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ORIGINAL LETTERS,
ILLUSTRATIVE OF
ENGLISH HISTORY.
LONDON :
PEINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.
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ORIGINAL LETTERS,
ILLUSTRATIVE OF
ENGLISH HISTORY;
INCLUDIKG
NUMEROUS ROYAL LETTERS: FROM AUTOGRAPHS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM,
AND
ONE OR TWO OTHER COLLECTIONS.
WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS,
BY
HENRY ELLIS, F.R.S. Sec.S.A.
KEE^EB OF THE MANCSCBIPTS IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
SECOND SERIES.
IN FOUK VOLUMES.
VOL. IV.
LONDON :
PRINTED FOR
HARDING AND LEPARD, PALL-MALL EAST.
MDCCCXXVII.
CONTENTS.
VOL. IV.
LETTKR CCCIX.
CCCXII.
CCCXIV.
tccxvi.
PAGE
Mr. Jo. Greenhalgh to his friend Mr. Tho- mas Crompton. A Visit to the Jewish Synagogue established in London 3
The Rev. Stephen Bing to Dr. Bancroft Dean of St. Pauls : upon the ravage of the Great Plague 22
Mr. Bing to Dr. Bancroft. The Plague con- tinues. The Bishop of London endea- vours to recall the Pastors who had left their Churches 25
Mr. Bing to Dr. Bancroft. The Sickness continues. One of the late King's Judges taken prisoner, but rescued. The disaf- fected take advantage of the confusion oc- casioned by the Plague 27
J. TiUison to Dr. Bancroft. The Necessities of the Poor. The parish of St. Giles Cripplegate more severely visited by the Plague than any other in London 30
Mr. TiUison to Dr. Bancroft. Further par- ticulars of the violence of the Plague .... 33
J. TiUison to Dr. Bancroft. The great de- solation of the City 35
King Charles the Second to the Duke of Or- mond, concerning the dismissal of Lord ChanceUor Hyde 38
CONTENTS.
LETTER PAGE
cccxvii. Dr. George Hickes to Dr. Patrick. The
State of Affairs in Scotland 40
cccxviii. Dr. Hickes to Dr. Patrick upon the same. . 45 cccxix. Dr. Hickes to Dr. Patrick. Michell's Trial 47 cccxx. Dr. Hickes to Dr. Patrick. Michell's Sen- tence and Execution 52
cccxxi. Mr. Henry SaviU to his uncle Secretary
Coventry 57
cccxxii. The Duke of Monmouth to Sir Robert At-
kyns, A. D. 1679 64
cccxxiii. Dr. Zacheus Isham Dean of Christ Church Oxford, to Dr. Edmund Borlase. Ru- mours after the Dissolution of the Parlia- ment at Oxford 65
c c cxxiv. Sir James Dick, Bart. Lord Provost of Edin- burgh, to Mr. EUies at London. The Duke of York shipwrecked on the Sand- bank called the Lemon and Ore 67
cccxxv. Lady Rachel RusseU to 73
cccxxvi to Mr. Ellis, Secretary of
the Revenue in Ireland. Hampden said to be reprieved. Some of the Bishops
falling out of favour 83
c c cxxvii. The same to the same. Hampden reprieved. The Bishop of London in disgrace. A Pardon granted to Roman Catholic Officers for holding their commands without taking
the Test 85
cccxxviii. The same to the same. The Trial and Ac- quittal of Lord Delamere 86
cccxxix. Samuel de Paz to John Ellis, Esq. Lord Delamere has an audience of the King. False Reports of Quo Warrantos issued against Cathedral Churches. Mrs. Sedley to be Countess of Dorchester. Sir Henry Waldegrave to be Baron Waldegrave ... 88 cccxxx to Mr. EUis. Montague
CONTENTS.
Vll
CCCXXXIII. CCCXXXIV.
cccxxxv.
CCCXXXVI.
CCCXXXVII.
CCCXXXVIII.
CCCXXXIX.
CCCXLI.
CCCXLII.
CCCXLIII.
PAGE
House burnt. Mr. Harbord ordered to surrender 89
The same to the same. PubUc News. Countess of Dorchester. The Princess
Anne. Pepys 90
The same to the same. Judges and Ser- jeants changed. Disorders in London on
account of Popery 93
The same to the same. King James drinks the Church of England as estabhshed by Law. The Judgment in the Case of Sir
Edward Hales ; . . 95
The same to the same. The Appointment of Lords Commissioners for Ecclesiastical
Jurisdiction 9g
The same to the same. Bishop Compton
called before the Lords Commissioners . . 98 The same to the same. The Duke of Or-
mond. Father Peters. Lord Tyrconnel 100 The same to the same. The Affliction of
the Princess of Denmark loi
The same to the same. The Birth of the
Prince 102
The same to the same. D. of Monmouth's
Chaplain pardoned 103
The same to the same. King James at the Camp on Hounslow Heath. Pannel of the Jury at the Trial of the Seven Bishops.
Various lesser News 104,
The same to the same. Trial of the Bishops,
who are brought in not guilty 106
The same to the same. Disorders of the
Populace upon the Acquittal of the Bishops 109 Changes in the Privy Council, &c. The King dines at the Camp twice a week. The Prince declared Prince of ^Vales. Changes in Westminster Hall no
VIU
CONTENTS.
LETTER , PAGE
cccxLiv. The same to the same. Joy at Rome upon
the birth of the Prince of Wales ...,,.. 112
cccxLv. The same to the same. The Departure of the Court. The Prince taught by the Marchioness of Powis his Governess to present a Petition to the King for in- creasing the Number of Hackney Coaches, • the revenue arising from which was to be appHed to the maintenance of Foundling Children. Circuits of the Judges. Ex- cesses of the Mob at Amsterdam upon the celebration at the English Consul's on the birth of the Prince of Wales 114
cccxLVi. The same to the same. A Household esta- blished for the Prince of Wales. The ac- quitted Bishops hold Catechizings and Confirmations in their respective Bi- shopricks. Their example followed by the Roman Clergy ...* 116
cccxLvii. The same to the same. Falsity of a Report
concerning Father Peters 118
cccxLviii. The same to the same. The Prince of Wales
indisposed. The Judges and their Charges 119
cccxLix. The same to the same. A Wet-nurse pro- vided for the Prince of Wales. Death of
Henry Carre. Various News 120
cccL. The same to the same.. The Prince of Wales recovered. His Wet-nurse has a Go- verness to look after her 122
cccLi. The same to the same. The Queen Dowager 123 cccLii. The same to the same. Writs to be issued
for the Parliament ibid.
cccLiii. The same to the same. Court News. Mr. Skelton the late Envoy at Paris committed to the Tower 124
cccLiv. The same to the same. Mr. Skelton. The
Mayor of Scarborough tossed in a Blanket 125
CONTENTS.
IX
LETTER PAGE
cccLV. The same to the same. The Mayor and Aldermen of London address the King and Queen. The King's Address to them
respecting the Dutch Fleet 126
cccLvi. The same to the same. The Prince of Orange
reported to be upon the point of embarking 127
cccLvii. The same to the same. The King's Procla- mation concerning the intended Invasion of the Dutch. The Dukes of Ormond and Berwick have the Garter. Hearing before the CouncU concerning the tossing of the Mayor of Scarborough in a blanket ibid.
cccLViii. The same to the same. The Charter of the
City of London restored 129
cccLix. The same to the same. Coffee Houses and other Houses which dealt in News sup- pressed 130
cccLX. The same to the same. Description of the
Dutch Fleet. Measures taken for defence ibid. cccLXi. The same to the same. The Society of Mag- dalen College Oxford restored. Imprison- ment of Hubert Bourke. Various news. . 132
cccLXii. The same to the same. The General News
of the day 135
cccLXiii. The same to the same. The Prince of Orange
driven back 137
CCCLXI V. The same to the same. The Council ordered to wait upon the Prince and Princess of Denmark with the depositions concerning the Birth of the Prince of Wales. The Prince of Orange's Declaration dispersed about the Town. Reports of the Dutch Fleet 138
CCCLX V. The same to the same. The Dutch arrive
upon the Coast of Devonshire 141
c c c LX V I . The same to the same. The Prince of Orange
at Exeter 142
S CONTENTS.
LETTER PAGE
cccLXvii. The same to the same. The Prince of Orange still at Exeter. The general state of AflPairs 143
cccLxviii. The same to the same. Lord Lovelace taken in his way to join the Prince of Orange. Dr. Burnet reads the Prince's Declaration at Exeter. News from the West 146
cccLXix. The same to the same 149
cccLXX. The same to the same. General News. . . . 150
cccLXXi. The same to the same. Reports and In- formation of the Day 152
cccLXxii. The same to the same. Continuation of News 154
cccLXXiii. The same to the same 157
cccLXXiv to John EUis_, Esq. More
News 159
cccLxxv. . to Mr. EUis. Storms.
The Prince of Orange's movements. The Rising in Cheshire 161
cccLXXvi. The same to the same. The King returns. The Princess Anne withdraws herself. General News 164
cccLxxvii. The Princess Anne to the Queen ; apologizes
for absenting herself 166
cccLXxviii to John EUis^ Esq. The
Queen and Prince gone for France. The King follows. The Prince of Orange - generally declared for 167
cccLxxix to John EUis, Esq.
The Prince of Orange invited to Town. Tumults of the Mob. The Army dis- banded. The Prince of Orange's Pro- posals. Lord Chancellor JefFerys taken in disguise 170
cccLXXx to John Ellis, Esq. King
James returns from Feversham. Arrival of the Queen and Prince at Ostend. Princess Anne's entry into Oxford 175
CONTENTS,
XI
LETTER CCCLXXXI.
CCCLXXXII.
CCCLXXXIII.
CCCLXXXIV. CCCLXXXV.
CCCLXXXVI. CCCLXXXVII. CCCLXXXVIH.
CCCLXXXIX.
PAGE
The same to the same. King James's final retirement from Whitehall. The Prince of Orange at St. James's 179
The same to the same. King James ar- rives in France 185
The Earl of Melfort to Mr. Innes from Rome. The Circulation of the Gun Money in Ireland 186
The Earl of Melfort to Father Maxwell ... 189
The Earl of Melfort to the Queen of James lid. Anxiety for the confirmation of the News that the Battle of the Boyne had been gained by James. His Advice as to the first steps to be taken upon EngUsh ground 190
The Earl of Melfort to the Queen, from Rome ; still in suspense 198
The Earl of Melfort to King James the Second from Rome , 200
The Earl of Melfort to Mr. Innes; intro- duces an Irish priest of the name of Rich- ard Molony 207
Mr. Theophilus Harrison to the Rev. John Strype 209
King William the Third to
His discontent with the ParUament. Changes proposed for Ireland 214
Charles Lyttelton to his father Sir Charles Lyttelton upon the conduct of Louis the XlVth. after the death of King James the Second 217
Sir George Rooke lo Prince George of Den- mark : after the taking of the Vigo Gal- leons by the EngUsh Fleet, Oct. 12th, 1702 223 Lord Tarbat to Queen Anne. He tenders
his Resignation as Secretary for Scotland 225 The Duke of Queensberry to Queen Anne,
Xll
CONTENTS.
LETTER PAGE
upon the debating of the Act of Security
in the Parliament of Scotland 227
cccxcv. The Duke of Queensberry to Queen Anne ;
again upon the Act of Security. A Plot
to overturn the Government discovered. . 230
cccxcvi. The Duke of Queensberry to the Queen,
upon the Rising of the Parliament. Again
upon the supposed Plot 236
cccxcvii. Dr. D'Avenant to his Son, after the News of the Battle of Hochstet, otherwise called the Battle of Bleinheim, had arrived in
London 241
cccxcviji. Prince George of Hanover, afterwards King George II., to Queen Anne, upon his re- ceiving the Order of the Garter 246
cccxcix. Prince George of Hanover to Queen Anne, upon receiving his Patent as Duke of Cambridge. Comphmentary upon the
Union with Scotland 247
cccc. Lord Sunderland to the Duke of Newcastle. Proposes to make a stand in ParUament, or the Prince of Wales wiU be brought in 249 COCCI. Lord Sunderland to the Duke of Newcastle. The Resolution of certain Peers to declare against the Court. The Removal of Prince George of Denmark from his Office of Lord High Admiral projected . 251
ccccii. Dr. White Kennett, afterwards Bishop of
Peterborough, to 255
cccciii. The Earl of Sunderland to the Duke of Newcastle. The Death of Prince George of Denmark. Official Changes 257
COCCI V. The Duke of Marlborough to
The dismal aspect of affairs 259
ccccv. Robert Harley, Esq. to the Elector of Han- over. His devotion to the Elector's Per- son and Serene House 260
CONTENTS,
Xlll
LETTKU
CCCCVI.
CCCCVII.
CCCCX.
CCCCXI. CCCCXII.
CCCCXIV.
ccccxv.
CCCCXVI.
CCCCXVIII.
PAGE
The Elector's Answer to Mr. Harley 261
Robert Harley, Esq. to the Elector of Han- over, in return to his Highness's Answer 262
The Duke of Buckingham to the Elector of Hanover. Offers his humble and zeal- ous service 264
Mr. Harley, now Earl of Oxford, to the Elector of Hanover. The Queen's care of the Elector's interest 266
The Princess Carohne, afterwards Queen of England, to Queen Anne 267
Secretary Bromley to the Princess Sophia. . 268
The Earl of Oxford to Baron Wassenaar Duyvenworde. Against any branch of the Elector's Family coming over with- out the Queen's consent 269
Archbishop Dawes to the Princess Sophia. The zeal of himself and the Clergy for the Protestant succession 271
Lord Chancellor Harcourt to Baron Schutz. The Writ of Summons for the Duke of Cambridge 272
The Earl of Oxford to the Elector of Han- over, after " the accident respecting the Writ". 273
The Elector of Hanover to Queen Anne an- nouncing the loss of his Mother 275
The Elector of Hanover to the Lord Trea- surer Oxford upon the same 276
The Prince Elector to Queen Anne : to be restored to favour 277
The Elector of Hanover to the Lord Trea- surer Oxford, upon the necessity for the presence of some Prince of his House in England, to secure the Queen and her Dominions against the designs of the Pretender , 278
XIV
CONTENTS.
LETTER CCCCXX.
CCCCXXITI.
CCCCXXVI.
ccccxxvn.
CCCCXXVIII.
CCCCXXIX.
ccccxxx.
CCCCXXXII.
PAGE
Dr. White Kennett, afterwards Bishop of Peterborough, to Dr. Samuel Blackwell. • King George the First expected from Han- over. The Queen's Interment ordered. Divisions of Interest upon, and Applica- tions for Church Preferment 285
Archbishop King to Archbishop Wake. The Prince of Wales, afterwards King George lid. chosen Chancellor of the University of
Dublin 289
Archbishop King to Archbishop Wake, after the death of the Archbishop of Tuara. State of the Clergy in his Diocese. The " Quarta Pars Episcopalis" 291
Bishop Kennett to Mr. Samuel Blackwell. The King's preparations to go to Hanover 298
Dr. White Kennett to Mr. Blackwell. The Princess of Wales has a severe confine- ment 299
Bishop Kennett to the Rev. Mr. Blackwell. King George the First's intention to make a Progress to Yorkshire. Trials of the Rebels 301
The same to the same. The Princess re- covered 302
Dr. Kennett to the Rev. Mr. Blackwell. The King returned from Hanover 303
Dr. White Kennett to Dr. Blackwell. Pro- ject of Charles Xllth. of Sweden for the Invasion of England. The Court quiet 804
The same to the same 306
Dr. Kennett to Mr. Blackwell. The King of Sweden a less bugbear ib.
