penalties, but againfl Reproaches for
" what was paft, which this Claufe would be under-
u flood to give new Life to. For what concerned the
" Conformity to the Liturgy of the Church as it is
" now eftablifhed, it is provided for as fully in the
" former Subfcription in this Act, and therefore is
" impertinent in this Place. That the Covenant con-
" tained many good Things in it, as defending the
" King's Perfon, and maintaining the Proteftant Re-
" ligion : And therefore to fay that there lies no Ob-
" ligation from it, would never be for the Service of
*' the King or the Interefl of the Church ; efpecially
" fince it was well known, that it had wrought upon
" the Confcience of many to ferve the King in the late
" Revolution, from which his Majefly had received
" great Advantage. However it was now dead, all
" Men were abfolved from taking it, nor could it be
Cl impofed or offered to any Man without Punifhrnent ;
" and They, who had in the ill Times been forced to
Ci take it, did now inviolably and chearfully perform
c' all the Duties of Allegiance and Fidelity to his
" Majefty. If it had at any Time produced any
" Good, that was an Excufe for the Irregularity cf
" it : It could do no Mifchief for the future ; and
" therefore that it was Time to bury it in Obli-
" vion."
Many Men believed, that though They infilled
principally on that Part which related to the Covenant,
They were in Truth more afflicted with the firft
Part ; in which it was declared, ** that it was not
" lawful, upon any Pretence whatfoever, to take Arms
f* againft the King ; and that He doth abhor that
" traiterous Pofition of taking Arms by his Autho-
" rity againfl his Perfon ;" Which Conclufions had
been the Principles which fupported their Rebellk n»
and by which They had impofed upon the People,
and got their Concurrence. They durll not oppofe
this, becaufe the Parliament had already by a former
U 3 A't Dt"\JL ingenuity, and without any Shadow of Right ; for
*»<»• his Majefty had thereby referred the whole Settlement
of all Things relating to Religion, to the Wifdom of
Parliament ; and declared, " in the mean Time that
" Nobody fhould be punifhed or queftioned, for con-
'* tinuing the Exercife of his Religion in the Way He
" had been accuftomed to in the late Confufions."
And his Majefty had continued this Indulgence by his
Decla-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV, 297
Declaration after his Return, and thereby fully com-
plied with his Fromife from Breda •, which He fhould
indeed have violated, if He had now refufed to con-
cur in the Settlement the Parliament had agreed upon,
being in Truth no lefs obliged to concur with the
Parliament in the Settlement that the Parliament
mould propofe to him, than He was not to caufe any
Man to be punifhed for not obeying the former Laws,
till a new Settlement mould be made. But how evi-
dent foever this Truth is, They would not acknow-
ledge it ; but armed their Profelytes with confident
Aflertions, and unnatural Interpretations of the Words
in the King's Declaration, as if the King were bound
to grant Liberty of Confcience, whatever the Parlia-
ment fhould or mould not defire, that is, to leave all
Men to live according to their own Humours and Ap-
petites, let what Laws foever be made to the contrary.
They declared " that They could not with a good
" Confcience either fubfcribe the one or the other De-
" claration : They could not fay that They did affent
*' or confent in the firft, nor declare in the fecond that
u there remained no Obligation from the Covenant;
" and therefore that They v/ere all refolved to quit
" their Livings, and to depend upon Providence for
" their Subfiftence."
There cannot be a better Evidence of the general The as /»
Affection of the Kingdom, than that this Act of Par-«£T^wtf
liament had fo concurrent an Approbation of the
two Houfes of Parliament, after a Suppreflion of that
Form of Devotion for near twenty Years, and the
higheft Difcountenance and Opprellion of all thofe
who were known to be devoted or affected to it.
And from the Time of the King's Return, when it
was lawful to ufe it though it was not enjoined, Per-
fons of all Conditions flocked to thofe Churches where
it was ufed. And it was by very many fober Men be-
lieved, that if the Prejbyterians and the other Factions
in Religion had been only permitted to exercife their
own Ways, without any Countenance from the Court y
the
ig$ The Continuation of the Life of
the Heart of all the Factions againft the Church would
have been broken, before the Parliament did fo fully
declare itfelf.
Reflenimsin And there cannot be a greater Manifestation of the
^y^'Diftemper and Licenfe of the Time, than the Pre-
Frefiyttrtam fumption of thofe Prefbyterian Minifters, in the op-
Mmjiers. ^m„ anc] contradicting an Ad of Parliament ; when
there was fcarce a Man in that Number, who had
not been fo great a Promoter of the Rebellion, or
contributed fo much to ir, that They had no other
Title to their Lives but by the King's Mercy ; and there
were very few amongft them, who had not come into
the PofTeilion of the Churches They now held, by
the Expulfion of the Orthodox Minifters who were
lav/fully poflefled of them, and who being by their
Imprifonment, Poverty, and other Kinds of Oppreffion
and Contempt during fo many Years, departed this
Life, the Ufurpers remained undifturbed in their Liv-
ings, and thought it now the higher! Tyranny to be
removed from them, though for offending the Law,
and Difobedience to the Government. That thofe
Men fhould give themfelves an Act of Oblivion of all
their Tranfgrellions and Wickednefs, and take upon
them again to pretend a Liberty of Confcience againll
the Government, which They had once overthrown
upon their Pretences ; was fuch an Impudence, as
could not have fallen into the Hearts even of thofe
Men from the Stock of their own Malice, without
fome great Defect in the Government, and Encourage-
ment or Countenance from the higheft Powers. The
King's too gracious Difpofition and Eafinefs of Accefs,
as hath been faid before, had from the Beginning
raifed their Hopes and difpelled their Fears ; whilft
his Majefty promifed himfelf a great Harveft in their
Converfion, by his Gentlenefs and Affability. And
They infmuated themfelves by a ProfefTion, " that
" it was more the Regard of his Service, than any
" Obftinacy in themfelves, which kept them from
" Conformity to what the Law had enjoined ; tha,t
« They
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c 299
*4 They might ftill preferve their Credit with their
44 Parifhioners, and by Degrees bring them to a perfect
44 Obedience :" Whereas indeed all the Corruption
was in the Clergy j and where a prudent and Ortho-
dox Man was in the Pulpit, the People very willingly
heard the Common Prayer.
Nor did this Confidence leave them, after the ^-rhey bavett*
fing and publishing this Acl of Uniformity : But the 'tZ'is^
London Minifters, who had the Government of thofe
in the Country, prevailed with the General (who
without any violent Inclinations of his own was al-
ways ready for his Wife's Sake) to bring them to the
King, who always received them with too much Cle-
mency, and difmilfed them with too much Hope.
They lamented " the Sadnefs of their Condition,
" which (after having done fo much Service to his
" Majefty, and been fo gracioufly promifed by him
44 his Protection) mult now be expo fed to all Mifery
" and Famine." They told him " what a vaft
44 Number of Churches," (five Times more than was
true) 44 would become void by this Acl:, which would
" not prove for his Service •, and that They much
*' feared, the People would not continue as quiet and
*' peaceable as They had been under their Over-
" light." They ufed all the Arguments They thought
might work upon him : And He feemed to be the
more moved, becaufe He knew that it was not in his
Power to help them. He told them, " He had great
44 Compaffion for them -t and was heartily forry that
44 the Parliament had been fo fevere towards them
44 which He would remit, if it were in his Power ;
44 and therefore that They mould advife with their
44 Friends, and that if They found that it would be
44 in his Power to give them any Eafe, They mould
44 find him inclined to gratify them in whatfoever
44 They defired :" Which gracious Expreflions raifed
their Spirits as high as ever ; and They reported to
their Friends much more than in Truth the King had
laid to them (which was no new Artifice with them),
and
300 The Continuation of the Life of
and advifed their Friends in all Parts " to be firm to
" their Principles," and allured them, " that the Ri-
'* gour of the Act of Parliament mould not be preffed
** againft: them.
It cannot be denied, that the King was too irrefo-
lute, and apt to be fhaken in thofe Counfels which
with the greatest. Deliberation He had concluded, by
too eafily permitting or at lead not reftraining any
Men who waited upon him, or were prefent with him
in his ReceflTes, to examine and cenfure what was re-
folved ; an Infirmity that brought him many Trou-
bles, and expofed his Minifters to Ruin : Though in
his Nature, Judgment and Inclinations He did deteft
the Prejbyterians ; and by the Experience He had of
their Faculties, Pride and Infolence in Scotland, had
brought from thence fuch an Abhorrence of them,
that for their Sakes He thought better of any of the
other Factions. Nor had He any Kindnefs for any
Perfon whom He fufpe&ed to adhere to them : For
the Lord Lautherdak took all Pains to be thought no
Prejbyterian ; and pleafed himfelf better with no Hu-
mour, than laughing at that People, and telling ridi-
culous Stories of their Folly and foul Corruptions.
Yet the King, from the Opinion He had of their great
Power to do him Good or Harm, which was often-
times unfkillfully infinuated to him by Men who He
knew were not of their Party, but were really deceiv-
ed themfelves by a wrong Computation and Eftimate
of their Intereft, was not willing to be thought an
Enemy to them. And there were too many bold
Speakers about the Court too often admitted into his
Prefence, who being without any Senfe of Religion,
thought all rather ought to be permitted, than to un-
dergo any Trouble and Difturbance on the Behalf of
any one.
The continued Addrefs and Importunity of thefe
Minifters, as«S7. Bartholomew sD&y approached nearer,
more difquieted the King. They enlarged with many
Words " on the great Joy that They and ail thcu
" Friend s-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 301
" Friends had received, from the Compaflion hisMa-
tc jefty fo gracioufly had expreiTed on their Behalf,
" v/hich They would never forget, or forfeit by any
" undutiful Carriage." They confefled " that They
" found, upon Conference with their Friends who
* wifhed them well, and upon Perufal of the Act of
" Parliament, that it was not in his Majefty's Power
" to give them fo much Protection againft the Penalty
" of the Act of Parliament, as They had hoped, and as
" his great Goodnefs was inclined to give them. But
" that it would be an unfpeakable Comfort to them,
" if his Majefty's Grace towards them were fo mani-
" fefled, that the People might difcern that this ex-
" treme Rigour was not grateful to him, but that He
" could be well content if it were for fome Time fuf-
" pended ; and therefore They were humble Suitors
" to him, that He would by his Letters to the Bifhops,
u or by a Proclamation, or an Act of Council, or any
" other Way his Majefty mould think fit, publifh his
" Defire that the Execution of the Aft of Uniformity, as
" to all but the Reading of the Liturgy, which They
" would conform to, might be fufpended for three
41 Months ; and that He would take it well from the
" Bifhops or any of the Patrons, who would (b far
" comply with his Defire, as not to take any Advan-
" tage of thofe Claufes in the Statute, which gave
" them Authority to prefent as in a Vacancy. They
" doubted not there would be many, who would wil-
" lingly fubmit to his Majefty's Pleafure : But whatever
'* the Effect fhould be, They would pay the fame
" humble Acknowledgments to his Majefty, as if it
" had produced all that They defired."
Wither his Majefty thought it would do them
no Good, and therefore that it was no Matter if He
granted it ; or that He thought it no Prejudice to
the Church, if the Act were fufpended for three
Months ; or that He was willing to redeem himfelf
from the prefent Importunity (an Infirmity He was
too often guilty of) : True it is, He did make them
a pofitive
302 The Continuation of the Life of
2JjJfr*ft a pofitive Promife, " that He would do what They
fufpendtke " defired ;" with which They were abundantly fatif-
fh$CAi" °^U ^ec^ ant* renewed tne'r Encouragement to their
" Friends to perfevere to the End." And this Pro-
mife was folemnly given to them in the Prefence of
the General, who was to folicit the King's Difpatch,
that his Pleafure might be known in due Time. It
was now the long Vacation, and few of the Council
were then in Town, or of the Bifhops, with whom his
Majejly too late thought it neceflary to confer, that
fuch an Initrument might be prepared as was fit for
the Affair. Hereupon the King told the Chancellor
(who was not thought Friend enough to xhtPreJbyteri-
ans to be fooner communicated with) all that had paf-
fed, what the Minifters had defired, and what He had
promifed ; and bade him " to think of the bell Way
" of doing it."
The Chancellor was one of thofe, who would have
been glad that the Act had not been clogged with
many of thofe Claufes, which He forefaw might pro-
duce fome Inconveniences ; but when it was palled,
He thought it abfolutely necefTary to fee Obedience
paid to it without any Connivance : And therefore, as
He had always diMuaded the King from giving fo much
Countenance to thofe Applications, which He always
knew published more to be faid than in Truth was
ever fpoken, and was the more troubled for this
Progrefs They had made with the King ■, He told
his Majefty, " that it was not in his Power to pre-
" ferve thofe Men, who did not fubmit to do all that
" was to be done by the Aft, from Deprivation."
He gave many Reafons which occurred, why " fuch
" a Declaration as was defired would prove ineffectual
" to the End for which it was defired, and what In-
" conveniences would refult from attempting it."
His Majefty alledgtd many Reafons for the doing it,
which He had received from thofe who defired it,
and feemed forry that they were no better ; however
concluded, %i that He had engaged his Word, and
" that
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 303
** that He would perform what He had promifed £'
and required him not to oppofe it. The Chancellor
had always been very tender of his Honour; and ad-
vifed him " to be very wary in making any Promife,
" but when He had made it, to perform it though to
" his Difadvantage :" And it was no new Thing to
him, to be reproached for oppofing the refolving to do
fuch or fuch a Thing, and then to be reproached again
for purfuing the Refolution.
The King was at Hampton-Court, and fent for the
Archbilhop of Canterbury, the Bilhops of London and
of fVincheJler, to attend him, with the Chief Juflice
Bridgman, and the Attorney General: There were
likewife the Chancellor, the General, the Duke of
Ormond, and the Secretaries. His Majefly acquainted
them with " the Importunities ufed by the London
" Minifters, and the Reafons They had offered why
" a further Time ihould be given to them to confider
" of what was fo new to them ; and what Anfvver He
" had given to them ; and how They had renewed
" their Importunity with a Defire of fuch a Declara-
" tion from him as is mentioned before, in which He
" thought there was no Inconvenience, and therefore
*' had promifed to do it, and called them now to-//, ,*&*-
" gether to advifeof the belt Way of doing it." Thepr' '*/•#'
Bifhops were very much troubled, that thofe Fellows ' cmJf'
mould Hill prefume to give his Majefly Co much Vex-
ation, and that They mould have fuch accefs to him.
They gave fuch Arguments againft the doing what
was defired, as could not be anfwered ; and for them-
felves, They defired " to be excufed for not conniv-
" ing in any Degree at the Breach of the Act of
*c Parliament, either by not prefenting a Clerk where
" themfelves were Patrons, or deferring to give In-
■** ftitution upon the Prefentation of others: And that
" his Majefty's giving fuch a Declaration or Rccom-
" mendation would be the greateil Wound to the
*' Church, and to the Government thereof, that it
" could receive.*
The
304 The Continuation of the Life of
The Chancellor, who did really believe that the
King and his Service would fuffer more by the Breach
of his Word and Promife, than either could do from
doing the Thing defired, confefled " that He believed
*' it would do them little Good, which would not be
" imputed to his Majefty, when He had done all He
M could do ; and that it would be a greater Confor-
" mity, if the Miniflers generally performed what
" They offered to do, in reading all the Service of
" the Church, that had been thefe many Years ; and
11 that once having done what v/as known to be fo
" contrary to their Inclinations, would be an Engage-
" ment upon them in a fhort Time to comply with the
" reft of their Obligations: And therefore," He faid,
" He mould not difTuade his Majefly from dcing
" what He had promifed ;" which indeed He had good
Reafon to think He was refolved to do, whatever He
v/as advifed to the contrary. The King demanded
the Judgment of the Lawyers, " whether He could
" legally difpenfe with the Obfervation of the Act for
B-4t fads i: " three Months ^" who anfwered, " that notwith-
%mer.U " landing any Thing He could do in their Favour,
*' the Patrons might prefent their Clerks as if the In-
tp*i"g*t thither, the Governour marched out with all theHorle
""' and above Half the Foot of the Garrifon into the
Country, and fell into an Ambufh of the Moors, who
being much more numerous cut off the whole Party :
And Co the Governour with lb many of the chief Of-
ficers and Soldiers being killed, the Town was left fo
weak, that if the Moors had purfued their Advantage
with luch Numbers as They might, and did intend
within few Days to bring with them, They would
have been able to have made 'little- Refiftance. And
the Earl of Sandwich coming happily thither in that
-Conjun&ure, it was delivered into his Hands, who
• -..... con-
Edward Earl cf Clarendon, &?c. 315
convoyed the Remainder of the Garrifon into Portugal,
where They were like to be ftoned by the People ;
and then, having put a good Garrifon of Horfe and
Foot which were lent from England into it, He de-
livered it up to the Earl of Peterborough, who had a
CommiiTion from the King to be Governour thereof ;
and himfelf with the Fleet failed to Lijbon, where
He had been long expected, and found his Houfe
and Equipage ready, He being then to appear in the
Quality of Extraordinary Ambaffadour to demand the
Queen.
His Arrival there happened likewife in a very happy n* emu to
Conjundnre ; for the Spanifb Army, flronger than itjj^/^j,
had been before, was upon its March to befiege a>»l obtaining it ; that the Contention new was, who
" fhould govern ; and if He fuffered himfelf to be
". difputed with, He mull refolve hereafter to do alt
" Things precarid." And as this Advice was more
iuitable to his prefent Paflion and Purpofe, fo it was
embraced greedily and refolutely. The fire flamed
that Night higher than ever : The King reproached
the Queen with Stubbornnefs and Want of Duty,
and She him with Tyranny and Want of Affection ;
He ufed Threats and Menaces, which He never in-
tended to put in Execution, and She talked loudly
" how ill She was treated, and that She would return
" again
134 ¥he Continuation of the Life of
" again' "to Portuga /, " He replied, " that She mould
*' do well firft to know whether her Mother would
u receive her : And He would give her a fit Oppor-
" tunity to know that, by fending to their Home
" all her Portuguefe Servants; and that He would
" forthwith give Order for the Difcharge of them
" all, fmce They behaved themfelves fo ill, for to
" them and their Counfels He imputed all her Per-
tc verfenefs."
Th e Paiiion and Noife of the Night reached too
many Ears to be a Secret the next Day > and the
whole Court was full of that, which ought to have
been known to Nobody. And the mutual Carriage
and Behaviour between their Majefties confirmed all
that They had heard or could imagine: They fpake
not, hardly looked on one another. Every Body was
glad that They were fo far from the Town (for They
were ftill at Hampton-Court), and that there were fofew
Witneffes of all that paffed. The Queen fate melan-
cholick in her Chamber in Tears, except when She
drove them away by a more violent Paffion in chole-
rick Difcourfe : And the King fought his Divertifements
in that Company that faid and did all Things to pleafe
him ; and there He fpent all the Nights, and in the
Morning came to the Queen's Chamber, for He never
flept in any other Place. Nobody knew how to inter-
pofe, or indeed how to behave themfelves, the Court
being far from one Mind ; with this Difference, that
the young and frolick People of either Sex talked
loudly all that They thought the King would like and
be pleafed with, whilft the other more grave and ferious
People did in their Souls pity the Queen, and thought
that She was put to bear more than her Strength
could fuftain.
Th e Chancellor came not to the Court in two or
three Days ; and when He did come thither, He for-
bore to fee the Queen, till the King fent him again
to her. His Majefty informed him at large, and
with more than his natural Paflion, of all that had
paffed j.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, i$c. ^3$
patted ; and " of the foolifh Extravagancy" (as He
called it) " of returning to Portugal; and of the pofi-
" tive Refolution He had taken, and the Orders He
" had given, for the prefent fending away all the Por-
!* tuguefes, to whom He did impute ali his Wife's
" Frowardnefs." He renewed his former Declaration,
" that He would gain his Point, and never depart
" from that Refolution •** yet was content to be,
blamed by the Chancellor, for having proceeded with
Co much Choler and Precipitation, and feemed to think
that He had done better, if He had followed his for-
mer Advice. But then He added, " that befides the
" Uneafinefs and Pain within himfelf, the Thing was
'- more fpoken of in all Places, and more to his Dif-
" advantage, whiift it was in this Sufpenfe, than it
" would be when it was once executed -, which would
" put a final End to all Debates, and all would be for-
" gotten."
The Chancellor defired his Majefty to believe, " that
" He would endeavour, by all the Ways he could
" devife, to perfuade the Queen to fubmit to his
" Pleafure, becaufe it is his Pleafure ; and that He
" would urge fome Arguments to her, which He
" could not himfelf anfwer ; and therefore He was
*' not without Hope that they might prevail. Eut
" He defired him likewife to believe, that He had
" much rather fpend his Pains in endeavouring to
" convert his Majefty from purfuing his Refolution,
" which He did in his Confcience believe to be un-
" juft, than in perfuading her Majefty to comply with
" it, which yet He would very heartily do." He
defired him " to give him Leave to put him in Mind
" of a Difcourfe his Majeily had held with him many
" Years ago, upon an Occafion that He had admw
" niftered by telling him what his Father, the late
'' King, had faid to him : Ibat He had great Reafon
to acknowledge it due to God's immediate Blejj,ng, and in
Truth to his Infpiration, that He continued firm in his
Religion : For though his Father had always taken Pains
" himfelf
(.(.
33^ we Continuation of the Life of
" himfelf to inform and infrutl him, yet He had been Jb
" were fuch as He wijljed his Wife and Children Jbould
*c be -, for He did believe that mofi young People (and it
*' may be elder) were upon the Matter formed by thofey
tc whom They f aw continually and could not but obferve."
The King anfwered with fome Quicknefs, " that He
" remembered the Difcourfe very well, and mould
" think of it ; but that the Bufinefs which He had
" commended to him mult be done, and without
" Delay."
When the Chancellor was admitted to the Queen,
He prefumed with all Plainnefs to blame her " for
•' the illimited Paflion with which She had treated
1'-
He told them, "He would not have received frotnprortgatie*
" them, if it were not abfolutely neceffary for tht\xf.the *!***
" Peace and Quiet as well as his : And that it would
" yet do him very little Good, if He did not improve
" it by very good Hufbandry of his own ; and by re-
" trenching thofe very Expences, which in many Re-
** fpects might be thought neceflary enough. But
" They fliould fee that He would much rather impofe
Aa 3 " upon.
35 8 The Continuation of the Life of
a upon himfelf, than upon his Subjecls ; and that if
" all Men would follow his Example in retrenching
" their Expences (which poflibly They might do
" with much more convenience than He could do
" his) the Kingdom would in a ihort Time gain
" what They had given him that Day." He told
them, " He was very glad that They were going
" into their feveral Countries, where their Prefence
" would do much Good : And He hoped their Vigi-
" lance and Authority would prevent thofe Diftur-
" bances, which the reftlefs Spirits of ill and un-
" quiet Men would be always contriving, and of
" which his Majefty did afTure them They promifed
" themfelves fome Effe&s that Summer. And that
" there had been more Pains and unufual Ways taken
" to kindle the old fatal Fears and Jealoufies, than
u He thought He lhould ever have lived to havefeen,
" at leaft to have feen fo countenanced."
He told them, u that He had expected to have
" had fome Bills prefented to him againft the feveral
" Diftempers in Religion, againft feditious Conven-
" tides, and againft the Growth of Popery : But
" that it might be They had been in fome Fear of
"■ reconciling thole Contradictions in Religion into
" fome Confpiracy againft the publick Peace, to
" which himfelf doubted Men of the moil contrary
" Motives in Confcience were inclinable enough. He
" did promife them that He would lay that Bufinefs
" to Heart, and the Mifchiefs which might flow from
'* thofe Licenfes ; and if He lived to meet with them
" again, as He hoped He fhould, He would himfelf
" take Care to prefent two Bills to them to that End.
" And that, as He had already given it in Charge to
" the Judges, in their feveral Circuits, to ufe their
" utmoft Endeavours to prevent and punifh the fcan-
cc dalous and feditious Meetings of Se£lariesy and to
" convid the Papifts ; fo He would be as watchful,
" and take all the Pains He could, that neither the
" one or the other lhould difturb the Peace of the
« King-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 359
" Kingdom." And adding many gracious Expref-
fions of hlsEfleem and Confidence in their Affections,
He caufed them to be prorogued towards the End
of March, which would be the Beginning of the
Year 1 664.
Th e King had an Intention at that Time to have ta? av^ «.
prepared againft the next Meeting two fuch Bills ^"JlZS'il
He mentioned to them, and was well enough content^/*/?/^
that the Parliament had not prefented fuch to him,£^e*B<*
which He well forefaw would not have been fuch as
He mould have been pleafed with. He would have
liked the moft rigorous Acts againft: all the other
Factions in Religion, but did not think the Papifts
had deferved the fame Severities, which would have
been provided againft them with the other, it being
very apparent, that the Kingdom generally had re-
fumed their old Jealoufies of them, provoked by the
very unwary Behaviour of that People, who bragged
of more Credit in the Court than They could juftify,
though moft Men thought They had too much : And
that was the Reafon that He had commanded the
Chancellor to require the Judges, who were then be-
ginning their Circuits, to caufe the Ro?nan Catbolicks
to be convicted, which He believed would allay much
of the Jealoufies in the Country, as for the prefent it
did. And then He refolved to caufe two fuch Bills
to be prepared for feveral Reafons, pf which the
principal was, that He might divide them into two
Bills ; prefuming that when He had fent one againft
either, They would not affect reducing Both into one,
which was that which the Catholick Party moft ap-
prehended.
His Majefty was himfelf very unfatisfied with xhe imprudent
imprudent Carriage of the Catbolicks, and thought BfbaZia!Vf
They did affect too much to appear as if they
flood upon the Level with all other Subjects : And
He received very particular and un que ft ion able In-
formation, that fome Priefts had made it an Argu-
ment rofome whom They endeavoured to make their
A a 4 Pro-
360 The Continuation of the Life of
Profelytes, " that the King was of their Religion in
Ci his Heart, and would fhortly declare it to all the
" World ;" with which his Majefty was marvelloufly
offended, and did heartily defire that any of thofein-
difcreet Perfons might be proceeded againft with Se-
verity. Yet He had no Mind that any Man fhould
be put to Death, which could hardly be avoided if
any Man fhould be brought to Trial in the Cafe afore-
faid, except He had granted his Pardon, which with
thefe Circumftances would have carried Scandal in it.
Befides He did think the wifeft of that Party had not
carried themfelves with Modefty enough, with what
was good for themfelves and for his Majefty 's Ho-
nour. And therefore He had, without imparting it
to any Friends of theirs, given that Direction to the
Judges for convicting them, as the beft Means to re-
claim them to a better Temper : And He had a Pur-
pole, that the Bill He meant fhould be prepared
mould more effectually perform that Part, without
expofing them to any notable Inconveniences in their
Perfons or their Fortunes, if They behaved themfelves
well and warily.
ike King nE djd De}ieve, that it was necefTary for his Ser-
aelt?ns to . . ,_. /-i 1 1 1 11 -ill • • 1
: pa- vice that They mould be all convicted, that it might
'" be evident to himfelf what their Numbers confided of
vtcsco.
and amounted to, which He believed would be found
much inferiour to what they were generally computed,
and then the Danger from their Power would not be
thought fo formidable : And it could be no Prejudice
to them without a further Proceeding upon their Con-
viction, which He was refolved to reftrain, as He
well might, and had done hitherto ; .refolving within
himfelf, that no Man mould fuffer under thofe penal
Laws which had been made againft them in the Age
before, if They lived like good Subjects, and ad-
miniftered no Occafion of Scandal. And as He was
notrefervedin declaring that his gracious Purpofe to-
wards them (as hath been faid before) ; fo hitherto it
had not been attended by any Murmurs : And yet
He
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &jV. 761
He was not without a Purpofe of keeping fiich a
Power over them, as might make them wholly depend
upon him.
His Majefiy did in his Judgment and Inclination
put a great Difference between thofe Roman Catholic ks,
who being of antient Extraction had continued of the
fame Religion from Father to Son, without having
ever been Proteftant, amongft whom there were very
few who had not behaved themfelves very worthily ^
and thofe, who fmce the late Troubles had apoflatized
from the Church of England to that of the Rv.nan,
without any fuch Evidence of Conference, as might
not adminifler jufl Reafon to fufpect, that their In-
ducements had been from worldly Temptations. And
He did refolve in his Bill to make a Diftinclion be-
tween thofe Gaffes, and to prevent or at lead to dif-
courage thofe Lapfes which fell out too frequently in
the Court; nor did Men believe that They need make
any Apology for it, but appeared the more confidently
in all Places. He did refolve likewife to contract and
lelfen the Number of the Ecclefiallical Peribns, who
upon Millions reforted hither as to an Infidel Nation
(which was and is a Grievance that the Catbolicks
would be glad to be eafed in), and to reduce them
into fuch an Order and Method by this Bill, that He
might himfelf know the Names of all Priefts remain-
ing in the Kingdom, and their feveral Stations where
They refided ■, which muft have produced fuch a Se-
curity to thofe who flayed, and to thofe with whom
They flayed, as would have fet them free from any
Apprehenfion of any Penalties impofed by preceding
Parliaments.
But this Defign (which comprehended many other MeafireJ
Particulars) vanilhed as foon as it was difcovered. '*•*'" "/'^
The King's own Difcourfe of a Bill that He would/™/ "
caufe to be drawn againfl the Roman Catbolicks awaken-
ed great Jealoufies ; nor did They want Inftruments
or Opportunities to difcover what the Meaning of it
could be. Nor was the King referved in the Argu-
ment,
\6z The Continuation of the Life of
ment, but communicated it with thofe who He knew
were well affected to that Party, and to one or two of
themfelves who were reputed to be moderate Men,
and to defire Nothing but the Exercife of their Reli-
gion with the greatefl Secrecy and Caution, and who
often informed him and complained " of the Folly
" and Vanity of fome of their Friends, and more par-
" ticularly of the Preemption of the Jefuits." And
fuch Kind of Factions and Divifions there are amongft
them, which might be cultivated to very happy Pro-
ductions: But fuch Ingenuity, as to be contented with
what might gratify all their own Pretences, there is
not amongft them.
These moderate Men complained already, " that
" the King was deceived by their Enemy the Chan-
" cellor," who indeed was generally very odious to
them, for no other Reafon, but becaufe They knew
He was irreconcilable to their Profeilion ; not that
They thought He defired that the Laws mould be
put in Execution againil them ; and fome of the chief
of them believed him to be much their Friend, and
had Obligations to him. But They all lamented this
Direction given to the Judges for their Conviction,
" which," They informed the King, " was the necef-
" fary Preamble to the higheft Perfecution the Law
w had prepared againft them. That till They were
" convicted They were in the fame Predicament with
" the reft of his Subjects ■> but as foon as They were
" convicted," (which the Judges now caufed to be
profecuted throughout the Kingdom) " They were
" liable to all the other Penalties, which his Majefty
" was inclined to protect them from." They prefent-
ed to him a fhort Memorial of the Difadvantages
which were confequent to a Conviction, in which
They alledged fome Particulars which were not clear
in the Law, at leait had never been practifed in the
fevereft Times.
Though the King had well weighed all He had
done before He did it, and well knew, after all their
Infmu-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 363
Infinuations and Allegations, that none of thofe In-
conveniences could enfue to them, if He retrained
any further Profecution, which He always had in-
tended to do ; yet They wrought fo far upon him,
that He was even forry that He had proceeded fo far ;
And though it was not fit to revoke any Part of it,
yet He cared not how little it was advanced. And
for the Bill He meant to prefent in the next Seilion,
They faid, " all their Security and Quiet They had
4< enjoyed fince his Majefty's happy Return depend-
6i ed wholly upon the general Opinion, that He had
" Favour for them, and Satisfaction in their Duty
" and Obedience as good Subjects, and their Readi-
" nefs to do him any Service, which They would all
" make good with their Lives and all that They had.
*•' But if He fnould now difcover any Jealoufy of
" their Fidelities, and that there was Need of a new
" Law againft them, which his Purpofe of providing
" a Bill implied, what Mitigation foever his Majefty
i(L intended in it, it would not be in his Majefty's
" Power to reftrain the Pailion -of other Men ; but
*' all thofe Animofities which had been hitherto
** covered and concealed, as grateful to him, would
." upon this Occafion break out to their Deftruclion :
" And therefore They hoped, that whatever Bitter-
" nefs the Parliament might exprefs againft them
" when They came together, They mould receive
" no Invitation or Encouragement by any Jealoufy or
" Difpleafure his Majefty fnould manifeft to have to-
*' wards them."
These and the like Arguments, or the Credit of7^ K*t ^
thofe who urged them, made that Impreflion, thatfij.^' s
He declined any farther Thought of that Bill ; nor
was there ever after Mention of it. The Catbohcks
grew bolder in all Places, and converfant in thofe
Kooms of the Court into which the King's Chaplains
never prefumed to enter ; and to crown all their
Hopes, the Lady declared herfelf of that Faith, and
inveighed
364 The Continuation of the Life of
inveighed fharply againft the Church She had been
bred in.
During the Interval of the Parliament, there was
not fuch a Vacation from Trouble and Anxiety as-
was expected. The domeftic Unquietnefs in the
Court made every Day more Noife abroad : Infinite
Scandals and Calumnies were fcattered amongft the
Difcimtcntsin People ; and They evpreiled their Difcontents upon
the country. t|le great Taxes and Impofitions which They were
compelled to pay, and publickly reproached the Par-
liament j when They were in Truth vexed and grieved
at Heart for that which They durfl not avow, and
did really believe that God was angry with the Na-
tion, and refolved to exercife it under greater Tribu •
lation than Ke had fo lately freed them from. The
general Want of Money was complained of, and a
great Decay of Trade ; ib that the native Commodi-
ties of the Kingdom were not tranfported. Yet Both
thefe were but Pretences, and refulted from Combina-
tions rather than from Reafon. For it appeared by
the Cuftoms, that the Trade was greater than it had
ever been, though fome of our native Commodities,
efpecially Cloth, feemed for fome Time to be at a
Stand \ which proceeded rather from the prefent Glut,
which in the general Licenfe the Interlopers had irre-
gularly tranfported in great Quantities, by which the
Prices were brought low, and could only be recover-
ed by aReftraint for fome Time, which the Merchant
Adventurers put upon themfelves, and would have put
upon the Interlopers, who were at laft too hard for
them, even upon the Matter to the fupprefling the
Company, that had flood in great Reputation for
very many Years, and had advanced that Manufacture
to a great Height ; and whether it deferved that Dif-
conntenance, Time muft decide. How unreafonable
the other Difcourfe was of Want of Money, there
needs no other Argument, but the great Purchafes
which were every Day made of great Eftates ; nor
was any confiderable Parcel of Land in any Part of
England
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV. oSc
England offered to be fold, but there was a Purchafer
at Hand ready to buy it.
However thefe Pretences, together with the Hid-
den bringing up all the Money, that was collected for
the King, in Specie to London, which proceeded from
the Bankers advancing lb much prefent Money for the
emergent Occafions, for which They had thofe Align-
ments upon the Money of the Country, did really pro-
duce fuch a fudden Fall of the Rents throughout the
Kingdom, as had never been known before : So that/*M/<-«iW/
Men were compelled to abate generally a fourth Part^^"'1*
of their annual Rents at the leaft, or to take their
Lands into their own Hands, for which They were
as ill provided. All this Mifchief fell upon the No-
bility and greateft Gentry, who were Owners of- the
greateft Eftates, every Body whole Eftate lay in Land
undergoing a Share in the Suffering, which made the
Difcontent general ± which They thought the belt-
Way to remedy would be to raife no more Taxes,
which They took to be the Caufe why the Rents fell.
In the mean Time the Expences of the Court, and of
jail who depended upon it, grew (till higher, and the
King himfelf lefjs intent upon his Bufmefs, and more
loved his Pleafures, to which He prefcribed no Li-
mits, nor to the Expences which could not but ac-
company them.'
There was Caufe enough to bejealous of the pub- Danger of an
lick Peace ; there being every Day Difcoveries msLde,1"^'"'"3""-
of private Meetings and Conferences between Officers
of the old Army; and that Correfpondencies were
fettled between them throughout the Kingdom in a
wonderful Method ; and that They had a grand Com-
mittee refiding in London, who had the fupreme Power,
and which fent Orders to all the reft, who were to
rife in one Day and meet at feveral Rendezvcufes.
Hereupon feveral Perfons were apprehended and com-
mitted to Prifon ; and the King himfelf often took
the Pains to examine them ; and They confeflcd com-
monly more to his Majefty himfelf than upon any
Other
366 The Continuation of the Life of
other Examination. Proclamations ifTiied often for
the bamming all Officers who had ever borne Arms
againit the King twenty Miles from London, which
did more publilh the Apprehenfion of new Trou-
bles.
There can be no Doubt, but that there were
many feditious Purpofes amongft that People, of
which there often appeared fo full Evidence, that
many were executed for High Treafon, who were
tried and condemned by the Judges at their general
Seflions at Newgate: Yet there was often Caufe to
believe that many Men v/ere committed, who in Truth
had not been more faulty, than in keeping H^ Com-
pany and in hearing idle Difcourfes. Informing was
grown a Trade, which many affected to get Money
by : And as the King's Minifters could not reject in a
Time of fo much Jealoufy, fo the receiving them
gave them great Trouble; for few of them were
willing to be produced as Evidence againit thofe
They accufed, pretending, fometimes with Reafon,
iL that if They were known They mould be rendered
" ufelefs for the future, whereas They were yet un-
" fufpedted arid admitted into all Councils," All
the Seels in Religion fpake with more Boldnefs in
their Meetings, and met more frequently, than They
had ufed to do in the Times that Sir Richard Browne
and Sir John Robinfon had been Lord Mayors ; and
the Officers who fucceeded them proved lefs vigilant.
A general Defpondency feemed to pofTefs the Minds
of xMen, as if They little cared what came to pafs ;
which did not proceed fo much from Malice, as from
the Difeafe of murmuring, which had been contract-
ing above twenty Years, and became almoft incorpor-
ated into the Nature of the Nation.
AmUirigte There happened about this Time an Alteration in
inthei-tmrtttfa. Court, that produced afterwards many other Al-
m. fieoset. terations which were not then fufpeCted, yet even at
that Time was not liked in the Court itfelf, and lefs
cut of it* The Keeper of the Privy Purfe, who was
more
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 367
more fit for that Province than for any other to which
He could be applied, did not think himfelf yet pre-
ferred to a Station worthy of his Merit and great
Qualifications. Some Promifes the King had made
to him when He was at Fuentarabia, and had long
much Kindnefs for his Perfon and much Delight in
his Company : So that his Friend, Mr. O Neile, who
was dill ready to put his Majefty in Mind of all his
Services, had Nothing hard to do but to find a Va-
cancy that might give Opportunity for his Advance-
ment; and He was dexterous in making Opportu-
nities which He could not find, and made no Scruple
to infinuate to the King, ** that the Abilities of nei-
"" ther of his Secretaries were fo great but that He
Xi might be better ferved." Indeed his Majefty, who
did not naturally love old Men, had not fo much
Efleem of them as their Parts and Induftry and In-
tegrity deferved, and would not have 'been forry if
either or Both of them had died.
Secretary Nicholas had ferved the Crown verycw^r*/
many Years with a very good Acceptation, was made^^
Secretary of State by the late King, and loved and
trufted by him in his nearefl Concernments to his
Death : Nor had any Man, who ferved him, a more
general Reputation of Virtue and Piety and unques-
tionable Integrity throughout the Kingdom. He was
a Man to whom the Rebels had been always irreconci-
lable ; and from the End of the War lived in Banifh-
ment beyond the Seas, was with his Majefty from the
Time He left France (for whilft the King was in
France with his Mother, to whom the Secretary was
not gracious, He remained at a Diflance ; but from
the Time that his Majefty came into Germany He was
always with him) in the Exercife of the fame Function
He had under his Father, and returned \mo England
with him, with Hope to repair his Fortune by the
juft Perquifites of his Office, which had been very
much impaired by his long Sufferings and Banifhment.
He had never been in his Youth a Man of quick and
fuddeja
368 The Continuation of the Life of
Hidden Parts, bur full of Induftry and Application
(which it may be is the better Compofition), and al-
ways verfed in Bufinefs and all the Forms of Dif-
patch. He was now fome Years above feventy, yet
truly perfprmed his Office with Punctuality, and to
{he Satisfaction of all Men who repaired to him :
And the King thought it an envious as well as an
ill-natured Thing, to difcharge fuch an Officer becaufe
He had lived too long.
of Secretary The other Secretary was Secretary Mortice, whofe
Monioe. jyrerit had been his having tranfacted all that had been
between the King and the General, which was thought
to be much more than it was. Yet He had behaved
himfelf very well, and as much difpofed the General
as Pie was capable of being difpofed ; and his Ma<-
jefty had preferred him to that Office purely to gra-
tify and oblige the General ; and He had behaved
himfelf very honeflly and diligently in the King's
Service, and had a good Reputation in the Houfe
of Commons, and did the Bufinefs of his Office
without Reproach. He had lived moft Part of his
Time in the Country, with the Repute of a wife
Man and a very good Scholar, as indeed He was
both in the Latin and Greek Learning ; but being
without any Knowledge in the modern Languages,
He gave the King often Occafion to laugh at his
imfkilful Pronunciation of many Words. In tlie La-
tin Difpatches, v/hich concern all the Northern Parts,
He was ready, and treated with thofe Ambaifadours
fluently and elegantly ; and for all domeftick Affairs
no Man doubted his Sufficiency, except in the <3arb
and Mode and Humour of the Court.
And the Inducement that brought him in made it
unfit to remove him, left it might grieve the General,
whofe Friend and Kinfman He was : So that there
was no Expedient to provide for Sir Harry Rennet, but
by removing Secretary Nicholas by his own Confent ;
for the King would not do it otherwife to fo old and
fiithful a Servant. And his Majefty was the more
inclined
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. $6$
inclined to it, becaufe it would give him the Oppor-
tunity to bring another Perfon into the Office of the
Privy Purfe, of whom He was lately grown very
fond, and towards whom He had, when He came
into England, a greater Averfion than to any1 Gentle-
man who had been abroad with him, and that was
Sir Charles Berkley, who was then Captain of the Duke
of Torlzs Guard, and much in the good Grace of his
lloyal Highnefs.
Whilst this Intrigue was contriving and depend-
ing, great Care was taken that it might not come to
the Notice of the Chancellor, left if He could not
divert the King from defiring it, which They believed
He would not attempt, He might diffuade his old
Friend the Secretary, with whom He had held a long
and particular Friendfhip, from hearkening to any
Propofition, or accepting any Compofition •, which
They believed not unreaibnably that the other would
be very folicitous in, as well to keep a Man in, whom
He could entirely truft, as to keep another out, of
whofe Abilities He had no Efteem, and in whofe Af-
fection He had no Confidence : And it was thought
by many, that the fame Apprehenfion prevailed with
the good old Man himfelf to cherifh the Secrecy.
Certain it is, that the whole Matter was refolved and
confented to, before ever the Chancellor had a Sus-
picion of it.
ONtiLE, who had always the Skill to bring that
to pafs by others which He could not barefaced ap-
pear in himfelf, infmuated to Mr. Afljburnbam, who
pretended and I think had much Friendship for the
Secretary, " that the King thought the Secretary too
" old to take fo much Pains, and often wifhed that
*' his Friends would perfuade him to retire, that there
" might be a younger Man in the Office, who could
" attend upon his Majefty at all Hours and in al!
" Journies ; but that his Majefty always fpake kindly
*' of him, and as if He refolved to give him an am-
*c pie Recompenfe j" And in Confidence told him,
Vol. II. B b »* that
The Continuation of the Life of
" that the King had an impatient Defire to have Sir
" Harry Bennet Secretary of State." Ajbburnbam was
well verfed in the Artifices of Court too ; and thought
He migt\t very well perform the Office of a Friend
to his old Confident, and at the fame Time find a
new and more ufeful Friend for himfelf, by having a
Hand in procuring a large Satisfaction for the old,
and likewife facilitating the Way for the Introduction
of a new Secretary, who could not forget the Obliga-
tion. So He told 0 Neik, " that all the World knew
" that He had for many Years profefled a great
'* Friendfhip for Secretary Nicholas" (They had been
Both Servants at the fame Time to the Duke of Buck-
ingham, when He was killed), ** and that He lhould
" be much troubled to fee him difplaced in his old
" Age with Contempt ; but if his Majefly would
" difmifs him with Honour and Reward, that He
" might be able to provide for his Wife and Chil-
" dren, He would make no Scruple to perfuade him
u to quit his Employment." 0 Neile had all He
looked for, and only enjoined him Secrecy, u that it
" might not come to the King's Ear that He had
" communicated this Secret to any Man ; and He did
" prefume, that before any Refolution was taken in
•* it, his Majefty would fpeak of it to the Chan-
" ceMor."
Within a Day or two the King fent for Afhburn-
ham and told him, " He knew He was a Friend to
" the Secretary, who was now grown old, and not
" able to take the Pains He had done ; that He had
u ferved his Father and himfelf very faithfully, and
** had fpent his Fortune in his Service ; that if He
*' were willing to retire, for without his Content He
** would do Nothing, He would give him ten thou-
" fand Pounds, or any other Recompenfe He mould
" choofe," implying a Title of Honour : But inti-
mated, though He referred all to his own Will, " that
" He wiihed, and that it would be acceptable to him,
" that
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 371
8 that the Office might be vacant and at his Majefly '5
" Difpofal."
He undertook the Employment very chearfully*
and quickly imparted all that had patted from the
King, and all that He knew before, to the Secretary j
who was not fond of the Court, and thought He
had lived long enough there, having feen and ob-
ferved much that He was grieved at Heart to fee.
He confidered, that though this Meffage was very
gracious, and offered a noble Reward for his Service*
it did withal appear that the King did defire He
mould be gone j and having defigned a SuccefTour
to him, who had already much Credit with him, if
He mould feem fullen or unwilling, He might in a
fhort Time be put out without any Consideration*
or at molt with the Promife of one. Thereupon He
wifhed his Friend ** to allure the King, that He
u would very readily do whatfoever his Majefly
" thought neceflary for his Service ; but He hoped*
" that after above forty Years fpent in the Service
" of the Crown, He mould not be expofed to Dif-
'* grace and Contempt. That He had a Wife and
" Children, who had all fuifered with him in Exile till
u his Majefly's Return, and for whom He could not
" make a competent Provifion without his Majefty's
" Bounty 5 and therefore He hoped, that before his
" Majefly required the Signet, He would caufe the
u Recompenfe He defigned to be more than what He
'* had mentioned, and to be firft paid."
This Province could not be put into a fitter Hand*
for it was managed with notable Skill. And as foon
as it was known that the Secretary would willingly
refign, which was feared, and that only a better Re-
compenfe was expected, every Body was willing that
the King mould make the Acl look as gracioufly as&ft^Fj
might be, that the SuccefTor might be attended with Nkho^s
the lefs Envy. And Mr. AJbburnbam cultivated their^'5"''
Impatience fo fkilfully, that it cofl The King, in pre-
fent Money and Land or Leafe, very little lefs than
B b 2. twenty
372 the Continuation of the Life of
twenty thoufand Pounds, to bring in a Servant whom
very few cared for, in the Place of an old Servant
whom every Body loved : And He received all that
was promifed, before He refigned his Place. And if
the Change had been as good for the King, as it was
for the good old Secretary, every Body would have
5/V H.Ben- been glad. And thus Sir Harry Bennet was at the
JJJ£L Je"Kmg*s Charge accommodated, even to the Satisfaction
state and sirfrf his own Ambition : And his Majefty was as well
Berkley ivi-pleafed, tnat He had gotten Sir Charles Berkley into
■vy Pur/e. tne other Office about his Perfon, whom He every
Day loved with more PafTion, for what Reafon no
Man knew nor could imagine.
The chancel- /^nq from tliis Time They who flood at any near
Xsimt."J Diftance could not but difcern, that the Chancellor's
Intereft and Credit with the King manifeftly declined ;
Not that either of thefe two pretended to be his Rival,
or appeared to crofs any Thing in Council that He
propofed or advifed ; on the contrary, They Both
profefled great Refpeft towards him. One of them,
being no Privy Counfellor, made great Profeflions
and AddrelTes to him by himfelf, and by foroe
Friends who had much Credit with him ; protefted
" againft meddling at all in Bufinefs, and that He
" only hoped to gain a Fortune by his Majefly's Fa-
" vour, upon which He might be able to live -,"
nor did it appear afterwards, that He did to his
Death wifh that the Chancellor's Power mould be
Jeifened : And the other made all the Profeflions ima-
ginable of Affection and RefpeCl to him, and repaired
upon Occasions to him for Advice and for Direction.
Nor in Truth could either of them have done him
any Prejudice at that Time with the King by pretend-
ing, to do it ^ but by pretending the contrary by De-
grees got Power to do it.
VhrKirf His Majelty did not in the leali Degree withdraw
hit Fa"curClhis Favour from him, heard him as willingly, came
Hbim. as often to him, was as little referved in any Thing ;
only in one Particular He did with fome Solemnity
con-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. 373
.conjure him never to mention it to him again, in
which He did not^yet punctually obey "him, nor avoid
feafonably faying any Thing to him which He be-
lieved to be his Duty, and which his IVLjefty never
leemed to take ill. And whenever He fpake to him
of either of the other two Gentlemen, which He fre-
quently did with much Kindnefs, He always added
fomewhat of Both their Ref pecis and Eiteem for him,
as a Thing that pleafed him well \ and laid once,
" that it concerned them, for whenever He ihould
" difcern it to be otherwife, He fliould make them
*' repent it." Yet notwithstanding all this, from that
Time Counsels were not fo fecret, and greater Liberty
was taken to talk of the publick Affairs in the Even-
ing Conversation, than had been before, when they
happened fometimes to be fhortly mentioned in the
Production of fome Wit or Jeff ; but now they were
often taken into Debate, and cenfured wirh too much
Liberty with Reference to Things and Perfons \ and
the King himfelf was lefs fixed and more irrefolute in
his Counfels ; and inconvenient Grants -came every
Day .to the Seal for the Benefit of particular Perfons,
againft which the King had particularly refolved,
and at laft by Importunity would have paffed,
Laflly, Both thefe Perfons were moil devoted to the
Lady, and much depended upon her I-nterefl, and
confequently were ready to do any Thing that would
be grateful to her.
There was another Mifchief contrived about this
Time, that had a much worie Influence upon the
Publick, except We (hall call it the fame, becaufe
u did in Truth proceed from it. Though the pub-'^./ty?^4
lick State of Affairs, in Refped of the Diitempers^.L'uttk
and Difcompofures which are mentioned before, and
that the Expences exceeded what was aliigned to fu-
port it, whereby the great Debt was little diminilhed,
.yielded little Delight to thofe who were moft trufted
to manage and provide for them, and who had a
melancholick and dreadful Apprehenlion of Confe-
B b 3 quences :
374" ^e Continuation of the Life $f
quences : Yet whilft the Nation continued in Fe ace,
and without any Danger from any foreign Enemy, the
Profpect was fo pleafant, efpeciaily to thofe who flood
at a Diftance, that They faw Nothing worthy of any
Man's Fear •, and there was reasonable Hope, that the
Sixpences might every Year be reduced within reafon-
able Bounds. But all that Hope vaniflied, when there
appeared an immoderate Defire to engage the Nation
in a War.
Upon the King's firft Arrival in England) He ma-
nifefted a very great Defire to improve the general
Traffick and Trade of the Kingdom, and upon all
Occafions conferred with the mofl active Merchants
upon it, and offered all that He could contribute to
the Advancement thereof. He erected a Council of
Trade, which produced little other Effect than the
Opportunity of Mens fpeaking together, which pofli-
bly difpofed them to think more, and to confult more
effectually in private, than They could in fuch a
Crowd of Commiffioners. Some Merchants and Sea-:
men made a Propofition by Mr. William Coventry and
Th? Errant Come few others to the Duke of 2"ork, " for theErec-
AfricanS*-" llon of a Company in which They defired his Royal
panj. « Highnefs to prefide" (and from thence it was called
the Royal Company), " to which his Majefty fhould
" grant the fofe Trade of Guinea, which in a fhort
" Time They prefumed would bring great Advantage
" to the Publick, and much Profit to the Adventu-
" rers, who fhould begin upon a joint Stock, to be
u managed by a Council of fuch as fhould be chofen
«' out of the Adventurers."
This Privilege had before the Troubles been grant-
ed by the late King to Sir Nicholas, Crifpe and others
named by him, who had at their own Charge fent
Ships thither : And Sir Nicholas had at his own Charge
bought a Nook of Ground, that lay into the Sea, of
the true Owners thereof (all that Coafl being in-
habited by Heathens), and built thereon a good
Fort and Warehoufes, under which the Ships lay ;
and
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 3^5
and He had advanced this Trade fo far before the
Troubles, that He found it might be carried on with
very great Benefit. After the Rebellion began, and
Sir Nicholas betook himfelf to ferve the King, fome
Merchants continued the Trade, and either by his
Content or Cromwell's Power had the Poffetlionof that
Fort, called Cormantine ; which was ftill in the Pof-
felfion of the Englijh when his Majefty returned,
though the Trade was fmall, in Refpedt the Dutch
had fixed a ftronger Quarter at no great Diftance
from it, and fent much more Ships and Commodities
thither, and returned once every Year to their own
Country with much Wealth. The chief End of this
Trade was, befides the putting off great Quantities of
our own Manufactures according as the Trade fhould
advance, to return with Gold, which that Coail
produced in good Quantity, and with Slaves, Blacks,
which were readily fold to any Plantation at great
Prices.
The Model was fo well prepared, and the whole
Method for governing the Trade fo rationally pro-
pofed, that the Duke was much pleafed with it, and
quickly procured a Charter to be granted from the// cb^ier
King to this Company with ample Privileges, and \\\^rar-tel""-
Majefty himfelf to become an Adventurer, and which
was more, toafiift them for the firft Eftablifhment of
their Trade with the Ufe of fome of his own Ships.
The Duke was the Governour of the Company, with
Power to make a Deputy : All the other Officers and
Council were chofen by the Company, which confift-
ed of Perfons of Honour and Quality, every one of
which brought in five hundred bounds for the firft
joint Stock, with which They fet out the firft Ships ;
upon the Return whereof They received fo much
Encouragement and Benefit, that They compounded
with Sir Nicholas Crifpe for his Propriety in the Fort
and Caftle ; and poflefled themfelves of another Place
upon the Coaft, and fent many Ships thither, which
made very good Returns, by putting off their Blacks
B b 4 at
i^6 The Continuation of the Life of
at the Barbadoes and other the King's Plantations at
their own Prices, and brought Home fuch Store of
Gold that adminiflered the firfl Occafion for the Coin-
age of thofe Pieces, which from thence had the Deno-
mination of Guineas ; and what was afterwards made
of the fame Species, was coined of the Gold that was
brought from that Coafl by the Royal Company. In a
•Word, if that Company be not broken or difordered
by the Jealoufy that the Gentlemen Adventurers have
of the Merchants, and their Opinion that They un-
derfland the Myfleries of Trade as well as the other,
by which They refufe to concur in the neceffary Ex-
pedients propoted by the other, and interpofe unfkilful
Overtures of their own with Pertinacy, it will be found
a Model equally to advance the Trade of England
with that of any other Company, even that of the
Eaji- Indies.
From the firfl Entrance into this Trade, which
the Duke was exceedingly difpofed to advance, and
was conflantly prefent himfelf at all Councils, which
were held once a Week in his own Lodgings at
Whitehall, it was eafily difcovered that the Dutch had
a better Trade there than the Englifh, which They
were then willing to believe that They had no Right
to, for that the Trade was firfl found out and fettled
there by the Englijh ; which was a fufficient Founda-
tion to fettle it upon this Nation, and to exclude all
others, at leafl by the fame Law that the Spaniard
enjoys the Weft-Indies, and the Dutch what They or
the Portuguefe poffeffed in the Eaft. But this They
quickly found would not eflablifh fuch a Title as
would bear a Difpute : They having fent a Ship or
two thither, and built a little Fort, could not be al-
lowed fuch a PofTellion as would exclude all other
Nations. And the Truth was ; the Dutch were there
iome Time before us, and the Dane before either :
And the Dutch, which was the true Grievance, had
planted themfelves more advantageouily, upon the
Bank of a River, than We had done ± and by the
Ereclion
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. 377
Erection of more Forts were more ftrongly feated,
and drove a much greater Trade, which They did
not believe They would be permaded to quit. Tb\srbe Mer*
drew theDifcourfe from the Right to the Eafinefs, by ^ **?*£"
the Ailiftance of two or three of the King's Ships, IQW/A tbi *
take away all that the Dutch poffeiled in and about DutcK
Guinea, there having never been a Ship of War feen
in thofe Parts ; fo that the Work might be prefently
done, and fuch an Alliance made with the Natives,
who did not love the Dutch, that the En?HJh might be
unquestionably poffefTed of the whole Trade of that
Country, which would be of ineftimable Profit to the
Kingdom.
The Merchants took much Delight to enlarge
themfelves upon this Argument, and fhortly after to
difcourfe " of the infinite Benefit that would accrue
<" from a barefaced War againft the Dutch, how eafily
" They might be fubdued, and the Trade carried
*4 by the Englijh. That Cromwell had always beaten
" them, and thereby gotten the greateft Glory he had,
*' and brought them upon their Knees •, and could
" totally have fubdued them, if He had not thought
*' it more for his Intereft to have fuch a Second,
44 whereby He might the better fupport his Uiurpation
f4 againft the King. And therefore, after They had
" confented to all the infamous Conditions of the
** total abandoning his Majefty, and as far as in
•" them lay to the Extirpation of all the Royal Family,
44 and to a perpetual Exclufion of the Prince of
44 Orange, He made a firm Peace with them ; which
" They had not yet performed, by their retaining
44 flill the Ifland of Poleroone, which They had fo
" long fince barbarouily taken from the Englijh, and
" which They had exprefsly promifed and under-
u taken to deliver in the laft Treaty, after Cromwell
" had compelled them to pay a great Sum of Money
" for the Damages which the Ejigljh had fuftained
" at Amboyna, when all the Demands and Threats
44 from
373 The Continuation of the Life of
" from King James could never procure any Satisfac-
" tion for that foul A&ion."
TUDuieof These Difcourfes, often reiterated in Seafon and
York much out Q£ Seafon, made a very deep Impreilion in the
Duke ; who having been even from his Childhood in
the Command in Armies and in his Nature inclined
to the mod difficult and dangerous Enterprifes, was
already weary of having (o little to do, and too impa-
tiently longed for any War, in which He knew He
could not but have the chief Command. But thefe
Kind of Debates, or the Place in which they were
made, could contribute little to an Affair of fo huge
an Importance, otherwife than by inciting the Duke,
which they did too much, to confider and affect it, and
to difpofe others who were near him to inculcate the
fame Thoughts into him, as an Argument in which
his Honour would be much exalted in the Eye of all
the World : And to thefe good Offices They were
enough difpofed by the Reflleffnefs and Unquietnefs
of their own Natures, and by many other Motives for
the accomplifhing their own Deligns, and getting more
Power into their own Hands.