Dr. Kennett to Mr. Blackwell. Bangorian Controversy. King George the First . . . 307
Dr. Kennett to Mr. Blackwell. General News 308
CONTENTS.
XV
LETTER CCCCXXXIII.
CCCCXXXIV. CCCCXXXV.
CCCCXXXVI.
CCCCXXXVII.
CCCCXXXVIII.
CCCCXXXIX.
CCCCXLII.
ccccxmi.
CCCCXLIV.
CCCCXLV.
CCCCXLVI.
PAGE
Dr. Kennett to Mr. Blackwell. The Princess near her confinement 309
The same to the same ih.
Dr. Thomas Tiidway to Mr. Humphry Wanley, Lord Oxford's Librarian. Dr. Bentley's behaviour when the King went to Cambridge 311
The same to the same. Still upon Dr. Bent- ley 312
Archbishop King to Archbishop Wake. The Differences at Court 315
Archbishop King to Archbishop Wake. Still upon the Court differences 316
Bishop Nicolson to Archbishop Wake : de- tails his Journey to take possession of the See of Derry 317
Jos. Wilcocks to Bishop Kennett, from. Han- over. An Account of what was passing there during the King's Visit in 1720 . . . 320
Dr. Nicolson, Bishop of Derry, to Arch- bishop Wake. The effects of the South Sea Scheme upon Ireland SS*
Dr. King, Archbishop of Dublin, to Arch- bishop Wake. Still upon the Affair of the
South Sea Company 325
The Archbishop of Dublin to Archbishop
Wake, upon the same 327
Dr. King, Archbishop of Dublin, to Arch- bishop Wake. The effect of the South Sea Failure still continues in Ireland .... 329
Dr. Nicolson, Bishop of Derry, to Arch- bishop Wake. The new Irish Half- pence . . . K ; 330
Dr. Nicolson, Bishop of Derry, to Archbishop Wake. Apprehension of losing all the Gold and Silver in Ireland in exchange
XVI
CONTENTS.
CCCCXLVII.
CCCCXLVIII.
CCCCXLIX.
CCCCLIII.
PAGE
for Halfpence and Farthings. Debates upon it in the Commons of that King- dom 332
The same to the same. The panic in Ire- land increases. Dean Swift prints his Let- ters on the subject 333
The same to the same. Leagues and De- clarations among the Shopkeepers, &c. of Ireland, against Wood's Halfpence 334
The same to the same. Further Associations against the Currency of Wood's Money 336
The same to the same. The Address of the Irish Parliament upon his Majesty's fa- vour in the matter of Wood's Patent. . . . 338
The Duke of Wharton to Lady Jane Holt his sister. Endeavours to extenuate his conduct 339
Major General Moyle to the Duke of New- castle, upon the Seizure and Execution of Captain Porteous by the Mob at Edin- burgh 347
Dr. Edward Chandler, Bishop of Durham, apparently to the Archdeacon of North- umberland. The Rebels approaching from the North. The spirit of the dif- ferent Counties 351
Duncan Forbes Lord President of the Court of Session in Scotland, to Mr. Mitchell. The State of Edinburgh after the Suc- cesses of the Rebels there and at Preston Pans 353
Duncan Forbes, Lord President, to Mr. Mit- chell. Mr. Gordon. The want of sup- plies wherewith to oppose the Rebels . . . 357
Andrew Mitchell Esq. to the Earl of Hol- dernesse. Collins, the courier for England,
CONTENTS.
XVll
Z.ETTER PAGE
robbed of his Despatches at the Gate of Berlin 367
ccocLTii. Mr- Mitchell to the Earl of Holdernesse. His Interview with the King of Prussia respecting the lost Despatches 370
ccccLviiL Mr. Mitchell to the Earl of Holdemesse-
The discovery of the Thief 372
cccTLix- Mr. Mitchell to the Earl of Holdernesse. The Stealer of CoUins's Portmantle
brought to Berlin 376
ccccLX. Robert Symmer, Esq. to Mr, Mitchell. The
Toulon Squadron sailed for Port Mahon 373 ccccLXi. Mn Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. The unac- countable behaviour xrf the English Fleet 379
ccccLxii. Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. The arrival of Admiral Byng's Despatches, Hie neglect to relieve Pari Mahott after beating the French. Reinforcements sent out The Public despond 381
ccccLxm. Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchdl. The con- tinuance of Public disappointment 386
fCCCLXiv. Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. Port Mahon lost. The Indignation againpt Admiral Byng's conduct, general 387
ccccLXV. The Earl of Holdernesse to Andrew Mit- chell, Esq. A Change taking place in the Administration 389
ccecLKVi. The Earl of Holdernesse to Mr. Mitchell, His Lordship at the head of the Admini- stration 390
ccccLKVii. Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. Admiral
Byng capitally rom'icted 392
ccccLxviii. Mr. Symmer to Mr. MitcheH. The rigor
of Admiral Byng's Sentence 395
jCCCCLXix, Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. The Opinion of the Judges tajcen upon Admiral Byng'a
Sentence 39?
VJt)L. IV. SEB. 2. h
XVlll
CONTENTS.
LETTER CCCCLXX.
CCCCLXXI.
CCCCLKXII.
CCCCLXXIII.
CCCCLXXIV.
CCCCLXXV.
CCCCLXX VI.
CCCCLXXVII.
CCCCLXXVIII.
CCCCLXXIX.
CCCCLXXX.
CCCCLXXXI.
PAGE
Mr, Symmer to Mr. Mitchell, A Motion made in the House of Commons for the mitigation of the rigor of Admiral Byng's Sentence. The Examination of the Mem- bers of his Court Martial by the Lords. . 398
Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. Admiral Byng has but three days to live 40S
The Right Hon. William Pitt, afterwards Earl of Chatham, to Mr. Mitchell. Ex- presses his attachment to, and admiration of the King of Prussia 404-
Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. The King and the Duke of Cumberland have the Gout for the first time 40^
Mr. Pitt to Mr. Mitchell, The King of Prussia intercedes for the Pardon of the Lord Marischal. Mr. Pitt's veneration for the King of Prussia 407
Lord Holdernesse to Mr. Mitchell, upon the Pardon of the Lord Marischal 410
Mr. Pitt to Mr. Mitchell. His respect and reverence for the King of Prussia 411
Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. The Ex- penses of the War. Lord George Sack- ville disgraced 413
Mr. Symmer to Mr. Mitchell. The death of General Wolf 414
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. The Union between the Duke of Newcastle and Mr. Pitt 4U
Mr. Mitchell to the Earl of Holdernesse. The Court of France uses the pen of Voltaire to draw Secrets from the King of Prussia. The King of Prussia's character of Voltaire 417
The Right Hon. William Pitt to Mr. Mit-
CONTEKTS.
XIX
LETTER CCCCLXXXII.
CCCCLXXXm.
CCCCLXXXIV. CCCCLXXXV,
CCCCLXXXVI.
ccccr.xxxvii.
CCCCLXXXVIII. CCCCLXXXIX.
CCCCXCII. CCCCXCIII.
ccccxcxv.
PAGE
chelh Expresses his joy at the King of Prussia's Successes 420
J. Wright, Under Secretary of State, to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The Reports upon King George the Second's Will 422
General Yorke to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The opening of the Reign of George the Third 425
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. . . 430
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. The Administration settled 432
Colonel Grseme to Mr. Mitchell, upon Lord Harcourt's Journey to demand the hand of the Princess of Mechlenburg Strelitz . . 434
•Colonel Grteme to Mr. Mitchell. Prepara- tions for the Princess's Journey 437
The Earl of Harcourt from the Court of Strelitz, to Mr. Mitchell at Magdeburg. Preparations for bringing the Princess, afterwards Queen Charlotte, to England 438
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. Mr. Pitt's Resignation of the Seals 441
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. Lady Hester Pitt created a Peeress. Mr. Pitt receives a Pension. Ministerial changes 4 i4
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. New Administration under Lord Bute. The Duke of Newcastle's Audience from the King upon his Resignation 445
Mr. Symmers to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. The Birth of the Prince of Walea 447
The King of Prussia to Sir Andrew Mitchell, upon the taking of the Havannah 448
Mr. Symmer to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The Preliminaries of the Peace of 1762 arrive ratified : . U9
XX
c6i<tEi^t»:
LETTER
ccecxcv.
CCGCXCVI.
CCCCXCVII.
CCCCXCVIII.
CCCCXCIX.
to.
s>iu.
i)vt.
PAGE
Mr. Symmer to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The state of Parties. The Duke of Newcastle's sacrifice of Emolument. A Victory gained by Admiral Keppel 452
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. Still on the State of Parties in the Debate upon the Peace . . < 455
Lord Barrington- to Mr. Mitchell. The subject of the Peace continued 458
Frederick the Great of Prussia to Sir An- drew Mitchell, upon his receiving a Copy of the Treaty of Peace of 1763 460
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. Lord Bute's retirement from Office. He details the Changes of the Administration which were to take place the next day 461
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell; upon the further Changes of Administration 463
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. The Affair of "a worthless man named Wilks' 464
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. The Death of Lord Egremont 465
Lord Barrington to Sir Andrew Mitchell. Mr. Pitt's unreasonable tertitis. His failure in negociation for Office 466
Mr. Erskine to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. De- tails explanatory of the preceding Letter 467
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. The King's Message on the subject of Wilks. Mr. Pitt's Speech upon the Address in consequence. The Duke of Newcastle . . 472
Lord Barrington to Andrew Mitchell, Esq. General News 475
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. Wilks and the North Briton, No. 45 476
Lord Barrington to Mr. Mitchell. Michel,
CONTENTS.
XXI
LtTTEH
2>lXi
SX.
DXI.
SXII.
DXIII.
DXIV,
DXT.
VXVl.
X>XVII.
SXVIII.
DXIX.
FAOE
the Prussian Minister in England, re- called 479
Mr. Stuart Mackenzie to Sir Andrew Mitchell : upon his removal from the Privy Seal of Scotland 480
The Rev. William Cole to Mr. Alban Butler, President of the English College at St. Omers. The State of Society in France. Rousseau in England 483
Mr. Alban Butler to the Rev. William Cole, from St. Omers, in answer 488
Lord Barrington to Sir Andrew Mitchell. A fresh Change in Administration. Mr. Stuart Mackenzie has the Privy Seal again 491
General Conway to Sir Andrew Mitchell. His Majesty's Proposition to form a System in the North which may counter- balance the Family Compact 492
The Earl of Chatham to Sir Andrew Mitchell; on the proposed Confederacy of the North 495
Sir Andrew Mitchell to the Earl of Cha- tham. He details the substance of a Conference with the King of Prussia . . . 498
General Conway to Sir Andrew Mitchell; upon the coldness with which the King of Prussia received the Proposal for a Northern Confederation 500
Sir Andrew Mitchell to the Earl of Chatham. Relates a private Conversation with the King of Prussia « 503
Mr. Wroughton to Mr. Mitchell from Po- land. A Mistake about a Cypher 506
General Conway to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The King receives a Letter by the Post
xxu
CONTENTS,
DXXIII.
DXXV.
ETTEll 1AG£"
from an English Sailor. His Majesty's
Orders upon it .- 507
i)xx. James Richardson, an English Sailor, forcibly detained in the King of Prussia's ser- vice, to his Majesty King George Hid.. . 509 Bxxi. Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Rochford. The King of Prussia still insensible to the ad- vantages of the proposed Confederacy. . . 513 axxii. Lord Rochford to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The Expulsion of Mr. Wilks from the House
of Commons « 515
Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Cathcart at St. Petersburgh. Baron Dimsdale's re- ception at Potsdam 516
Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Rochford.
Count Kamcke fond of Agriculture 518
Lord Rochford to Sir Andrew Mitchell. A Contest at the Ball at Court for pre- cedence, between the French and Russian
Ambassadors 519
Dxxvi. Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Rochford. The King of Prussia's approbation of General
Paoii's conduct 522
Dxxvii. Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Rochford. His detail of a Conversation with the
King of Prussia 523
toxxviir. Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Rochford. The King of Prussia's " Dialogue de Morale." His Majesty takes Medicines
of his own prescription 526
Dxxix. Lord Barrington to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The Entry of Lord North into Admini- stration 529
i)xxx. Sir Andrew Mitchell to Lord Rochford. The French advise the Pretender to go to the English Colonics 520
XJOXTEXTS.
xxm
J^ETTEfl DXXXI.
PXXXII.
pxxxiv. pxxxv.
pxxxvi .
DXXXVII. DXXXVIII.
PAGE
Lord Barrington to Sir Andrew Mitchell. The general state of Affairs. Wilks and the Bill of Rights forgotten 529
The Rev. Dr. Lort to Mr. Cole. Lord Cha- tham has a Fit in the House of Lords . . 531
Mrs. Bristow to General ^Vashington, re- specting a Memorial in favour of her Son, aa infant, whose hereditary estates in America had been confiscated ib.
General ^Fashington to Mrs. Bristow in return 533
General Washington to Mrs. Bristow. The final Answer upon the decision made by the Assembly of Virginia 535
The Right Hon. Edmund Burke to John Wilmot, Esq. on the Subscriptions raised for the Relief of the French Emigrant Clergy 536
The Right Hon. Edm. Burke to John Wil- mot; Esq. 540
-Mr. Burke to John AVilmot, Esq 542
LETTERS
THE REIGN OF
CHARLES THE SECOND.
VOL. IV. SER. 2.
Few Letters are here given of the Reign of CHARLES the SECOND : but those few will be found important. They chiefly concern the re-ad- mission of the Jews amongst us as a People ; the Ravage of the Plague of 1065 ; and the Conduct of the Scotish Covenanters.
In the former Series the King's Protestant death was recorded. In this, Father Hudleston's Relation is preserved of the administering the last rites to him of the Romish Church.
Among the King's Pamphlets in the Museum, there is a Tract con- sisting of two Letters of King Charles the Second when Prince, one to his Sister, the other to his brother-in-law the Prince of Orange, printed in 1642. There can be no reason for doubting their authenticity. They were probably printed to set off the Prince, who was then not twelve years old. The Letter to his Sister is here given.
" To the hands of the Lady Marie, Princesse of Aurania, these present. " Most Royal Sister,
" Methinks, although I cannot enjoy that former happiness which I was wont in the fruition of your society, being barred those joys by the parting waves ; yet I cannot forget the kindness I owe unto so dear a sister as not to write, also expecting the like salutation from you, that thereby (although a while dissevered) we may reciprocally understand of each other's welfare. J could heartily, and with a fervent devotion, wish your return, were it not to lessen your delights in your loyal spouse the Prince of Orange, who as I conceived by his last Letter, was as joyful for your presence, as we sad and mourning for your absence.
" My Father is very much disconsolate and troubled, partly for my Royal mother's and your absence, and partly for the disturbances of this Kingdom. I could wish and daily pray that there might be a conjunct and perfect uniting between my Father's Majesty and his Parliament, that there might be a perfect concordance with them in the subject, to the removal of the grievances of the Country, and the renewing of our de- cayed joys. For during the variance betwixt them, this Kingdom must of necessity lie under most palpable danger through fear of foreign or domestic enemies, they having now the lamps of the all discerning Par- liament darkened, through the inconvenience of the many combustions ' now on foot
" As for the Militia of the Kingdom, it is not yet determined upon nor settled ; which of itself is one of the principal fortitudes wherewith this Kingdom is adorned.