But there was lately, very lately, a Peace fully
concluded with the States General upon the fame
Terms, Articles and Conditions, which They had
former J y yielded to Cromwell, being very much more
advantageous than They had ever granted in any
Treaty to the Crown. And at the Time of the Con-
clufion of the Peace, They delivered their Orders from
the States General and their Eajl-India Company for
the Delivery of the Iiland of Poleroone to the Englijh,
which Cromwell himfelf had extorted from them with
the greateft Difficulty : So that there was now no
Colour of Juflice to make a War upon them. Befides
that there were at prefent great Jealoufies from Spain
Upon the Marriage with Portugal ; nor did France,
which had broken Promife in making a Treaty with
Holland, make any Hafte to renew the Treaty with
England. And therefore it could not but feem ftrange
to
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &tV. 370,
to all Men, that when We had only made a Treaty of
Peace with Holland, and that fo newly, and upon fo
long Confideration, and had none with either of the
Crowns, We mould fo much defire to enter into a
War with them.
However, the Duke's Heart was fet upon it, and
He loved to fpeak of it, and the Benefits which would
attend it. He fpake of it to the King, whom Hep* R*£ *#
found no Ways inclined to it, and therefore He knew""w""-
it was unfit to propofe it in Council : Yet He fpake
often of it to fuch of the Lords of whom He had the
beft Opinion, and found many of them to concur
with him in the Opinion of the Advantages which
might arife from thence. And fometimes He thought
He left the King difpofed to it, by an Argument
which He found prevailed with many : " That the
Differences and Jealoufies in Point of Trade, which
did every Day fall out and would every Day increafe
between the Englijh and the Dutch, who had in the
late Diffractions gotten great Advantages, would
unavoidably produce a War between them t and
then that the Queftion only was, whether it were
not better for us to begin it now, when They dd
not expect it, and We are better prepared for it than
probably We mall be then ; or to ftay two or three
Years, in which the fame Jealoufy would provoke
them to be well provided, when probably We might
not be ready. That We had the bell Sea Officers
in the World, many of whom had often beaten the
Dutch, and knew how to do it again ± and a Mul-
titude of excellent Mariners and common Seamen :
All which, if They found that Nothing would be
done at Home, would difperfe tliemfelves in Mer-
chant Voyages to the Indies and the Straits ; and
probably fo many good Men would never be found
together again."
And with fuch Arguments He many Times thought
that He left the King much moved : But when He
fpake to him again (though He knew that He had rt6
Kind-
3 Bo 7"he Continuation of the Life of
Kindnefs for the Dutch) his Majefly was changed, and
very averfe to a War ; which He imputed to the Chan-
Tbe c^cei. ctWor, who had not diffembled, as often as his High-
5r'^ ''nefs (pake to him, to be paflionately and obftinately
againfl it. And He did take all the Opportunities He
could find to confirm the King in his Averfion to it,
v/ho was in his Heart averfe from it, by prefenting to
him the State of his own Affairs, " the great Debt
*' that yet Jay upon him, which with Peace and good
" Hufbandry might be in fome Time paid ; but a
li War would involve him in fo much greater, that
" no Man could fee the End of it. That He would
" be able to preferve himfelf againfl the Fa&ions and
*' Diflempers in his own Kingdom, and probably fup-
■*' prefs them, if He were without a foreign Enemy :
*' But if He Jhould be engaged in a War abroad, his
" domeflick Divifions, efpecially thofe in Religion,
" would give him more Trouble than He could well
" flruggle withal.
" That it was an erroneous Affumption, that the
11 Dutch would be better provided for a War two or three
u years hence, and his Majefly worfe, for which there
" was no Reafon. That within that Time it would
•" be his own Fault, if the Diflempers in his three
" Kingdoms were not compofed, which would make
" him much fitter for a War ; whereas now neither
*' of them could be faid to be in Peace, that of Ireland
" being totally unfettled, and that of Scotland not yet
" well pleafed, and England far from it. That in
" that Time it was very probable that the twoCrownc
" would be again engaged in a War ; fince it was
" generally believed, and with great Reafon, that
" France only expected the Death of the King of
■" Spam, who was very infirm, and meant then to fall
*' into Flanders, having at the fame Time with great
" Expence provided great Magazines of Corn and
" Hay upon the Borders, which could be for no
" other End. That whilft He continued in Peace,
his Friendfhip would be valuable to all the Princes
*' of
Ci
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV. 381
" of Europe, and the two Crowns would drive who
" fhould gain him : But if He engaged in a War, and
" in fuch a War as that with Holland, which would in-
44 terrupt and difturb all the Trade of the Kingdom,
" upon which the greateft Part of his Revenue did
" rife ; all other Princes would look on, and not much
" efteem any Offices He could perform to them. And
44 laftly, that a little Time might poflibly adminifter
" a juft Occafion of a War, which at preient there
** was not."
These, and better Arguments which the King's
own Understanding fuggefted to him, made him fully
refolve againft the War, and to endeavour to change
his Brother from affecting it, which wrought not at all
upon him ; but finding that many Things fell from
the King in the Argument, which had been alledged
to himfelf by the Chancellor, He concluded the Mif-
chief came from him, and was difpleafed accordingly,
and complained to his Wife, " that her Father TbeDuinf-
44 mould oppofe him in an Affair upon which HeftnJeJ w;/*
" knew his Heart was fo much fet, and of which every
" Body took fo much Notice " which troubled her
very much. And She very earnestly defired her Father,
" that He would no more oppofe the Duke in that
44 Matter." He anfwered her, u that She did not
44 enough understand the Confequence of that Affair -,
44 but that He would take Notice to the Duke of
44 what She had faid, and give him the beft Anfwer
44 He could." And accordingly He waited upon* the
Duke, who very frankly confeffed to him, " that
*' He took it very unkindly, that He fhould fo pofi-
44 tively endeavour to crofs a Defign fo honourable in
*; itfelf, and fo much defired by the City of London ;
4k and He was confident it would be very grateful to
44 the Parliament, and that They would fupply the
44 King with Money enough to carry it on, which
44 would anfwer the chief Objection. That He was
" engaged to purfus it, and He could not but be forry
44 and
The Continuation of the Life of
" and difpleafed, that every Body fliould fee how little
" Credit He had with him."
The chancel- The Chancellor told him, " that He had no Ap-
^ItStk" " prehenfion that any fober Man in England, or his
" Highnefs himfelf, mould believe that He could
" fail in his Duty to him, or that He would omit any
" Opportunity to make it manifeft, which He could
*' never do without being a Fool or a Madman. On
" the other Hand, He could never give any Advice,
" or confent to it whoever gave it, which in his Judg-
*' ment and Confcience would be very mifchievous to
*' the Crown and to the Kingdom, though his Royal
" Highnefs or the King himfelf were inclined to it.'*
He did affure him, " that He found the King very
" averie from any Thought of this War, before He
" ever difcovered his own Opinion of it ;" but de-
nied not, " that He had taken all Opportunities to
" confirm him in that Judgment by Arguments that
" He thought could not be anfwered ; and that the
" Confequence of that War would be very pernici-
" ous. That He did prefume that many good Men,
" with whom He had conferred, did feem to concur
" with his Highnefs out of Duty to him, and as
" They faw it would be grateful to him, or upon a
*' fudden, and without making thofe Reflections
*' which would afterwards occur to them, and make
" them change their Minds. That a few Merchants,
" nor all the Merchants in London, were not the City
** of London, which had War enough, and could only
" become rich by Peace. That He did not think the
*' Parliament would be forward to encourage that
** War ■, nor mould the King be defirous that They
" mould interpofe their Advice in it, fince it was a
" Subject entirely in the King's own Determination :
" But if They ifiould appear never fo forward in it,
" He was old enough to remember when a Parlia-
" ment did adviie, and upon the Matter compel, his
44 grandfather King fames to enter into a War with
" Spain,
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 383
44 Spain, upon Promife of ample Supplies ; and yet
'* when He was engaged in it, They gave him no
** more Supply ; fo that at laft the Crown was com-
*' pelled to accept of a Peace not very honour-
" able."
Beside the Arguments He had ufed to the King,
He befought his Highnefs to reflect upon fome others
more immediately relating to himfelf, " upon the
" Want of able Men to conduct the Counsels upon
" which fuch a War mull be carried on ; how few
** Accidents might expofe the Crown to thofe Dif-
** treifes, that it might with more Difficulty be
" buoyed up than it had lately been " with many
other Arguments, which He thought made fome Im-
preflion upon the Duke. And for fome Months there r/;#D^-
was no more Mention or Difcourfe in the Court of the>- *b» pre-
War* though They who firft laid the Defign ftill cul-7""" draft~
tivated it, and made little Doubt of bringing it at laft
to pafs.
At or about this Time there was a Tranfaclion otrkeSakcf
great Importance, which at the Time was not popular DuDkirk
nor indeed underftood, and afterwards was obje&ed
againft the Chancellor in his Misfortunes, as a principal
Argument of his Infidelity and Corruption ; which was
the Sale of Dunkirk : The whole Proceeding whereof
mall be plainly and exactly related from the Beginning
to the End thereof.
The Charge and Expence the Crown was at ; the
Pay of the Land Forces and Garrifons j the great
Fleets fet out to Sea for the Reduction of the Turkifo
Pirates of Algiers and Tunis, and for guarding the
narrow Seas, and Security of the Merchants •, the
conftant yearly Charge of the Garrifbnof Du?ikirk, of
that at Tangier, and the vaft Expence of building a
Mole there, for which there was an Eftablifhment,
together with the Garrifons at Bombayne and in famai-
cay (none of which had been known to the Crown in
former Times) ; and the Lord Treafurer's frequent
Reprefentation of all this to the King, as fo prodi-
gious
384 The Continuation of the Life of
gious an Expence as could never be fupported -, had
put his Majefty to frequent Confultations how He
might leffen and fave any Part of it. But no Expe-
dient could be refolved upon. The Lord Treafurer,
who was moft troubled when Money was wanted, had
many fecret Conferences with the General and with
the beft Seamen, of the Benefit that accrued to the
Crown by keeping of Dunkirk ± the conftant Charge
and ^xpence whereof amounted to above one hun-
dred and twenty thoufand Pounds yearly : And He
found by them that it was a Place of little Impor-
tance. It is true that He had conferred of it with
the Chancellor, with whom He held a faft Friend^
7 , CWf,jTiip ; but found him fo averfe from it, that He re-
hragmnji //.folved to fpeak with him no more, till the King had
taken fome Refolution. And to that Purpofe He
perfuaded the General to go with him to the King,
and to the Duke of Tork, telling them Both, iC that
" the Chancellor muff know Nothing of it :" And
after feveral Debates the King thought it fb counfel-
lable a Thing, that He refolved to have it debated
before that Committee which He trufled in his moft
fecret Affairs ; and the Chancellor being then lame of
the Gout, He commanded that all thofe Lords mould
The &»/f«/jattencl n*m at ^s Houfe. Befide his Majefty himfelf
referred to a and the Duke of Tork, there appeared the Lord Trea-
Cumttee. 'fa^ lhe General, the Earl of Sandwich, the Vice-
Chamberlain Sir George Carteret, who had been a great
Commander at Sea, and the two Secretaries of State.
When the King entered the Room with the Lord
Treafurer, He defired his Majefty, fmiling, " that
" He would take the Chancellor's Staff from him,
*' otherwifeHe would break his Head." When They
were all fate, the King told him, " They were all
*' come to debate an Affair that He knew He was
" againft, which was the parting with Dunkirk ; but
•* He did believe, when He had heard all that was
" faid for it and againft it, He would change his
M Mind, as He himfelf had done." And fo the De-
bate
Edward Earl of Clarendon, 3V. $%$
bate was entered into in this Method, after enough
was faid of the Straights the Crown was in, and what
the yearly Expence was.
(i.) '* That the Profit which did or could accrue utafint urg.
u to the Kingdom by the keeping; of Dunkirk v/asedfsr.%":!~
" very inconfiderable, whether in War or Peace.
" That by Sea it was very little ufeful, it being no
" Harbour, nor having Place for the King's Ships
" to ride in with Safety , and that if it were in the
" Hand of an Enemy, it could do us little Prejudice,
" becaufe three or four Ships might block it up, and
*' keep it from infefling its Neighbours : And that
" though heretofore it had been a Place of Licenfe at
*' Sea, and had much obftru<5ted Trade by their Men
" of War, yet that proceeded only from the Unfkil-
" fulnefs of that Time in applying proper Remedies
" to it ; which was manifeft by Cromwell's blocking
" them up, and reftraining them when He made
" War upon them, infomuch as all the Men of War
" left that Place, and betook themi'elves to other
" Harbours. That it was fo weak to the Land (not-
withftand the great Charge his Majefly had been
at in the Fortifications ; which were not yet finifhed)
by the Situation and the Soil, that it required as
many Men within to defend it, as the Army mould
" confiit of that befieged it ; otherwife that it could
" never hold out and endure a Siege of two Months :
" As it appeared clearly by its having been taken and
" retaken fo many Times within the late Years, in
" all which Times it never held out fo long, though
" there was always an Army at no great Diftance to
u relieve it."
(2.) " That the Charge of keeping and maintain-
" ing it, without any Accidents from the Attempt of
" an Enemy, did amount unto above one hundred
" and twenty thoufand Pounds by the Year, which
" was a Sum the Revenue of the Crown could not
" fupply, without leaving many other Particulars of
" much more Importance unprovided for." And this
Vol. IL C e was
386 The Continuation of the Life of
was not lightly or curfbrily urged ; but the State of
the Revenue, and the conitant and indifpenfable
Miies, were at the fame Time prefented and carefully
examined.
(3.) " It could not reafonably be believed, but that
" if Dunkirk was kept, his Majefty would be fhortly
" involved in a War with one of the two Crowns.
44 The Spanijh Ambaffadour had already demanded
" Reftitution of it in Point of Juftice, it having been
" taken from his Mailer by the late Ufurper, in a
" Time when there was not only a Peace between
" his Majefty and the King of Spain, but when his
" Majeftv refided, and was entertained by the Catbo-
" lick King, in Flanders : And at this Time both
41 France and Spain inhibited their Subje&s from pay-
"■ ing thofe fmall Contributions to the Garrifon at
cl Dunkirk, and endeavoured to reftrain the Gover-
" nour himfelf from enjoying fome Privileges, which
*' had been always enjoyed by him from the Time
" that it had been put into Cromwell's Hands." And
it was upon this and many other Reafons then con-
ceived, " that as it would be very hard for the King
" to preferve a Neutrality towards Both Crowns, even
'• during the Time of the War between them" (which
Temper was thought very neceiTary for his Majefty's
Affairs) ; *' fo it would be much more difficult long to
" avoid a War with one of them upon the keeping
" Dunkirk, if the Peace that was newly made mould
" remain firm and unfhaken."
Upon thefe Reafons, urged and agreed upon by
thole who could not but be thought very competent
Judges, in Refpect of their feveral Profeilions and
The Ki»s n- great Experience, the King refolved to eaie himfelf
H'el/'it. 9$ the infupporrable Burden of maintaining Dunkirk,
and to part with it in fuch a Manner as might be
moft for his Advantage and Benefit. There remain-
ed then no other Queftion, than into what Hand to
put it : And the Meafure of that was only who would
give moft Money for it, there being no Inclination
to
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sV. 387
to prefer one before another. It was enough under-
Hood, that Both Crowns would be very glad to have
it, and would probably Both make large Offers for it.
But it was then as evident, that whatfoever France Reafe™ fir
fhould contract for, the King would be fure to receive, Fra;*fe'' u
and the Bufinefs would be loon difpatched : Whereas
on the other Hand it was as notorious and evident to
his Majefty, and to all who had any Knowledge of the
Court of Spain, and of the Scarcity of Money there
and in Flanders ; that how large Offers ibever the
Spaniard might make, They could not be able in any
Time to pay any confiderable Sum of Money ■, and
that there would be Co much Time fpent in Confult
between Madrid and Brujfels before it could be dif-
patched, that the keeping it fo long in his Majefty's
Hands would in the Expence difappoint him of a good
Part of the End in parting with it. Befides that it
feemed at that Time probable, that the Spaniard would
fhortly declare himfelf an Enemy ± for befides that He
demanded Dunkirk as of Right, foHe likewife require
ed the Reftitunon of Tangier and Jamaica upon the
fame Reafon, ar.d declared " that without it there
" could be no lading Peace between England and
" Spain" and refufed fo much as to enter upon a
Treaty of Alliance with the King, before He mould
promife to make fuch a Reftitution.
The re wanted not in this Conference and Debate
the Confideration of the States of the United Provinces,
as Perfons like enough to delire the Poffeffion of Dun-
kirk, from whence They had formerly received fo
much Damage, and were like enough to receive more
whenever They fhould be engaged in any War : And
if in Truth They mould have any fuch Defire, more
Money might bereaibnably required and probably be
obtained from them, than could be expected from
either of the Kings. But upon the Difculllon of that
Point, it did appear to every Man's Reafon very ma-
nifeft, that though They had rather that Dunkirk
mould be put into the Hands of the Spaniard than
C c 2 delivered
388 the Continuation of the Life of
delivered to France, or than it fliould be detained by
the Englifb ; yet They durfl not receive it into their
own Pofleflion, which neither of the two Crowns would
have approved of, and fo it would haveexpofed them
to the Difpleafure if not the Hoftility of Both the
Kings.
Upon this full Deliberation, his Majefty inclined
rather to give it up to France than to Spain \ but de-
ferred any pofuive Refolution till He had imparted
lie King re-\\\e whole Matter to the Council-Board, where the
^'^^ Debate was again refumed, principally, " whether it
M were more counfellable to keep it at Co vaft a
lt Charge, or to part with it for a good Sum of
" Money." And in that Debate the Mention of what
had been heretofore done in the Houfe of Commons
upon that Subject was not omitted, nor the Bill that
They had fent up to the Houfe of Peers for annexing
it infeparably to the Crown :^But that was not thought
of Moment -, for as it had been fuddenly entertained
in the Houfe of Commons, upon the Spanifb Ambaf-
fadour's firft Propofition for the Reftitution, fo it was
looked upon in the Houfe of Peers as unfit in itfelf,
and fo laid afide after once being read (which had
been in the firft Convention foon after the King's Re-
turn), and fb expired as foon as it was born. After
a long Debate of the whole Matter at the Council-
Board, where all was averred concerning the Ufe-
lefinefsand Weaknefsof the Place, by thofe who had
whrecniy faid it at the Committee ; there was but one Lord of
wtt&oftiit. tjie Council who offered his Advice to the King againft
parting with it : And the Ground of that Lord's dif-
fenting, who was the Earl of St. Albans, was enough
nnderftood to have Nothing of publick in it, but to
draw the Negotiation for it into his own Hands. In
Conclufion, his Majefty refolved to put it into the
Hands of trance, if that King would comply with his
Majefty's Expectation in the Payment of fo much
Mbney as He would require for it : And a Way was
found out, that the King might privately be advertifed
of
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &?c. 3S9
of that his iMajefty's Refolution, if He mould have
any Defire to deal for it.
The Advertifement was very welcome to the French
King, who was then refolved to vifit f hinders as foon
as He mould know of the Death of the King of Spain,
which was expect ed every Day. Nor had He defer-
red it till then, upon the late Affront his Ambafla-
dour had received at London from the Spanijb- Am-
bafladour (who by a contrived and laboured Strata-
gem had got the Precedence for his Coach before the
other ; which the King of France received with that
Indignation, that He fent prefently to demand Jufcice
at Madrid, commanded his Ambafladour to retire from
thence, and would not fuffer the Spanifh Ambafladour
to remain in Paris till He fhould have Satisfaction,
and was refolved to have begun a War upon it), if
the King of Spain had not acknowledged the Fault of
his Ambafladour, and under his Hand declared the
Precedence to belong to France ■, which Declaration
was fent to the Courts of all Princes : And fo for the
prefent that Spark of Fire was extinguifhed or rather
raked up.
The King fent M. D'Efirades privately to London toMtonl»e»r
treat about Dunkirk, without any Character, but pre-„ww™f^/a
tending to make it his Way to Holland, whither \\ttr"tcbtut
was defigned Ambafladour. Afer He had waited
upon the King, his Majefty appointed four or five of
the Lords of his Council, whereof the Chancellor and
Treafurer and General were three, to treat with M.
D'Efirades for the Sale of Dunkirk •, when the fivCi Con-
ference was fpent in endeavouring to perfuade him to
make the firft Offer for the Price, which He could not
be drawn to: So that the King's Commiflioners were
obliged to make their Demand. And They afked the
Sum of feven hundred thoufand Pounds Sterling, to be
paid upon the Delivery oft Dunkirk and Mat-dike into.
the PoflefTion of the King of France ; which Sum ap-
peared to him to be fo ftupendous, that He feemed to
think the Treaty at an End, and refolved to make no
C c 3 Offer
$go The Continuation of the Life of
Offer at all on the Part of his Matter. And To the Con-
ference brake up.
At the next Meeting He offered three Millions of
Livres, which according to the common Account
amounted to three hundred thoufand Piftoks, which
the King's CommifTioners as much undervalued ; fo
that any farther Conference was difcontinued, till He
had fent an Exprefs or two into France, and till their
Return : For as the Expectation of a great Sum of
ready Money was the King's Motive to part with it,
befides the faving the monthly Charge ; foThey con-
cluded that his Neceilities would oblige him to part
with it at a moderate Price. And after the Return
of the ExprefTes, the King's Commiffioners infilling
Hill upon what UEJlrades thought too much, and
He offering what They thought too little, the Treaty
teemed to be at an End, and He prepared for his
Return. In Conclufion, his Majefty being fully as
defirous to part with it as the King of France could
Tbt Price d
infifted upon to prove his being privy totheRelbhuion'*"*' "
of taking the King's Life, and advifmg it : And
though there was great Reafon to fufpect it, and moil
Men believed it, the Proofs were not clear enough to
convict him. But then the Evidence was fo full and
clear of fo many horrid Murders committed by his
Order upon Perfons in his Difpleafure, and his imme-
diate poffeiiing himfelf of their Eflates, and other
monftrous and unheard of Adts of Opprellion ; that
the Parliament condemned him to be hanged upon a
Gailows of an unufual Height, and in or near the
Place where He had caufed the Marquis of Moitnirofe
to be formerly executed : A:l which was performed
D d 2 th«
404 Tbe Continuation of the Life of
the fame Day with the univerfal Joy of the People •„
the unfortunate Perfon himfelf (hewing more Refolu-
tion and Courage than was expected from him, and
exprefling much Affe&ion and Zeal for the Covenant,
for which He defired all Men fhould believe He was
CiWpy « put to Death. There was likewife one feditious
dud. '"""Preacher, Gilafpy, who had been a notorious and ma-
licious Rebel againft the laft and the prefent King,
underwent the fame Trial and Judgment, with the
fame Faith in the Covenant, and without Shew of
Repentance. And it was much wondered at, that no
more of that Tribe, which had kindled the Fire that
had almoit burned two Kingdoms, and never had en-
deavoured to extinguifh it, were ever brought to Juf-
tice; and that the Lives of two Men fhould be thought
a fufncient Sacrifice for that Kingdom to offer for all
the Mifchief it had done.
When this Work was done, the Parliament with-
out Hefitation repealed all thofe Adts prejudicial to the
Crown and the Royal Dignity, which had been made
fince the Beginning of the Rebellion, and upon which
all the Rebellions had been founded ; and branded
their beloved Covenant with all the Reproaches it de-
ferved, and this even with the Confent and Approba-
tion of the General AfTembly of the Kirk. By all
which the Obstructions were removed ; and it was
now in the Power of the King to make Eifhops as
heretofore, and to fettle the Church in the fame Go-
vernment to which it had formerly been fubject. But
the Commillioner thought not this enough ; and ap-
prehended that the King might yet be perfuaded,
though there was no fuch Appearance, " that the
" People were againft it, and that it would be better
-ne rarHa-u to fefe jt.>> ^ncj tjierefore trie Parliament prepared
Kent petition . , .. . . * |
theKv.gu a Petition to the King, highly aggravating the Wick-
7?pl7 Ej''^~ edneis of the former Time in deftroying Epifcopacy,
without which They could not have brought their
wicked Devices to pats ; and therefore They were
humble Suitors to his Majefty, " that He would make
Choice
Edward Earl of Clarendon, 6fV. 405
Choice of fuch grave Divines, as He thought fit to be
confecrated Bifhops, for all the vacant Sees," they
being at that Time all vacant, there being not one
Bifhop of the Nation alive.
And the CommiiTioner having declared that He^/^/a,-*
meant to prorogue the Parliament, They appointed^f^cXe-
a Draught of an Oath or Subfcription to be prepared^,
againfl the next Seflion, whereby every Man, who
was pofTefied of a Church or any other Ecclefiaflical
Promotion in that Kingdom, mould be bound to re-
nounce the Covenant upon the Penalty of being de-
prived i intimating likewife, that They refolved, at
the next Meeting " that no Man mould be capable
" of holding any Office, or of being a Privy Coun-
" fellor, who would not formally fubfcribe the
. " fame."
They fettled a {landing Militia of forty thoufand^y^?*
Men, to be always ready to march upon the King's^**"*
Orders ; and raifed two good Troops of Horfe, and
provided for the Payment of them ; and granted fuch
a Sum of Money to the King, as could be reafonably
expected from fo poor and harraffed a Country, and
which would ferve the defraying the necefTary Ex-
pences thereof. And all this being done, and the Pro-r^ Cmmj:
rogation made, the Commiflioner and fome of the other^*'r r""r*1
Lords came to London to kifs the King's Hand, and to
receive his farther Directions, having ib fully difpatch-
ed all his former Orders. ; They brought likewife with
them fome other Proportions, which will be mention-
ed anon.
The King received the Commiflioner with open
Arms, and was very well pleafed with all that He
had done ; and Nobody feemed to magnify it more
than Lautberdak, who was leaft fatisfied with it. Nor
could He now longer oppofe the making of Bifhops
there : So having prefented the Names of fuch Per-
fons to the King who were thought fit to be confe-
crated Bifhops, whereof fome had been with his Ma-
jefty abroad, They were all fent for to London ; and
D d 3 fuch
406 ¥be Continuation of the Life of
fuch of them who had not before received their Ordi-
nation from a Bifhop, but- from the Prefbytery in
Sfflrf '/■" ^C0tl-an^t whereof the Archbifhop of St. Andrews was
stated. one, firfl received Orders of Deacon and Fried from
theBifhopof London, and were afterwards confecrated
in the ufual Form by the Biihops who were then near
the Town, and made fo great a Feaft as if it had been
at the Charge of their Country.
The Commiffioner, the Chancellor, the Earl of
Rothes and others, with the Lord Lautberdak, were
deputed by the Parliament to be humble Suitors to
the King ; " iince They had performed on their Part
" all that was of the Duty of good Subjects, and
" were ready to give any other Teflimony of their
*' Obedience that his Majefty would require ; and
" fincethe whole Kingdom was entirely at his Devo-
" tion, and in fuch a Pofture that They were able as
" well as willing to preserve the Peace thereof, and to
" fupprefs any feditious Party that fhould attempt any
The Scotch " Difturbance -, that his Majefty would now remove
iefire the u the En^lijb Garrifons from thence, and permit the
Jjiilmayle66 Fortifications and Works, which had been erected
withdrawn. « at a vaft Charge, to be demolished, that there
" might remain no Monuments of the Slavery They
** had undergone." And this They demanded as in
Juflice due to them, " fmce there were few Men now
" alive, none in the leaft Power, who had contributed
" to the Ills which had been Itommitted •, and all the
" Men of Power had undergone for ten or a dozen
" Years as great Oppreffion as could be put upon
" them, becaufe They would not renounce their Fi-
*' delity to the King : And fince it had pleafed God
" to reflore his Majefty, They hoped He would not
" continue thofe Yokes and Shackles upon them,
" which had been prepared and put upon them
" to keep them from returning to their Allegi-
" ance.M
This was propofed in the Prefence of thofe of
the Englijh Council, who had been formally admitted
to
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 407
*o be of the Council of Scotland, and continued to
meet upon that Affair. The Scots Lords enlarged
with much Warmth " upon the intolerable Oppreiiion
** that Nation had undergone, on the Poverty They
r ftill fuffered, and ihe ImpolTibility of being able to
" bear any Part of the Charge, and the Jealoufy that
" it would keep up between the Nations, which could
" not be to the King's Profit and Convenience."
They had privately fpoken before with the King upon
it, and had prevailed with him to think what They
defired had Reafon and Juftice in it ; and the Englijh
Lords could not upon the fudden, and without Con-
ference together, refolve what was fit for them to
fay : So that They defired, without expreffing any
Inclination in the Matter, " that the Debate might
" be put off to another Day ;' which the Scots took
very ill, as if the very deferring it were an Argument
that They thought it might be denied. But when
They faw They would not prefently fpeak to it, They
were content that another Day fhould be appointed
for the Confideration of it : And They afterwards
defired the King, " that He would call the Commit-
" tee of the Englijh Council, who ufed to attend him
" in the moft fecret Affairs, to confult what was to
" be done." Nobody could deny but that the Scots
had Reafon to demand it. And They who thought
it a Bridle fit to keep in their Mouths, to reftrain
them from future Rebellions which They might be
inclined to, could not eafily refolve what Anfwer
fhould be given to them in the Negative. And They
who thought the Demand to be fo juft and reafonable,
and fo much for the King's Benefit and Advantage,
that it ought to be granted, did believe likewife that
it was a Thing fo capable of Cenfure and Reproach,
in Regard of the general Prejudice which the Englijh
have againfl that People, that no particular Perfon
was able to bear the Odium of the Advice ; nor that
the King himfelf iliould take the Refolution upon
himfelf without very mature Deliberation.
D d 4 That
40& the Continuation of the Life of
ScmeCircum- That which advanced the Propofition as fit to be
fkdBtJe** granted, was the Charge of maintaining thofe Forces ;
their Rtqucfi. which that Kingdom was fo incapable of bearing,
that Middleton and Glencarne (whofe Duties and en-
tire Devotion to the King were above all Exception
or Sufpicion) declared not only to the King, but to
thofe of the Lords with whom They would confer
freely, " that if the King thought it neceflary to keep
" that People (till there, He mud fend more Forces
" of Horfe and Foot thither ; otherwife They were
" not flrong enough to fubdue the whole Kingdom,
44 and the Innovation would be no lefs in remitting
44 it to the Parliament, which had no Pretence of
44 Jurifdiclion over them." To Both which They
were anfwered, ?' that the withdrawing the Englijb
44 Forces, and demolishing the Englifo Fortifications,
44 concerned England no lefs than the other Kingdom ■>
44 and that his Majefty did not intend it mould be
44 propofed to them, as a Thing of which He made
44 any Doubt or required their Advice, but only as a
44 Matter of Fad, which would prevent all Murmur-
" ings or Cenfures, which otherwife might arife."
The Englijb Lords defired, " that the King's Orders-
44 might be very pofitive, and that the Commifiioner
44 might fee them executed, for the utter demolifhing
41 all thofe Fortifications which the Englijb were to
" abandon, that They might not be continued for
44 the Entertainment of new Garrifons of the Natives,
" which would admintfter Matter of new Tealouhes :"
MI
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &V. 411
All which They chearfuily conferred to, well knowing
that They might afterwards perh;rm what They found
convenient; and many did fmce believe, that there
remains enough in feme of the Places to be Slicker to
a Rebellion hereafter.
The King appointed the Chancellor to make a Re-
lation, at a Conference between the two Houfes of
Parliament, '/ of the good Pofture his Majefty 's Af-
" fairs of Scotland ftood in ; of their having repealed
u all thole ill Laws which had been made by the Ad-
" vantage of the Rebellion, and all that concerned
" the Church; upon which that his Majefty forthwith
" reiblved to fettle Bifhops in that Kingdom, which
" appeared very unanimoufly devoted to his Service :
" And that the King could not but communicate this
" good News to them, which He knew would give
" them Caufe of rejoicing." And then He told
them, " that the Scots Parliament, in Regard of the
" Peace and Quiet that They enjoyed, without the
" leafl Apprehenfion of Trouble from abroad or at
" Home, had defired the King, that the Enghili
" Forces might be withdrawn and all the Fortifications
u razed;, and that thofe Forces might be convenient,
" if his Majefty thought fit, to be tranfported to
" Portugal-" without diicovering what his Majefty 77.^ Er,?i;n»
had refolved to do, or afking any Opinion from thep^^/T^
which however They might have given if They//,
pleafed. The Effect was, that Both Houfes fent their
humble Thanks to the King u for his having vouch-
t fafed to let them know the good Condition of
" Scotland, cf which They wifned his Majefty much
H Joy ; and hoped his other Dominions would in a
" ihort Time be in the fame Tranquillity:" Without
taking any Notice of withdrawing the Garrifons. And
fo that Affair ended.
During this Agitation in London, it was difcern-
able enough that there were great Jealouiies between
the Scots Lords. The Commiflioner and the other
had Caufe to believe, that the King gave much more
Credit
412 The Continuation of the Life of
Credit to Lautherdak than to them, and looked upon
him as a Man of great Intereft in that Country, when
They knew He had none, being neither in his Qua-
lity or Fortune amongft thofe who were efteemed Men
of Power and Dependance. And He thought them
linked in a Faction againft him, to leffen the Value
the King had of him, which indeed was the Founda-
tion of all his Credit and Intereft. What Counte-
nance foever He fet upon it, He was fenfibly afflicted
at the Downfal of the Prefbytery, and that Middkton
had brought that to pafs without any Difficulty (as
He had before told the King He would), which He
had allured his Majefty was impoffible to be effected
but in long Time and by many Stratagems.
The Marquis of Argyk had been a Man univer-
fally odious to the whole Nation, fome Minifters and
Preachers excepted : And there had been always
thought to have been an implacable Animofity from
Lautkerdale towards him ; and after the King's Re-
turn no Man had appeared more againft him, nor
more iniifted upon his not being admitted to his Ma-
jefty's Pretence, or for his being lent into Scotland to
be tried. Yet after all this it was difcovered, that
He had interpofed all He could with his Majefty to
fave him, and employed all his Intereft in Scotland to
the fame Purpofe. And the Marquis was no fooner
executed, but the Earl of Lautherdak had prevailed
with the King immediately to give his Son the Lord
Lome (who had remained in London to folicit on his
LJZ?r}jrne .Father's Behalf) Leave to kifs his Hand, and to create
creou/Earjhim Earl of Argyle, and to confer on him the Office of
•/Argyk. General Juftice in the Highlands, by which his Father
had been qualified to do molt of the Wickedneffes
He had committed \ all which the Parliament of Scot-
land fhould have treated as the moft fenfible Affront
to them that They could undergo.
It was well known that this young Man, who
was Captain of the King's Guard when He was in
Scotland, had treated his Majefty with that Rudenefs
and
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sfr\ 415
and Barbarity, that He was much more odious to
him than his Father ; and in all the Letters which
Lautherdak had found Opportunity to write, whilft
He was a Prifoner in England, to the King when He
was beyond the Seas, He inveighed equally againfl
the Son as the Father, and never gave him any other
Title than that Toad's Bird: So that Nobody
could imagine from whence this Change could pro-
ceed, but from a Defign to preferve an Interefl in the
Prefbyterian Party againfl the Time He mould have
Occafion to ufe them.
Then there were Circumftances in this Grace of
the King to the Lord Lome, that exceeded all Mens
Comprehenfion : For his Majefty caufed all the Eflate
of the Marquis of Argyk, which did not appear in
any Degree fo confiderable as it was generally believed
to have been, to be feized upon as forfeited to him;
and then would grant it to the Son fo abiblutely, that
neither the Owners mould recover what had been in-
jurioufly and violently taken from them for their
Loyalty to the King, nor the Creditors receive Satis-
faction for the juft Debts which were due to them,
and which mufl have been fatisfied if the King had
retained the Forfeiture. But upon the Application of
the Commiffioner and the other Lords, that the King
would hear all Perfons concerned, there was fome
Mitigation in thofe Particulars, notwithstanding all
the Oppofition which Lautherdak did barefaced make
on the Behalf of the Lord Lome, and which the other
bore with great Indignation: Which He knew very
well, and did believe that the Oath and Subfcription,
which He well knew They had contrived for the next
Seffion of Parliament, was levelled at him; that not
taking it, as They did not believe He would do, the
Secretary of Scotland's Place might become void,
which They had much rather mould have been in
any Man's Hand than in his. And therefore He
took all Occafion s to profefs and declare, befides his
confhmt Raillery againfl the Prefbytery, u that if
" They
414
The Commif-
Jtoner and
Bijbops re-
turn to Scot-
land.
The Englifti
Parliament
tntets.
An Infur-
rcElion in-
tended in
Yorkfhiie.
The Continuation of the Life of
" They fhould require him to fubfcribe that He is
" a Turk, He would do it before He would lofe his
" Office."
The Matter of thefe Offences being moil: in pri-
vate, and fo not publickly taken Notice of, They
made a fair Show and kept good Quarter towards
each other. And the King confenting to all that the
CommiiTioner propofed with Reference to the Publick,
being indeed abundantly fatisned with his Comport-
ment, and at parting promifing to give him the Office
of Treafurer, when by Crawford's refufing to fubfcribe
it mould become void ; They, with all their Bifhops,
returned again for Scotland with incurable Jealoufy of
Lautherdaley vVho remained waiting upon the King,
and relolved to crofs all their Defigns He could, and
quietly to expect a better Opportunity to undo what
He could not for the prefent prevent.
It is Time now to return to the Parliament of
England, which, according to the Time of the Proro-
gation, met again in March towards the Entrance into
the Year 1664: When at their firfl Meeting the
King informed them at large of the Infurre&ion that
had been endeavoured in the Summer before in Tork-
Jbirey which, how foolifhly foever contrived, was a
very great Inftance of the Dillemper of the Nation ;
that three Years after the diibanding of the Army,
the Officers thereof fhould remain flill (b unquiet, as
to hope to give any iignal Disturbance to the Peace
of the Kingdom, by fuch a Commotion as They
could upon their Credit raife.
The continual Difcourfe of Plots and Infurre&ions
had Co wearied the King, that He even rcfolved to
give no more Countenance to any fuch Informations,
nor to trouble himfelf with Inquiry into them; but
to leave the Peace of the Kingdom againft any fuch
Attempts to the Vigilance of the civil Magiftrates,
and the Care of the 0;ficers of the Militia, which He
prdumed would be fufneient to quell and fupprefs
any ordinary ianatick Dcfign. And upon this Kefo-
iution,
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 415
Jution, and to avoid the Reproach of the late Times,
of contriving Plots only to commit Men to Prifon
againft whom there was any Prejudice, He totally ne-
glected the firft Information He received of this fedi-
tious Purpofe. But when the Intelligence was conti-
nued from feveral Parts, and fo particular for the
Time and Place of the Rendezvous, and for the
feizing upon the City of Tork ; and there was Evi-
dence that fome Men of Eflate and Fortune, and who
were held wary and difcreet Men, were engaged in it ;
his Majefty thought it Time to provide againft it,
and not only commended the Care of it to the Lords
Lieutenants and Deputy Lieutenants of the Counties
adjacent, but fent likewife feveral Troops of his own
Horfe to poflefs the City of Tork before the Day ap-
pointed, and to attend fome of the Places of the Ren-
dezvous. And They came very feafonably, and {wx-Butprtwrb
prifed many upon the very Place, before their Com-'^
pany was ftrong enough to make Refiftance. Others
did make fome Refiftance, but quickly fled and were
difperfed. Many were taken, and upon their Exa-
mination behaved themfelves as if They were fure to
be quickly refcued ; for it appeared that They did
believe that the Infurre&ion would have been general
throughout the Kingdom, and that all the difbanded
Army would have been brought together at feveral
Rendezvoufes.
All the Prifons in the North were (b full, that
the King thought it neceiTary to fend down four or
five of the Judges of the feveral Benches oiWefttnin-
jier-Hall to Tork, with a Commiffion of Oyer and 'Ter-
miner, to examine the whole Matter. There, though
the Judges did not believe that They had difcovered
the Bottom of the whole Confpiracy, They found
Caufe to condemn very many ; whereof feventeen of^,^ ,&
eighteen were executed, fome reprieved, and vtvyp!ciu,s «*•
many left in Prifon to be tried at the next Afiizes."" "
Amongft thof'e who were executed, the Man who
was moil: looked upon was one Rywer, of the Quality
of
4i 6 The Continuation of the Life of
of the better Sort of Grand-Jurymen, and held a wife
Man, and was known to be trufted by the greateft
Men who had been in Rebellion : And He was dis-
covered by a Perfbn of intimate Trull with him,
who had heretofore the fame Affections with him,
but would venture no more. He was a fullen Man,
and ufed few Words to excufe himfelf, and none to
hurt any Body elfe ; though He was thought to know
much, and that having a good Eflate He would
never have embarked in a Defign that had no Proba-
bility of Succefs. Some of the Prifoners declared,
*'• that They were afTured by thofe who engaged
44 them, that fuch and fuch great Men would appear
44 at the Rendezvous or foon after." But that was
not thought a fufficient Ground to trouble any Man,
though fome of them were very liable to Sufpicion ;
iince in all Combinations of that Kind, it is a mofl
ufual Artifice to work upon weak Men, by perfuad-
ing them that other Men, of whom They have great
Eiteem, are engaged in it, who in Truth know No-
thing of it.
The Judges were returned from York little Time
before the Parliament met \ and therefore the King
thought it fit to awaken them to much Vigilance, by
informing them with what Secrecy that Confpiracy
had been carried. And his Majefty affured them,
7"Khittg'h " that He was not yet at the Bottom of that Bufinefs i
Mating „/'" and that it appeared manifeftly, that this Confpi-
mJarl'a~ " racy was ^ut a Branch of that which He had dif-
44 covered as well as He could to them about two
44 Years lince, and had been then executed nearer
44 Hand, if He had not by God's Goodnefs come to
44 the Knowledge of fome of the principal Contrivers,
44 and (o fecured them from doing theMifchief They
4i intended."
His Majefty told them, " that They would won-
4< der, (yet He faid what was true) that They were
44 now even in thofe Parts, when They fee their
** Friends under Trial and Execution, flill purfuing
41 the
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &fr. 417
the fame Confultations : And it was evident that
They had Correspondence with defperate Perfons
in moil Counties, and a (landing Council in Lon-
don itfelf, from which They received their Directions,
and by whom They were advifed to defer their Jail
intended Infurre&ion. Eut thofe Orders ferved on-
ly to ditlract them, and came too late to prevent
their Deflru&ion." He faid, " He knew more of
their Intrigues, than They thought He did ; and
hoped He mould fhortly difcover the Bottom : In
the mean Time He defired the Parliament, that
They might all be as watchful to prevent, as They
were to contrive their Mifchief." He faid, " He
could not upon this Occadon omit to tell them,
that thefe defperate Men in their Counfels (as ap-
peared by feveral Examinations) had not been all
of one Mind in the Ways of carrying on their
wicked Refolutions. Some would flill infift upon
the Authority of the Long Parliament, of which
They fay They have Members enough willing to
meet : Others have fancied to themfelves, by fome
Computation of their own, upon fome Claufe in
the 'Triennial Bill, that this prefent Parliament was
at sn End fome Months Jince ; and that for JVant of
new Writs They may affemble themfelves, and chufi
Members for Parliament ; and that this is the bed
Expedient to bring themfelves together for their
other Purpofes. For the Long Parliament," his
Majefly faid, " that He and They together could
do no more than He had done to inform and
compofe the Minds of Men -, let them proceed
upon that at their Peril. But He thought there
had been Nothing done to difabufe Men in refpedt
of the Triennial Bill. He confeffed that He had
often himfelf read over that Bill ; and though there
is no Colour for the Fancy of the Determination
of this Parliament; yet He would not deny to
them, that He had always expected that They
would, and eyen wondered that They had not
Vol. II. E e " con-
4i 8 The Continuation of the Life of
" confidcred the wonderful Claufes in that Bill, which
" had palled in a Time very uncareful for the Dignity
" of the Crown, or the Security of the People."
His Majefty defired the Speaker and the Gentlemen
of the Houfe of Commons, " that They would once
" give that Triennial BUI a Reading in their Houfe ;
11 and then in God's Name. They might do what
" They thought fit for him, themfelves, and the
"whole Kingdom." His Majefty faid, " that He
" needed not tell them how much He loved Parlia-
" ments : Never King was fo much beholden to Par-
u liaments as He had been ; ncr did He think that
M the Crown could ever be happy without frequent
" Parliaments. But He wifhed them to allure them-
u felves, that if He fhould think otherwife, He would
" never fuffer a Parliament to come together, by the
" Means prefcribed by that Bill."
He renewed his Thanks to them " for the free
" Supply They gave him the laft Seflion of four
" Subfidies ; yet He could not but tell them, that
" that Supply was fallen much fhort of what He ex-
" peded and They intended. That it would hardly
" be believed, yet They knew it to be true, that
" very many Perfons, who have Eftates of three or
" four thoufand Pounds by the Year, do not pay
" for thefe four Subfidies fixteen Pounds : So that
u whereas They intended and declared, that they fhould
" be collected according to former Precedents, they do not
" now arife to Half the Proportion they did in the
*' Time of Queen Elizabeth ; and yet lure the Crown
" wants more now than it did then, and the Subject
"is at leaft as well able to give." His Majefty faid,
" the Truth is, by the Licenfe of the late ill Time,
" and ill Humour of this, too many of the People,
" and even of thole who make fair Profellions, be-
41 lieve it to be no Sin to defraud the Crown of any
" Thing that is due to it. That They no fooner
'* gave him Tonnage and Poundage, than Men were
" deviling all the Means They could to fteal Cuftom ;
" nor
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 419
" nor could the Farmers be fb vigilant for the Col-
" lection, as others were to fteal the Duties. They
" gave him the Excife, which all People abroad be-
" lieved to be the mod infenfible Impofition that can
" be laid upon a People : What Confpiracies and
t( Combinations were entered into againft it by the
" Brewers, who He was fure did not bear the Bur-
" den themfelves, even to bring that Revenue to No-
" thing, They would hear in IVejlminfter-Hall. They
" had given him the Chimney-Money \ which They had
" Reafon to believe was a growing Revenue, for
" Men build at leaft fad enough ; and They would
tc therefore wonder, that it was already declined, and
" that this Half Year brings in lefs than the former
" did. He defired them therefore, " that They
" would review that Bill ; and fince He was fure that
" They would have him receive whatfoever They
" gave, that He might have the collecting and huf-
" banding of it by his own Officers, and then He
" doubted not but to improve that Receipt, and He
rt would be cozened as little as He could."
His Majefty concluded with " defiring and con-
" juring them to keep a very good Correfpondence
" together, that it might not be in the Power of any
" feditious or factious Spirits to make them jealous of
" each other, or either of them jealous of him, till
" They fee him pretend one Thing and do another,
" which He was fure They had never yet done." He
afTmed them, " it mould be in Nobody's Power to
" make him jealous of them." And fo defired them,
" that They would difpatch what They found ne-
" ceffary, that They might be ready for a Seflion
" within two Months or thereabout, becaufe the Sea-
" fon of the Year would invite them all to take the
" Country Air."
It was very happy for his Majefty, that He did
cut out their Work to their Hand, and afked no Mo-
ney of them, and limited them a fhort Time to con-
tinue together. It made their Counfels very unani-
E e 2 mous :
"420 the Continuation of the Life of
mous : And though They raifed no new Taxes and
Impoiitions upon the People, They made what They
had before raifed much more valuable to the King
than it was before, by palling other Ads and Decla-
rations for the explaining many Things, and the bet-
ter collecting the Money They had formerly given *
which much added to his Majefly's Profit without
grieving the People, who were rather gratified in the
Remedies which were provided againft Frauds and
Cozenage.
r/.tfTrien- The Parliament had fate but very little more than
niaiBHirf- ten Days, when They prefented a Bill to his Majefty
for the Repeal of the Triennial Bill, which He had
recommended to them ; which was fo grateful to him,
that He came in Perfon to the Houfe to pafs it and
to thank them : And He told them, *' that every good
44 Engli/bman would thank them for it ; for it could only
44 have ferved to difcredit Parliaments, to make the
44 Crown jealous of Parliaments and Parliaments of the
44 Crown, and perfuaded neighbourPrinces \S\2\England
44 was not governed under a Monarch." The Truth
is : It had paffed in a very jealous and feditious Time,
when the Wickednefs was firft in hatching, that
ripened afterwards to a difmal Perfection ; and when
all, who were fworn never to confent to the Difherifon
of the Crown, thought only of preferving their own
Inheritance which They had gotten, or improving it
at the Expence of the Crown ; and made it manifeft
enough, that it fhould wither, at lead while it flood
upon the Head of that King ; for at that Time the
Confpiracy went no farther, that is amongft thofe
who had then Credit to promote its PafTage, though
They were weak Men who thought it could reft
there.
s»mr Aat As They made this Entrance, fo They were wholly
taffeJ- , intent upon Matters of Moment, and difpatched all
They intended to do within the two Months, in which
the King defired They would be ready for a Proroga-
tion. And as there was greater Order and Unanimity
in
Edward Earl of. Clarendon, tstc. 42;
in their Debates, fb They difpatched more Bufinefs
of publick Importance and Confequence, than any
other Parliament had done in twice the Time : For,
befides the Repeal of the odious Bill before mentioned,
They made a very good additional Bill for the Chim-
ney-Money, which made that Revenue much more
confiderable ; and They palled likewife another Bill
againft the frequenting of Conventicles, which was
looked upon as the greateft Difcountenance the Parlia-
ment had yet given to all the Factions in Religion,
and if it had been vigoroufiy executed would no Doubt
have produced a thorough Reformation. They made
likewife a very good Act, and very neceffary for a
Time of fuch Corruption, that had contracted new
Ways of Difhonefty and Villainy that former Times
had not thought of, when many unworthy and cow-
ardly Matters of Ships and Seamen had been con-
tented to be robbed, and to fufFer all their Owners
Goods to be taken, upon an Allowance made to them
by the Pirates; for the Difcovery and Punifhment
whereof the Law had not enough provided. They
therefore prefented a Bill to the King, u for the
44 Difcovery and Punifhment of all fuch treacherous
" and infamous Actions ; and for the Reward of fuch
" honefl and flout Seamen, as fhould manfully and
'*' courageoufly defend their Owners Goods, and there-
*'. in maintain the Honour of the Nation."
All this They prefented to his Majefly, and it
was confirmed by his Royal AiTent on the 17th of
May ± when his Majefty, after giving fuch Thanks
to them as They deferved, told them, " He did not
" intend to bring them together again till the Month
" of November, that They might enjoy the Summer
" in the Tranfadtion of their own Affairs : Yet be-
** caufe there might fome emergent Occafton fall out,
" that might make him wifh to find them together
*• fooner, He would prorogue them only to Auguji \
•■ and before the Day They fhould have feafonable
" Notice, by Proclamation, nqt to give their Atten-
E e 3 " dance,
422 T'be Continuation of the Life of
" dance, except fuch Occafion mould fall out." And
TheParha- fo They were prorogued to a day in Angujl, but met
ToguS!' not till November following.
During this fhort Seilion of Parliament, They,
who were very felicitous to promote a War with Hol-
land, forgat not what They had to do ; but They
quickly difcerned that it was not a good Seafon to
mention the giving of Money (which the King him-
felf had forborne to mention, that the People might
fee one SelLon of Parliament pafs without granting
new Impofitions, which They had not yet feen), and
therefore it would be as unfeafonable to (peak of a
War. However, They made fuch an Approach to-
wards it, as might make a farther Advance much
more eafy.
iheMer. The Merchants in the Committee of Trade much
jjjjj ^^lamerited theObftructions and Diicouragements, which
tie Dutch. They had long found in their Commerce by Sea with
other Nations, and which were not removed even by
the blefled Return of the King ; all which They im-
puted to the Pride and Inlblence of the Hollanders,
" who," They laid, '.' obferved no Laws of Com-
" merce, or any Conditions which themfelves con-
" fented to. That by their Fraud and Practice the
" Englijb were almoft driven out of the Eafl and Weft-
" Indies, and had their Trade in.Turkey and in Africa
" much diminifhed. In Sum, that befides many in-
" fufferable Indignities offered by them to his Ma-
" jefty and to the Crown of England, his Subjects had
" in few Years fuftained the Damage of feven or
" eight hundred thoufand Pounds Sterling."
All which, with fome particular Inftances, being
reported from the Committee of Trade to the Houfe,
They had defired an Audience from his Majefty, and
then prefented this Grievance to him, and defired his
Majefty, " that He would give fuch Order in it, as
" to his Wifdom mould ieem fit, that might produce
" juft and honourable Satisfaction/' The King,
who continued firm to his former Refolution, an-
fwered
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 423
iwered them, " that He would tranfmit the Addrefs
" They had prefented to him to his Reiident at the
Y Hague, with Order that He fhould inform the States
*' of it, and require Satisfaction, which He hoped
" the States General would yield unto, rather than
" compel him to demand Juflice in another Way."
The Anfwer pleafed them well, nor could They wifii
that the Profecution mould be put into a better Hand
than the Relklent's, who was a Member of the Houfe,
and a Man who had inflamed them more than the
Merchants themfelves aeainftthe Dutch.
That Reiident was Sir George Downing, a Man of chpraaer n to ferve the King, He had never dhTerved
" him, and would hereafter give him Notice of any
" Thing that it would be neceifary for him to be
** informed of with Reference to England or to Hol-
" land"
The Marquis thought it very fit to accept of fuch
an Inflrument, and promifed him " to acquaint his
** Majefty with his good Affection, who He prefumed
" would receive it gracioufly, and give him as much
" Encouragement to continue it as his prefent Con-
" dition would permit." To which the other replied,
" that He knew the King's prefent Condition too
" well to expect any Reward from him : But if his
" Majefly would vouchfafe, when He fhould be re-
" flored, to confirm to him the Office He then held
".of a Teller in the Exchequer, and continue him in
" this Employment He then had in Holland, where
" He prefumed He fhould be able to do him more
64 Service than a Stranger could do, He would think
" himfelf abundantly rewarded." Of all which when
the Marquis advertifed the King at his Return to
Bmjfehy He had Authority to allure him " of the
" King's Acceptation, and that all that He expected
l< fhould be made good."
This was the Ground and Reafon, that when the
King came to the Hague the Year following to em-
bark for England, He received Downing lb gracioufly
and knighted him, and left him there as hisRefident;
which They who were near the King, and knew No-
thing of what had pailed, wondered at as much as
Strangers who had obferved his former Behaviour.
And the States themfelves, who would not at fuch a
Time of publick Joy do any Thing that might be in-
grateful to his Majefly, could not forbear to lament
in private, " that his Majefly would depute a Perfon
" to have his Authority, who had never ufed any
" other Dialect to perfuade them to do any Thing
*' He propofed, but Threats if They fhould not do
" it, and who at feveral Times had difobliged mod
" of
426 The Continuation of the Life of
" of their Perfons by his Infolence." And from the
Time of his Majefty's Departure from thence, He
never made thofe Reprefentations which Men in thofe
Minifteries ufed to do, but put the worft Commen-
taries upon all their Actions. And when He fate
afterwards as a Member of the Houfe, returning (till
in the Interval of Parliament to his Employment at
the Hague, He took all Opportunities to inveigh
~againft their Ufurpations in Trade; and either did or
pretended to know many of their Myfteries of Ini-
quity, in opening of which He rendered himfelf ac-
ceptable to the Houfe, though He was a voluminous
Speaker, which naturally They do not like.
KeenJea- When this Province was committed to him of
™7£*™*Expoftulation for the Injuries fuftained in ieveral
Places from the Duicht He had his Wifh, and ufed
little Modefty in the urging of it. They anfwered,
" that moll: of the Particulars of which He com-
" plained were put under Oblivion by the late Treaty,
" and that in Confideration thereof They had yielded
" to many Particulars for the Benefit of the Englijb •,
" and that for the other Particulars, they were like-
'« wife by the fame Treaty referred to a Procefs in
" Juftice, of which They had yet no Caufe to com-
y£!£S
Prince Rupert.
The Parliament had before declared, when They
made their Addrefs to the King againfl the Dutch for
obftrudting the Trade, u that They would with their
" Lives and Fortunes afTift his Majefty againft all
M Oppreflions whatfoever, which He fhould meet
" with in the Removal of thofe Obftru&ions j" which
They believed would terrify, but in Truth made the
Dutch merry : And in fome of their Declarations or
Anfwers to Downing'?, Memorials, They mentioned
it v/ith too much Pride and Contempt. And in this^ par\u.
Pofture the Difputes were when the Parliament met*"*""""*
again in November, which came together for the moft
Part without a Defire either to give Money or make
War. And Downing, who laboured heartily to incenfe
us
43° The Continuation of the Life of
us and to provoke them, in all his Difpatches de-
clared, " that all thole Infolencies proceeded only
" from the Malignity of the States of Holland, which
" could vent itfelf no farther than in Words; but
" that the States'General, without vvhofe Concurrence
" no War could be made, abhorred the Thought of
" it :" And there is no Doubt that was true. And
the. Dutch Ambaffadour, who remained ax London, and
was a very honeft weak Man, and did all the Offices
He could to prevent it, did not think it poilible it could
come to pais ; " and that there might be fome Scuffles
" upon the Coaft of Guinea, by the Direction of the
" JVcfl-hidia Company, of whofe Actions the States
" General took Notice, but would caufe Juftice to be
" done upon Complaint, and not fuffer the public
" Peace to be disturbed upon their Pretences." And
fo the King forbore to demand any Supply from the
Parliament, becaufe an ordinary Supply would rather
difcredit his Demands than advance them, and He
could not expect an extraordinary Supply but when the
War was unqueflionable. And the States General at
this Time were made a Property by the States of Hol-
land (who had given private Orders for their own Con-
cernments), and pre fen ted an humble Defire to the
King by their Ambaffadour, " that Prince Ritperfs,
" Fleet might flay in Harbour, as theirs likewife that
" was prepared for Guinea fhould do, till fome Means
" might be found for the Accommodation of all
" Differences." Whereas before They pretended,
that They would fend their Guinea Fleet through the
Channel, convoyed by their Admiral with a Fleet of
fifty Sail ; which Report had before [topped Prince
Rupert, when He was under Sail for Guinea, to wait
and expect that Piece of Bravery. But this Addrefs
from the States General made all Men believe there
would be an Accommodation, without fo much as any
HofVility in Guinea.
*?f '""£ But it was quickly difcovered, that They were the
of honefter Men when They gave the worft Words.,
tbe Dutch. For
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £*?£. 431
For before the States General fent to the King to ftop
Prince Rupert in Harbour, " and that their Fleets
" fhould likewife remain in their Harbours," the
States of Holland, or that Committee that was qualified
by them, had with great Privacy fent Orders to De
Ruyter, who was in the Mediterranean, " to make all
" poffible Hafte with his Fleet to go to the Coaft of
" Guinea, and not only to retake the Fort near Cape
" Verde that the Englifh had taken from them, but
" likewife to take what Places He could which were
" in Poffeflion of the Englijh, and to do them what
" Damage He could in thofe Parts :" So that They
might well offer that their Fleet fhould now remain in
their Harbours in Holland.