" Ireland was never in more danger than now of late, there being many Towns in the Province of Asper taken by the rebels ; others indangered. But the last intelligence presented us with better news, wherein we un- derstand of a fatal overthrow given the rebel's party, to their loss of ten thousand men; wherein O'Neal was supposed to be taken prisoner, Colonel Brunslow and divers other of their Officers likewise following him in his sad misfortune.
" Dear Sister, we are, as much as we may, merry ; and, more than we would, sad, in respect we cannot alter the present distempers of these turbulent times.
" JMy Father's resolution is now for York ; where he intends to reside to see the event or sequel to these bad inprospitious beginnings ; whither you may direct your Letter. Thus much desiring your comfortable answer to these my sad Lines, I rest
Royston, March 9, Your loving Brother,
J 642. Carol. Princcps.^^
OKIGINAL LETTERS,
ETC.
LETTER CCCIX.
Mr. Jo. Greenhalgh to his friend Mr. Thomas Cromp- ton. A Visit to ike Jewish Synagogue established in London.
[MS. LANSD. 988. fol. 184b.]
*^* The exact time when the Jews were suffered to return to England, as a People, has been disputed.
Burnet expressly says, that a company of Jews was brought over into England by Oliver Cromwell, and that he gave them leave to build a Syna- gogue. * Tovey, in his Anglia Judaica, denies this, and states upon the authority of the Rabbi Netto, who, in his time, was the Governor of the S}mag(^ue, that even so late as 1663 the whole number of the Jews in London did not exceed twelve. He expressly adds that King Charles the Second was their Introducer.
The Letter here given to the reader lends its assistance to clear this dispute.
It certainly shows that in 1 662 the Jews were existing in liondon, with a Synagogue built after the fashion of their own worship ; that the congregation which the writer saw assembled, consisted of a hundred Jews besides women ; that they were not people who appeared as strag-
> Hist, of his own Time, vol. i. p. Tl.
b2
4 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
alms sojourners, but gentlemen and merchants, rich in apparel even to The wearing of jewels, and that they had not one mechanicperson amongst them. It expressly states that in Oliver's time the Jews had celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles in booths, upon the southern side ot the Thames; and has a direct reference to their withdrawing themselves as much as possible from pubUc notice upon the Restoration of King Charles the Second, evidently from the circumstance that the Act for their exile had never been formally repealed.
The evidence of this Letter too is to a certain extent corroborated by two entries upon the Journals of the House of Commons ; one, m 1660, representing the Jews as a people existing amongst us without protection ; the other, in 1670, ordering an Inquiry to be made upon what terms they were permitted to reside in England.
It is evident then that Cromwell brought them back. " Monday, 17'" Dec. 1660. M'. HoUis represents to this House an Order made by the Lords of H. Majesty's Privy Council, and specially recommended to this House for their Advice therein, touching Protection for the Jews : which was read.
" Ordered, that this business be taken into consideration tomorrow morning." Joum. H. Com. vol. viii. p. 209.
« Lunse 6 die Feb. 1670. Ordered, that a Committee be appomted, to inquire into the Causes of the Growth of Popery ; to prepare and brmg in a Bill to prevent; and also to inquire touching the Number of the Jews and their Synagogues, and upon what terms they are permitted to have their residence here; and report it, with their opmions, to the House." Ibid. vol. ix. p. 198.
But we have evidence which is still closer to the point. Thomas Violet, a goldsmith of London, in a Petition to the Kmg and Parliament dated December the 18'\ 1660, which was printed m 1661,
settles the question. . , » ,r i, u „
Cromwell, it will be remembered, after the arrival of Menasseh Ben Israel in England, summoned by his Letters the two Lords Chief Jus- tices and the Lord Chief Baron, seven Citizens of London (mcludmg the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs) and fourteen of the most noted Preachers, to attend him at WhitehaU Dec. 4'\ 1655, there to debate two questions before him and his Council; first whether it were lawful, at aU, to re- admit the Jews; secondly (if it should be thought lawful) upon what terms to admit them. Hugh Peters, with some other divines, were after- wards added to the number of the debaters.
The Lawyers were not against their return ; and the citizens were some- what indifferent, but the preachers assailed each other furiously with texts of Scripture, and spent so much time in turning over then: bibles for proofs that they passed four days in the discussion; till one of them
ORIGINAL LETTERS. O
having concluded a senseless Argument with a Prayer, whicii he said was conceived by the godly Beza, dromwell grew tired, and told them with some warmth, that they did not answer his expectations. " He hoped, he said, to have had some clearing of the Case, as to his Con- science ; but instead of that, they had made the matter more doubtful to him and his Council than it was before : wherefore that he might do nothing rashly, he desired no more from them than the assistance of their prayers that the Lord would be pleased so to direct him as he might do every thing for His Glory, and the good of the Nation ; and thereupon dismissed the Assembly." •
• The following official notice of this Conference In the Mercurius Politicus from Dec. aott". to Dec. 2T">. 1655, is worth perusal.
Whitehall, Deccmb. 18. The Conference concerning the Proposals about the ad- mission of the Jewes ended without any further adjournment. The Proposals are as followeth ;
A Translate of the Proposals of Manasseth Ben Israel, &c. These are the Graces and Favours which in the name of my Hebrew Nation, I Manasseth Ben Israel do request of your most serene Highness, whom God make prosjierous, and give happy success to in all your Enterprises, as your humble Servant cloth wish and desire.
1. The first thing which I desire of your Highness, is, that our Hebrew Nation may Ix: received and admitted into this puissant Commonwealth, under the protec- tion and safeguard of your Highness, even as the natives themselves. And for greater security in time to come, I doe supplicate your Highness to cause an Oath to be given (if you shall think it fit) to all the heads and generals of Arms to defend us upon all occasions.
2. That it will please your Highness to allow us publicke Synagogues, not only in England, but also in all other places under the power of your Highness; and to ob- serve in all things our Religion as we ought.
3. That we may have a place or Cemiteric, out of the Town to interr our dead, without being troubled by any.
4. That we may bee permitted to trafflck freely in all sorts of merchandise, as others.
6. That (to the end those who shall come may be for the utility of the people of this Nation, and may live without bringing prejudice to any, and not give offence) your most serene Highness will make choice of a person of quality, to Inform him- self of, and receive the Passports of those who shall come in, who upon their arrivall shall certifie him thereof, and oblige themselves by oath to maintain fealty to your Highness in this Land.
6. And (to the intent they may not be troublesome to the Judges of the Land, touching the contests and differences that may arise betwixt those of our Nation) that your most serene Highness will give license to the head of the Synagogue to take with him two Almoners of his Nation, to accord and determine all thediflTerenccsand process, conformable to the Mosaick Law, with liberty nevertheless to appeal from their sentence to the civil Judges; the sum wherein the patties shall be condemned being first deposited.
T. That in case there have been any Laws against our Jewish Nation, they may in the first place and before all things be revoked, to the end that by this means we may remain with the greater security under the safeguard and protection of your most serene Highness.
Which things your most serene Highness grantmg to us, we shall always remain most afTectionately obliged to pray to God for the pra-ipeiity of your Highness, and
b ORIGINAL LETTERS.
Violet expressly states in his Petition that, after this Debate, Crom- well and his Council gave a Dispensation to a number of Jews to settle in London, that they were suffered to exercise their religion, that they were in reality invited in by Thurloe and protected by Cromwell, and that the greater part (answering to the description of the persons mentioned in the present Letter) were " Portugals or Spaniards" by birth.
This fixes the time of the Re-admission of the Jews to the opening of the year 1656.
Violet further states that it was Cromwell's intention to have made them farmers of the Customs and Excise, and to have given them naturalization.
At the very moment when Cromwell's Conference was held, the war between the Swedes and the Poles had driven a large number of the Jews who were resident at Cracow, to Hamburgh : and the circumstance of a temporal Prince arising who was inclined to encourage their settlement in his country, appears to have attracted their most serious attention.
Raguenet, in his History of Cromwell's life, details the particulars of a very extraordinary fact ; that, much about the time of Menasseh's coming into England, the Asiatic Jews sent hither also the Rabbi Jacob Ben Azahel with several others of his nation to make private inquiry whether Cromwell was not that Messiah whom they had long expected ; and that under pretence of viewing the Hebrew Books and Manuscripts belonging to the University of Cambridge, they took the opportunity to ascertain amongst Cromwell's relations at Huntingdon whether any of his ances- tors were of Jewish origin. The real object of their errand becoming known, and being unlikely to suit the Saints of the day, Cromwell is said to have dismissed them hastily. The whole passage from Raguenet's History will be found in the Note below.*
of your illustrious and most sage Council, that it will please him to give happy suc- cess to all the Undertaking of your most serene Highness. Amen.
" An Advbrtisement.
The Reader is to take notice. That his Highness at severall Meetings, fully heard the Opinions of the Ministers touching the said Proposals, expressing himself there- upon with indifferency and moderation, as one that desired only to obtain satisfaction in a matter of so high and religious a concernment, there being many glorious pro- mises recorded in the holy Scripture concerning the calling and conversion of the Jews to the Faith of Christ. But nothing at all hath been concluded as to their admission ; his Highness proceeding in this, as in all other Affairs, with good advice, and mature deliberation." Merc. Polit. Dec. 20 to Dec. 27. 1655.
• " Enfin sa reputation s'accrut de telle sorte, que les Juifs qui ^toient en Asie ayant appris toutes les grandes choses qu'on disoit de lui, par la voix de la Renomm^ qui les grossissoit totijours de plus en plus k proportion qu'elle les portoit plus loin, r^so- lurent d'cnvoyer quelqu'uns des leurs en Angleterre, pour s'informer si il n'^toit point
ORIGINAL LETTERS. *
Whatever Cromwell's ultimate intentions may liave been in favor of the Jews, they were frustrated by his death. To say nothing of ancient prejudice, he had mercantile jealousy to contend with ; and the sort of Return to which the Jews had submitted, having made them available for the purposes of his policy, it is not unlikely that Cromwell would have done nothing more to serve them.
le Lib^rateur qu'ils attendoient, et qu'ils ont to&jourg cru trouver dans tous les Capi- taines extraordinaires qui ont paru au Monde depuis leur dixpersion.
" lis choisircnt, pour cette Commission, le c616bre Jacob Ben-Azahel qui eut ordre de prendre avec lui, en passant par la Boh^me, David Ben El(^azar Rabin deleur Synagogue de Prague qui savoit toutes les langues de I'Europe en perfection, et le Rabi ManassiBen Israel d'Amsterdam qui leur devoit servir de eonducteur.
" Lors qu'ils furent arrivez k Londres, pour cacher le veritable sujet de leur voy- age, ils ue moutr^rent d'abord qu'une Lettre de Cr6ance touchant I'^tablissement d'un Bureau pour le Commerce' du Levant dont ils faiaoient esp^rer de grands avantages aux Anglois ; la Chambre des Directeurs du N^goce les re^eut avec joye, et leurs propositions y furent tr£s-fav6rablement 6cout6es ; mais comme on ne pouvoit les recevoir sans introduire una nouvelle sorte de Religion dans la R^publique, on Ics renvoya i Ctomwel qui avoit seul I'autorit^ de le falre en quality de Protecteur.
" Cromwel leur fit, de m6nie, un tr^s-bon accu^il en consideration du Commerce qui pouvoit devcnir plus florissant en Angleterre par leur moyen. II leur accorda mSme une Audience seciette qu'ils lui demand^rent, dans laquelle ces deux Juifs lui ayant t6moign6 combien ils estimoient la fameusc Bib!iotli6que du Collie de Cam- bridge, Cromwel qui tie pouvoit pardonner ji celte University le zdle qu'elle avoit fait parottre jwur le feu Roy, promit* i ces Strangers de leur en vendre tous les Manu- scrits avec les autres volumes qu'ils trouveroient les plus rares.
"Ils all^rent done, encore une fois, pour revoir les Livres et prendre un mdmoirc de leur nombre, et de leur quality, ce qu'ils firent en pi^sence des Bibliothtoiires qui les leur montroient, et qui crurent qu'ils n'avoient point d'autre dessein en cela que de satisfaire leur curiosity, comme ils le t^moignoient. Mais au lieu de revenir droit i Londres, ils prirent occasion de ce petit voyage pour se trans)>orteT, suivant le prin- cipal dessein de leur commission, dans la Province de Huntington d'oil les parens de ('romwel ^toient originaires, afin de s'informer de sa Naissance, et apprendrc de ccux qui pouvoient le mieux connoUre sa G^n^logie, s'll ne se trouvolt point quelc)u'un parmi ses Ancestres qui tiit sorti du sang des H^breux.
" Quelques pr^autions qu'ils prissent pour rendre secrette cette recherche in- sens^e, ils ne parent si-bien faire qu'elle ne fCit dtcouverte ; la nouvelle s'en publia aussi-tdt dans Londres oil Ton en fit des railleries piquantes contre le Protecteur t|ui en conceut un ressentiment si vif, que non seulement il refusa i ces malheureux Juifli la liberty du Trafic, et le traits de la Bibliothcque <Ui ColJdge de Cambridge qu'il leur avoit fait esp^rer, mais de plus il leur d<5elara avec beaucoup de chaleur, dans une Audience qu'il rendit expr^s tr^s-solennellc, (|ue la Rdpubli<|ue et lui faisoient profession d'adorer un Dieu crucifix ; et qu'ils ne vouloient avoir aucun commerce avec cux qu'ils regardoicnt comme ses plus irr^conciliables ennemis ; et en m£mc terns il les congddia, sans leur vouloir permettre de ripondre le moindre mot.
" Mais de quelque artifice que Cromwel se servit, pour pcr!>uadcr au peuple que le z^le qu'il avoit pour la Religion Chrctienne avoit 6.i le motif de sa rupture avec le* Juifs; cela n'empecha pas que tout le monde n'apprlt que son seul ressentiment en avoit 6'.i la cause, par le moyen d'un libcUc qui courut alors, intitule, ' Cromtoel Lion de la Tribu de Juda,' dans lequel ce que je viens de dire de la deputation des Synagogues d'Asie et d'Ailcma;!nc (5toit rapports avec toutes les reflexions fines, et toutes les railleries deiicates qui se pouvoient faire, sur celte matiere, contre le Pro- tecteur." Hiatoire d'Olivicr Cromwel, par Ragucnct. lU". Par. ig9 I. p. 200—293.
o original letters.
Mr. Crompton, When any thing ever occurred in my reading any where concerning the manner of the Jews divine wor- ship (though since the Destruction of their City and Temple) I have always thought it worth the seeing of a Christian ; at least for once where it could be obtained. And amidst other fashions of Religions which my cu- riosity hath prompted me with a desire to see in this City, having been at the meetings and worship of Pa- pists, of Anabaptists, of Quakers, of Fifth Monarchic men, and I considered and concluded with myself, that there must in reason need be some number of Jews in this City, though those only merchants, and that conse- quently they must have some place of meeting together for their divine worship. Whereupon, as occasion of- fered me to converse with any that were likely to in- form me, I inquired hereof, but could not of a long time hear or learn whether or where any such thing was. But lately having a desire to spend some of my time here in learning the Hebrew tongue, and inquiring of some one that professed to teach it, I lighted upon a learned Jew with a mighty bush beard, a great Rabbi as I found him afterward to be, with whom after once or twice being together, I fell into conference and ac- quaintance ; for he could speak Latin, and some little broken English, having as he told me been two years in London, He said he was an Hebrew of the He-
OllIGlKAL LETTERS. 9
brews of the Tribe of Levi, and his name (I had liked to have said his Christian name) Samuel Levi. He told me his own mother is yet living, and dwelleth at this present in the City of Jerusalem, from whence he had received ten several Letters within these two years. For it is a custom amongst them, that those who are of able estate, though born and have lived in other countries, yet when they grow old they transport them- selves thither to end their days, and lay their bones there in the Holy place as he called it. He said he was brought up, and was a student eleven years, in the Jews College in Cracovia the chief City of Poland, where the Jews have an University, and that he had newly written over the Five Books of Moses with his own hand in Hebrew, without points, in rolls of parch- ment, for the use of a Synagogue : and that himself had formerly been Priest to a Synagogue of his own nation in Poland. A very modest man, and once with much ado I got him to accept of an invitation to take part of a dinner with me : at which time he told me that he had special relation as Scribe and Rabbi to a pri- vate Synagogue of his nation in London, and that if I had a desire to see their manner of worship, though they did scarce admit of any, their Synagogue being strictly kept with three doors one beyond another, yet he would give me such a ticket, as, upon sight thereof, their porter would let me in upon their next Sabbath Day in the morning being Saturday. I made
10 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
show as though I were indifferent, but inwardly hugged the good hap.
When Saturday came, I rose very early, the place being far from my lodging ; and in a private corner of the City, with much ado, following my directions, I found it at the point of nine o^'clocky and was let come in at the first door, but there being no Englishman but myself, and my llabbi not being there then (for they were but just beginning service) I was at first a little abashed to venture alone amongst all them Jews ; but my innate curiosity to see things strange spurring me on, made me confident even to impudence. I rubbed my forehead, opened the inmost door, and taking off my hat (as instructed) I went in and sate me down amongst them ; but Lord (Thoma frater) what a strange, uncouth, foreign, and to me barbarous sight was there, I could have wished Thoma that you had then sate next me, for I saw no living soul, but all covered, hooded, guized, veiled Jews, and ray own plain bare self amongst them. The sight would have frighted a novice, and made him to have run out again.
Every man had a large white vest, covering, or veil cast over the high crown of his hat, which from thence hung down on all sides, covering the whole hat, the shoulders, arms, sides, and back to the girdle place, nothing to be seen but a little of the face ; this, my Rabbi told me, was their ancient garb, used in divine
ORIGINAL LETTEttS. 11
worship in their Synagogues in Jerusalem and in all the Holy Land before the destruction of their City : and though to me at first, it made altogether a strange and barbarous show, yet me thought it had in its kind, I know not how, a face and aspect of venerable antiquity. Their veils were all pure white, made of taffata or silk, though some few were of a stuff* coarser than silk ; the veil at each of its four comers had a broad badge ; some had red badges, some green, some blue, some wrought with gold or silver, which my Rabbi told me were to distinguish the tribes of which each was common.
I was a curious and critical spectator of all things there, and when I came to my Chamber in the after- noon I wrote down the particulars in my note book, while fresh in memory.
Their Synagogue is like a Chapel, high built ; for after the first door they go up stairs into it, and the floor is boarded; the seats are not as ours, but two long running seats on either side, as in a school : at the west end of it there is a seat as high as a pulpit, but made desk wise, wherein the two members of the Sy- nagogue did sit veiled, as were all both priest and people. The chief Ruler was a very rich merchant, a big, black, fierce, and stern man, to whom I perceive they stand in as reverential an awe as boys to a master : for when any left singing upon their books and talked, or that some were out of tune, he did call aloud with
12 ORIGIXAL LETTEKS.
a barbarous thundering voice, and knocked upon the high desk with his fist, that all sounded again. Straight before them, at some distance but on a seat much lower, sate the Priest. Two yards before him, on midst of the floor, stood that whereon the Service and Law were read, being like to an high short table, with steps to it on one side as an altar, covered with a green carpet, and upon that another shorter one of blue silk ; two brass candlesticks standing at either end of it ; before that on the floor were three low seats whereon some boys sat, their sons, richly veiled, as gentle comely youths as one should see ; who had each his Service Book in hand, in Hebrew without points, and were as ready and nimble in it, and all their pos- tures, as the men.
There was brought in a pretty Boy at four years old, a child of some chief Jew, in rich coats, with black feathers in his hat, the priest himself arose and put a veil over the child's hat of pure white silk, fastening it under the hatband that he should not shake it off", and set him upon a seat among the boys ; but he soon leaped off, and ran with his veil dangling up and down ; once he came and looked at me, wondering perhaps that I had no veil; at length he got the inner door open and went to his mother ; for they do not suffer the Women to come into the same room or into the sight of the men : but on the one side of the Synagogue there is a low, long, and narrow latticed window.
ORIGIXAL LETTERS. 13
through which the women, sitting in the next room, do hear ; as the boy opened it, I saw some of their wives in their rich silks bedaubed with broad gold lace, with muffs in one hand and books in the other.
At the east end of the Synagogue standeth a closet like a very high cupboard, which they call the Ark, covered below with one large hanging of blue silk ; its upper half covered with several drawingcurtains of blue silk ; in it are the Books of the Law kept. Before it, upon the floor, stand two mighty brass candlesticks with lighted tapers in them ; from the roof, above the hang- ings, two great lamps of christal glass, holding each about a pottle filled up to the brim with purest oil, set within a case of four little brass pillars guilded. In the wall at either end of the Synagogue, are very many draw boxes, with rings at them like those in a Grocer's Shop ; and in it (as I came sooner in the morning than many or most of them) I saw that each Jew at his first entrance into the place did first bow down towards the Ark wherein the Law was kept, but with his hat on, which they never do put off in this place ; but a stranger must ; for after a good while two Englishmen were brought in, at which I was glad, being alone before, and they were bareheaded until they were set down amongst them, which then put on their hats. The one I knew to be a citizen and shopkeeper. At last I saw my Rabbi come in. Each Jew after he had bowed went straight to his box, took a little key out
14
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
of his pocket, unlocked it, took out his veil and books, then threw his veil over his hat and fitted it on all sides, and so went to his place, and fell a tuning it upon his Hebrew Service Book as hard and loud as he could ; for all is sung with a mighty noise from first to last, both of priest and people ; saying some prayers; and all was done in the right true Hebrew tongue, as my Rabbi affirmed to me afterwards; which, to this end, they do industriously teach all their children from their infancy, having their schoolmistress on purpose, especially their Service books, which they have at their fingers' end. There was none but had a book open in his hand, about the bigness of our hand Bibles. I looked upon several of their books as they sate by me and before me, yea I could plainly see both lines and letters in the Priest's book wherein he read, I sate so nigh him, and all were the true Hebrew letters, but in all the books without any points. The Priest's son, a comely youth, standing at the Table or Altar alone, sung all the former part of the Service which was a full hour long, all the rest singing with him, with a great and barbarous noise ; this consisted mostly of the Psalms of David, with some prayers intermixed, which they sung standing up looking East, and with a lower noise and in tune not unlike to that when the reading Psalms are sung in our quires; but their reading Psalms they sung much what like as we do sing bal- lads ; and I observed that when mention was made of
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 15
the Edomites, Philistines, or any enemies of David, or Israel's, they stamped strongly with their feet, that all the Synagogue sounded again. There were two or three composed Hymns, which they, all standing up and looking toward Jerusalem, sang very melodiously. After this former part of the Service finished, the Priest's son officiating hitherto, which was about an hour, there was deep silence for a pretty while ; then the Priest arose and some of the chief Jews with him, and they went with a grave, slow pace, up the Syna- gogue, to fetch the Law of Moses, and when they came to the Ark wherein it was kept, the priest drew the curtain, and opening the double door of it, the Law appeared, then the whole assembly stood up and bowed down just toward it, and the priest and those chief ones with him, stood singing a song to it a little while. The Law was written in two great rolls of very broad parchment (as my Rabbi told me after- wards, and he told me the meaning of each thing that I desired, to which you must impute all that I here interpret). The roll contained the Book of Genesis and was much lesser ; the other being three times as big, contained the other four Books of Moses. This roll was as thick as a pretty round pillar. Either roll had two fine thrown Staves of black wood, one fastened to either end of it, whereon it was rolled up, the staves meeting in the middle ; and the roll was swaddled about with a fine blue scarf, and over it was put a
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ORIGINAL LETTERS.
covering or case of blue silk fringed at the bottom ; and in the top of the over roll was stuck like a fine tree of silver, hung full of silver bells, which my Rabbi told rae they called the Bells of Aaron, and in the top of the other roll was stuck a rod, having artificial flowers upon it, in remembrance of Aaron's Rod that budded. The priest took forth the two rolls of the Ark and delivered them to two of those with him, who taking the bottom of the staves in their hand, carried them straight upon high, rearing them to their shoulder ; so they came back in a solemn procession, bringing the Law with singing (those only sang who brought it) melodiously one of the Songs of Sion. ' The Law shall forth out of Sion come,' &c. And as the Law thus passed along by them the people bowed towards it, and such as could reach took up the fringe of its costly covering in their hands and kissed it. When they had brought it to the altar, four or five were busied in uncovering and unswaddling the roll. The priest's son took in his hand the Silver Bells of Aaron and the budded Rod, and came and sate down next of all to me, thrusting his side so close to mine that part of his veil lay upon mine arm, he holding the Bells and Rod all the while close by my nose : then the priest opened and spread the Law about a yard wide, and lifted it up a full yard above his head, turn- ing himself, and showing it East, West, North, and South. The Jews meanwhile bowing down towards it
ORIGINAL LETTERS, 17
with great reverence. The parchment of it was full yard broad, the ground yellow, the letters pure black, and all without points. I sate within two yards of the Altar. Then the priest laid the Law upon the altar and took in his hand a small silver cane or quill, with the sharp end thereof pointing at the lines of the Law as he read, for the greater reverence ; it was half a yard long. Then there arose one out of the assembly and came unto the priest, making low reverence; when the priest asked aloud whether he desired to hear the Law read, who saying ' yes,' the priest bade him pray then, and he looked upon his Hebrew Service Book which he had in his hand, and read over a short prayer very fast ; then the priest read a few lines of the Law with a loud voice, in a thundering barbarous tone, as fast as his tongue could run, for a form only ; then asked the man whether he had heard the Law, who saying ' yes,"' he bad him give thanks then, and he read a short prayer out of his book as before : so, bowing himself to the Law and the Priest, he went to his place, and another came, and did in like manner until five or six had thus heard the Law read to them ; which they coimt a special piece of honour to them. After that, five or six were busied in wrapping up swaddling and veiling the two rolls of the Law again, whereon they put their Bells and budded Rod again, and carried back with solemn procession as before, and the priest placed it in tiie Ark ; and they stood singing VOL. IV. SER. 2. c
18 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
to it awhile. Afterwards the priest alone, at the Altar, read very many short prayers, to which they all stand- ing up said ' Amen,' using this same word- Then a comely youth standing in the midst of the Synagogue, and looking towards the Law, sung alone a long Anthem, and after this was there long Supplication, which was the most solemn part of all their service ; which they all spake together standing (for they never kneel), with their faces East, often bowing down alto- gether; it being partly a complaint of the long de- solation of their City and Temple, partly a prayer for the coming of Messiah and their Restoration (thank my Rabbi for the interpretation) ; * Sion is become a ploughed field, and Jerusalem made an heap of stones, thy servants think upon her stones and it grieveth them to see her in the dust ; our ancient and our beautiful House, where our fathers served thee, lieth waste ; then gather us o Lord from amongst the Heathen ; remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ; remember thy promises made unto our fathers, in our time, in our time, O Lord,' &c.
I confess that looking earnestly upon them in this, and thoughts coming into my mind of the Wonders which God wrought for their fathers in Egypt, and who heard the Voice of God speak to them out of the midst of the fire on Sinai, and seed of Abraham the friend of God, I was strangely, uncouthly, unaccus- tomedly moved, and deeply affected ; tears stood in
ORIGINAL LETTEllS. 19
my eyes the while, to see those banished Sons of Israel standing in their ancient garb (veiled) but in a strange land, solemnly and carefully looking East toward their own Country, confessing their sins and the sins of their forefathers, humbling themselves and bowing down together (as often they did in their Supplication) be- fore the God of their Fathers, who doubtless will hear them or their posterity better than they desire, will open their eyes and let them see that the true Messiah came long since, even he whom their fathers pierced, and they shall mourn over him and be brought unto him, and to their own land. After this, for a con- clusion of all, the Priest read certain select promises of their restoration, at which they showed great rejoicing, by strutting up, so that some of their veils flew about like morris dancers, only they wanted bells. This forenoon service continued about three hours, from nine to twelve, which being ended, they all put off their veils, and each man wrapping his veil up, went and put it and his Hebrew Service Book into his box, and locking it departed.
My Rabbi invited me afterwards to come and see the feast of Purim, which they kept he said for the deliverance from Haman^s Conspiracy, mentioned in the Book of Esther; in which they use great knocking and stamping when Haman is named. Also he desired me to come and see them eat the Passover, which they did ten days before our Easter, and he had got me to
c 2
20 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
the door of the place, but I felt such a reluctancy iri me, as that having in part satisfied my Curiosity by seeing their manner of Service once, my heart would in no wise give me to go again amongst those Unbe- lievers, in that place where my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, in whom is all my hope and trust for ever, was not owned. So I came away back again without seeing it ; though afterwards I understood that several had been there to see them eat it, who brought away some of their unleavened bread with them, and showed to some who told me, one year in 01iver"'s time, they did build booths on the other side of Thames, and kept the Feast of Tabernacles in them, as some told me who saw them ; but since the King's coming in, they are very close, nor do admit any to see them but very privately. <^
When I was in the Synagogue I counted about or above a hundred right Jews, one proselite amongst them, they were all gentlemen (merchants) I saw not one mechanic person of them ; most of them rich in apparel, divers with jewels glittering (for they are the richest jewellers of any) they are all generally black so as they may be distinguished from Spaniards or na- tive Greeks, for the Jews hair hath a deeper tincture of a more perfect raven black, they have a quick piercing eye, and look as if of strong intellectuals ; several of them are comely, gallant, proper gentlemen. I Igiew many of them when I saw them daily upon the
t
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 21
Exchange, and the Priest there too, who also is a mer- chant. It were tedious to relate the several disputes I had with my Rabbi at our being together, and his strange rabbinical and indeed irrational reasonings against Christ. In a word the curse is upon them to the uttermost ; and they have a grosser veil over the eye of the soul, than that which covers their heads ; they are so firmly possessed with an invincible preju- dice against the Cross of Christ, and so doat upon their imaginary Messiah to come a temporal King that shall conquer all the princes of the earth, and make their nation Lords of all the World, that an argument from the strongest, clearest, and most convincing rea- sons that can be brought for Christ, is but an arrow shot against a wall of brass. Bene vale mi Thorn^ et ora tu pro Judaeis, et pro miserrimo peccatore omnium Christianorum. Ille tuus olim fraterrimus et in per- petuum frater ubicunque terrarum,
JO. GBEENUALGH.
London, April 22'. 1662.
Quod ad Judaeos. Coepit ab his, delata ad nos, referetur ad illos Nostra fides, et erunt sub Mundi fine fidelesu.
For my worthy friend Mr. Thomas Crompton, Minister of Astley Chappel,
These,
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
LETTER CCCX.
The Rev. Stephen Bing to Dr. Sancrqft Dean of St Pauls : upon the ravage of the Great Plague.