When De Ruyter had been fent into the Mediterra-
nean, the Pretence was, that it was againft the Pirates
of Algiers and Tunis, who had in Truth preyed very
much upon the Dutch, taken very many of their Ships,
and had Abundance of their Subjects in Chains. And
when that Fleet was fent into the Mediterranean, their
Ambaffadour had defired the King, " that his Ma-
" jetty's Fleet that was then in thofe Parts might
" upon all Occafions join with De Ruyter, when Op-
" portunity fhould be offered thereby to infefc the
" Turks" which the King confented to, and fent
Orders accordingly. But the Dutch had no fuch Pur-
pofe : Flis Bufinefs was to ranfom their Captives with
Money, and not to exact the Delivery of them by
Force ; and to make an Accommodation for the Time
to come as well as He could. And when the Englijlj
Fleet was at any Time in Purfuit of any of the Turks
Veffels, and expected that the Dutch, by whom they
mufl pafs, would have given a little Stop to their
Flight, which They might eafily have done i They
rather affifted than obftruded their Efcape. And
having made a very diihonourable Peace with the
Pirates, He made Halte to profecute his Orders for
the Coaft of Guinea.
As
43 2 The Continuation of the Life of
upon ■which As foon as the King knew of this impudent -Af-
ar* ftiJd. front and that De Ruyter was in Truth gone out of
the Mediterranean, He thought He might juftly feize
upon any Ships of theirs, to fatisfy the.Damages that
•He could not but (Villain by De Ruyter in Guinea:
And (o, it being the Seafon of the Year that the
Dutch Fleet returned with their Wines from Bourdeaux,
Rocbelk, and other Farts of France fuch of them as
were forced by the Weather to put into the Englijh
Harbours were feized upon. And the Duke of Tor k,
having put hi.mfelf on Board with a Fleet of about
fifty Sail, upon. the Report of the Dutch being come
out to defend their Ships, took many others, even
upon their own Coafls ; which They chofe rather to
fuitcr, than to venture out of their Ports to relieve
them. However there was not any one of all thofe
Ships differed to be unladen, or any Prejudice done
to them •, but they were all preferved unhurt, till
Notice might arrive from Guinea what De Ruyter had
The Dutch done there. But undoubted Intelligence arrived in a
%7jiii7t!e, in verY fhort Time after, that De Ruyter had declared
Guinea, and begun the War upon the Coaft of Africa, not
only by a forceable retaking the Fort which had been
taken from them, and which his Majefty had offered
to deliver, but by feizing upon feveral Engliflj Ships
in thofe Parts, and by alTaulting and taking other his
Majeily's Forts and Places, and exercifing all the
Aclsof-Hoftiliry which hisCommifiion authorifed him
to do.
theyreftfe And in a very fhort Time after, the Eafi-India
^fjZpo Company complained and informed the King, " that
lenooe. *" when their Officer had demanded the Redelivery of
" the Jile of Poleroone according to the Article of the
" late Treaty, and delivered the Letters and Orders
44 from the States General and States of Holland, which
44 their AmbafTadours had given at London, to the Go-
*- vernour and Captain of that Ifland ; He, after mak-
44 ing him day two or three Days therewith his Ship
44 and the Men He had brought with him, told him,
44 that
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 433
" that upon a better Perufal of the Orders which He had
" brought, He found that they were not fufpcient -, and
" therefore till Hefhould receive fuller Orders, He could
*c not give up the Place" And fo the Officer and
Ship, which had been fent at a great Charge, were
neceflitated to return without any other Effect than
the Affront and Indignity to his iVJajefly.
i When there was now no Remedy, and the War
was actually made upon the King upon what Provo-
cation foever, there was Nothing to be done but to
refort to the Parliament, which had been fo earned to
enter into it. A Fleet mud be prepared equal to
what the Dutch would infallibly make ready againft
the Spring, and worthy of the Prefence of the Duke
of Tork, who was impatient to engage his own Per-
fon in the Conduct of it ; and the King had given his
Promife to him that He mould, when He had, God
knows, no Purpofe that there mould be a War. It
was quickly difcovered, that there Was not the fame
Alacrity towards a War now, after it was begun, in
the Parliament, as there had been when They made
their Vote : And They would have been glad that
any Expedient might have been found for a Recon-
ciliation, and that the Captain might have been called
in Queftion, who firft gave Offence by taking the
Fort from the Dutch near Cape Verde, which fome
had preffed for when He came Home, before any
more Mifchief was done ; and the not calling him in
Queftion made many believe, that He had done No-
thing without Warrant or Promife of Protection.
The Dutch ft ill difclaimed all Thought or Purpofe
of War, and feemed highly offended with their Go-
vernour of Pokroone, and protefted, " that the Not-
" delivery of the Place proceeded only from Want of
" an Order from the Governour of Batavia, which
" Order came the next Day after the EnglifJj Ship was
" departed : But that They had given Notice of it to
*' the EngHJh Factory at Bantam, that the fame or
" another firiglijb Ship might return and receive it ;
Vol. II. F f " and
434 tte Continuation of the Life of
*' and They were confident that it was then in the
f* Hand of the Englifo." But it was now too late to
expect any honourable Peace, at leaft without making
very notable Preparations for a War, which could
not be done without ready Money. And whatever
Orders had been given for the Prefervation of the
Dutch Ships, it quickly appeared that much of them
had been embezzled or difpofed of, before they were
brought to any Judicatory, or adjudged to be Prize ^
and there was too much Caufe to fear, that the reft
would be difpofed of to other Purpofes than the Sup-
port of the War; though Nothing was more to-
litively fpoken, than that the War would maintain
itferf.
Mtaf«rax The Parliament ftill promifed fairly, and. entered
^/"/J'^.upon Confutation how and what Money to raife.
lament a And now the King commanded' the Chancellor and
fnTfJT the Treafarer to meet with thofe Members of the
qr«r, Houfe of Commons, with whom They had ufed to-
confult, and to whom the King had joined others up-
on whom He was told He might more depend, and
to adjufl together what Sum mould be propofed, and
how and in what Manner to propofe and conduct it.
It wns about the Month of January. And though
the Duke took indefatigable Pains, by going hfmfetf,
fometimes to Port/mouth and fometimes to Chatham*
to caufe the Ships and all Proviiions to be ready,
that He might be at Sea before the Dutch; yet fet
what Advance could be made, as indeed there was-
great, Nothing could be faid to be done, till a great
Stock of ready Money could be provided ; and \t
would be long after the Parliament had done their.
Part, before ready Money would be got : And there-
fore no more Time muft be loft, without taking a
particular Refolution.
AMittintof Thr Meeting of thofe Perfons the King appointed
tZfZapal™™ at Worcefter-Honfe, where the Chancellor and
cimmtmrt Treafurer (who were known to be averfe from the
•Jj/^'^'War) told the reftv " that there was no more De-
" bate
Edward Earl ^Clarendon, &?r. 435
H bate now to be, War or no War : It was come
*' upon us, and We were now only to contrive the
" beft Way of carrying it on with Succefs ; which
" could only be done by railing a great prefent Sum
Roman Catbolicks^ had drawn in the Lord Privy Seal,
whofe Intereft was mod in the Prepyterians^ to propofe
to the King an Indulgence for Liberty of Confcience:
For which They offered two Motives ; the one, '* the
" Probability of a War with the Dutch ;"' though
it was not then declared ; and in that Cafe the Pro-
" fecution of People at Home for their feveral Opini-
il nions in Religion would be very inconvenient, and
** might prove mifchievous." The other was, " that
" the Fright IVIen were in by Reafon of the late Bill
" againft Conventicles, and the Warmth the Parlia-
" ment expreiled with Reference to the Church, had
'* fo prepared all Sorts of Non-Conformifts, that
", They would gladly compound for Liberty at any
" reafonable Rates : And by this Means a good yearly
*.' Revenue might be raifed to the King, and a firm
" Concord and Tranquillity be eftablilhed in the
*' Kingdom, if Power were granted by the Parlia-
" ment to the King to grant Difpenfations to fuch
• " whom He knew to be peaceably affected, for their
*' Exercife of that Religion which was agreeable to
" their Confcience, without undergoing the Penalty
*{ of the Laws." And They had prepared a Sche-
dule, in which They computed what every Roman Ca-
tbolick would be willing to pay yearly for the Exercife
of his Religion, and fo of every other ScCt ; which,
upon the Eftimate They made, would indeed have
amounted to a very great Sum of Money yearly.
VbeKingap- The King liked the Arguments and the Project
prtva u. very wej^ an(j wifhed them to prepare fuch a Bill ;
which
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 469
which was done quickly, very fhort, and without any
Mention of other Advantage to grow from it, than
" the Peace and Qniet of the Kingdom, and an en-
" tire Reference to the King's own Judgment and
" Difcretion in difpenfing his Difpenfations." This
was equally approved : And though hitherto it had
been managed with great Secrecy, that it might not
come to the Knowledge of the Chancellor and the
Treafurer, who they well knew would never confent
to it ; yet the King refolved to impart it to them.
And the Chancellor being then afflicted with the Gout,
the Committee that ufed to be called was appointed to
meet at fVorcejler-Houfe : And thither likewiie came
the Privy Seal and the Lord Ajhky, who had never be-
fore been prefent in thofe Meetings.
Th £ King informed them of the Occafion of their TbeCbancd-
Conference, and caufed the Draught for the Bill to^^T
be read to them ; which was done, and fuch Regions itatthtfrh
given by thofe who promoted it, as They thought fit;™//^'''*
the chief of which was, " that there could be no
" Danger in trufting the King, whofe Zeal to the
" Protectant Religion was fo well known, that No-
" body would doubt that He would ufe his Power,
" when granted to him, otherwife than fhould be for
" the Good and Benefit of the Church and State."
The Chancellor and the Treafurer, as had been
prefaged, were very warm againft it, and ufed many
Arguments to difTuade the King from projfecuting it,
" as a Thing that could never find the Concurrence
" of either or Both Houfes, and which would raife
" a Jealoufy in Both, and in the People generally,
" of his AfTeclion - to the Papifts, which would not
" be good for either, and every Body knew that He
" had no Favour for either of the other Faclions."
But what the. others faid, who were of another Opi~
nion, prevailed more ; and his Majefly declared,
•* that the Bill fhould be prefented to the Houfe of
" Peers as from him, and in his Name •, and that He
44 hoped none of his Servants, who knew his Mind as
, H h 3 " well
47° The Continuation of the Life of
*'• well as every Body there did, would oppofe it, but
" either be abfent or filent :" To which Both the
Lords anfwered, " that They mould not be abfent
li purpofely, and if They were prefent, They hoped
" his Majefty would excufe them if they fpake ac-
*' cording to their Confcience and Judgment, which
u They could not forbear to do;" v/ith which his
Majefty feemed unfatistied, though the Lords of the
Combination were better pleafed than They wou
have been with their Concurrence.
?be mil pre, With i n few Day s after, the Chancellor remaining
fe«ted to the ftjjj j ^is Chamber without being; able to so, the Bill
H-ufe of . O i t» •
lordt. was prefeuted in the Houfe of Peers by the Lord Privy
Seal, as by the King's Direction and Approbation, and
thereupon had the firft Reading : And as foon as it
77*7r^,-was read, the Lord Treafurer fpake againft it, " as
%£itojhit'6 un^t t0 ^e received and to have the Countenance of
at the firft a another Reading in the Houfe, being a Defign
&udi*g. <,c againft the Proteftant Religion and in Favour of
" the Papijls" with many fharp Reflections upon
thofe who had fpoken for it ; and many of the Bifhops
fpake to the fame Purpofe, and urged many weighty
Arguments againft it. However it was moved, " that
" fince it was averred that it was with the King's
" Privily, it would be a Thing unheard of to deny
** it a fecond Reading:" And that there might be no
Danger of a Surprifal by its being read in a thin Houfe,
it was ordered " that it mould be read the fecond
*' Time" upon a Day named ** at ten of the Clock
" in the Morning ;" with which all were fatisned.
In the mean Time great Pains were taken to per-
fuade particular Men to approve it : And fome of the
Bifhops were fharply reprehended for oppofing the
King's Prerogative, with fome Intimation M that if
*' They continued in that Obftinacy They would re-
** pent it j" to which They made fuch Anfwers as in
Honefty and Wifdom They ought to do, without be-r
ing fhaken in their Refolution. It was rather infinu-
ated than declared, '* that the Bill had been perufed,"
fome
Edward Earl &f Clarendon, &?<:. 471
fome faid " drawn, by the Chancellor," and averred
" that He was not agrainft it ;" Which being: confi-
dently reported, and believed or not believed as He
was more or lefs known to the Perfons prefent, He
thought himfelf obliged to make his own Senfe known.
And fo on the Day appointed for the fecond Reading,
with Pain and Difficulty He was in his Place in the
Houfe : And fo after the fecond Reading of the Bill,
He was of Courfe to propofe the Commitment of it.
Many of the Bifhops and others fpake fiercely again{l7''f'-'•^;'A",-
it, as a Way to undermine Religion -, and the hord^™ ef>f>ife
Treafurer with his ufual Weight of Words mewed the" at ,ke .('-
ill Confequence that muff attend it, and " that in the'"' a w*
*' Bottom it was a Project to get Money at the Price
" of Religion -, which he believed was not intended or
*' known to the King, but only to thofe who had pro-
" jecled it, and it may be impofed upon others who
'* meant well."
The Lord Privy Seal, either upon the Obfcrvation
of the Countenance of the Houfe or Advertifement of
his Friends, or unwilling to venture his Reputation in
theEnterprife, had given over the Game the firfl Day,
and now fpake not at all : But the Lord Ajbky adhered Ljri! AU°y
firmly to this Point, fpake often and with great Sharp- " '/s'
nefs of Wit, and had a Cadence in his Words and
Pronunciation that drew Attention. He faid, " it was
u the King's Misfortune that a Matter of fo great
" Concernment to him, and fuch a Prerogative as it
*' may be would be found to be inherent in him with-
*' out any Declaration of Parliament, fhould be fup-
" ported only by fuch weak Men as himfelf, who ferv-
" ed his Majefty at a Diftance, whilft the great Oftkers
Ci of the Crown thought fit to oppofe it ■, which he
*' more wondered at, becaufe Nobody knew more
" than They the King's unfhakeable Firmnefs in his
" Religion, that had refifted and vanquifhed fo many
44 great Temptations; and therefore He could not be
" thought unworthy of a greater Truft with Refe-
" rence to it, than he would have by this Bill."
H h 4 The
472 '¥bc Continuation of the Life of
T/'PT''" ^he Chancellor, having not been prefent at the
egafnfiit. former Debate upon the firft Day, thought it fit to fit
filent in this, till He found theHoufe in fome Expecr
tation to hear his Opinion : And then He flood up and
faid, u that no Man could fay more, if it were ne-
ie ceifary or pertinent, of the King's Conftancy in his
*' Religion, and of his underftanding the Conftitution
" and Foundation of the Church of England, than
" He^ no Man had been Witnefs to more AfTaults
** which Fie had fuftained than He had been, and of
ic many Victories ; and therefore if the Queftion were
** how far He might be trufted in that Point, He
" fhould make no Scruple in declaring, that He
? thought him more worthy to be trufted than any
f Man alive. But there was Nothing in that Bill that
" could make that the Queftion, which had con-:
" founded all Notions of Religion, and erected q.
■' Chaos of Policy to overthrow all Religion and Go-
" vernment : So that the Queftion was not, whether
ff the King were worthy of that Truft, but whether
• * that Truft were worthy of the King. That it had
" been no new Thing for Kings to diveft themfelves
*' of many particular Rights and Powers, becaufe
" They were thereby expofed to more Trouble and
" Vexation, and fo deputed that Authority to others
" qualified by them : And He thought it a very un-
^ reafonable and unjuft Thing to commit fuch a Truft
"■ to the King, which Nobody could fuppofe He could
'* execute himfelf, and yet muft fubjecl him to daily
" and hourly Importunities, which muft be fo much
" the more uneafy to a Nature of fo great Bounty and
" Generofity, that Nothing is fo ungrateful to him as
M to be obliged to deny."
A*dJrtps In the Vehemence of this Debate, the Lord dfiley
vJj^JSJ ^.having ufed fome Language that He knew reflected
prcj/iHu. upon him, the Chancellor let fall fome unwary Ex*
preflions, which were turned to his Reproach and re-
membered long after. When He infilled upon the
Wildnefsand lilimitednefsin the Bill, He faid, u it was
Ship-?
it
Edward Earl 0/ Clarendon, &c. 473
S* Ship-Money in Religion, that Nobody could know
*' the End of, or where it would reft ; that if it were
" palfed, Dr. Goffe or any other Apoftate from the
*■ Church of England might be made a Bifhop or
S* Archbifhop here, all Oaths and Statutes and Sub-
" fcriptions being difpenfed wich :" Which were
thought two envious Inftances, and gave his Enemies
Opportunities to make Gloffes and Reflections upon
to his Difadvantage. In this Debate it fell out that
the Duke of Tork appeared very much againft the
Biil ; which was imputed to the Chancellor, and
ferved to heap Coals of Fire upon his Head. In the End,
very few having fpoken for it, though there were
many who would have confented to it, befides the
Catholick Lords, it was agreed that there fhould be
no Queftion put for the Commitment ; which was
the raoft civil Way of rejecting it, and left it to be no
more called for.
The King was infinitely troubled at the ill SncQtki'beKingof.
of this Bill, which He had been afiured would paf^cw!/-
notwithftanding the Oppofition that was expected j/wwrrw**
and it had produced one Effect that was forefeerr ^
though not believed, in renewing the Bitternefs againft
the Roman Catholicks. And They, who watched all
Occalions to perform thofe Offices, had now a large
Field to exprefs their Malice againft the Chancellor
and the Treafurer, tt whofe Pride only had difpofed
*' them to fhew their Power and Credit in diverting
" the Houfe from gratifying the King, to which They
f* had been inclined;" and his Majefty heard all that
could be faid againft them without any Diflike, After
two or three Days He fent for them Both together into
his Clofet, which made it generally believed in the
Court, that He refolved to take Both their Offices
from them, and They did in Truth believe and expect
it : But there was never any Caufe appeared after to
think that it was in his Purpofe. He fpake to them
of other Bufinefs, without taking the leaft Notice of
the other Matter, and difmifled them with a Counte-
nance-
474 tte Continuation of the Life of
nance lefs open than He ufed to have Towards them,
and made it evident that He had not the fame
Thoughts of them He had formerly.
And when the next Day the Chancellor went to him
alone, and was admitted into his Cabinet, and began
to take Notice " that He feemed to have Diffatisfac-
" tion in his Looks towards him^" the King, in more
Choler than He had ever before feen him, told him,
Ct his Looks were fuch as they ought to be ; that he
" was very much unfatisfied with him, and thought
" he had ufed him very ill ; that He had deferved
u better of him, and did not expect that He would
" have carried himfelf in that Manner as He had done
" in the Houfe of Peers, having known hisMajefty's
" own Opinion from himfelf, which it feemed was
" of no Authority with him if it differed from his
" Judgment, to which He would not fubmit againft
" his Reafon."
The other, with the Confidence of an honefl Man,
entered upon the Difcourfe of the Matter, aflured
him " the very propofing it had done his Majefty
" much Prejudice, and that They who were beft af-
*' fecled to his Service in Both Houfes were much
" troubled and afflicted with it : And of thofe who
" advifed him to it, one knew Nothing of the Con-
*c flitution of England, and was not thought to wifh
" well to the Religion of it ; and the other was fo well
" known to him, that Nothing was more wonderful
" than that his Majefty fhould take him for a fafe
f* Counfellor." He had Recourfe then again to the
Matter, and ufed fome Arguments againft it which
had not been urged before, and which feemed to make
Impreffion. He heard all He faid with Patience, but
feemed not to change his Mind, and anfwered no
more than " that it was no Time to fpeak to the
'* Matter, which was now paffed ; and if it had been
" unfeafonably urged, He might ftill have carried him-
** felf otherwife than he had done •" and fo fpake of
Somewhat elfe.
His
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £§c. 47^
His Majefty did not withdraw any of his Trull or
Confidence from him in his Bufinefs, and feemed to
have the fame Kindnefs for him : But from that Time
He never had the fame Credit with him as He had
before. The Lord Ajhley got no Ground, but Sir
Harry Bennet very much, who, though He fpake very
little in Council, fhewed his Power out of it, by per-
fuading his Majefty to recede from many Refolutions
He had taken there. And afterwards in all the De-
bates in Council which were preparatory to the War,
and upon thofe Particulars which have been men-
tioned before, which concerned the Juiiice and Policy
that was to be obferved, whatfoever was offered by the
Chancellor or Treafurer was never confidered. It was
Anfwer enough, " that They were Enemies to the
u War/' which was true, as long as it was in Delibe-
ration : But from the Time it was refolved and reme-
dilefs, none of them who promoted it contributed any
Thing to the carrying it on proportionably to what
was done by the other two.
There was another and a greater Mifchief than AnJ-witbfo
hath been mentioned, that refulted from that unhappy B,JhoPi'
Debate -, which was the Prejudice and Difadvantage
that the Bifhops underwent by their fo unanimous Dif-
like of that Bill. For from that Time the King never
treated any of them with that Refped as He had done
formerly, and often fpake of them too ilightly ; which
eafily encouraged others not only to mention their
Perfons very negligently, but their Function and Re-
ligion itfelf, as an Invention to impofe upon the free
Judgments and Underftandings of Men. What was
preached in the Pulpit was commented upon and de-
rided in the Chamber, and Preachers acted, and Ser-
mons vilified as laboured Difcourfes, which the Preach-
ers made only to (hew their own Parts and Wit, with-
out any other Defign than to be commended and pre-
ferred. Thefe grew to be the Subjects of the Mirth
and Wit of the Court ; and fo much Licenfe was ma-
nifested in it, that gave infinite Scandal to thofe who
obferved
47 6 The Continuation of the Life of
obferved it, and to thofe who received the Reports of
it : And all ferious and prudent Men took it as an ill
Preiage, that whilft all warlike Preparations were
made in Abundance fuitable to the Occafion, there
fhould To little Preparation of Spirit be for a War
againft an Enemy, who might poflibly be without
fome of our Virtues, butaffuredly was without any of
our Vices.
itFhgue There begun now to appear another Enemy,
readout, much more formidable than the Dutch, and more
difficult to be ftruggled with ; which was the Plague,
that brake out in the Winter, and made fuch an early
Progrefs in the Spring, that though the weekly Num-
bers did not rife high, and it appeared to be only in
the Outfkirts of the Town, and in the moft obfcure
Alleys, amongft the poorefl People ; yet the ancient
Men, who well remembered in what Manner the laft
great Plague (which, had been near forty Years before)
firfl brake out, and the Progrefs it afterwards made,
foretold a terrible Summer. And many of them re-
moved their Families out of the City to Country Ha-
bitations-, when the Neighbours laughed at their
Providence, and thought They might have flayed
without Danger : But They found ihortly that They
had done wifely. In March it fpread fo much, that
the Parliament was very willing to part : Which was
likewife the more neceifary, in R.egard that fo many of
the Members of the Houfe of Commons were afligned
to fo many Offices and Employments which related to
the War, and which required their immediate Attend-
ance. For though the Fleet was not yet gone out, yet
there were many Prizes daily brought in, befides the
firit Seizure, which by this Time was adjudged lawful
Prize; in all which great Lofs was fuftained by the
Licenfe of Officers as well as common Men, and the
Abfence of fuch as fhould reftrain and punifh it : So
that, as foon as the Bill was pafTed the Houfes for the '
good Aid They had given the King, and was ready
for the Royal Aflent, his Majefly pahed it, and pro-
rogued
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 477
rogued the Parliament in April (which was in 1 665)7*' '^iw-
ti\l September following; his Majefty declaring, u that"^^**
" if it pleafed God to extinguifh or allay the Fiercenefs
" of the Plague," which at that Time raged more, He
" mould be glad to meet them then ; by which Time
*4 They would judge by fome Succefs of the War,
e'i'iceS of ■ c \ T'v 11 1 1 t r r 1
tbi/Gentie- ginning or the i roubles, when the Lord ttoptoit ana
,;" f''";/,the other Gentlemen with h?m were forced to retire
into Cornwall, He and his Friends fupported them,
and gave the full Turn and Oppofkion to the Current
of the Parliament's Umrpation ; and to them, their
Courage and Activity, all the Succefs that the Lord
Hopton had afterwarcs was jullly to be imputed as to
the firil Rife. The old Gentleman was then above
feventy Years of Age, and infirm; but all his Sons He
engaged in the War: The; two ekieft were eminent
Officers, Both Members of the Houle of Commons,
and the more zealous Soldiers by having been Wit-
neifes
"ttmily.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £sjV. 483
neffes of the naughty Proceedings of thofe who had
raifed the Rebellion. The eldeft w»s killed in the
Head of his Troop, charging and driving back a bold
Sally that was made out of Plymouth when it was be-
iieged : And this other Gentleman of whom we now
fpeak, and who was then the younger Brother, was an
excellent Colonel of Foot to the Riid of the War.
When Sir Nicholas Slanning, who wasGovernour of
Pendennis, loft his Life bravely m the Siege of Briftol,
the Kinec knew not into what Hands to commit that
important Place fo fecurely, as by fending a Commii-
iion to old John Arundel of Trerice to command, well
knowing that it muft be preferved principally by his
Intereft ; and in Rcfued of his" Age joined his eldeft
Son with him : And after his Death He added the
younger Brother to the Command, of whom We are
fpeaking, who v/as in Truth then looked upon as the
moft powerful Perfon in that County.
When the King, then Prince, was compelled after
almoft the whole Weft was loft to retire into Cornwall,
He remained in Pendennis Caftk„ and from thence made
his firft Embarkation to Scilly : And at parting, out of
a princely Senfe of the Affection and Service of that
Family, He took the old Gentleman allde, and in the
Prefence of his Son wifhed him 4C to defend the Place
" as long as He could, becaufe Relief might come,
" of which there was fome Hope from abroad-,'5 and
promifed him, " if He lived to come back into England
" Fie would make him a Baron, and if He were dead
" He would make it good to his Son." The old Man
behaved himfelf bravely to his Death, having all his
Eftate taken from him; and his Son remained as emi-
nently faithful, and had as deep Marks of it as any
Man : So that at the King's Return, who never forgat
his Promife, He might have received the Effect of it
in the firft Creation, if He had defired it; but He
chofe rather to recover the Bruifes his Fortune had en-
dured by Seizures and Sequeftrations, before He would
embark him in a Condition that muft piefently raife
I i 2. . his
484 *fhe Continuation of the Life of
his Expence in his Way of Living. And as foon as
He found himfelf at Eafe in that Refpedt, He got a
Friend to inform the King, " that he was ready to
u receive his Bounty."
And his Majefty, being under thefe two Obliga-
tions, was willing to take the fame Opportunity to
prefer the two other Perfons He loved fo well. But
at the fame Time that He declared his Refolution for
the lad two (but what concerned the others had been
long known and expected), his Majefty refle&ed upon
the Number of theHoufe of Peers, which was in many
Refpects found grievous, and declared to his Brother
and the Chancellor, who were only prefent, " that
" no Importunity fhould prevail with him to make any
tC more Lords in many Years, and till the prefent-
" Number fhould be leffened y in which Refolution
the Duke willingly concurred, and protefted " that He
would " never more importune him in that Point. "
The Reafon of mentioning this Declaration and Refolu-
tion will appear hereafter. This Creation was no foonet*
over, than the new Earl of Falmouth went with the
Duke to Sea: For though his Relation was now imme-
diately to the King and near his Perfon, yet He thought
himfelf obliged not to be from the Duke when He
was engaged in Co much Danger ; and He was con-
fefled by all Men to abound in a moft fearlefs Courage.
RdaZTlf *T w'^ not ke unfeafonable in this Place to take a
paffingtke View of an A£t of State that palled about this Time,
Canary Pa- ancj ^ijjch afterward s adminiftered Matter of Reproach
againft the Chancellor, and was made Ufe of by his
Enemies as an Evidence of his Corruption; for the bet-
ter underilanding whereof, it will be neceffary to begin
the Relation from the original Ground of the Counfel.
About the nrft Cbriftmas after the King's happy Re-
turn into .England, the Chancellor, Treasurer, Privy
Seal, and the two Chief Juftices (being the Perfons ap-
pointed by the Statute for that Purpofe) met together
to let the Prices upon the feverai Sorts of Wines; and
were attended, according to Cuitom, by the Company
of
Edward Earl of Clarendon?, &c. 485
of Vintners, and the chief Merchants in the City who
traded in that Commodity. And being firit to limit
the Merchants to a reafonable Rate, before They
could prefcribe any Price to the Vintners upon the Re-
tail, They found, by the beft Enquiry They could
make, that the firft Prices beyond the Seas which the
Merchants paid for their Wines were fo exceifive, that
the Retail could not be brought within any Compafs;
and that fmce the Beginning of the Troubles the
Price of Wines in general was exceedingly increafed,
and particularly that of the Canaries was almofl double
to what it had been in the Year 1640.
The Chancellor knew very well, by the Corre-
Tpondence He had held in the Canaries (during the
Time that He had ferved his Majefty as his Ambafia-
dour in Spain), that the whole Trade for the Canary
Wine was driven folely by the Englijl.?, and the Com-
modity entirely vended in the King's Dominions, all
Cbriftendom beiides not fpending any Quantity of that
Wine : And thereupon He afked the Merchants
" whether what He had reported was not true, and
" what would be the Way to remedy that Mifchief."