[MS. HARL. 3783. fol. 41. Orig.]
*^* In this and some succeeding Letters the reader will find a few par- ticulars of what occurred in the Great Plague of 1665; to the full de- scription of wliich neither the pencil nor the pen have yet been adequate. The desolation was too wide and too fearful for any one to seek ma- terials for a picture of it while it raged : to the contemporary Letters of survivors therefore, and their Diaries where such exist,* can we alone look now for its minute details. These should be sought for and formed into a Volume. Such a publication might be useful, not only to those who read and reflect, but to all who in the pride of science or the greedi- ness of trade would speculate upon the chances of contagion. ^ De Foe's Journal of the Plague of 1665, was an entire fiction ; though it deceived Dr. Mead.
' There is ati entry in Pepys's Diary, vol. i. pp. 363, 364, one part of which is affecting. Pepys was then at Woolwich. He says, " My Lord Brouncker, Sir J. Mimies and I up to the Vestry at the desire of the Justices of the Peace, in order to the doing something for the keeping of the plague from growing ; but Lord ! to con- sider the madness of people of the town, who will (because they are forbid) come in crowds along with the dead corpses to see them buried ; but we agreed on some orders for the prevention thereof. Among other stories, one was very passionate methought, of a complaint brought against a man in the town, for taking a child from London from an infected house. Alderman Hooker told us it was the child of a very able citizen in Gracechurch Street, a saddler, who had buried all the rest of his children of the plague, and himself and wife now being shut up and in despair of escaping, did desire only to save the life of this little child, and so prevailed to have it received stark-naked into the arms of a friend, who brought it (having put it into new fresh clothes) to Greenwich ; where upon hearing the story, we did agree it should be permitted to be received and kept in the town."
•> The following passage in the Additions to the Account of Cheshire by the Messrs. Lysons in their Magna Britannia, p. 845. although it relates to the former Plague of 1625, will not be thought impertinently called to notice here.
" Since the Account of Malpas has been printed we have been favoured with the communication of the following very remarkable entries in the parish Register at that place, relating to the ravages of that dreadful disorder the plague, which swept
ORIGINAL LETTEES. 23
27* July, 1665. Sir, I HAVE sent by this opportunity " The Weekly News" and " The Bill of Mortality.'' The prayers of the Church are continued, and persons attending as yet. * # * # *
It is said the Sacrist is out of town, and there will be no Communion as customarily, of the which I have been inquired, and to which I could not make answer fully. People frequent the Church as before, except-
away a whole family in the township of Bradley. The circumstance of a man beinf; imiuced to dig his own grave, from the conviction that the slender and sickly rem- nant of his household were unable to provide him with the rites of sepulture, presents that dreadful calamity to our imagination, in a more awful and horrific view than any of the many distressing particulars we remember to have met concerning it. " 162S.
" Thomas Jefferie, servant to M'. Dawson of Bradley, buryed the x*K daye of August, in the night, he dyed of the Plague ; before this was buryed a daughter of the sayd Dawson's, but not of the sickness, as it is thought.
" Rlcharde the sonne of Thomas Dawson of Bradley (that died of the plague,) buryed the xiij«''. of August in the night, 1625.
" Raffe Dawson, sonneof theaflforesayd Thomas, came from London about xxv*. of July last past, and b^ing sicke of the plague, died in his fathers bowse, and soe infected the sayd howse, and was buryed, as it was reported, neare unto his fathers howse.
" Thomas Dawson of Bradley, died of the plague, and was buryed the xvi*. day of August 1628, about lii'''. of the clocke, after midnight
" Elyzabeth, the daughter of the afforesayde Thomas Dawson, died of the plague of pestilence, and was buried the xx. of August, 162S.
" Anne the wyffe of John Dawson, sonne of the afforesed Thomas Dawson, died of the plague of pestilence, and was buryed the xx*. of August.
" Richarde Dawson, (brother to the abovenamed Thomas Dawson of Bradley) being sicke of the plague, and perceyving he must die at that tyme, arose out of his bed, and made his grave, and caused his ncfew, John Dawson, to cast strawe into the grave which was not farre from the howse, and went and laid him down in the sayd grave and caused clothes to be layd uppon and soe departed out of this world ; this he did because he was a stronge man and heavier than his sayd nefew, and an other a wench were able to burye. He died about the xxiiij'''. of August. Thus much I was credibly tould he dM, 1625.
" John Dawson, sonne of the above-named Thomas, came unto his father, when his father sent for him, being sicke, and having laid him downe in a ditch, died In it the xxix'i'. daye of August 1625, in the night.
" Rose Smyth servant of the abovenamed Thomas Dawson, and the last of that howsehold, died of plague, and was buryed by William Cooke, the y^K daye of Sep- tember, 1625, near unto the sayd howse.'
24 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
ing on Sundays, and the last Holyday, on which we had a Sermon, and shall have another on the Fast- day.
The increase of God's Judgment deads people's hearts, that trading strangely ceaseth, and bills of Exchange are not accepted, so that they shut up their shops ; and such a fear possesseth them, as it is wonderful to see how they hurry into the country as though the same God was not there that is in the city : so that those that are living, and lived in the great sickness time,a saw nor knew not the like, when there died four thou- sand a week. I pray God to prevent a sad sequel.
Great complaint there is of necessity ; and needs must it be the more when the rich haste away that should supply the poor's want. I have been since the writing of my last letter in several places, being informed of some, that are shut up, to be in a very necessitous condition, to see if it were so or no ; and so finding them, I have been bold to extend your charity to the outrunning the bank you honoured me with. The Lord extend the yearnings of his bowels of compassion towards us, that we be not consumed by the means of his heavy hand ; and give us grace to depart from the plague of our hearts, that this Plague and grievous Sickness may be withdrawn from us for Christ Jesus his sake: that so we may have the blessed happi- ness again of meeting together in his Howse with one
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
25
accord to record his name. Thus prays he always, who shall be much honoured to be esteemed the lowest of
Your worship's most humble
and faithful servants,
STEPHEN RING.
These to the reverend and right worshipful Dr. Bancroft, Dean of St. Pauls, London, at the Rose and Crown in Tunbridge,
present.
LETTER CCCXI.
Mr. Bing to Dr. Sancrqft. The Plague continues. The Bhhop of London endeavours to recall the Pastors who had left their Churches.
[us. HARL. 3783. fol. 42. Orig.\
3 August, 1665. Reverend and right Worshipful, I HAVE sent the " Weekly Bill"" and " News,"" as I did the last week (and so God willing shall continue your command) which I hope was received, and like- wise a Letter with four letters enclosed by a special friend the week before. The Cross Sermons ' are con-
• Thoic preached at St. Paul's Cross, isdit.
JCO ORIGINAL LETTERS.
tinued, and we had on the Fast Day a laudable Ser- mon by Mr. Risden minister in Bread-street, my Lord Mayor being present, Sir Richard Brown and Sir John Robinson and other Aldermen, with a great congregation.
Our Prayers are continued three times a day, but we do not our attendance, for now there are but three Petty Canons left ; viz. myself, Mr. Clifford, and Masters, with two Vicars, Mr. Simpson and Morrice ; the rest are out of town. Mr. Portington lies at the point of death, whose turn being to officiate this week, I supply ; for none else would do it except they are paid for it. Little mercy ; the Lord be merciful to us. I wish it were as formerly, which was not so in such case of ne- cessity. Dr. Barwick remembers his service, and asked me, as also others, if I heard any thing concerning the monthly Communion, the which I could say little to. So waiting God's good will and pleasure in and for his gracious presence again, and the grace of yours in his Holy Place where it hath pleased the King of Kings to place you governor, he heartily prays for, who humbly remains
Your worship''s most humble
and affectionate servant,
STEPHEN BING.
It is said that my Lord Bishop of London hath sent to those Pastors that have quitted their flocks by
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 27
reason of these times, that, if they return not speedily, others shall be put into their places.
To the reverend and right wor- shipful William Sancroft, Doctor of Divinity, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London, these present.
LETTER CCCXII.
Mr. Bing to Dr. Sancroft. The Sickness continues. One of the late King's Judges taken prisoner^ but rescued. The disaffected take advantage of the con- fusion occasioned hy the Plague.
[MS. HAat. 3783. fol. 4a. Orig.\
10th. August, 1665. Reverend and right worshipful, I HAVE sent you the Thursday's intelligence, half of which was in the other sent on Monday, which I hope is received with the answer to the letter that came to my hand on Saturday last ; and likewise the " Weekly Bill,*" which is very sad, and the more sad are our times that neither calm nor storm will abate the fury of our
28 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
monstrous spirits, who in the face of a congregation, as at Paul's the other day, will say these Calamities are caused by the Government in Church and State.
The Sickness is broke out in two places since Mon- day in St. Gregories ; one Dwelling opening into your yard, and the other at the left corner of the entry of our going into the Church. It is in Cambridge also, of which I forgot to tell you. And whereas I told you of two sick in the Petty Canons ; it is said the husband died of a consumption, but the wife lies sick of a plague sore. For other places infected in the parish I informed in my last, with that of their Lord- ships being present at the prorogation of the Parlia- ment until the 3 '. October, and that of the Convocation by virtue of King's writ until 26\ Jan. following.
At the end of the last week one of the late King's judges being taken, he was sent to the Tower, but by the way, at the lower end of Cheapside, by a con- course of people he was rescued.^ This morning it was told me that some confederacy is found out ; and may all their devices be frustrated, and the devisers caught in their own traps that seek ill to Sion and the King. The Lord be gracious to this Church and Nation, and down with them that would down with governors and
• This same circumstance is mentioned in Pepys's Diary, vol. i. p. 359. " Aug. S"-. 1665. I am told of a great riot upon Thursday last in Cheapside ; Colonel Danvers, a delinquent, liaving been taken, and in his way to the Tower was rescued from the captain of the guard, and carried away ; one only of the rescuers being taken."
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 29
Government. They hope that this his hand of dis- pleasure will work much for them, but we trust he will correct us in his fatherly judgment, and not in his fury, that we may be the better fitted to meet him once more in the beauty of Holiness to praise his name, which God grant for his mercy's sake in Christ Jesus. So are the hearty prayers of him who is and shall be always.
Your most humble and faithful servant,
STE. BING.
Dr. Barwick the constant frequenter of our church, sometimes three times in a day, remembers his service to your Worship.
These for the reverend and right wor". Will"'. Sancroft, Dr. of Di- vinity, Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London,
present. To be left at the Rose and Crown in Tunbridge.
30 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
LETTER CCCXIII.
J. TilUscm to Dr. Sancrqft. The Necessities of the Poor. The parish of St. Giles Cripplegate more severely visited hy the Plague than any other in London.
[MS. HAHL. 3785. fol. 48. Orig.\
August the 15ti'. 1665. Reverend Sir, I RECEIVED yours of the 1 1^^. instant, and in obedi- ence to your commands carried the enclosed to Mr. Welsted and received £\\, who just then was ready with all his family to be gone into the country ; but your bill coming to him in so seasonable an hour he has left order at Sir Robert BarkwelPs to discharge your bills if any come upon him from you. I have likewise acquainted Mr. Ring with your intentions of charity towards the poor, and shall take Dr. Barwick's advice before it be disposed of, and (if it might be) have your directions a little too. I hope you will not take my simple well meaning amiss, nor take it ill if I put you in mind of our own parish, where there is all this time sixteen or seventeen houses visited, a great many of them poor and in want, and that some of the parishioners, as I am informed (I beg your pardon for
ORIGINAL LETTEKS. 31
my good will) do a little grumble that you left nothing for the poor when you went away. I perceive since this that Mr. Bing had the disposing of some of your charity, and I do not doubt but that he will give you an account of it ; nor do I think it is your will that any partiality should be used in this case. It is very probable that some neighbouring parishes may stand in need, but I am sure that the miserable condition of St. Gileses Cripplegate, which is one of your peculiars, is more to be pitied than any parish in or about Lon- don, where all have liberty least their sick and poor should be famished within doors ; the parish not being able to relieve their necessities. I had, not long since, such a sum as yours to distribute, and where I knew not the necessity of the poor I paid a sum to the churchwardens, and they to the overseers of the poor, so that I had an account brought to how many persons in each parish it was distributed, but this is no rule for You.
Your neighbour and tenant Fleetham has his health, God be thanked, very well, and though his maid was reported to be dead with his child, she is recovered, and all the family well. ^ Dr. Barwick is very careful of him and his family, and of keeping the gates duly locked up. I was lately at Fulham, and my lord commanded me to let you know that himself and fa- mily are all in good health, and to send his commenda-
» AH the fjimily, excepting the maid, were afterwards swc>))t away. Sec p. 3T.
S2 ORTGIXAL LKTTERS.
tions to you, and that he desired very much to hear where you were resident, and how you did enjoy your health. I had one from my master this day, wherein he and my mistress commend them to you, and would be glad to see you at Canterbury when you remove from Tunbridge ; though you may be better accom- modated elsewhere, not better welcome. I am not cei'tain whether I shall remove from this place or no, nor do I know how long it will please God to give me my life : ^ however I think no fitter person that is likely to stay here, with whom to leave the trust of your house, than Mr. Almond ; I am persuaded you need not question his fidelity. If I do remove I shall give you timely notice. Dr. Barwick and Mr. Bing pre- sent their services to you. The prayers of the church are continued by Mr. Bing, Mr. Clifford, and Mr. Masters, and Simpson attending. I smoke your house twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. I beg the con- tinuance of your prayers, and rest
Your obedient humble servant,
J. TILLISON.
It is reported that above eight hundred are already buried in Cripplegate parish this week. ^
» Pepys in his Diary, vol. i. p. 359 says, " Aug. 10*. the Town (jrowiug so un- healthy, that a man cannot depend upon living two days." In another place, " Sad news of the death of so many in the parish of the plague, forty last night. The Bell always going."
ii The Bill of Mortality for a subsequent weekjiO'i". Aug. to 5"". Sept. returned 56T dead of the plague in this Parish. Tlie total returned buried in that week from Cripplegate, was C90. The poor of this P.irish having liberty to go about, the con- tagion became more extended in it.
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 33
LETTER CCCXIV.
Mr. TilUson to Dr. Sancrqft. Further particulars of the violence of the Plague,
[MS. HAHL. 3785. fol. 49. Orig.^
London, August the 23^. 1665.
Reverend Sir, Yours of Saturday last from Ewell, I have received, and as far as in me lies have observed and done your commands. I have paid .£'40 to Mr. Daniel Keilway, and £5 to those of the choir to whom you directed me, who return their humble service and thanks, and pro- mise to continue their constant attendance in the ser- vice of the Church. I likewise paid £5 to the church- wardens of St. Giles's Cripplegate since your last to me; the rest of your charity I hope Mr. Ring will give a good account of. He had £5 of your last money from me. Though your care could not havp been more than it was for furnishing me with money to discharge those payments which you ordered in your last, yet all those ways failed every one. Dr. Rarwick pretended yesterday that he had not so much money of his own to disburse presently, but at the last
VOL. IV. SFR. 2. D
•
34 OniGIKAL LETTERS.
(though a little scrupled at first) he was wiUing to let me take £4:0 out of the common stock, and that we intended to do this morning, but God Almighty has ordered it otherwise, by striking Dr. Barwick with so desperate sickness that it was not fit for me- to go to him, nor he in a condition to be reminded of any such thing ; it seems not one member but all the parts of his body bears a part in his sufferings ; neither rising nor botch does yet appear; a slow weak pulse and faint- ness possesses him ; his sweating is not much ; seeing this to happen it made me void of hope to effect my business, yea and daunted me very much too. But after a little pause I went to Sir Robert Viners (there Mr. Welsted's money lies) but could not receive one penny unless I brought Mr. Welsted's note. I am sorry Mr. Welsted should forget his promise, he is some where towards Uxbridge.
Your tenant Fleetham died this afternoon. Ken- drick the beliringer has languished since last Sunday, we have some hopes this evening that he may recover. Johnson your bailiff was buried last night. I am very sorry Mr. Sisson has caught so troublesome a compa- nion as an ague. I wish he may shake it off" before winter. Mr. Bing presents his humble service to you. I am a little doubtful whether this will come to your hands. I have no other directions to send to you but by inquiring from one inn to another in South wark this afternoon. If I do but once find a conveyance I
ORiaiNAL LETTERS. 35
shall he ready to observe your commands upon all occasions so long as I live, for so long shall I be your faithful servant,
JO. TILLISON.
LETTER CCCXV.
J. Tillison to Dr. Sancroft. The great desolation of the City.
[m8. harl. 3785. fol. 50. Orig.}
Sept. 14ti'. 1665. Reverend Sir,
We are in good hopes that God in his mercy will put a stop to this sad calamity of Sickness ; but the desolation of the City is very great. That heart is either steel or stone that will not lament this sad Visita- tion, and will not bleed for those unutterable sorrows.
It is a time, God knows, that one woe courts another; those that are sick are in extreme sorrow ; the poor are in need; those that are in health are in fear of in- fection on the one side, and the wicked inventions of hellish rebellious spirits to put us in an uproar on the other side.
d2
36 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
What eye would not weep to see so many habitations uninhabited ; the poor sick not visited ; the hungry not fed ; the Grave not satisfied ! Death stares us continually in the face in every infected person that passeth by us ; in every coffin which is daily and hourly carried along the streets. The bells never cease to put us in mind of our mortality.
The custom was, in the beginning, to bury the dead in the night only ; now, both night and day will hardly be time enough to do it.
For the last week, mortality did too apparently evidence that, that the dead was piled in heaps above ground for some hours together, before either time could be gained or place to bury them in.
The Quakers (as we are informed) have buried in their piece of ground a thousand for some weeks to- gether last past.
Many are dead in Ludgate, Newgate, and Christ Church Hospital, and many other places about the town which are not included in the bill of mortality.
The disease itself (as is acknowledged by our prac- titioners in physic) was more favourable in the begin- ning of the contagion ; now more fierce and violent ; and they themselves do likewise confess to stand amazed to meet with so many various symptoms which they find amongst their patients. One week the general distempers are botches and boils; the next week as clear-skinned as may be ; but death spares
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 37
neither. One week, full of spots and tokens; and perhaps the succeeding, none at all. Now taken with a vomiting and looseness, and within two or three days almost a general raging madness. One while patients used to linger four or five days, at other times not forty-eight hours ; and at this very time we find it more quick than ever it was. Many are sick, and few escape. Where it has had its fling, there it decreases ; where it has not been long, there it increases. It reigned most heretofore in alleys, &c. now it domineers in the open streets. The poorer sort was most afflicted ; now the richer bear a share.
Captain Colchester is dead. Fleetham and all his family are clearly swept away, except one maid. Dr. Burnett, Dr. Glover, and one or two more of the College of Physicians, with Dr. O' Dowd, which was licensed by my Lord's Grace of Canterbury, some sur- geons, apothecaries, and Johnson the chemist, died all very suddenly. Some say (but God forbid that I should report it for truth) that these, in a consultation together, if not all, yet the greatest part of them, attempted to open a dead corpse which was full of the tokens; and being in hand with the dissected body, some fell down dead immediately, and others did not outlive the next day at noon.
All is well and in safety at your house, God be thanked. Upon Tuesday last I made it my day's work to kindle fires in every room of tiie house where I could
OO ORIGINAL LETTERS.
do it, and aired all the bedclothes and bedding at the fires, and so let them all lie abroad until this morning; the feather bed in the back chamber was almost spoiled with the heavy weight of carpets and other things upon it. I am afraid I have been too tedious, and therefore beg your pardon and take my leave, who am. Reverend Sir, your most faithful humble servant,
JO. TILLISON.
Brimstone, hops, pepper, and frankincense, &c. I use to fume the rooms with. For yourself.
LETTER CCCXVI.
King Charles the Second to the Duke of Ormond, con- cerning the dismissal of Lord Chancellor Hyde.
[mS. DONAT. MUS. BRIT. 6407. 4. FROM THE OHg. IN THE POSSES- SION OF SIR GEORGE CLARKE.]
*^* Eachard alludes to this Letter in his History. He says, "As to tlie private reasons of the King's abandoning the Chancellor, His Majesty wrote an obliging Letter to the Duke of Ormond, then in Ireland, to give him satisfaction in that matter ; as knowing him to be his intimate friend. The Letter was never yet published, nor would a Copy of it be granted ; but I have more than once been told the substance of it by those who have read it ; and the principal reason there given by the King was, the Chancellor'' s insupportable temper.'''' "
That the Chancellor had grown a little peevish, we have an instance in Pepys's Memoirs. Nevertheless the true reason of the King's discarding
• Kat-h. Hist. Kngl. vol. ii. |i. 19«.
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
'6r
him was, that his integrity had become hateful to the bufibons of a licen. tious Court, who feared him as a monitor. Their banter and mimicry, aided by female solicitation, at last induced the King to part both from his person and his services. Granger justly observes that the virtue of the Earl of Clarendon was of too stubborn a nature for the Age of Charles the Second.
When he was going firom Court, upon his resignation of the Great Seal, the Dutchess of Cleveland insulted him from a window of the Palace. He turned roUnd and said calmly, ' Madam, if you live you will grow old.'
Whitehall, 15*. Sept. I SHOULD have thanked you sooner for your melan- choly letter of 26 *'. Aug. and the good counsel you gave me in it, as my purpose was also to say something to you concerning my taking the Seals from the Chan- cellor; of which you must needs have heard all the passages, since he would not suffer it to be done so privately as I intended it ; the truth is, his behaviour and humour was grown so unsupportable to myself, and to all the world else, that I could not longer en- dure it, and it was impossible for me to live with it and do those things with the Parliament that must be done, or the Government will be lost. When I have a better opportunity for it, you shall know many par- ticulars that have inclined me to this resolution, which already seems to be well liked in the world, and to have given a real and visible amendment to my affairs. This is an Argument too big for a Letter ; so I will add but this word to it, to assure you that your former friendship to the Chancellor shall not do you any pre- judice with me, and that I have not in the least degree
40 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
diminished that value and kindness I ever had for you, which I thought fit to say to you upon this occasion, because it is very possible malicious people may sug- gest the contrary to you.
C.
To my Lord Lieutenant.
Endorsed
" The Kings.
at Kilkenny
Answered 2 Oct. 67.
LETTER CCCXVII.
Dr. George Hickes to Dr. Patrick. The State of Affairs in Scotland.
[MS. LANSD. 988. fol. 156.]
Edinburgh, December 8 1'. 77. Sir,
The inclosed is an account of the present state of
Affairs in this Kingdom, and of that effectual course
my Lord Duke'* hath taken to reduce the insolent
fanatics. It is sent to my Lord Bishop of Rochester
from my Lord Bishop of Galloway, who is a great
support to this Church, and a very faithful friend and
counsellor to my Lord. I have formerly told you how
• The Duke of Lauderdale.
ORIGINAL LETTERS, 41
the fanatics have been under-hand encouraged to this height of insolence by some mal-content Lords, and therefore to particularise the general information of the inclosed, I have sent you the names of the most considerable and mischievous of them in the several divisions, where the fanatics of late have made so much stir. In the country of Fife the Earl of Rothes, (the present Lord Chancellor) and the Earl of Kin- cardine are chief, whereof the former hath been the most false and the latter the most ungrateful man to my Lord that ever was born. In Clydesdale the Duke of Hamilton, Sheriff of the Shire. In Carriet the Earl of Cassils, Sheriff of the Shire. In Tiviotdale the Earl of Roxborough ; and in Tweedale his father-in-law the Earl of Tweedale, Sheriff. In the Stewartry of Kir- kubright, which containeth the east part of Galloway, the Earl of Queensbury and the Earl of Galloway ; and in Stirlingshire and about Lithgow the Earl of Cal- lender and Major-general Drummond.
These are the chief of the party, and though all of them be not fanatics professed, yet those that are not, forgetting their duty to their Prince and the esta- blished government of the Church, take this wicked course of fomenting the fanatic faction (if it could be to rebel) because (forsooth) they have not the chief administration of affairs. They are now most of theui with their adherents in the town, and daily club to- l^ether to raise lies and disperse them about both
42 OEIGINAL LETTERS.
Kingdoms, and all the ways imaginable to debauch the military and gentry (though God be thanked with little success) from their duty to his Majesty, and make them have an ill opinion of my Lord.
From this account you may see what great reason my Lord D. had not to undertake the reduction of the forementioned Countries till he had procured the English and Irish Forces to be in readiness, in case there should be occasion. For had he sent the small forces we have here among them before, they would have been encouraged to rise by their foresaid patriots, whereof some wish the ruin of the Church, and all of them the ruin of my Lord Duke. And notwithstand- ing the preparations that my Lord hath made against them, yet the mad rabble think themselves secure, having received private information from their patriots that they will undertake their protection till Spring, which whether they can do or no must be proved by the event. My Lord, you may assure all the world, will not let slip this opportunity of doing God and the Church, the King and his Country, all that Service which a most loyal subject, faithful minister, and zealous Churchman can be imagined to do. And yet the Lords of the party had so far insinuated them- selves into the clergy as to make some of them suspect his sincerity to the Church ; this I found every where in the late tours I made about the country, and I think I was more capable then any other single man
ORIGINAL LETTEllS. 43
to cure their jealousies, wherewith some Bishops were but too much possessed, till I conjured them to believe that if my Lord were not true to the Church, I would not tarry with him three days.
My Lord hath taken care to hinder the French Officers from levying recruits in this Kingdom, which I hope will be acceptable news in England to all but those that would have him reputed of the French faction ; because it is so odious a character in our country. You cannot well imagine what daily pains and troubles he undergoes here, what knotty businesses he is to go through, and yet how cheerful, serene, and undisturbed he is, as if he had neither enemies, nor any thing to do.
In your last you desired me td give you an account of the breaking of the contract between my Lady Catherine and the Marquis of AthoFs eldest son. The pretended reason of the Marquis and Marchioness was this, that upon taking a more particular account of the lands and debts, they could not make gtxxl the conditions in the contract, and so desired it might be nulled. This was the pretended, but what were the real reasons time will discover, and hereafter I shall be able to give you better information. But the young Lady lost nothing by it, for the news of the broken contract was no sooner gone abroad but my Lady had match upon match proffered from the best of the No- bility, who knew the worth and virtues of the young
44 ORIGIKAL LETTERS.
Lady, in particular from a very great Peer of this Kingdom, the Earl of Murray, for his eldest son my Lord Downes, who is a person far preferable to the Marquis's son, and with whom she is to have far more honourable conditions. Pray when you deliver the inclosed, present my most humble duty to my Lord Bishop and read mine to him. This is all from Your most affectionate friend and humble servant,
GEO. HICKES.
I forgot to tell you that the Marquis of Athol bears the blame of the breach of the contract even among his own relations ; and that my Lady and her daughter received the news of it with incomparable temper. The Earl of Murray is a good churchman.
To the Reverend Dr. Patrick, in the Cloister of Westminster Abbey.
ORTGIXAL LETTERS. 45
LETTER CCCXVIII.
Dr. Hickes to Dr. Patrick upon the same.
[ms. lansd. 988. fol. 161 b. Orig.]
Edinburgh, Jan. 24^»'. 7|. Sir,
Your last I received and showed it to my Lord
Duke and Lord Bishop, that they might see how much
they were beholden to you, and I assure you they
were very sensible of your kindness, as you will find
if ever you and they meet.
Last Monday his Majesty'^s forces marched from hence into the west, and to-morrow the auxiliary forces follow them. There is with them a Committee of the Privy Council, which have as much power as the Privy Council itself, as you have, I hope, seen in that Act of Council which I sent Mr. Smith, and which I desired him to communicate to you. I hope by the next to send you their Instructions at large, that you may see with what wisdom our proceedings have been contrived.
I have something yet left to say of Michell, to whom five hundred dollars were presented from several hands, between his sentence and execution, to fulfil that promise, " yet never saw I the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread."
46
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
Within tliis week several ladies of great quality kept a private fast and a Conventicle in this Town, to seek God to bring to nought the councils of men against his people; and before they parted, all subscribed a paper wherein they covenanted to the utmost of their power to engage their Lords to assist and protect God's people against the devices (as they call all ex- pedients) that are taken to reduce them to order and obedience. Hereafter I will send you their names, but as yet I have given my word not to discover them.
Last night we received information that Sunday was se"'nnight, or some day last week, Welsh told a vast congregation of his Western disciples, that they should certainly be hanged, when the forces came amongst them ; and that therefore it was far better to resist and fight the Lord's battles with their swords in their hands, and that thereupon they resolved to rebel, and in order thereto rendezvous this day in the Stewartry of Galloway. We all wish it may be true, but I am afraid it is not, although nothing but despair of success can make them forbear ; I wish they would try, as they did in 1666, whether God would work miracles for them or no.
You shall hear as soon as any what the event of this expedition will be. Many of the fanatical party and their patrons hope that the Commons of England (who they think are ready to dance to any tune they will play) will grow jealous of these military proceedings,
OHIGIXAI. LETTERS. 47
and engage his Majesty to dislike them, and substitute another in the Duke's stead ; and therefore you must expect to hear a thousand lying stories and misrepre- sentations of what is done here.
If you have not yet received the Act of Council from
Mr. Smith, pray send for it (for it is necessary to make
you rightly understand all the future news that will
depend thereupon). Let this suffice at present from
Your most faithful friend and servant,
GEORGE HICKES.
For Dr. Patrick, in the Cloister of Westminster Abbey.
LETTER CCCXIX. Dr. Hickes to Dr. Patrick. MicheWs Tr'ml.
[MS. LANSD. 988. fol. 162 b. Orig.]
Edinburgh, Jan. 10^<'. 7f Sir,
I RECEIVED two Letters from you since the entrance
of the New Year, and am very sensible how much you
press yourself to keep correspondence with me ; but I
am the most inconsiderable person you oblige by so
doing, and therefore you must not grow weary, but
hold out now to the end.