They all confeffed it to be very true, and " that it
" was a great Reproach to the Nation to be fo much
** impofed upon in a Trade that They might govern
«* themfelves : And that the unreasonable Prices of
" the Wine were not the greater! Prejudice that was
" befallen that Trade. That before the Troubles
" They had been fo far from employing any Stock of
" Money for the Support of that Trafiick, that They
" ufed to fend their Ships fully laden with all Com-
" modifies thither, which yielded very good Markets,
*' being lent from thence into the Weft -Indies with
" their Plate Fleets; and that the very Pipe-Staves
*' which They carried did very near fupply the Value
" of their Wine, fo that They brought Home the Pro-
" ceed of their Commodities either in Pieces oiEivht,
O 7
*' or fuch other Merchandifes as had been brought
" thither from the Indies, and upon which They re-
1 i i " ceived
u
The Continuation of the Life of
ceived great Profit. On the contrary, that the Trade
" was now wholly driven by ready Money ; that the
" Commodities They fend thither are not taken off,
" except at their own Prices, fo that They have for
" the late Years fent their Veffels empty thither, except
" only with fome few Pipe-Staves, which by the De-
" flruclion in IrelandThey could not fend in any great
" Proportion ; and that their Ships return from thence
" with no other Lading but thole Wines, which They
*' trade for in ready Money, either by Pieces of Eight
" fent in their Ships from hence, or by Bills of Ex-
tc change charged upon fome known Merchants in
" Spain. That over and above thefe Difadvantages,
" the Spaniards in thofe Illands had of late irapofed
c- new Duties upon the Wine, and laid other Impofi-
tions upon the Merchants than the Englijh Nation
had been ever accuftomed to." They laid, " all
thefe Inconveniences proceeded from the immode-
rate Appetite this Nation hath for that Sort of Wine,
" and therefore They take from them as much as
" They can make ; and from our own Diforder and
" Irregularity in buying them, end contending who
" fhall get the moil, and fo railing the Price upon
*■' one another, and making the Spaniards themfelves
tc the Judges what the Merchants fhall pay."
The Lords, upon Confultation between themfelves,
found the Matter too hard for them, and that the Re-
formation of fo much Evil mull be made by Degrees,
and upon a Reprefentation of the Whole, with the
Difficulties which attended it, to the King and his
Privy Council, whole Wifdoms only could provide a
Remedy proportionable to the Mifchiefs. For the pre-
fent, as They refolved not to raife the Prices at which
Wine was at that Time bought and fold (which They
believed, how reafonably lbever it might be done,
would yet be very unpopular), fo They thought it
rrot juft to draw down and abate thofe Prices, fmce it
appeared to them that the Wines cofl more in Propor-
tion upon the Places of their Growth. They declared
therefore
Edward Etai of Clarendon, &c. 4.87
therefore to the Merchants and to the Vintners,
" that though for the preient They would permit the
" fame Priees to continue for the next Year, which
" they had been fold for the preient Year," and
whieh indeed were confirmed by the late Ail of Par-
liament, " They mould hereafter take Care what
'* Markets They made; for that They were refolved
" the next Year to make the Prices much lower both
" to the Merchant and to the Vrritner :" And fo,
upon the Report made by the Lords of the whole
Matter to the King in Council, and of what They
ihought fit to be done for the prefent, a Proclamation
was publifhed accordingly.
The next Year both the Merchants and Vintners
were very earnefr. Suitors to the Lords at their accuf-
tomed Meeting, that greater Prices might be allowed,
or at leaft that the fame might be continued; making
it very evident, that their Vv ines coft them more than
fhey had done the Year before. LTpon the Debate the
Canary Merchants were much divided. Some of them
inhfted very importunately to have the Price railed,
*' becaufe it was notorious that They had paid much
** more than formerly, by Pyeafon," as They aiLd^ed,
'* that the Vintage had not yielded near the Proportion
" that it ufed to do." Others, though confefling the
Increafe of Price, yet pretended a more ; ublick Spirit
and the Neceliity of a Reformation : And therefore
They prelfed as earnefcly, " that the Price might not
** be raifed, but that They might be permitted to take
" what They had done already for this Year." It was
quickly di fco vered whence this Moderation proceed-
ed -, and that the kil Propofers had a great Quantity
of Wine upon their Hands, which had been provided
the Year before, and fo might well be fold at the
■fame Price ; but that the former had no old Wine left,
but were fupplied with, a full Provifion of new, which
had coft them fo much dearer. Both the one and the
other defired the Lords, M that whatever Pvefolution
u They took for the preient, a Claufe might be inferted
i i 4 " in
488 *£" The Continuation of the Life of
" in the Proclamation, That, the next Tear which fol-
w lowed, Canary JVine fhould not he fold for above four
u and twenty Pounds the Pipe, and that every Tear after
" it fhould be drawn lower," as it might well be, it
having been fold in the Year 1640 for twenty Pounds
the Pipe ; though, in the Year when his Majefty re-
turned, it had been permitted to be fold at fix and
thirty Pounds the Pipe. " Such a Claufe," They faid,
" would give Notice to the Wanders, and oblige them
" to fell their Wines at more reafonable Rates, and
*' would render the Merchants unexcufable if They
" mould give greater." Notwithstanding all their Al-
legations, the Lords remembered what They had de-
clared to them the laft Year, which was as fair a Warn-^
ing as any Thing They could now fav would be. And
accordingly They fet lower Prices upon all Wines for
the Year to come than had been allowed the laft, as
the moft effectual Warning for the future : Which was
thought a very rigorous Proceeding ; but being re^
ported to the King and Council, what They had done
was allowed and confirmed, and his Majefty was well
contented that fuch a Claufe as They had propofed
mould be inferted in the Proclamation ; which was ac-
cordingly done.
The Year following, when the Lords met again
according toCuftom, which is as hath been faid about
Chrifimasy They found not the lean: Reformation ; on
the contrary, that the Canary Merchants had paid
dearer than ever, which made them all more folicitous
to have the Price raifed, and the Vintners as importu-
nate for their Retail. And indeed the Vintners feemed
to be in a much wrorfe Condition than the Merchants.
And They made it appear, " that They were often
tC compelled to pay higher Prices to the Merchant than
" were impofed by their Lordfhips ; without which
" They could get no good Wine, and fo muft give
" over their keeping Houfe : That the Penalty upon
" the Merchant was very fmall, being not above forty
^ Shillings a Pipe, and the Crime not eafy to be
' '— *c difcovered,
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &t. ^%p
** difcovered, as was evident by there not having been
" one Merchant queftioned in many Years for that
*' common Tranfgreflion ; whereas on the Vintner's
" Part the Penalty was very fevere, and eafily dilto-
" vered by any Man who went to a Tavern and would
"" be an Informer, and that mod of the Vintners in
" London were at that very Time fued in the Exchequer
" and not leave it in thePower of Perfons who never had,
" been in the Trade to give the Law to it ; and by thir,
& Means the Iflanders would find it nccefiary to fee
^ j'eaibnablc
490 7bf Continuation of the Life of
11 reafonable Prices upon their Commodities, and to
yield flich other Advantages and Privileges to the
Merchants as They had heretofore enjoyed. The
other, that the King would by his Proclamation
prohibit the Importation of any Canary Wines into
" his Dominions : And hereby He would quickly re-
" ceive fuch Proportions from Spain, as would put it
" into his own Power to make the Reformation ; other-
li wife the Wanders had been perfuaded that England
" could not live without their Wines."
Th b Lords were refolved, notwithflanding all that
had been faid, that They would execute the former Pro -
clamation, and reduce the Prices of the Wines to what
had been then determined : And after They had given
a full Account of the whole Bufmeis to the King in
Council, the Refoliuicn was approved, and a Procla-
mation was iiTued out to that Purpofe. The Mer-
chants and Vintners applied themfelves to his Majefty,
and to many of the Lords of the Council, and thought
They had Encouragement enough to hope for a Re-
lief in an Appeal to the King and Council bv Peti-
tion ; and They had thereupon a Day afligned to be
heard. Many of the Lords thought it very hard, if
not unjuft, to compel Men to fell cheaper than They
bought, which was the Truth of the Cafe, and which
mult oblige both Merchants and Vintners to (bphifti-
cate and corrupt their Wines to preferve their Eflates ;
which might probably turn to the great Damage of
the whole Kingdom, in producing Sickneis and Dif-
eafes : And this charitable and generous Consideration
prevailed with the major Part of the Lords to be well
< ontented, and to wifh that fome Indulgence might be
CKercifed towards them. On the contrary, when the
King had well weighed the whole Proceedings, and
1 Trouble and Indignation confidered the obftinate
Vice of the Nation, which made it ridiculous to all
the World, He expretTed a pofitive Refolution to vin-
atehimfelf and his Government from this Reproach.
He thought the adhering firmly to the Prices which
hud
Edward Earl of Clarendon, csV. 451
had been refolved upon by the Lofds would be the hefc
Preface to this Reformation, though it might be at-
tended with particular Damage to particular Perfons,
who had yet lets Caufe to complain, becauie their own
Advice had been followed. And thereupon his Majefty
declared, " that He would make no Alteration ;" but
withal told them, " that if They could make any
** Propofition to him for the better Regulation of the
** Trade" (for They had themfelves mentioned a
Charter), *■* He would gracioufly receive any Propo-
" fitions They would make, and gratify them in what
*' was juft :" And fo, notwithstanding all Attempts
which were often repeated, the Price let by the Lords
was ratified for the Year following.
Shortly after, many of the Merchants who had ****«»*-
always traded to the Canaries did petition the King, ft^&S?
'* that They might be incorporated ; and that nonefr1"1™/"-*
u might be permitted to trade thither but fuch who
<; would be of that Corporation, and obferve the Con-
*' ftitutions which fhould be made by them :" Which
Petition was prefented to the King at the Council-
Board ; and being read, his Majefty (according to his
Cuftom in Matters of Difficulty and publick Concern*
ment) directed it to be read again on that Day Month,
at which Time his Majefty prefumed that all who
would oppofe it would prelent their Reafons and Ob-,
jedtions againft it, which he delired to hear. At the
Day appointed, though there was no Petition againft
it, yet it was obferved that there were many of the
moll eminent Merchants of that Trade, whofe Names
were not to the Petition, nor who otherwiie appeared,
defirous to have a Charter granted : Which his Ma-
jefty confidering, He put off the Debate for another
Week, and directed " that the other Merchants by
" Name fhould be dented to be prefent, and to give
" their Advice freely upon the Point."
And there was at that Day a very full Appearance ;
when his Majefty directed, " that a Relation fhould
•t4 be made to them of the whole Progrefs that had been
" nn
4Q2 The Continuation of the Life of
" in the Bufinefs, and the Damage and Difhonour the
" Nation underwent in the carrying on that Trade :
" That many Merchants had prefented a Petition t»
*' him, containing an Expedient to bring it into bet-
" ter Order; but finding them not to appear in it, and
*' being informed that They were bell acquainted with
** and moft engaged in that Trade, He had Tent for
*' them to know their Opinion, whether they thought
" what was propofed to be reafonable and fit to be
" granted, and if (b, why They did not concern them-
" felves in it." They aniwered, " that the Reafon
«* why They had not appeared in it was, becaufe They
" thought They mould be Lofers by it, and therefore
" were not felicitous to procure a Grant from his Ma-
" jefty to their own Damage j" and fb enlarged " upon
" the Nature of the Trade, their long Experience in
*' it, and the Greatnefs of their Stock, which They
" mould not be allowed to continue under any Regula-
*' tion. But as They did not think themfelves in a
" Situation to be folicitous for a Change, fo They
" could not deny, being required by his Majefty to
M fpeak the Truth, but that the Propofition that was
'* made was for the publick Good and Benefit of the
" Kingdom, and that They conceived no other Way
*e to redeem that Trade, and the Nation from the In-
" folence which the Spaniard exercifed upon them;"
implying, " that if his Majefty would command
" them, They would likewife concur and join in the
" carrying on the Service:" To which his Majefty
pe Kisg giving them gracious Encouragement, They all feemed
*rtiiutn to depart of one Mind ; and his Majefty remained con-
firmed in the former Opinion He had of it.
But there remained yet an Objection, which was
principally infifted on by the Minifters of the Revenue,
who alledged very reafonably, " that this new-model-
" ling the Trade muft produce fome Alteration, and
" would meet fome Opposition from the Spaniard,
Ci which for the Time would lefTen the Cuftoms and
^ entitle the Farmers to a, Defalcation." The Petition
was
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &fr. 40*
was therefore referred to the Farmers of the Cuftoms,
who were to attend the next Council-Day : And be-
ing then called, They did acknowledge, " that the
" Defign propofed would prove very profitable to
" the Kingdom in many Refpects," upon which
They enlarged, •' and that in the End it would not
" be attended with any Diminutions of the Cuftoms ;
'* but for the prefent," They faid, " They could not
" but expect, that the Obftinacy and Contradi&ion
u of the Spaniard would give fuch a Stop to Trade,
" at leaft for one Year, that if his Majefty did not
" reimburfe them for what mould fall fhort in the
M Receipt of Cuftom, They mull look to be very
*' great Lofers." The Merchants on the other Hand
offered " to be bound, that if They did not the
" firfl Year bring in as much as had been ufually
" entered, They would make good what fhould be
*e wanting to the Farmers upon a Medium." Where-
upon his Majefty hirnfelf declared, " that He would
*' not, for a fmall Damage to hirnfelf, hinder the
*' Kingdom from enjoying fo great a Benefit :" And
He commanded his Solicitor General, who then at-
tended the Board, u to prepare fuch a Charter as
" might provide for all thofe good Ends which were
" defired in the Petition," and which had been fo
largely debated ; and it was notorious, that there had
never been a greater Concurrence of the Board in
any Direction.
Many Months parTed before the Charter was pre-
pared ; in which Time there vyas never the leaft new
Objection made againft it, nor was it known that any
Man was unfatisfied with it. After it was engrofied
and had palled the King's Hand, it was brought to
the Great Seal ; and there the Lord Mayor of London
without their Charter, than They would fubmit to
the other Inconveniences : And fo They departed.
But after fome Days Deliberation and Confutation
between themlelves, and when They found that there
was no Poilibility to procure a Difpenfation from that
Order, They treated with the City, and agreed with
them in the preparing a Claufe to be inferted in their
Charter, by which They were obliged in fo many
Years to become Freemen -, which Claufe, being ap-
proved by all Parties, was in the King's Piefence
entered in the Bill that his Majefty had figned, and
being afterwards added to the Engroffment, it was
again thus reformed and fent to the Great Seal, and
prefented to the Chancellor to befealed.
There were by this Time feveral new Caveats
entered againft it at the Seal j all which the Chan-
cellor heard, and fettled every one of them to the
joint Satisfaction of all Parties, and all Caveats were
withdrawn. There v/as then a Rumour, that there
would be fome Motions made againft it in the Houfe
of Commons : And fome Parliament-Men, who ferv-
ed for theWeftern Boroughs, came to the Chancellor,
and defired him " that He would defer the fealing
" it for fome Days till They might be heard, fince
" it would undo their Weftern Trade; and" They
faid " They refolved to move the Floufe of Com-
" mons
496 ¥be Continuation of the Life of
" mons to put a Stop to it." The Chancellor in-
formed them of the whole Progrefs it had pafled,
and told them, Ci He believed that They would
" hardly be able to offer any good Reafons againfi
*■' it :" However, fince it was then well known that
the Parliament would be prorogued within ten or
twelve Days, He faid "He would fufpend the feal-
u ing it till then, to the End that They might offer
tc any Objections again ft it there or any where elfe."
But though the Parliament fate longer than it was
then conceived it would have done, there was no
Mention or Notice taken of it : And after the Pro-
rogation no Application was farther made for the
flopping it, and the Merchants preifed very importu-
nately that it might be fealed, alledging with Reafon
*• that the deferring it fo long had been very much.
" to their Prejudice." Whereupon the Chancellor
conceived that it would not confifl with his Duty
to delay it longer, and fb affixed the Great Seal
to it.
The Company then chofe a Governour and other
Officers according to their Charter, and made fuch
Orders and By-Laws as They thought fit for the
carrying on and Advancement of their Trade, which
They might alter when They thought convenient -r
and for the prefent They refolved upon a joint Stock,
and affigned fo many Shares to each particular Man.
■$me Dtft,-In this Compofition and Diftribution there fell out
encetintfo fbme Difference between themfelves, which could
ttrtbeirin- not be taken Notice of abroad : And even fome of
urj.ranon. tiiem? who firft petitioned and were moll folicitous
to procure the Charter, did what They could to hin-
der the Effect of it ■, lent privately to their Factors
at the. Canaries, " to oppofe any Orders that mould
*' be fent from the Governour and the Company,
" and that They mould do all They could to-incenfe
ev the Spaniards againfi the Charter," and bade them
promife " that all their Wine ihould be taken off in
(,i Spite of the Corporation," Whereupon great Dif-
orders
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 497
orders did arife in the Canaries between the Englifo
themfelves * and by the Conjunction of the Spaniards
with thofe few EngHJb who oppofed the Charter,
They proceeded fo far as to fend the principal Fac-
tors for the Company out of the Ifland into Spain*
and to make a publick Adt by the Governour and
Council there, " that no Ship belonging to the Cpm*
" pany mould be fuffered to come into the Harbour,
4< or to take in any Lading from the Ifland :" All
which was tranfa&ed there many Months before it
was known in England, and probably would have
been prevented or eafily reformed, if it had not
pleafed God that the Plague at this Time fpread
very much in London, and if the War with the Dutch
had not reftrained all Englijh Ships from going to
the Canaries for the Space of a Year -, which Inter^
million, not to be prevented nor in Truth forefeen,
gave fome Advantage to the Merchants at Home
who oppofed their Charter, who complained for the
Not-Return of their feveral Stocks within the Time
that the Company had promifed they mould be re-
turned.
I am not willing torefume this Difcourfe in another
Place, which I mould be compelled to do if I difconti-
nued the Relation in this Place, as in Point of Time
I mould do ; but I chooie rather to infert here what
fell out afterwards, and to finifh the Account of that
Affair, that there may be no Occaiion in the Current
of this Narration to mention any Particulars that re-
lated to it.
When the King was at Oxford, and was informed
of what had palled at the Canaries, fome Merchants
appeared there to petition againft the Charter, where-
of there were fome who were the fir ft Petitioners for
it. His Majefty appointed a Day for the &lemn Which tee
hearing it in the Prefence of his Privy Council, the^'^/'
Governour being likewife fummoned and prefent
there. Upon opening all their Grievances the Peti-
tioners themfelves confefTed, " that They could not
Vol, II. K k " com-
498 The Continuation of the Life of
" complain of the Charter ; that it was a juft and
" neceffary Charter, and for the great Benefit of the
u Kingdom, though fome private Men might for the
" prefent be Lofers by it : That their Complaint was
" only againft their Conflitutions and By-Laws, and
" the fevere Profecution thereupon contrary to the In-
" tention of the Charter itfelf;" inftancing, amongft
other Things, " the very fhort Day limited by the
" Charter, after which They could not continue their
" Trade without being Members of the Corpora-
*' tion ; and that Day was fo foon after the fealing
" the Charter, that it was not poffible for them to
" draw their Stocks from thence in fo fhort a
44 Time."
When They had flnifhed all their Objections, the
King obferved to them, " that They complained
** only of what themfelves had done, and not at all
" of the Charter, which gave them only Authority
" to choofe a Governour and to make Conflitutions
" and By Laws, but di reded not what the Conftitu-
" tions and By-Laws mould be, which were the Re-
" fult of their own Confultations, in which the ma-
" jor Part mufl have concurred y and of that Kind
" the Refolution for a joint Stock was one, which
" and all the reft They might alter again at the next
*' Court, if the major Part were grieved with it."
But becaule They had complained of fome Particu-
lars, in which They might have Reafon on their
Side, his Majefly exprefled a Willingnefs to mediate
and to make an Agreement between them : And
thereupon He requ.red the Governour to anfwer
fuch and fuch Particulars which feemed to have mod
of Juftice ; but the Governour anfwered all at large,
and made it clearly appear, that They had in Truth
no Caufe of Complaint. As to the fhort Day that
was alligned for the drawing away their Stocks,
which had the greateft Semblance of Reafon in all
They complained of, He faid, " They had no Rea-
" fon to mention their Want of Warning, for that
" the
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 499
44 the Day was well enough known to them long be-
44 fore the fealing the Charter, and might very well
*' have been complied with" (the Reafons why the
fealing the Charter was fo long deferred are fet down
before), 44 and could be no Reafon to them to ne-
44 gleet the giving Direction in their own Concern -
44 ments ; but that They knew likewife, that the
44 Day was enlarged to a Day defired by themfelves,
44 that there might be no Pretence for Difcontent :"
And thereupon the Order of the Court to that Pur-
pofe was read to his Majefty, and They could not
deny it to be true.
In Conclufion, fince it did appear that their Stock
did in Truth flill remain in the Canaries, and in
Juftice belonged to them, whether it was their Fault
or their Misfortune that it had not been drawn over
in Time ^ the King perfuaded theGovernour and his trbt fattfe*
Afliflants to give thern fuch Satisfaction in that and"11 Part,cl'
other Particulars, that before They retired from his
Majefty's Prefence They were unanimoufly agreed
upon all their Pretences : And though fome of the
Lords, upon fome Infinuations and Difcourfes which
They had heard, had believed the Company to have
been in the Wrong, They were now fully convinced
of the contrary, and believed the Charter to be
founded upon great Reafon of State, and that the
Execution of it had been very juitifiable and with
great Moderation. And it is to be obferved, that
the Parliament being then aflembled at Oxford, there
was not the leafl Complaint againft that Charter or
Corporation.
And this was the whole Progrefs of that Affair, ^"»W/
Time when He had too great a Weight of the King's
Difpleafure upon him to defend himfelf from that
and other Calumnies, which few Men thought him
guilty of. And if the Motives of State were not of
Weight enough to fupport the Patent, more ought
K k 2 not -
^00 The Continuation of the Life of
not to be objected to him than to every other Coun-
fellbr, there having never been a more unanimous
Concurrence at that Board in any Advice They have
given : And the Delays He ufed in the palling the
Charter after it came to his Hand, his giving fo long
Time for the making Objections againft it, and his
fo pofitively oppofing the Company with Reference
to their being Freemen of the City, are no Signs
that He had l'uch a Mind to pleafe them, as a Man
would have who had been corrupted by them, or
who was to have a Share in the Profit of the Patent,
as was afterwards fuggefted, but never believed by
any to whom He was in any Degree known, who
knew well that He frequently refufed to receive Money
that He might very lawfully have done, and never
took a Penny which He was obliged to refufe. He
was indeed, as often as that Affair came to be debated,
very clear in his Judgment for the King's granting it,
and always continued of the fame Opinion : Nor did
He ever deny, that fome Months after the Patent was
fealed the Governour made him a Prefent in the
Name of the Corporation, as it is prefumed He did
to many other Officers through whole Hands it patted,
and which was never refufed by any of his Prede-
ceilors when it came from a Community upon the
palling a Charter ; which He never concealed from the
King, who thought He might well do it. In the lad
Place it is to be remembered, that after all the Clamour
againft this Charter in Parliament, and upon the argu-
ing againft the Legality of it by eminent Lawyers be-
fore the Houfe of Peers, it was fo well fupported by
the King's Attorney General and other learned Law-
yers, that the Lords would not give Judgment againft
it : But the Governour and the Corporation durft
not difpute it farther with the Houfe of Commons,
but chofe to furrender their Charter into the King's
Hands.
The French had their Ambaffadour, Monfmir Gnn-
minge, remaining ftill in England, who pretended to
be
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £gV. 50.1
be ready to finifh flill the Treaty of Commerce, but
formalized fo much upon every Article, though No-
thing was demanded but what had been granted to
Cromwell, that it was concluded that He wanted
Power, though Somewhat was imputed to the Ca-
pricioufnefs of his Nature, which made him hard to
treat with, and not always vacant at the Hours him-
felf aligned, being hypochondriac!-: and feldom ileep-
ing without Opium. As foon as the War was dc-fh French
clared the King of France fent two other Ambzfa-feLlitt
dOurs, whereof, for the Countenance and Spiendour'EngUnd «*-
of it, the Duke of Vernueil was one, who beingJ^J/j^
Uncle to Both the Kin^s was received rather under
that Relation than in the other Capacity, and was
lodged and treated by the King during the whole
Time of his Stay. With him came likewife Moufteur
Courtine, a Mafter of Requefts, and much the quickeft .
Man of the three, and upon whofe Parts and Addrefs
mod of the Bufinefs depended. The former Am-
baifadour was joined in Commillion with the other
two : And their declared Bufinefs was to mediate a
Peace between the King and the Dutch, when there
had been yet little Harm done, only great Preparations
made on Both Sides for the War ; which They did
not feem very felicitous to interrupt, but contented
themfelves with declaring at their firit Audience,
" that the King their Mailer out of Chriflianity, and
f* to prevent the Effufion of Chriftian Blood, defired
" to mediate a Peace, which the States of the United
" Provinces were very willing He fhould do, and
'.
the Battle for an Addition of more Ships, upon In-
telligence of an Increaie of Strength added to the
Enemy, though They yet lay ftill in the Harbours,
whilft the Duke was upon their Coafts. But Mr.
Coventry flill made new Demands, and wrote to the
Chancellor, " that whilft the King's Brother was at
" Sea and ventured his own Perfon, Nobody who
" wifhed him well would, for laving Money, hinder
" any Thing from being fent that his Highnefs
" thought neceflary for his Defence :" And all
Things were fent, though procured with wonderful
Difficulty.
The Treafurer had believed, when all the Pro-
vifions were delivered which had been demanded,
and all Computations fatisfied which had been made,
and the Fleet at Sea, that there would have been no
more Expence till its Return ; whereas every Day
added new Expence which had not been thought of :
And the requiring of more Ships was then believed,
and more afterwards, to proceed from the reftlefs
Spirit of Mr. Coventry, who cared not how much He
increafed the Expence, and was willing to put the
Treafurer and all the King's Minifters to contend
with all Difficulties, that He might reproach their
Lazinefs or Want of Ability. But They did not
gratify him in that, but all the Ships and whatever
elfe was lent for were fent •, infomuch as the Fleet
amounted to no lefs than one hundred Sail, and was/fc^/»v«/#
now retired for Want of Somewhat to do to our own^*£nsli(h
Coaft, where They refoived to attend the Motion of
the Enemy : And in this Time moll: of the Volunteers,
having endured the Unpleafaritnefs of the Sea above a
Month, begun to think that the War was not fo ne-
ceffary as They had thought it to be.
K k 4 The
504 fht Continuation of the Life of
The Duke's Family that was numerous in his own
Ship were not at Eafe, and found lefs Refpect from
the Seamen than They had looked for : They grew
into Fadions between themfelves, and the Earl of
Falmouth and Mr. Coventry were Rivals who mould
have moil Intereft in the Duke, who loved the Earl
bed but thought the other the wifer Man, who fup-
ported Pen (who difobliged all the Courtiers) even
againft the Earl, who contemned Pen as a Fellow of
no Senfe, and not worthy of the Charge and Truft
that was repofed in him. In this Difcompofure and
having Nothing to do, every Body grew angry at
the Occafion that brought them thither, and wifhed
for Peace.
Th e Earl of Falmouth, as in a Time of Leifure,
was fent by the Duke with Compliments to the King,
and to give him an Account of the good State of the
Fleet : He vifited the Chancellor, to whom He had
always paid great Refpecr, and made many ProfeiTions ;
and He told him, " that They were all mad who
" had wiihed this War, and that himfelf had been
" made a Fool to contribute to it, but that his Eyes
*' were open, and a Month's Experience at Sea had
" enough informed him of the great Hazards the
" King ran in it." He reproached Pen " as a Sot,
tc and a Fellow that He thought would be found
" without Courage." He told him, " that the King
" and the Duke too were Both inclined to Peace, and
" difcerned that the Charge and Expence of the War
" would be infupportable ;" and concluded, *' that
" as foon as this Action mould be over, which could
" not be avoided many Days if the Dutch Fleet put
" to Sea, as it could not be doubted it would, it
** would be good Time to make a Peace, which He
" defired him to think of, and to fpeak with the King,
" whom He would find difpofed to it :" And fo He
" returned to the Fleet.
°rhe Dutch And by that Time the Dutch were come out, and
F-eet puts out . J c
to sea unJerthQ next Day were in v lew. rhey were near or
©pdam. eqUaJ
Edward Earl of Clarendon, $£c. 505
equal Number, and well manned, under the Com-
mand of Opdam the Admiral of the whole Fleet,
upon whom the States had conferred that Charge,
that the Prince of Orange his Party might conclude,
that They never intended that He mould have the
Charges of his Father and Grandfather, and likewife
to gratify the Nobility of Holland, that had a very
fmall Share in the Government. And this Gentle-
man, who had never been at Sea before, and had but
a fmall Fortune, was of that Number, and had joined
with that Faction which wasaverfe from the Family of
Orange. The Fleets came within Sight of each other
on the firft of June, and had fome Skirmimes which
continued on the fecond, the Wind favouring
neither Party, as willing to keep them afunder :
But upon the third it ferved Both their Turns, and
brought them as near each other as They could de-
fire to be.
No*i did the Dutch feem to advance with lefeThfrftg'-
Courage and Refolution. Opdam the Dutch Admi-*^WM""
ral with his Squadron bore direcftly upon the Duke
with a Refolution to board him : But before He
came near enough, and very little before, whether
by an Accident within his own Ship, or from a
Grenado or other Shot out of the Duke's Ship, his
Gun-Room took Fire, and in a Moment the Ship
funk without any Man being faved. The Vice-Ad-
miral of the fame Squadron, being zZealander, pur-
sued the fame Refolution, and had boarded the Duke
if Captain Jeremy Smith, a Captain of the Duke's
Squadron, had not put himfelf between and boarded
the Vice-Admiral, who was equally attacked by the
Duke : And fo that Ship was taken after mod of the
Men were killed ; and the Captain himfelf was fo
wounded, that He only lived to be brought on
Board the Duke's Ship, and to complain of his Com-
panions cc for not having feconded him according to
*' an Oath They had taken on Board their Admiral
" the Day before," and died within Half an Hour to
the
50 6 The Continuation of the Life of
the great Trouble of the Duke, who gave him a great
Teftimony for a very gallant Man, and much defired
to preferve him.
rhe DTI/ Fight continued all the Day with very great
Lofs of Men on all Sides, though after the firft two
Hours the Dutch, feeing many of their beft Ships
burned and more taken, did all that the Wind would
give them Leave to feparate themfelves from the
Engl; ft) Fleet, which purfued them fo clofe, that They
found They loll more by flying than by fighting, and
did leflen their Sails to give fome Stop to the Purfuit
till the Night might favour them : And the Evening
nofooner came, but They hoifed up all their Sails, and
intended Nothing but their Efcape.
When there was no more to be done by the Ap-
proach of the Night, the Duke, who was infinitely
tired with the Labour of the Day, having loll above
two hundred Men aboard his own Ship, whereof
fome were Perfons of Quality, who flood next his
own Perfon and mall be named anon, was prevailed
with to repofe himfelf after He had taken fome
Suftenance ; which He did, after He had given the
Mailer of the Ship, an honefl and a fkilful Seaman,
direct and pofitive Charge " to bear up in that Man-
" ner upon the Dutch Fleet that He might lofe no
M Ground, but find himfelf as near, when the Day
tL mould appear, as He was then when He went to
" Sleep." The Fleet had no Guide but the Lanthorn
of the Admiral, and were not to outfail him of
£5*5iJTCourfe, and behaved themfelves accordingly. But
pieit e/eapes when the Duke arofe and the Day appeared, the
by Ntgbt. £)utcjj pieet Was out of View ■, and before He could
reach them, They were got into their Ports or under
the Shelter of their Flats, that it was not counfella-
ble for the great Ships to purfue them farther :
Yet fome of thofe Ships which made not fo much
Way, or had not fleered fo directly, were taken by
the lefler Ships that followed them. And the Duke
had received fo many Blows on his own and the
other
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c, 507
, other Ships, that it was necefTary to retire into Port,
where they might be repaired.
It was a Day of fignal Triumph, the A&ion of krte great
having much furpaffed all that was done in Cromwell's1^/1/ tbc
T-c 1 f -VT 1 1 1 II DutCil.
Time, whole Navals were much greater than had ever
been in any Age : But the Dutch had never then fought
with fo much Courage and Refolution ; nor were their
Ships then in Strength to be compared to the Englijh
as Van 'Trump afiured them, lt and that except They
•* built better Ships They would be as often beaten as
" They fought with the Englijb." And from that
Time They new-built all their Navy, and brought
now with them as good Ships as any the King had :
And the Men for fome Hours behaved themfelves
well. In that Day the Duke funk, burned, and took
eighteen good Ships of War, whereof Half were of
the bell They had, with the Lofs of one fingle finall
Ship, for there was no more milling of his whole Fleet.
It is true the Number of the killed and wounded Men
was very great, and was thought the greater, becaufe
in the great Maflacre that was on the other Side there
was no Man, except Opdam their Admiral, who had
a Name. There were many excellent Officers killed
and taken, Men of Courage and great Experience in
naval Affairs, and therefore an irreparable Damage
to them ; but They had grown up from common Sea-
men, and fo were of no other Quality than every
Mariner of the Fleet.
On the Part of the Englijb , befides above two hun- Perfmt j?*;*
dred Men that were killed on Board the Duke's ownj'^y
Ship, there fell the Earl of Falmouth, who hath becnWe Earl »f
lately fpoken of, and the Lord Mujkerry, eldeft Son^TS!*.
to the Earl of Clancarty, a young Man of extraordi-keny.
nary Courage and Expectation, who had been Colonel
of a Regiment of Foot in Flanders under the Duke,
and had the general Eflimation of an excellent Offi-
cer : He was of the Duke's Bedchamber, and the Earl
and He were at that Time fo near the Duke, that his
Highnefs was all covered with their Blood. There
fell
508 The Continuation of the Life of
Wr. Richard fell likewife in the fame Ship Mr. Richard Boyle, a
ye' younger Son of the Earl of Burlington, a Youth of
great Hope, who came newly Home from Travel,
where He had fpent his Time with fingular Advan-
tage, and took the firft Opportunity to lofe his Life
in the King's Service. There were many other Gen-
tlemen Volunteers in the fame Ship, who had the
fame Fate.
In Prince Rupert's Ship, who did Wonders that
Day, and in that of the Earl of Sandwich, who be-
haved him with notable Courage and Conduct, there
were very many Men flain, and fome Gentlemen Vo-
lunteers of the belt Families whofe Memories mould
rhcEariof be preferved. The Earl of Marlborough, who had the
™u'h°~ Command of one of the belt Ships, and had great Ex-
perience at Sea, having made many long Voyages at
Sea, and being now newly returned from the Eaft-
Indies, whither the King had fent him with a Squa-
dron of Ships to receive the Ifland of Bombay ne from
Portugal, was in this Battle likewife flain. He was a
Man of wonderful Parts in all Kinds of Learning,
which He took more Delight in than his Title ; and
having no great Eftate defcended to him, He brought
down his Mind to his Fortune, and lived very retired,
but with more Reputation than any Fortune could
TheEarhf have given him. The Earl of Portland was a Volun-
Poniand. teer on Boarci his Ship, and loft his Life by his Side,
being a young Man of very good Parts, newly come
of Age, and the Son of a very wife and worthy Fa-
ther, who died few Months before : And He having
a long and entire Friendmip with the Earl of Marlbo-
rough, his Son, though of a melancholick Nature, in-
tended to lead an active Life, and to apply himfelf to
it under the Conduct: of his Father's Friend, with
whom He died very bravely.
4»J3ir]oba This re was another almoit irreparable Lofs this
Lawfon. J)ay }n Sir John Lawfon, who was Admiral of a Squa-
dron, and of fo eminent Skill and Conduct in all ma-
ritime Occafions, that his Counfel was moft confidered
in
Edward Earl of Clarendon, £s?c. 509
in all Debates, and the greated Seamen were ready to
receive Advice from him. In the Middle of the Battle
He received a Shot with a Mufket-Bullet upon the
Knee, with which He fell : And finding that He
could no more ftand and was in great Torment, He
fent to the Duke to defire him to fend another Man to
command his Ship •, which He prefently did. The
Wound was not conceived to be mortal ; and They
made Hade to fend him on Shore, as far as Deptford
or Greenwich, where for fome Days there was Hope of
his Recovery ; but fhortly his Wound gangrened, and
fo He died with very great Courage, and Profeilion
of an entire Duty and Fidelity to the King.
He was indeed of all the Men of that Time, zndHisCh-2-
of that Extraction and Education, incomparably the A
modelled and wifed Man, and moil worthy to be con-
fided in. He was of Torkjhire near Scarborough, of that
Rank of Peoole who are bred to the Sea from their
t
Cradle. And a young Man of that Profeilion He
was, when the Parliament firft pofTefTed themfelves of
the Royal Navy ; and Hull being in their Hands, all
the Northern Seamen eafily betook themfelves to their
Service : And his Indudry and Sobriety made him
quickly taken Notice of, and to be preferred from one
Degree to another, till from a common Sailor He was
promoted to be a Captain of a fmall Vefiel, and from
thence to the Command of the bed Ships.
He had been in all the Actions performed by Blake,
fome of which were very dupendous, and in all the
Battles which Cromwell had fought with the Dutch, in
which he was a fignal Officer and very much valued by
him. He was of that Clajjis of Religion which were
called Independents, mod of which were Anabaptifts,
who were generally believed to have molt Averfion to
the King, and therefore employed in mod Offices of
Trud. He was Commander in Chief of the Fleet
when Richard was thrown out : And when theConted
grew between the Rump and Lambert, He brought the
whole Fleet into the River, and declared for that
which
510 The Continuation of the Life of
which was called the Parliament ; which brake the
Neck of all other Defigns, though he intended only
the better Settlement of the Commonwealth.
When the Council of State was fettled between the
DifTolution of the Rump and the calling the Parlia-
ment, They did not like the Temper of the Fleet,
nor efpecially of Laivfon, who under the Title of
Vice- Admiral had the whole Command of the Fleet,
which was very ftrong, and in which there were many
Captains They liked well : Yet They durft not remove
the Vice- Admiral, left his Intereft in the Seamen,
which was very great, mould give them new Trouble.
The Expedient They refolved upon was to fend Colonel
Mouniague as Admiral to command the Fleet, without
removing Lawjon, who continued ftill in his Com-
mand, and could not refufe to be commanded by
Mountague, who had always been his fuperiour Officer,
and who had likewife a great Intereft in very many of
the Officers and Seamen. Yet Mountague, who brought
with him a firm Refolution to ferve the King, which
was well known to his Majefty, had no Confidence in
Lawfon till the Parliament had proclaimed the King :
And when He brought the Fleet to Scheveling to receive
the King, all Men looked upon the Vice Admiral as
a great Anabaptifl and not fit to be trufted. But when
the King and the Duke had conferred with him, They
liked him very well : And He was from Time to Time
in the Command of Vice-Admiral in all the Fleets
which were fent into the Mediterranean. Nor did any
Man perform his Duty better : He caufed all Perfons,
how well qualified foever, who Fie knew were affecled
to a Republick, to be difmiifed from the Service, and
brought very good Order into his own Ship, and fre-
quented the Church-Prayers himfelf, and made all the
Seamen do Co. He was very remarkable in his Affec-
tion and Countenance towards all thofe who had faith-
fully ferved the King, and never commended any
Body to the Duke to be preferred but fuch •, and per-
formed to his Death all that could be expected from
a brave and an honeft Man. It
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 511
It looked like fome Prefage that He had of his own
Death, that before He went to Sea He came to the
Treafurer and the Chancellor, to whom He had al-
ways borne much Refpect, and fpake to them in a
Dialect He had never before ufed, for He was a very
generous Man, and lived in his Houfe decently and
plentifully, and had never made any the leaff. Suit or
Pretence for Money. Now He told them, *• that He
** was going upon an Expedition in which many ho-
" nelt Men mull lofe their Lives : And though He
" had no Apprehenfion of himfelf, but that God would
" protect him as He had often done in the fame Occa-
*' lions, yet He thought it became him againft the
" the Worft to make his Condition known to them,
M and the rather, becaufeHe knew He was efteemed
" generally to be rich." He faid, " in Truth He
" thought himfelf lb fome few Months hnce, when
" He was worth eight or nine thoufand Pounds : But
" the Marriage of his Daughter to a young Gentleman
" in Quality and Fortune much above him (Mr. Ri-
" chard Norton of Soutbwick in Hampjhire, who had
" fallen in Love with her, and his Father out of Ten-
" dernefs to his Son had confented to it) had obliged
" him to give her fuch a Portion as might in fome
" Degree make her worthy of fo great a Fortune ;
" and that He had not referved lb much to himfelf and
" Wife, and all his other Children which were four
" or five, as He had given to that Daughter." He
defired them therefore, " that if He mould mifcarry
" in this Enterprife, the King would give his Wife,
" two hundred Pounds a Year for her Life : if He
" lived He defired Nothing. He hoped He fhould
" make fome Provifion for them by his own Induftry :
" Nor did He defire any other Grant or Security for
" this two hundred Pounds yearly, than the King's
" Word and Promiie, and that They would fee it
'* effectual." The Suit was fbmodeft, and the Ground
of making it fo juft and reafonable, that They wil-
lingly informed his Majefly of it, who as gracioufly
granted
5 1 1 The Continuation of the Life of
granted it, and fpake himfelf to him of it with very
obliging Circumitances -, fo that the poor Man
went very contentedly to his Work, and perifhed as
gallantly in it with an univerfal Lamentation. And it
is to be prefumed that the Promife was as well per-
formed to his Wife: Sure it is, it was exactly com-
plied with whilft either of thofe two Perfons had any
Power.
The Victory and Triumph of that Day was furely
very great, and a juft Argument of publick Joy :
How it came to be no greater fhall be faid anon. And
the Trouble and Grief in many noble Families, for
the Lois of fo many worthy and gallant Perfons, could
The King uol but be very lamentable in Wives, in Fathers and
Tkdqt tlT Mothers, and the other neareft Relations: But no
^eaff. _'*' Sorrow was equal, at lead none fo remarkable, as the
moutiu a King's was for the Earl of Falmouth. They who knew
his Majefty bed, and had feen how unfhaken He had
flood in other very terrible Aflaults, were amazed at
the Flood of Tears He fhed upon this Occafion. The
Immenfenefs of the Victory, and the Confequences
that might have attended it ; the Safety and Preferva-
tion of his Brother with fo much Glory, on whofe
Behalf He had had fo terrible Apprehenfions duiing
the three Days Fight, having by the Benefit of the
Wind heard the Thunder of the Ordnance from the
Beginning, even after by the leilening of the Noife as
from a greater Diftance He concluded that the
Enemy was upon Flight : Yet all this, and the uni-
verfal Joy that He law in the Countenance of all Men
for the Victory and the Safety of the Duke, made no
Impreflion in him towards the Mitigation of his Pai-
fion for the Lofs of this young Favourite, in whom
few other Men had ever obferved any Virtue or Qua-
lity which They did not wifh their beft Friends with-
out; and very many did believe that his Death was a
great Ingredient and coniiderable Part of the Victory.
He was young and of infatiable Ambition ; and a little
more Experience might have taught him all Things
which
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 513
which his weak Parts were capable of. But They who
obferved the ftrange Degree of Favour He had on the
fudden arrived to, even from a Deflation the King
had towards him, and concluded from thence, and
more from the deep Sorrow the King was pofTeifed
with for his Death, to what a prodigious Height He
might have reached in a little Time more, were not
at all troubled that He was taken out of the Way.
Th e Duke, after He had given Directions for the
fpeedy repairing of the Fleet, and for the prefent
fending out fuch Ships as could quickly be made
ready to ride before the Coaft of Holland, made Hade
to prefent himfelf to the King, and to the Queen his
Mother, who was ready to begin her Journey to
France, and had flayed lbme Days to fee the Succefs
of the naval Fight, and afterwards to fee the Duke ;
and within few Days after his Arrival her Majefly left
the Kingdom.
And nowtheWhifper began in the Duke's Family7^ R'afi*
of the Reafon, why the Victory after fo great Advan-^jf^^"
tages had not been purfued with that Vigour thaxfarthsj im-
might have made it more deftruclive to the Enemy
than it proved to be. The Matter of the Duke's Ship
(Captain ......) purfued his Orders very punctually
after the Duke was gone to Sleep, and kept within a
juft Diflance of the Dutch Fleet that remained in Order
together, for many fled in Confufion and fmgly to
that Part of the Coafl that They thought They knew
beit ; and many of them were taken. But the Duke
was no fooner in Sleep, but Mr. Brounker of his Bed-
chamber, who with wonderful Confufion had fuftained
the Terrour of the Day, refolved to prevent the like
on the Day fucceeding. He lirfl went to %\xfflillidffi
Pen, who commanded the Ship, and told him, " that
" He knew well how mir.fculoufly the Duke was pre-
" ferved that Day, and that They ought not farther to
w tempt God •" wifhed him to remember, " that the
'* Duke v/as not only the King's Brother but the Heir
tc Apparent of the Crown, and what theConfequence
Vol. II. L ,1 " would
5 1 4 The Continuation of the Life of
44 would be if He fhould be loft. And therefore it
44 would concern him not to fuller the Duke's known
44 and notorious Courage to engage him in a new
44 Danger, which He would infallibly be expofed to
44 the next Morning, if They continued to make fo
44 much Sail as They did, and to keep fo near the
44 Dutch, who fled, but if They were prefled and in
44 Defpair, would fight as ftoutly as They had done in
'*, the Beginning. And therefore He defired and ad-
" vifed him to give the Matter Order to flacken the
M Sails, that the Dutch might get what Ground They
44 could, to avoid a farther Encounter." Pen an-
fwered him honeftly, and told him, 44 He durft give
44 no fuch Orders except He had a Mind to be hang-
44 ed, for the Duke had himfelf given pofitive Charge
44 to the contrary."
Mr. Brounker, when He could not prevail there,
confidently went to the Mafter of the Ship, who was
an honeft and a flout Man, and carefully kept the
Steerage himfelf, that He might be fure to obferve the
Order He had received from his Highnefs, and told
him, 4t that it was the Duke's Pleafure that He fhould
44 Hack the Sails without taking Notice of it to any
4* Man." Whereupon the Mailer did as He was
commanded, making no Doubt that a Servant fo near
the Perfon of his Highnefs, and in fo much Favour
with hirn, would not have brought fuch an Order
without due Authority.
And by this Means the Remainder of the Fleet
efcaped, which otherwife would probably have been
all taken : For it was afterwards known, that there
was fuch a Confufion amongft the Officers, that No-
body would obey ; for though in Truth the Right of
commanding, according to the Courfe amongft them,
after the Death of Opdam was in the Vice- Admiral of
Zealand, yet, He being likewife killed, the other could
not agree. But young Trump, the Son of the old
famous Admiral, who had behaved himfelf very brave-
ly all the Day, challenged the Command in the Right
of
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 515
of Holland ± but John Ever tj "on of Zealand \ Brother to
him that was killed, required it at his Right : Which
begat fo great an Animofity as well as Confufion
amongft them, that the Morning, if They had been
purfued, would in all Probability have proved as dif-
mal to them as the Day before had done.
But the Duke never fufpected this, nor did any
prefume to tell him of it, which made many Men pre-
fume that it was done with Privity of Mr. Coventry, not
only for the great Friendfhip between him and Broun-
ker, bnt becaufe both Pen and the Matter were fo filenc
when the Duke was fo much troubled the next Morn-
ing : Nor did the Duke come to hear of it till fome
Years after, when Mr. Brounker's ill Courfe of Life and
his abominable Nature had rendered him fo odious,
that it was taken Notice of in Parliament, and upon
Examination found to be true, as is here related ; upon
which He was expelled the Houfe of Commons,
whereof He was a Member, as an infamous Perfon,
though his Friend Coventry adhered to him, and ufed
many indirect Arts to have protected him, and after-
wards procured him to have more Countenance from
the King than moil: Men thought He deferved, being
a Perfon throughout his whole Life never notorious
for any Thing but the higheft Degree of Impudence,
and Hooping to the moft infamous Offices, and play-
ing very well at Chefs, which preferred him more than
the moft virtuous Qualities could have done.
With this Victory a new vaft Charge and Expence
(befide the repairing the hurt Ships, Malts and Rig-
ging, and fitting out new Ships of War, and buying
more Firefhips) appeared, that was never forefeen or
brought into any Computation ; which was a Provi-
fion lor fick and wounded Men, which amounted to
fo great a Number upon all theCoalt, that the Charge
amounted in all Places, notwithftanding the general
Charity of the People, and the Convenience that many
Hofpitals yielded, to above two thou fluid Pounds the
Week for fome Weeks, and though lefs afterwards by
L 1 2 the
5 i 6 The Continuation rf the Life of
the Death and Recovery of many, yet continued very
great ; befides the Charge of keeping the Dutch Pri-
foners, which were above two thoufand, and every
Day increafed.
French And if at this Time the French Ambafladours had
'"Jj^'foapuiipfd trie'r Office of Meditation, it is very probable
en opprtu-xh&t it might have been with Succefs. For belides the
» ry :/ «^-great j G|S tjie du1c}j jia(j receiveci jn the Battle and in
their being deprived of fo many of the Merchant Ships
the Factions were irreconcilable in the Fleet : There
were many Officers who had behaved themfelves very
bafely
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &V. 517
bafely and cowardly in the Action, but They knew
not how to punifh them •, Evert/on and 'Trumps who
were their belt Seamen, would not fubmit to be com-
manded by each other ; the People were ready to rife
upon De lVit, upon whom They looked as the Occa-
fion of the War, and cried aloud for Peace. And the
Faction amongft the States themfelves was very vifible :
All the other complained bitterly againft the Province
of Holland, " which" They faid u had engaged them
u in a War againft their Will and without their Pri-
" vity, which was directly contrary to the Form and
" Conftitution of their Government." In a Word,
Peace was univerfally defired and prayed for ; and in
the Opinion of all Men, any reafonable Conditions
would at that Time have been yielded to. And as the
People of England generally had not been plealed with
the Beginning the War, ib the Court was weary of it;
and the King would have been willing to have receiv-
ed any good Overtures for the compofing it, and the
Duke, fince He was kept from bearing a Part in it,
would not have oppofed it. Eut the AmbafTadours
preffed no fuch Matter, but congratulated the Victory
with the fame Joy They found in the Court, and
feemed to think that any Misfortune that could befall
the Dutch would be but a juft Punifliment for their
Pride and Infolence towards all their neighbour
Princes : The two Nations had not yet worried them-
felves enough, entirely to fubmit to the Arbitration of
France ; which it refolved They mould do.
Within lefs than a Month the Fleet was again pTG-rkeFleeta.
pared and ready for the Sea, as flrong and in as good^'» />«/>«#•.
a Condition as it had been before the Battle ; and the' '
King and the Duke went thither, the Duke making no
Doubt of putting his Perfon on Board. And the King
at that Time relblved that Prince Rupert and the Earl
of Sandwich mould have the joint Command of it: In
order to which Prince Rupert was prepared, of whole
eafy Concurrence only there was fome Doubt, his Ma-
jelly promifing himtelf all Conformity and Refigna-
L 1 3 tion
5 1 8 The Continuation of the Life of
tion from the Earl of Sandwich ; which He met with
in Both, for the Prince very cheerfully fubmitted to
his Majefty's Pieafure. In the Journey the King ac-
quainted his Brother with, his Refolution, and the
Promife He had made to the Queen their Mother ;
with which the Duke was much troubled, and offered
many Reafons to divert his MajehYy from laying his
Command upon him : But when He found there was
no Remedy, He fubmitted, and gave Orders for dis-
embarking his Family and Goods.
But when this was communicated to Mr. Coventry^
who was to prepare fuch Commiifions and Warrants as
upon this Alteration of Counfels were neceffary, He
perfuaded the Duke, and prevailed with him to believe,
44 that it would be much better to commit the fote
" Command of the Fleet to the Earl of Sandwich,
44 than to join Prince Rupert in it with him," who, for
no other Reafon but for not efteeming him at the Rate
He valued himfelf, had been long in his Disfavour.
He fuggefled fome Defects in the Prince, which No-
body could abfolve him from, and which the gentle
Temper of the Earl of Sandwich, who knew him as well
as the other, could have complied with : And many
thought it would have in the Conjunction produced a
very good Mixture, the Danger from the Prince bej
ing too fudden Refolutions from too much Heat and
Paflion, and the Earl having enough of Phlegm and
Warinefs in deliberating, and much Vigour in the
executing what was concluded ; and They were Both
well prepared and inclined to perform the Fun&ion.
But Mr. Coventry's Advice prevailed both with the
Duke and King : And fo in the Inftant that the King
and Duke were to return from the Fleet that was ready
to fet Sail with the firft fair Wind, and not till then,
the King told Prince Rupert, without enlarging upon
the Reafons. ** that He would have him to return
with him to London, and accompany him this Summer,
and that the v< Earl of Sandwich mould have the fole
" Command of the Fleet}" with which the Prince was
won-
Edward Earl 0/ Clarendon, &c. 519
wonderfully furpriled and perplexed and even heart-
broken, but there was no contending. He flayed be-
hind the King only till He could get his Goods and Fa-
mily difem barked, and then returned with very much
Trouble to the Court: And the Earl of Sandwich let rht Fleet
Sail with the Fleet, with Direction firfl to vilit thef" "**'
Coaft of Holland, and if He found that the Dutch ibe Ear! of
Fleet was not ready to come out, that He mould go Sandwich.
to the Northward to watch the Eaji India Fleet, which
had Orders from their Superiours to come by the
North, that They might avoid the Englijh Fleet, that
was Mailer of the Sea.
It was in the End of 'June or Beginning of July that
the King and Duke returned from the Fleet ; and
within few Days after it fet Sail : When the Plague
increafed fo faft, that there died about two thouland
in a Week ; fo that all Men cried out againft the
King's ftaying fo long at Whitehall, the Sicknefs being77' Kinz
already in Weflminjter. Whereupon the King, aftern^on-
He had taken the bell Care He could with the Lord£™rt °"fc-
Mayor for the good ordering the City, and publifhed?/,^.
fuch Orders as were thought neceflary for the Relief
and Regulation of infected Perfons, and prevailed
with fome Jullices of the Peace in the Strand and in
Wejlminjler to promife to refide there (which They
were the more eafily perfuaded to do by the General's
declaring that He would flay in his Lodgings at
Whitehall, which He did during the whole Time of
the Peflilence ; and the Lord Craven out of Friendfhip
to him flayed likewife in his Houfe in Drury Lane :
And it cannot be denied that the Prefence of thofe
two great Perfons prevented many Mifchiefs which
would have fallen out by the Dilorder of the People,
and was of great Convenience and Benefit to that End
of the Town) : I fay, when the King had fettled all
this He removed to Hampton, refolving there to confi-
der how to difpofe of himfelf for the Remainder of the
Summer. And becaule there were many Particulars'
Hill unrefolved concerning the Bulmefs of Ireland, his
L 1 4 Majefly
5 JO tfhe Continuation of the Life of
Majefty for fome Days appointed that numerous Peo-
ple, that They might have no Pretence to come to
Hampton-Court, to attend at Sion -, where for many
Days together his Majefty fpfent many Hours, till He
had compofed that Affair as well as it was for the
prefent capable of.
The Plague ftill increafed at London, and fpread
about the Country; fo that it was not thought fafe
for the Court to remain longer where it then was,
the Sicknefs being already in fome of the adjacent
Villages. Whereupon the King refolved that his
own Family and his Brother's fhould remove loSa/if-
bury, and fpend the Summer there. And becaufe it
was already in View, that it would not be fit for the
Parliament to affemble again at Wejlminfler in Septem-
ber, to which Time it was prorogued, nor could it be
computed at what Time it could be fafe to meet in
that Place ; and it was as notorious that if the Parlia-
ment met not fomewhere, whereby the King might
have another Supply before the Winter, there would
be very great Confufion for Want of Money : He
caufed therefore a Proclamation to iffue out, '* that
^!ntlia' " ^e "tended to adjourn the Parliament to meet
journedu " at Oxford upon the tenth of Oftober next, and
" that the Members need not to attend at Weflminjler
" in September." And then He directed the Speaker
of the Houfe of Commons, who lived within Half
a Day of London, and the General and the Lord
Craven, to give Notice to the Members of Both
Houfes, who lived within that Diftance, to be pre-
fent in Both Houfes at the Day to which They were
prorogued, and then to adjourn to Oxford according
to the Proclamation. And this being fettled, his
Majefty appointed a Day for beginning his Progrefs
from Hampton-Court to Salijbury •, againft which Time
all Carriages and whatfoever was neceffary for the
Journey were prepared.
In the Morning, when every Body believed that
the King and Queen and Duke and Dutchefs, with
Both
"Oxford.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 521
Both their Families, were to go together one Way,
Mr. Coventry found a Way to break that Reiolution,4fr.w.Co-
having no Mind to be in fo great a Court that hhfiZS"
Greatnefs would not appear. He told the Duke,/>"^'^'"'
"' that there were general Dileontents throughout thejyl?™'
" Kingdom," which was true, " and a Probability
" of Infurrections," which were much fpoken of and
apprehended ; " and therefore it might be better that
" the King and the Duke might not be together,
" but in feveral Places, that They might draw what
" Forces were neceflary to them, which the Prefence
" of their own Perfons would eafily do : That the
" Fleet would probably be all the Summer upon the
" Northern Coaft in Expectation of the Dutch Eajl-
" India Fleet ;" for it was not then thought that the
Hollanders would have been able to have fet out ano-
ther Fleet able to have encountered ours. Upon the
whole Matter He propofed to him, " that fince the
" King meant to fpend the Summer in the ffe/l, with
" which there could very hardly be any Correfpon-
gt dence from the Fleet, his Highnefs fhould go into
" the North and refide at Tork ; by which He would
" have an Influence upon all thofe Parts where the
" moft difafFecled Perfons were mod inhabitant, and
u from Hull and thofe maritime Parts He could not
" be long without receiving fome Intelligence from
" the Fleet."
The Truth is ; the Conftitution of the Court at
this Time was fuch, the Prevalence of the Lady fo
great and the Queen's Humour thereupon fo in-
conflant, and all together fo difcompofed the King,
that there was no Pleafure in being a Part of it :
And therefore the Advice was as foon embraced,
as given, by the Duke and his Wife, who were
well content to enjoy themfelves in their own Fa-
mily apart. And the Duke prefently propofed it to
the King, and Mr. Coventry difcourfed all the Mo-
tives to him fo fully that his Majefty approved it.
And then, if it were to be done at all, the firft at-
tending
522 The Continuation of the Life of
attending the King to Salijbwy, which was fo much
out of the Way, would be to no Purpofe : And
therefore it was refolved (all the Coaches and Car-
riages being then at the Doors to go to Fambam,
fUKiȣrc-\vhkh was the firft Day's Journey towards Salijbnry)y
•"j0"'" that the King and his Brother would part upon the
VJ' Place, and that the King and Queen mould continue
their Purpofe for Farnbam, and the Duke and his
Wife mould go that Night to St. Albans, and fo pro- .
fecute his Journey for Tork ; and all Orders were in
the Inftant given out to this Purpofe.
WhethilR the Reafons of this Counfel were of
Importance or not, the Alteration on fuch a fudden
from what had been before determined was thought
very flrange, and wondered at, and made many be-
lieve that fome Accident was fallen out that muft not
be difcovered : For on the fudden it was, there hav-
ing been no fuch Thought Overnight, when the
Chancellor left the Court to go to his own Houfe at
Twickenham. And when He returned the next Morn-
ing, the Refolution was taken, and every Body well
pleafed with the Change, and both the King and the
Duke told him with Satisfaction of it ; nor did He
underftand it enough to make Objections againft it,
which would have been ingrateful; nor was it conve-
nient to fpend longer Time in Deliberation at that
Place, where fome of the inferiour Servants had died
the Night before of the Plague : And fo They all en-
tered upon their Journey by Nine of the Clock the
fame Morning.
n*Bi/i>#of JT is necefiary in this Place to remember, that
^«ft/e,«*"the Exprefs, that had been fent by the Bimop of
vadeibe Munflers Agent with the Conditions which were of-
viccel Po fered by the King, returned with great Expedition,
and brought the Bifhop's Acceptation and Engage-
ment, " that, upon the Payment of the firft Sum
" that was agreed upon, He would draw his Army
** together, and march v/ith an Army of twenty
" thou-
Edward Earl of Clarendon, $£c. 523
,, thoufand Horfe and Foot into the States Domi-
'* nions." And the King before He left London
had figned the Treaty, and made the firft Payment,
and provided for the fecond : So that He now ex-
peeled that the Bifhop fhould be iliortly upon his
March, and fix his Winter-Quarters in thole Pro-
vinces ; which He did refolve and intend with Cou-
rage and Sincerity, and which in that Conjuncture
mud have put the Counfels of Holland into great
Confufion, when they began to be again reduced in-
to fome Order.