48 OUIOTNAL LETTERS.
*****
I promised you in one of my late letters to give you an account of Mr. MichelFs trial, who was arraigned for an attempt he made on the person of the Archbishop of St. Andrews by shooting at him in his coach with a great pistol charged with three bullets, which hit the Bishop of Orkney on the arm, as he was getting into the archbishop*'s coach. This barbarous fact was done ^bout nine years ago, about two years after the Rebel- lion of Pentland Hills in the year 1666. Immediately after the fact he escaped, and was in Holland, Eng- land, and Ireland, for five years, and at last came into Scotland again, where he married, and after marriage took a shop (where his wife pretended to sell brandy, &c.) under the Archbishop's lodgings in Edinburgh, with a design to assassinate him again. But being known he was seized. There were two charged pis- tols found upon him, and when the Archbishop saw him first, among many others, he knew him perfectly after five years, although he had never seen him but when he shot at him. After he was seized he was brought before the Council, where my Lord sat as Commissioner, when he was last in Scotland four years since. The Council appointed a Committee to exa- mine him, before which he confessed the fact, and afterwards owned the confession before the Lord Com- missioner and the Council, which was registered, and witnessed by his own hand, and the hands of several
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 40.
counsellors ; which confession was now brought against him at the bar. He was not prosecuted then, because the Archbishop would not pursue him in Causa San- guinis, and the King's Advocate being a fanatic would not, but the Council sent him prisoner to the Basse (an island in the Forth), where he hath been kept ever since. Since my Lord came hither he got his Majesty
to remove this advocate (whose name is Sir
Nisbet) and Sir George Mackenzie (almost the only great man of this country) was made his Majesty's advocate in his stead, who upon my Lord's moving, and the Council's, pursued him like a gallant man and a good Christian, and not without much difficulty, and great pains, (so hard it is, and dangerous too, to pur- sue a bloody Saint to the last justice here) hath got justice done on him ; for this afternoon at two o'clock he was condemned to be hanged the 13th of this instant, in the Grass Market of Edinburgh.
His trial lasted three days ; I was always present ; and many preliminary debates there were which I can- not make a stranger understand. At last all the dila- tory exceptions being answered, the Jury was impan- nelled and the witnesses sworn ; the depositions of some of which I shall here relate.
The keeper of the Tolbooth's son (for so they call
the Prison here) deposed, that having asked him how
he could do such a barbarous action in cold blood
against a man that had done him no wrong, he an-
VOL. IV. SER. 2. E
50 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
swered, it was not done in cold blood, for the blood of the Saints is still reeking at the Cross in Edin- burgh ; by the Saints he meant the Rebels that were hanged and beheaded in that place for the Rebellion in 66.
The Bishop of Galloway deposed, that he confessed to him when he asked him the reason why he did it, that it was because the Archbishop was an enemy to the people of God.
My Lord Hatton, my Lord Duke'^s brother, deposed that having asked him upon his confession why he did it, that he answered, because the Archbishop was an enemy to the godly people in the West, who rebelled in 66, and were the beginners of all the late disorders here.
These and all the other depositions I heard. This barbarous assassinate is commended as heroic, and compared to the act of Phineas in Naphtali ; and in Jus Populi vindicatum, which is an answer to Naphtali written by the Bishop of Orkney that was wounded in the Rebellion in 66, and this fact against St, Andrews as a covenant breaker are both defended ; but I sup- pose you have read the books.
Since this presbyterian Ravaillac was brought to town, notice was sent to the Archbishop from the west, that if he were condemned, many others were resolved to do the same, so that the poor man is not without just fear.
ORTGIXAL I.KTTF.RS. 51
You cannot imagine how the presbyterian party, especially the women, were concerned for him ; the court was full of disaffected villains, and because of my habit and profession I had many affronts done me ; for sitting on high with my back towards that side of the court where the zealous rabble were gathered together, near the bar at which the prisoner stood, they railed at my black coat, for so they called my gown, and be- spit it all over, and pelted me now and then with such things as bits of apple and crusts of bread.
Upon the preparation of the forces, Fife hath already submitted ; for all the heritors and life-renters have agreed together to give in bonds to the Coun- cil for their own and tenants'" peaceable demeanour ; and on the 15''> instant they will be all given in to the Lord Chancellor, and by him to the Council. But the Saints of the West are as impudent as ever, believing, and declaring to believe, that God will find a way to defeat the counsel of his and their enemies ; and since Christmas they seized on six Parish Churches, and have appointed clerks and other officers of their own ; but within fourteen days they will find what they will not believe.
I now long to be in England to finish that discourse I formerly told you of, of which I see by the people in this country there is so much need : I mean that of which you heard an abstract at the Abbey, founded on the notion of the theocracy. I study here not as I
E 2
52 OKIGINAL LETTERS.
would but as I can, and my study doth me not half so much good, as if I had my own books and methods. Pray present my service to Dr. Oughtram and Mrs. Oughtram, and your own lady. I wish myself often among you, and I wish myself no greater happiness in this world than always to be in your neighbourhood. My Lord Duke often remembers you and your bro- ther : pray send me a particular account of your de- livering the Bishop of Gloucester''s letter to the Bishop of Rochester. God send us a happy meeting. I am Your most affectionate friend and humble servant,
GEORGE HICKES. For the Rev. Dr. Patrick, or Dr. Oughtram, in the Cloister of Westminster Abbey.
LETTER CCCXX.
Dr. Hickes to Dr. Patrick. MicheWs Sentence and Execution.
[MS. LANSD. 988. foL 166.]
Edinburgh, Jan. 19, 7|^. Sir,
I SEND this letter as a Supplement to the story of
Michell which I sent you before. When the sentence
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 53
of death was pronounced against him, he told the Judges he received it as from God, but not from them. The next day after, he said he would do it if it were to do again, and sent to the Archbishop to desire that one or more of the imprisoned ministers might be per- mitted to come and give him comfort. Upon which a minister of the town was sent to him, but he refused to discourse with him otherwise than by reproaching of him ; calling of him a murderer of souls, and bid- ding him repent of the blood of souls, when he went to press upon his conscience the horridness of the bloody fact for which he was condemned by men, and of which without repentance he would stand guilty before the tribunal of God.
The Dean of Edinburgh, Mr. Annand, also wrote a letter exhortatory to him, wherein from many texts of the Gospel he endeavoured to convince him how contradictory his principles and practices were to the doctrine of Christianity; to which he returned this answer :
« Sir,
I received yours, and since my time is so very short and so very precious, I can only thank you for your civility and affection, whether real or pretended ; and tell you that I fully close with all the precepts of the Gospel to love and peace, and therefore pray I Ixjth for Mr. Sharp and you ; but knowing both Mr. Sharp's wickedness, my own sincerity, and the Lord's holy
54 ORIGINAL LETTEKS.
sovereignty to use his creatures as he pleases, I can only refer the manifestation of my fact to the day of God's righteous and universal judgment ; praying heartily that God may have mercy on you, and open your eyes to see both the wickedness of all your ways, and of your godless insulting over an unjustly con- demned dying man, and grant unto you repentance and remission of your sin. I am in this
Your well-wisher,
JAMES M.'"*
Having heard that he would not be permitted to speak to the people at his Execution (which was yester- day between two and four in the afternoon) he prepared several copies of a written speech, one whereof being found in his pocket was brought to my Lord. It is long, and the first part containing nothing but calumny and railing against the Privy Council and his Judges. I shall transcribe only the latter end.
" I acknowledge my particular and private sins have been such as have merited a worse death unto me, but I die, in the hope of the merits of Jesus Christ to be freed from those eternal punishments due to me for sin. Yet I am confident God doth not plead with me in this place for my private and particular sins ; but I am brought here that the work of God may be made manifest, and for the trial of faith (John, chap. ix. ver. 3. Pet. chap. i. ver. 7.), and that I may be a wit- ness for his despised truth and interest in this land.
OIllGlNAL LliTTEKS. 55
who am called to seal the same with my blood ; and I wish heartily that this my poor life may put an end to the persecution of the true members of Christ in this kingdom, so much actuated by these perfidious prelates, and ill opposition to whom, and in testmiony of the cause of Christ, I at this time willingly lay down my life, and bless God that he hath thought me so much worthy as to do the same for his glory and interest.
*' Finally concerning a Christian duty in a singular or extraordinary case, anent my particular judgment concerning both Church and State, it is evidently de- clared and manifested more fully elsewhere. So fare- well all earthly enjoyments, and welcome Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, into whose hands I commit my spirit.
JAMES MICHELL.'"
The other copies he had in a Psalm-book, and when the Psalm was sung threw them about.
By Mr. Sharp in his Letter to, Mr. Annand, he means the Archbishop, whom he attempted ; and con- cerning his judgment, which in his speech he saith is manifested more clear elsewhere, he means Naphtali. I forgot in my last to tell you, that he was sometime chaplain to Sir Arch. Johnston, called here Laird of Wareston, who was president of the Committee of Safety, and hanged for a traitor at Edinburgh.
Lastly, I here send you a copy of a letter of a silly ridiculous minister, who renounced this church, and
56
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
apostatized to the Whigs, whose martyr Michell is. I desire you to keep all my letters and papers concerning these illiterate and bloody villains. Mr. Smith, the secretary's chaplain, will bring you an Act of the Privy Council which I pray you to get transcribed, and communicate as much as you can to satisfy all rea- sonable men with our proceedings against these bloody rebellious saints. I would have sent you it, but am weary with writing many things, which makes me scribble so ill. I always suppose you remember me to your neighbour, and communicate to him the Letters of him who is entirely yours.
GEORGE HICKES.
The Day of Execution, there was a report that the women of Edinburgh (my good friends) had a design to rescue the malefactor, which made the Lord Provost bring a company of the town forces to the place of execution, to prevent any such design.
A gentleman is come in, who assures me that there are several epitaphs made upon him, whereof one was found this morning at the great Cross, and the other upon the door that lets up the stairs which lead to the Council Chamber in the Parhament House. He tells me also they put epitaphs on his coffin when he was carried to the grave.
To the Rev. Dr. Patrick.
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 57
LETTER CCCXXI.
Mr. Henry Savill to Ms uncle Secretary Coventry.
[MS. HARt. 7001. aH. 180.]
*,♦ This Letter is introduced to the Reader from the mention which it makes of Tea. It appears from its evidence, that so late as 1678 Tea was not universally used in English families either as a constant or a common beverage. It even complains of persons " who call for Tea instead of Pipes and Bottles after dinner :" designating it as "a hate unworthy Indian practice."
Macpherson, in his History of the European Commerce with India, says that Tea is mentioned as the usual beverage of the Chinese by Soliman an Arabian Physician, who wrote an account of his Travels in the East as early as the year 850. But we have no reason to believe that Tea was brought to the Western parts of the World for many succeeding ages ; not the slightest mention of it being found in the work of any European author earlier than the sixteenth century.
The most credible conjecture of its Introduction is, that it was one of the articles purchased by the Portuguese when that people were first per- mitted by the Government of China to trade to Sancian.
Waller, in his Complimentary Verses to King Charles the Second upon his Majesty's Marriage, expressly owns our obligations to the Portuguese for its introduction into England :
The best of Queens, and lot of Herbs we owe To that hold Nation who the way did show To the fair Region where thie Sun doth rise. Whose rich productions we so justly prize.
The first autlientic notice which Macpherson quotes of Tea as an article of consumption in England is in the Act of Parliament of the 12th Charles lld. c 13. A. D. 1660, whereby a duty of eight pence is charged upon every gallon of chocolate, sherbet, and Tea made for sale ; while the same quantity of Coffee and even of foreign spirituous liquors is charged at only four|)ence.
Macpherson states that the earliest importation of Tea by tlie East India Company from any part of the Indies, was in 1669, when they
5S ORIGINAL LETTERS.
received from Bantam two canisters containing a hundred and forty-three pounds and a half ; for it does not appear, he adds, that they had as yet any direct intercourse with China the native country of Tea. This trifling quantity was partly given away in presents, and partly expended in the East India House for the refreshment of the Committee.
In 1678 (the year in which the present Letter is dated), the East India Company began the importation of Tea as a branch of Trade ; the quantity received at that time amounting to four thousand seven hun- dred and thirteen pounds. The importation gradually enlarged, and the Government, in consequence, augmented the duties upon Tea. By the year I7OO the importation of Tea had arrived at the quantity of twenty thousand pounds. In 1721 it exceeded a million of pounds. In 1816 it had arrived at 36,234,380/i*. Something more than thirty millions of pounds is probably the present average of importation : some allowance must be made for Tea damaged and spoiled upon the passage.
An earlier testimony of the Introduction of Tea into England than that which Macpherson advances is found in a single Sheet, preserved in Sir Hans Sloane's Library now in the British Museum, of the time of the Usurpation. It is as follows. In the mode recommended for gathering the Tea in leaf; in the great assemblage of its virtues when gathered and prepared for use ; and in the price which it originally brought in England, the reader will find some room for astonishment.
" An exact Description of the groteth, quality, and vertues of the Leaf THiA by Thomas Garway in Exchange-Alley near the Royal Exchange in London, Tobacconist, and Seller and Retailer of Tea and Coffee.
" Tea is generally brought from China, and groweth there upon little Shrubs or Bushes, the branches whereof are well garnished with white Flowers that are yellow within, of the bigness and fashion of sweet-brier, but in smell unlike, bearing thin green leaves about the bigness of Scordium, Mirtle, or Sumack, and is judged to be a kind of Sumack. This Plant hath been reported to grow wild only, but doth not, for they plant it in their Gardens about four foot distance, and it groweth about four foot high, and of the Seeds they maintain and increase their stock. Of all places in China this Plant groweth in greatest plenty in the Pro- vince of Xemsi, I^atitude 36 degrees, bordering upon the West of the Province of Honam j and in the Province of Namking near the City of Lucheu, there is likewise of the growth of Sinam, Cochin-China, the Island de Ladrones, and Japan, and is called Cha. Of this famous Leaf there are divers sorts (though aU of one shape), some much better than other, the upper leaves excelling the other in fineness, a property almost in all Plants ; which leaves they gather every day, and drying
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 59
them in the shade, or on iron pans over a gentle fire till the humidity be exhausted, then put them up close in leaden pots, and preserve them for their Drink Tea, which is used at meals, and upon all Visits and Enter- tainments in private Families, and in the Palaces of Grandees. And it is averred by a Padre of Macao, native of Japan, that the best Tea ought not to be gathered but by Virgins who are destined to this work, and such, ' quae nondum menstrua patiuntur: gemmae quae nascuntur in summitate arbuscula servantur Imperatorie, ac praecipuis ejus Dynastis; quae autem infra nascuntur, ad latera, populo conceduntur.' The said Leaf is of such known vertues, that those very Nations so famous for knowledge and wisdom, do frequently sell it among themselves for twice its weight in silver, and the high estimation of the Drink made therewith hath occasioned an inquiry into the nature thereof among the most in- telligent persons of all Nations that have travelled in those parts, who after exact tryal and experience by all ways imaginable, have commended it to the use of their several Countries, for its vertues and operations, par- ticularly as followeth, viz.
" The Quality is moderately hot, proper for Winter or Summer. The Drink is declared to be most wholesome, preserving in perfect health until extreme old age.
" The particular Vertues are these. It makcth the body active and lusty. It helpeth the head-ache, giddiness and heaviness thereof. It removeth the obstructions of the spleen. It is very good against the stone and gravel, cleansing the kidneys and ureters, being drank with virgin's honey instead of sugar. It taketh away the difficulty of breath- ing, opening obstructions. It is good against lipitude distillations, and cleareth the sight. It removeth lassitude, and cleanseth and purifieth adust humors and a hot liver. It is good against crudities, strengthening the weakness of the ventricle or stomach, causing good appetite and digestion, and particularly for men of a corpulent body, and such as are great eaters of fiesh. It vanquisheth heavy dreams, easeth the brain, and strengthencth the memory. It overcometh superfluous sleep, and pre- vents sleepiness in general, a draught of the Infusion being taken, so that without trouble whole nights may be spent in study without hurt to the body, in that it moderately heateth and bindeth the mouth of the sto- mack. It prevents and cures agues, surfeits, and feavers, by infusing a fit quantity of the leaf, thereby provoking a most gentle vomit and breathing of the pores, and hath been given with wonderful success. It (being prepared and drank with milk and water) strengthencth the inward parts, and prevents consumptions, and powerfully assuageth the pains of the bowels, or griping of the guts and looseness. It is good for colds, dropsies, and scurvies, if properly infused ; purging the blood by sweat
60 OEIGINAL LETTERS.
and urine, and expelleth infection. It drives away all pains in the cholic proceeding from wind, and purgeth safely the gall.