The indefatigable Induflry and Dexterity of the pe wit if-
Penfionary De Wit prevailed with the States to be^jjjj*^,
lieve, u that He thought a Peace to be necelTary For pareamtiir
u their Affairs, and defired Nothing but that it
44 might be upon honourable and fafe Conditions,
44 and that France was very real in the endeavouring
" it : But that the Enemy was fo infolent upon their
44 late Succefs, that They neglecled all Overtures,
44 and believed that the Factions and Divifions a-
44 mongft themfejves would hinder them from being
44 able to fet out another Fleet ; and therefore that
*' ought to be the firft Defign. And if their Fleet
44 were ready to go out, He doubted not but a
44 Peace would quickly follow : For that Frame was
44 engaged, if the King fhould not confent to what
44 is juft and reafohable, to declare a War againft
44 England, and to allift them with Men and Money,
44 and all his own naval Power, which the Duke of
44 Beaufort was then preparing and making ready in
44 all the Ports of France. But that it was not to
" be expected that They would fend out their Fleet,
44 which was much inferiour to the EngliJIj, except
** They firft faw a Dutch Fleet at Sea ready to join
44 with them." He wifhed them to consider " how
44 much They were all concerned in their India Ships,
which were in their Voyage, and could not be far from
their Coafts, in a fliort Time j ail which would inevN
*'• tably
a
524 Ybe Continuation of the Life of
** tably fall into the Hands of the Englijb, if They
*6 had no Fleet at Sea to relieve them."
These Reafons, of Weight in themfelves, and the
Concernment of mod of them in the Prefervation of
the Indian Ships, prevailed with them to do all that
could be done to fet out a new Fleet : And to that
Purpofe They fent very ftridt and levere Orders to
their feveral Admiralties, for the proceeding againfl
all, without Diftinction of Perfons, who had mifbe-
haved themfelves in the late Battle, and to provide
new Ships and all neceflary Provifions, to the End that
their Fleet might be at Sea by a Time. And this
grew the more eafy to them, by the feafonable Return
of De Ruyter with his Fleet from Guinea, which brought
a prefent Addition of good Strength ; and He had be-
gan the War upon the Englijh, and was the belt Sea-
Officer They had, and had exercifed thofe Commands
that no other Officer could refufe to obey him.
Tit Dot* FoR the fpeedy carrying on thefe prefent Prepara-
mahaRt- tions, They made according to their ufual Cuftom in
tfJirN^' extraordinary Occurrences, Committees of the States
to afliit in the Admiralties of Zealand, Amflerdam, and
Rotterdam; and to that Purpofe De Wit, and fuck
other as He thought fitted at this Time to join with
him, were appointed. They went firft to the Fleet to
reform the Diforders there : And though They durit
not proceed with that Severity as had been fit, yet
They cafhiered many Captains and other Officers, and
put fome other Marks of Difgrace upon others, and
cauled one or two to die.
be wjf, But that which De IVrfs Heart was moft fet upon was
^5vm to ta^e Revenge upon Fan Trump, and to remove him
Trump. from ever having any Command at Sea : For though
He was an excellent Officer, and upon the Stock of
his Father's Credit of great Eftimation with the Sea-
men, and lnferiour to no Man but De Ruyter, and had
behaved himfelf in the Battle with fignal Courage ;
yet his Dilpute with Evert/on upon Command had
brought much Prejudice to them. But that which was
worfl
Edward Earl of Clarendon, ££c. 525
worft of all and incenfed De Wit implacably was, that
He was of entire Devotion to the Prince of Orange, as
his Father had always been and all his Children con-
tinued to be, and He knew well had an efpecial Part,
how covertly foever, in fomenting the Murmurs of the
People againft him and the War: And He refblved to
take this Opportunity of the good Temper the States
were in in their Concurrence for the fetting out the
Fleet, not only to provide for the better Government
of their Ships and marine Conduct, but to punifh and
prevent the Murmurs at Land, by removing all tho(e
out of any Power whom He fufpe&ed to have fecretly
contributed to them. He did all He could to make
Van Frump's Offence capital, as if the Right of Com-
mand had been fo clear in Evert/on that the other could
not difpute it : But FanTrump defended himfelf fo well
and had fo many Friends, that He was abfolved from
that Guilt. Yet for fome paflionate and indifcreet
Words, in which He did naturally abound, He was
deprived of his Command, with a Declaration " that
" He mould no more be employed in the Service of
" the States {* which whilft the Government was in
thofe Hands He cared not for, and had a good Eftate
to fubfift without it. And fo for the prefent all Differ-
ences were compofed fo far, as to have a general Con-
currence in whatfoever was neceffary, and in order to
the making ready and fetting out their Fleet to Sea.
The King had been few Days 2xSalijbury before ther*«Fr«net
French and Spanifh Ambaffadours arrrived there, &nd^mbaf!^ur'
then They made fome Inftance with the King, that ifm«iut,ng
there might be a Treaty for Peace ; and the French" Peace'
" Ambafladours declared, that the King their Matter
" was fo far engaged by Treaty with the Dutch, that
" if the King would not accept of a juft and an ho-
" nourable Peace, his Majefty mull declare himfelf on
'* their Behalf, which He was unwilling to do." The
King anfwered, " that if there were any fuchEngage-
" mentHe had not been well dealt with ; for that the
44 French King hid given his Word to him, that He
" would
526 The Continuation of the Life of
" would not enter into any 'Treaty with the Dutch but pari
" paflu with his Majefty" (and when his Majefty had
been informed that there was fome Treaty concluded
with them, He was affured from France " that it was
*' only a Treaty of Commerce, which He had been
" obliged to enter into to prevent an Edict in Holland,
•* by which ftrong Waters and other French Commo-
" dities would have been inhibited to be brought into
" thofe Provinces, but that there was Nothing in that
" Treaty that could be to his Majefty *s Prejudice") :
" That his Majefty had been always ready to embrace
ct Peace, which had been never yet offered by the
" Dutch, nor did He know what Conditions They
" expected."
The Ambafladours feemed to be much offended
with the infolent Behaviour of the Dutch ; and con-
fefTed " that they were not folicitous for Peace, but
" only defired to engage the King their Mafter in the
" War : But that if his Majefty would make his De-
44 mands, which They prefumed would be reafonable,
" the other mould be brought to confent to them."
To which the King replied, " that They had begun
4i the War upon him and not He upon them, and that
" God had hitherto given him the Advantage, which
•• He hoped He fhould improve ; and till They were
41 as defirous of Peace as He, it would not become
" him to make any Proportions." And in this Man-
ner that Affair ftood whilft the Court remained at
Hahftiury.
And there now fell out an unexpected Accident,
which looked as if Providence had been inclined to re-
pair the Mifchief and the Damage that the Plague had
produced to the Affairs of the King. It hath been
mentioned before, that upon the firft Thoughts of a
War with the Dutch, the King had fent Mr. Henry
Coventry to Sweden, and Sir Gilbert Talbot to Denmark,
to engage thofe Crowns as far as might be on hisMa-
jefty's Behalf, Both of them being enough difobliged
and provoked by the Dutch.
Mk.
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. 527
Mr. Coventry in Sweden found a frank and open Re- w*/' ef
ception, avowing a hearty Affection to the King, and cwewJ/7
an Inclination to join in any Thing that might not bef'm*^r»
deflructive to their own Affairs : Nor did They diffem- *
ble the Injuries They had received from the Hollander
even to the Dutch Ambaffadour himfelf, who was at
the fame Time lent thither to unite that Crown to their
Intereft, to which Purpofe He had made feveral fpe-
cious Overtures. Nor did They conceal the Jealoufy
They had of the French, who had not complied with
the Payment of the yearly Sum of Money, which They
were obliged to make to them for the Support of their
Army, of which they were in a great Arrear, that
difcompofed their Affairs very much. And though
M. Pompone, who had been long Refident in that Court
as an Envoy, was now come thither as Ambaffadour
from France, and brought with him a good Sum of
Money to retain them fad to their Dependance upon
them ; yet the Money was not Half that was due to
them, and They well knew what dark Ends it was
for : And They did exceedingly fear the Omnipotence
of France.
There were two Things, which kept them from a
full Declaration on the King's Behalf, and engaging
prefently in his Intereft. The firft was the Apprehen-
fion that They had of Denmark, that it would take this
Opportunity to unite themfelves more firmly to the
Hollander, and fo attempt to deprive Sweden of all their
late Conqueft, which was confirmed to them by their
own Treaty of Copenhagen, which They were relblved
never to part from : And in this Particular They were
to expect fome Satisfaction and Security from the Ne-
gotiation of Sir Gilbert Talbot. The other was, that
They might fee the Eifhop of Munfier fully engaged,
upon whole Expedition They had much Expectation.
And Mr. Coventry had informed them of that whole
Agreement, which would have given them Opportu-
nity to have profecuted their own Defign upon Bremen.
to which their Hearts were moil devoted.
Sir
528 The Continuation of the Life of
Ani*f *r Sir Gilbert Talbot had been as well received in Dgn-
boVitoDcn-M'V'k) with all the Profeflions imaginable of Affection
mark. to the King, and of their Deteftation of the Dutch,
who in Truth had exercifed a ftrange Tyranny over
them by the Advantage of their Neceiiities ; nor is the
Injuftice, Oppreflion and Indignities which They had
fuftained from them to be expreffed and defcribed,
without entering into a large Difcourfe of Particulars
which are foreign to this Relation : Let it fuffice, that
there needed few Arguments to perfuade that King to
any Thing that was within his Power, and which
would have done fignal Mifchief to the Dutch. But
the Truth is, the Kingdom was very poor, the People
unwarlike, the King himfelf very good and very weak,
jealous of all the great Men, and not yet recovered of
the Fright that IVolfelt had put him into. His chief
Minifter, one Gabell, had gotten his Credit by having
been his Barber, an illiterate and unbred Man, yet his
fole Confident in hisBufinefs of greatefl Truft ; which
made all the Perfons of Quality in the Kingdom, who
are as proud of their Nobility as any Nation, full of
Indignation. And They were able to crofs many Re-
iblutions after they were taken, though They could not
eitablifh others in the Place ; which made the King
very irreiblute and unfixed : So that what was con-
cluded To-day was reverfed or not purfued To-mor-
row. They profeffed a great Jealoufy of the Swede,
as the greatefl: Argument, but their Weaknefs, againfl
a War with the Dutch ; yet were not willing to pro-
pofe any Expedients which might fecure them againfl
thole jealouiies. And the King abfolutely denied that
He had ever given Hannibal Zefted Authority to de-
clare, " that He would again confirm the TreatyHe had
4t made ■" and feemed to take it unkindly that hisMa-
jefly mould think it reafonable, who therefore thought
it lb, becaufe it was propofed by himfelf, and becaufe
He Hill confeffed, lt that He could make no Attempt to
" recover what He had parted with." That which
He did unreasonably deiign, in all theDifguifes which
were
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &ff. $2$
were put on, was to engage the King to endeavour
operluade the Swede to give up and reftore Elfenore
nd other Places to Denmark., or to aihft him with
Force for the Recovery of them when there mould be
a Peace concluded with Holland : So that the King
defpaired of any Good from that Negotiation, and re-
folved fhortly to recall his Minifter from thence.
But there was on a Hidden a Change to Wonder.
Gabell came early in a Morning to Sir Gilbert Talbot %
and told him, " his Matter was now refolved to unite
'* his Intereft entirely to that of the King of England,
" having now an Opportunity to do it fecurely to Both
44 their Benefits." He told him, " that there were
" Letters arrived that Night from Bergen, with News 'f^v"/ar
" that the Dutch Ea/t -India Ships were all arrived va the Attempt
" that Port, with Orders to remain there till they re-gJJ^,
" ceived new Orders from Holland, which they mould Bergen.
M have as fopn as their Fleet mould be ready to join
46 with them. This had difpofed the King to reiblve
44 to give the King of England Opportunity to pofiefs
" himfelf of all that Treafure, out of which He pre-
" fumed He would allow him fuch a Share, as might
" enable him to declare, and affift his Majefty vigor-
44 ouily in his War againft the Dutch. That if He
" gave fpeedy Notice to the King's Fleet, which every
44 Body knew was then at Sea, it might eafily go to
** Bergen, where They might as eafily furprife all thole
" Ships in the Port, fince They mould receive no
*' Oppofition from the Catties under whofe Protection
" they lay."
And when He had done his Relation, He offered
him to go with him to the King, that He might re-
ceive the Obligation from himfelf; which Sir Gilbert
Talbot prefently did, and found his Majefty aschearful
in the Refolution as Gabell had been. He repeated
all that the Other had fa id, and more particularly
" that He thought it reasonable that He might expect
4' Half of the Value that the Whole would amount
*; to; which He would rely upon the King's Honour
Vol. II. M m 4< and
coo The Continuation of the Life of
cc and Juftice for, after the Ships ihould be in England,
" that He might not be fufpeoted by the Hollander,
" for He would proteft again ft the Act as a Violence
c; that He could not refill: And that He would expect
" fo many of his Majefty's Ships to arrive in Denmark,
" and to alii ft him, before He pofitively declared a-
" gain ft the Dutch" He wifhed Sir Gilbert Talbot
" to fend an Exprefs forthwith to the King with all
" thefe Particulars i" which He did the next Day.
This Exprefs arrived within few Days after the
King came to Salifbury, and was difpatched prefently
back again with Letters to the King of Denmark of his
Majefty's Confent and Ratification of all that He had
propofed, and with Letters likewife to the Earl of
Sandwich, who according to his former Orders had
failed Northward in Hope to meet with that Fleet,
which was before got into Norway. The King's Let-
ters to him came in a very good Seafon, and He im-
mediately continued his Courfe for Norway : And when
He came to that Length, and near enough to that
Land of Rocks which are terrible to all Seamen, He
thought it beft to remain at Sea with his Fleet, left
De Rityter might by this Time be come out with
his Fleet (fince his being come Northward could not
be concealed, nor the Arrival of the Eaji- India Fleet
at Bergen ; which would haften the other), and fent a
Squadron of fifteen or fixteen good Ships (of Strength
iufficient for the Bufinefs) into the Harbour of Bergen
with a Letter to the Governour. And with it He fent in
a Gentleman that was a Volunteer on Board him, who
hath been often mentioned before, Mr. Clifford, the
Confident of the Lord Arlington, who was well inftruc-
ted in all the Tranfaclions which had been at Copenha-
gen. Before They went into the Harbour, Mr. Clifford
and another Gentleman or two went by Boat to the
Town, where He found all the Dutch Ships (about a
Dozen in Number) riding very near the Shore, and all
under the Protection of the Caftle, into which They
had put much of their richeft Lading from the Time
of
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. zoi
of their firfl coming thither, as to a Place of unquef-
tionable Security.
The Governourwas not furprifed with the MefTengers
or the Letter, as appeared by the Reception of Both, but
feemed troubled that They were come fo foon, before
the Manner of performing the Action was enough ad-
justed : He could not deny but " that He had received
" Orders from Copenhagen ; but that He expected more
44 perfect Directions within four and twenty Hours,
" and expected Jikewife the Prefence of the Vice-King
" of Norway, who was his fuperiour Officer, and would
" infallibly be there the next Day." The Behaviour
of the Man was fuch as made them believe it lincere,
as in Truth it was, for He meant well, and was con-
tent that the Ships, which though they were not come
into the Port did not ride fafe amongft the Rocks,
mould come into the Port, upon AiTurance that They
would not attempt any heftiie Act without his Con-
fent, which was till all Things fhould be agreed
between them : And fo the Fleet entered ; which the
Dutch perceived with great Confternation, yet changed
the Pofture of fome of their Ships, and new-moored
the reft and put themfeives upon their Defence.
It is a Port like no other that the World knows, a
very great Number of formidable Rocks, between
each of which the Sea runs deep enough for the great-
eft Ships to ride fecurely ; fo that the Ships were as in
fo many Chambers apart between the Rocks : And the
Dutch, which came thither firfl, had poiTefied them-
feives of that Line of the Sea that lay next to the
Shore, to which They lay fo near that They could de~
fcend from their Velfels on Land ■, which had been
much the better for the Enterprife, if the Dane had
concurred in it.
It was fo late before the Englifu Ships had taken
their Places, which was as near the Duich as tlie Rocks
would permit, that they remained quiet all Night,
which was fpent in Confuitation between the Com-
mander in Chief of the Englijh Ships (who was a ftout
M m 2 and
The Continuation of the Life of
and a good Officer but a rough Man, who knew better
how to follow his Instructions than to debate the
Ground of them •, but He was advifed by Mr. Clifford
and conformed to his Judgment) and the Governour
of the Town and Caflle, who feemed Hill inclined not
only to fuflfer the Englijb to do what They would, but
to be willing to ad a Part in it himl'elf from the Shore,
and to expect hourly Orders to that Purpofe, as like-
wife the Arrival of the Vice-King, whofe Authority
was more equal to that Attempt, and who was a Man
well known to have a particular Reverence for the
King, and as particular a Prejudice and Animofity
againft the Dutch. The Night being over, the Go-
vernour continued all the next Day as delirous and
importunate that the Enterprise might be longer de-
ten ed ; upon which there were fome cholerick Words
between the Governour and a Gentleman of Quality
who was a Volunteer on Board the Ships, which many
thought in fome Degree irreconciled the Governour to
the Affair.
In Conclusion : The Commander of the Squadron
was willing to think that the Governour had rather it
mould be done without his declared Confent than by
it, and fo told him, " that the next Morning He was
f refolved to weigh his Anchors and fall upon the
u Dutch-" to which the other made fuch a Reply as
confirmed him in his former Imagination. And in
the Morning the Ships were brought out of their fe-
veral Channels, and placed as near the Sides of the
Dutch as they could be, from whence They refolved
to board them as foon as They had fent their Broad-
fides upon them. But They found that the Dutch had
fpent their Time well; for in the two Days and two
Nights that the Engliftj had been in the Harbour, be-
fides the unlading the richeft of their Commodities
that were left into the Cattle, They had drawn all
their Ordnance, which lay on that Side of the Ships
which was to the Shore, on Land, and planted them
upon a riling Ground, That they could (hoot over
their
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &V. 533
their own Ships upon the Englijh : And a Breaftwork
was cafl up, behind which all the Inhabitants of the
Town were in Arms.
It was a fair Warning, and might very well have rknisuc-
perfuaded our Men to be glad to retire out of the^1 'f iu
Harbour, which yet They might have done : But their
Courage or their Anger difpofed them to make farther
Trial of the Governour, for They feared not the Ord-
nance from the Land which the Dutch had planted, nor
the Mufkets from the Breaflworks, if the Caftle did
them no Harm, under thePower of which They all were.
And fo They fell upon their Work : And in fome
Time, and with the Lofs of many Men from the Ships
and from the Land, They had difmounted many of
the Ordnance upon the Shore, and were even ready to
board the Ships ; when out of abfurd Rage or Acci-
dent a Ship or two of the Englijh difcharged fome Guns
both upon the Breaflworks, from whence They had
received no Prejudice, and upon the Town, which
beat down fome Houfes. But then all the Mufkets
from the Breaflworks were poured out, and Guns from
the Caftle, which killed very many common Men,
and five or fix Officers of very good Account, and
fome Gentlemen Volunteers, amongfl which was Ed-
ward Mount ague ^ eldefl Son to the Lord Mount ague of
Boughton and Coufin German to the Earl of Sandwich y
a proper Man and wellbred but not eafy to be pleafed,
and who was then withdrawn from the Court, where He
was Mafler of the Horfe to the Queen, and in fome
Difcontent had put himfelf on Board the Fleet with a
Captain, without the Privity of the Earl of Sandwich,
and was now flain. There was now no farther Expe-
riment to be made, but how They could get to Sea,
which might ealily have been prevented from the Shore
and from the Rocks : But from the Minute that They
prepared to be gone and gave over (hooting, there was
no more done againfl them, and They had Pilots
from the Country that carried them fafe out.
M m 3 " The
The Continuation of the Life of
The Noife of the Guns had called the Earl of Sand-
wich as near the Mouth of the Harbour as could fafely
be, to difcover what became of his Squadron ^ fo that
They came fhortly to him with the whole Account of
their ill Succefs, and within a fhort Time after a Shal-
lop from the Governour, with a Letter to the Officer
who had commanded the Squadron, complaining as
much as He could do of the Mifbehaviour of the
Englijh in fhootingupon the Town, and defiring " that
" Mr. Clifford would give him a Meeting at a Place
" He appointed, to which the Shallop mould convey
<; him." Mr. Clifford was more willing to go than
the Earl was to permit him i, yet at latt upon his
earned Defire He confented, and He put himfelf into
the Shallop. It happened that when the Aclion was
over and the Englijh under Sail, the Vice-King arrjved
at Bergen with two or three Regiments of the Country ;
and the Orders were likewife come from Copenhagen,
whereby, at leaft as They pretended. They were re-
quired to permit all that theEngliJb delired : And the
Vice-King had caufed the Shallop to be fent, and was
himfelf with the Governour at the Place whither Mr.
Clifford was to come, and there He fpake with them
together.
The Governour with many Proteftations excufed
himfelf for (hooting from the Cattle, after the Town
was ailaulted, and many of the Burghers killed, who
had flood in Arms only to defend the Town, without
being concerned for the Dutch or their Ships ; and
made it an Argument of his Integrity and Refpecl,
"l that He had permitted them to depart when it was
" in his Power to have funk them." He complained,
" that the Commander would not have the Patience to
" defer the AiTault one Day longer, which if He had
c; done the Orders from Copenhagen had been come,
u and the Vice-King had been prelent with his Forces,
" which would have fecured the Enttrprife." The
Vice-King feemed very much troubled for what had
been dene, ^nd earneftly defired, " that the fame or
" another
Edward Earl 0/ Clarendon, 65V. $%$
another Squadron might be again fent in, when
They fhould be at Liberty to do what They would
** upon the Dutch, and if They flood in Need of Aflift-
" ance They mould have as much as was necelTary."
Mr. Clifford replied to many of the Excufes which
were made, and urged " the fuffering the Dutch to
" bring their Ordnance on Shore, and the Town fmen
" being in Arms to aflifl them/' and propofed, " that
" They would flrft begin by feizing upon fome of
" their Ships, and then that their Fleet fhould an-
" fwer :" But this the Vice-King did abfolutely refufe,
and made another Proportion that ftartled more and
was directly new, '* that when the Englifi) hadfeized
" upon all the Dutch Ships, They fhould not have
" carried any of them away till a perfecl Divifion of
" the Goods was made, that the King of Denmark
** might have his juft Proportion." Mr. Clifford
made no Anfwer but " that He would prefent all that
" They propofed to the Earl of Sandwich, in whom
M the Power of concluding and executing remained
" folely :" And fo He returned to the Fleet, and
They to the Town and expe&ed an Anfwer.
The Earl of Sandwich thought not fit to run any The Earl of
more Hazards, and was not fatisfied that They had5an/dwich ,
r 1 -n i-i n «i .declines mak-
proceeded imcerely. But that which molt prevailed ing another
with him was, that lie had received Intelligence AtUm^-
" that De Rtiyter was come out with the Fleet," and
He would not He fhould find him entangled in thofe
Rocks, or obliged to fight with him upon that Coaft ;
and the Seafon of the Year now made that Station very
unfecure, for it was already the Beginning diOElober,
when thofe Seas run very high and boiflerous : And
therefore He refblved to be Matter of more Sea- Room,
that He might fight De. Ruyter if He came, and if He
did not He might then meet thofe Eaft-India Ships
more fecurely in their Way to Holland, than by mak-
ing another Attempt in the Harbour. And fo, after
fome Letters had palled and repaired between the
Vice-King and him, and both the Vice-King and Go-
vernour
53^ The Continuation of the Life of
vernour had undertaken to keep the Dutch Ships
there for the Space of fix Weeks, for They defired to
lee the Succefs of another Engagement between the
two Fleets •, the Earl fleered that Way with his Fleet
that moft probably might bring him and De Ruyter
together, which above all Things He defired.
X •«£*""*' ^H ' s wn°le Affair of Bergen and the Managery
upo*thixAf- thereof was fo perplexed and intricate, that it was
fair. never clearly underftood. That which feemed to have
moft Probability was, that as foon as the Dutch Fleet
came to Bergen, They had unladen many of their
richeft Commodities and put them into the Caftle, be-
fore the Governour had received his Orders from Co-
penhagen: And foboth his own and his Matter's Faith
and Honour were engaged to difcharge the Truft, of
which He made Haile to fend an Account to the
King, and thereupon expected new Directions, which
were not arrived when the Engh'/h Fleet came thither.
And when they did come, whether that Court accord-
ing to its Cuflom did change its Mind, and believe
They mould make a better Bargain by keeping what
was already depofited in their Hands in the Cattle,
than by making an uncertain Divifion with the King ;
or whether They did in Truth continue firm to the
firft Agreement, and that the Mefienger was flopped
by extraordinary Accidents in his Journey (which was
pofitively alledged), fo that He did not arrive in
Time ; or whether the Governour was not able to
mailer the Town that was much inclined to the Hol-
landers^ before the Vice-King came with his Troops,
who did make all poilible Hafte as foon as He heard
that the Englijb were arrived ; or whether the Englijb
did proceed more unadvifedly and rafhly than They
ought to have done; remains ftill in the Dark: And
Both Parties reproached each other afterwards, as
They found moft neceflary for their feveral Defences
and Pretences ; of which more hereafter.
**?f?3F The Kins; flayed not altogether fo long; at Salilbury
rmk ., as He had intended to have done: ror beiiaes a little
0xfw:d- accidental
Edward Earl of Clarendon, &c. $$j
accidental Indifpofition which made him diflike the
Air, fome inferiour Servants and their Wives came
from London or the Villages adjacent, and brought the
Plague with them ; fo that the Court removed to Ox-
ford before the End of September, the Parliament being
to alfemble there on the tenth of the next Month.
And before He left Salijbury, his Majefty fent an
Exprefs to Tork to his Brother, " that He would
" meet him as foon as He could." The Duke had
lived in great Luflre in Tork all that Summer, with
the very great Refpect and continual Attendance of
all the Perfons of Quality of that large County : And
the Duke no {boner received his Majefly's Summons
than He took Pod, and left his Wife and Family to
follow by ordinary Journeys, and himfelf came to Ox-
ford the next Day after the King, where there were in-
deed Matters of the higheft Importance to be confulted
and refolved.
The King had fent Mr. Clifford to Denmark to be
fatisfied, upon Conference with Sir Gilbert 'Talbot ', con-
cerning the Mifcarriage at Bergen, and if the Ships
remained dill there according to the Promife the
Vice-King had made, and if that King were ready to
perform what He had undertaken, that all Particulars
might be fo adj ulled that there might be no farther
Midake ; and if He found that the Jealoufy of Sweden
was a real Obdruclion to that Alliance, that He
fhould make a Journey to Sweden, and upon Confer-
ence with Mr. Coventry, who by his Dexterity and
very good Parts hud reconciled the Affections of that
Court to a very great Edeem of him, endeavour to
remove all thole Obdru&ions : And as foon as his
Majefty fhould receive full Information of that whole
Affair, Pie muff confider what He was to do to vindi-
cate himfelf in. that Bufinefs of Bergen ; for He knew
well that He muft differ with all the World, for vio-
lating the Peace of a Port that was under the Govern-
ment of a neighbour Prince with whom He was allied,
if He did not make it appear that He had the Content
of
538 The Continuation of the Life of
of that Prince, which He was not willing to do till
Afvrtler J_[e firft Jinew ^^ t]lat Kjng wou]c} ^0.
JSegittatian . . . P
-wstb tbe int the next Place his Majefty was to refolve what
VCfrc}/m' Anfwer to make to the French Ambafifadours, who
now defired frequent Audiences, and pofitively de-
clared, " that their Mafler was engaged by his Treaty
" with the Dutch that in Cafe They were invaded or
" affaulted by any Prince, He would affi ft them with
" Men, Money and Ships, which He had hitherto
" deferred to do out of RefpecT: to the King, and in
" Hope that He would accept his Mediation, and
" make fuch Proportions towards Peace as He might
" prefs the others to confent to." The Dutch Ambaf-
fadour was likewife come to Town, rather to treat
concerning the Prifoners and to obferve what the
French Ambaffadours did, than that He had any
Thing to propofe in Order to Peace, there appearing
now fince their Fleet was at Sea more Infolence in the
Dutch, and a greater Averfion from the Peace, than
had been formerly.
The King complained to the Ambafifadours of the
French King's Proceedings, w that the entering into
" that Treaty was exprelsly againft his Word given
" to the King : That the Dutch had firft began the
" War, and ought to make the firft Approach to-
46 wards Peace, but that their Ambaftadour had no
" Inftruclion to make any fuch Inftance •, and there-
" fore it feemed very ftrange to his Majefty, that the
" French King mould prefs for that which They had
" no Defire to have."
The Ambafiadours confeifed " that the Dutch did
Ci not defire a Peace -, that They thought They were
" too much behindhand, and that They had at pre-