" And that the vertues and excellencies of this Leaf and Drink are many and great, is evident and manifest by the high esteem and use of it (especially of late years) among the Physicians and knowing men in France, Italy, Holland, and other parts of Christendom ; and in England it hath been sold in the Leaf for six pounds, and sometimes for ten pounds the pound weight, and in respect of its former scarceness and deamess, it hath been only used as a Regalia in high Treatments and Entertainments, and Presents made thereof to Princes and Grandees, till the year 1657.
The said Thomas Garway did purchase a quantity thereof, and first publickly sold the said Tea in Leaf and Drink made according to the di- rections of the most knowing Merchants and Travellers into those Eastern Countries: and upon knowledge and experience of the said Garway's continued care and industry in obtaining the best Tea, and making Drink thereof, very many Noblemen, Physicians, Merchants, and Gentlemen of quality have ever since sent to him for the said I^eaf, and daily resort to his House in Exchange Alley aforesaid to drink the Drink thereof.
" And that Ignorance nor Envy may have no ground or power to report or suggest that what is here asserted of the vertues and excellencies of this precious Leaf and Drink hath more of design than truth, for the justification of himself and satisfaction of others, he hath here enumerated several Authors, who in their learned Works have expressly written and asserted the same, and much more in honour of this noble licaf and Drink, viz. Bontius, Riccius, Jarricus, Almeyda, Horstius, Alvarez Semeda, Martinius in his China Atlas, and Alexander de Rhodes in his Voyage and Missions in a large discourse of the ordering of this Leaf and the many vertues of the Drink, printed at Paris 1653, part 10. chap. 13.
" And to the end that all persons of eminency and quality, gentle- men, and others, who have occasion for Tea in leaf may be supplied, these are to give notice that the said Thomas Garway hath Tea to sell from sixteen to fifty shillings the pound.
" And whereas several Persons using Coffee, have been accustomed to buy the powder thereof by the pound, or in lesser or greater quantities, which if kept two days looseth much of its first goodness. And foras- much as the Berries after drying may be kept if need require some months; therefore all persons being remote from London, and have occasion for the said powder, are advised to buy the said Coffee berries ready dried ; which being in a mortar beaten, or in a mill ground to powder, as they use it, will so often be brisk, fresh, and fragrant, and in
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 61
its full vigour and strength as if new prepared, to the great satisfaction of the Drinkers thereof, as hath been experienced by many in this City. Which commodity of the best sort, the said Thomas Garway hath always ready dried to be sold at reasonable rates.
" Also such as will have Coffee in powder, or the Berries undried, or Chocolate, may by the said Thomas Garway be supplied to their content : with such further Instructions and perfect Directions how to use Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate, as is, or may be needful, and so as to be efficacious and operative, according to their several vertues.
" Advertisement. " That Nicholas Brook, living at the Sign of the Frying-pan in S'. Tulies-Street gainst the Church, is the only known man for making of Mills for grinding of Coffee powder, which Mills are by him sold from 40 to 45 shillings the Mill."
The Coffee House named in the preceding Paper still exists as Garra- •way's Coffee House. Secretary Pepys, in his Diary, vol. i. p. 7C. with- out saying where he had his drink, makes the following entry, " Sept. 25"'. 16C0. I did send for a Cup of Tea (a China drink) of which I never had drank before, and went away." .
Paris, Aug. 12, 1678. Though as a Secretary of State I ought not to trouble you but with things relating to the good of the Public Weal, as an Uncle methinks I may sometimes present you my duty, which is no small favour ; for, as I take it, my friends have as little to brag of my duty as of any relation they have, I having been pretty sparing of it, and they may thank God when I am in the humour to pay it, though I do not ; for methinks it is an ill sign when after five and thirty years old, a
62 OKfOINAT, LETTERS.
man changes for any thing, and I am so afraid that my decent behaviour is rather a sign of age than virtue, that I begin to repine at the least act of mine that seems to have any decency in it. All the comfort I have in this contemplation is, laying a part of this upon your kindness to me, and the good reception I always find at your house, more especially that arbi- trary dominion I am suffered to exercise over that most notable minister of state your Butler. These I hope are the charms that have prevailed with me to remem- ber (that is to trouble) you oftener than I am apt to do other of my friends, whose Buttery-hatch is not so open, and who calljbr Tea instead of Pipes and Bottles after dinner ; a base unworthy Indian practice^ and which I must ever admire your most Christian family for not admitting. The truth is, all nations are grown so wicked as to have some of these filthy customs.
The vice of this flourishing Kingdom being not to sit long enough by two hours at table, and by that time one is well sate and settled to an admirable dinner, every body rises in haste upon the news that the King- has dined, as if what filled his belly filled those of all his subjects ; and that it were treason to be hungry (though fasting) when the King had dined ; so that in more senses than one it may be said, no man in France can eat but the King. I dread my share of this tyranny when I go to Fontainbleau : the day for that
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 63
voyage being Monday se'nnight ; and a little after, every snip of a statesman must follow for his own credit. And though I have no commission to justify my pretensions to wisdom, the French are so much better discoverers of men''s abilities than the English, that all the world cannot beat it out of men''s heads but that I am in the deepest of the secret of Peace and War ; and they rely upon nothing more than my pru- dence for a good conclusion of so Weighty an affair. After this, would not one think that they are all witches here .'' for alas ! what have I done to give the least suspicion of this kind ? I appeal to all my friends, all my relations, and all my acquaintance whether I have deserved this at any body"*s hands, and whether I look more like a carrier of peace than several of my ac- quaintance that are gone into Flanders look like car- riers of war. For my part I am a modest man, and neither desire to be pmnted with an olive-branch in my mouth, nor a generaFs staff in my hand ; a glass of wine shall serve my turn in both, and the very next shall be to your health, and so God bless you my ever honoured Uncle, and Right Honourable Secretary of State.
^4 OllICxINAL LETTERS.
LETTER CCCXXII.
The Duke of Monmouth to Sir Robert AtTcyns, A. D. 1679.
[from the Orig. IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.]
*,* The disgrace of Monmouth to which this Letter relates, was fol- lowed by the King's Declaration respecting Lucy Walters, printed in the former Series.
For seventeen or eighteen years the suspicion was kept alive at intervals, that Monmouth might by some chance be made the Successor to the Crown ; for the King was not looked upon as the only person who secretly encouraged the intention. That the Report prevailed not only after the Duke had left England by order, but even after the King's Declaration of 1680, will be seen in the Letter which follows this.
SiK, Whitehall, 19 h. Sept.
I HAVE received the King's commands to go out of England for some time, and in obedience thereto, I am preparing myself for my journey. But before I go I am willing to make the settlement of my Estate, and I am informed that one part of it must be done in the presence of one of the Justices of the Common Pleas, who being all out of town at this time, I take the liberty to desire you would give yourself the trouble to come to London on Monday next, wherein you will very particularly oblige,
Sir, Your humble servant,
MONMOUTH. For Sir Robert Atkins, Bart, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Common Pleas, at his house near Barnet.
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 6&
LETTER CCCXXIII.
Dr. Zacheus Isham Dean of Christ Church Oxford^ to Dr. Edmund Borlase. Rumours after the Dis- solution of the Parliament at Oxford.
[m8. DONAT. BEIT. MUS. 1008. foL 112. Orig-I
Christ Church, Mar. 31, 1681. Sir,
We have not been so much an University here of late as a Stage, upon which very sudden turns and changes of state affairs have been acted ; but what de- nomination tlie Drama must have cannot appear till the event, for tlie last act is not yet come, and we must expect other revolutions. Indeed the Dissolution of the Parliament was very surprising to all here, as well as to the Country ; and to me the mystery of it seems to be in the dark : but truth will not always be so, and in time we may hope to see the plots and contrivance* of our disturbers unravelled and defeated.
We have a long story here of a private conference between the King and the Earl of Shaftesbury, who pro- posed to him the declaring of the Duke of M. to be legitimate, and the enriching of himself by the Church- lands; but the King firmly rejected both these proposals as unjust. I will not warrant the truth of this relation, but it is confidently reported amongst us ; and if it be
VOL. IV. SER. 2. F
66 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
true, the designs of our leading patriots, (as they would be thought,) are sufficiently manifested.
It is no less warmly discoursed of here, that the next Parliament will be called hither about November : but I am not apt to believe, that his Majesty will be inclined to have another so soon.
Sir, what transactions were done and carrying on in the short Parliament here you must certainly be well informed, having the mouth of it at Chester, and there- fore I shall not pretend to give you any account of it : but had their stay been longer, I should sometimes have ventured to give you a taste of my improvement among our politicians ; because I find that you are so highly favourable to me as to accept of my correspond- ence; though truly. Sir, you are not very likely to thrive by this trade, for you exchange gold for brass. How- ever, Sir, I am very well pleased with this intercourse, which is so advantageous to me ; nor will you lose much by this traffic, because your communications, like those . . . a light, diminish not the fountain ; and be- sides, not '' . . . what I gain from you is still yours ; but I am so entirely myself as being. Sir, Your most obedient and most devoted servant.
Z. ISHAM. For the most honoured Dr. Edmund Borlase, at his house in West Chester, these,
• Qt4. of the. •• 9"- note that.
OUIGTKAI. LETTERS. (J7
LETTER CCCXXIV.
Sir James Dick, Bart. Lord Provost of Edinburgh, to Mr. Ellies at London. The Diike of' York ship- wrecked on the Sand-bank called the Lenum and Ore.
[mS. DOKAT. MUS. BRIT. 5719< FBOM SIR JAMES DICK's BOOK OF LETTERS.]
*,• The Duke of York was wrecked upon the Ijemon and Ore, about sixteen leagues from the mouth of the Humber, on the morning of May 5th, 1682.
Sir James Dick, the writer of this liCtter, in consequence, assumed for his crest a Ship in distress and sinking, with the motto '' At Spe$ infracta.^''
Edinburgh, 9"'. of May, 1682. Deae Sir, Upon Sunday, at eight o'clock at night, his Royal Highness with his retinue arrived safe here, there being a most sad disaster upon the Saturday before, at eleven o'clock in the morning ; " the man of war called the Gloster, Sir John Barrie Captain, wherein his Highness was, and a great retinue of noblemen and gentlemen, whereof I was one, the said ship did strike in pieces and did wholly sink in a Bank of sand called the Lemon and Ore, about twelve leagues from Yar- mouth. This was occasioned by the wrong calcul and ignorance of a Pilot, and put us all in such con-
* Kennctt, Hist. Engl. vol. iii. p. 404. places this Actident the day before, '" on F»irf<iy,May fi""."
F 2
68
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
sternation that we knew not what to do: the Duke and all that were with him being in bed when she first struck. The helm having broke, the man was killed by the force thereof at the first shock.
When the Duke got his clothes on and inquired how things stood, she had nine feet water in her hold, and the sea fast coming in at the gun-ports ; the seamen and pas- sengers were not at command, every man studying his own safety. This forced the Duke to go out at the large window of the cabin where his little boat was ordered quietly to attend him, lest the passengers and seamen should have thronged so in upon him, as to overset his boat. This was accordingly so conducted as that none but Earl Winton and the President of the Session, with two of the bed-chamber men, went with him. They were forced to draw their swords to hold people off.
We seeing they were gone, did cause tackle out with great difficulty the Ship''s boat, wherein the Earl of Perth got, and then I went by jumping off the shrouds; the Earl of Middleton immediately after me did jump in upon my shoulders ; withal there came the Laird of Touch with several others, besides the seamen that were to row, which was thought a sufficient number for her loading, considering there was going so great a sea, occasioned by the wind at North East ; and we seeing that at the Duke's boat side, there was one overwhelmed by reason of the greatness of the sea, which drowned the whole in her except two men, whom
ORIGINAL lp:tters, 69
we saw riding on her keel. This made us desire to be gone, but before we were loose, there leaped from the shrouds about twenty or twenty-four seamen in upon us, which made all the spectators and ourselves to think we would sink, and all having given us over for lost, did hinder an hundred more from leaping in upon us.
With those that were left was Lord Roxburgh and Laird Hopton, and Mr. Littledel, Roxburgh's ser- vant. Doctor Livingston, and the President of the Sessions' man, and my servant. They all being at the place when I jumped would not follow, because it seems they concluded it more safe to stay in the vessel than to expose themselves to our hazard ; all which persons in an instant were washed off and drowned.
There will be perished in this disaster above two hundred persons, for I reckon there were two hundred and fifty seamen, and I am sure there were eighty noble- men, gentlemen, and their servants; my computation was that there were three hundred and thirty in all, of which I cannot learn that a hundred and thirty are found alive.
Our difficulties and hazards that were in this boat were wonderful. If the rest had not thought us all dead men, I am sure many more would have jumped in upon us. We were so thronged we had no room to stand, and when we were forcing ourselves from the ship, she being sinking by degrees all the time ; and besides the surfs were so boisterous that we were like to be struck in pieces upon the wreck so
,70 OttlGINAL LETTERS.
sinking, it was npt but with great difficulty that we forced out the boat from the ship ; and when we came to row to the nearest yacht, the waves were such, we being overloaded, that every moment we thought to have been drowned; and being about midway to the yachts, there were a great many swimming for their lives, who caught a dead gripe of our boat, holding up their heads above the water and crying for help ; which hinderance was put off and their hands loosed, by telling them they would both lose themselves and us ; yet this would not do to make them loose their gripe, till they were forced off by several in our boat, except one that took hold of me, whom I caused catch into the boat, lest I should have been pulled out by him ; and when it pleased God to bring us wonderfully to one of the yachfs side, being not less than a quarter of a mile distant from our ship, they not daring to come nearer by reason of the sand bank upon which we were wrecked ; and if we had not shot off guns, shewing them our distress, the other men of war that were immediately following would have met with the same disaster ; but they immediately bore off. The four yachts came as near as they could, and put off their boats to help us, but all that could be done could not prevent this great loss of about two hundred men. I was in my gown and slippers, lying in bed, when she first struck, and did escape in that condition ; and when unexpectedly and wonderfully we came to the
^ ORIGINAL LETTERS. 71
yacht's side, called Captain Saunders, we were like to be crushed to pieces by it, which by reason of the great sea was like to run us down.
At last a rope was cast, which was so managed that we were brought to the lee side, then every man climbed for his life, and so did I, taking hold of a rope, and made shift upon the side till I came within men's reach, and was hauled in ; and I then looked back but could not see one bit of our Great Ship above water, but about a Scots ell long of the staff upon which the Royal Standard stood ; for with her striking she had come off the sand bank which was but three fathoms, and her draught was eighteen feet. There was eighteen fathoms water upon each side when she struck, and so did sink in the deepest place. Now if she had continued upon the three fathoms, and broke in pieces there, all would have had time to have saved themselves ; but such was the misfortune, that she was wholly overwhelmed, and all washed into the sea that were upon her decks. There would have been relief by boats if she had stood half an hour longer.
So to conclude this melancholy account, all the above persons, our countrymen, that were of resj^ect, are as I have told. Of Englishmen of respect there were lost Lord O'Brien and Lord Hyde's brother, who was lieutenant of the ship ; and a number of noblemen and gentlemen's servants, which I cannot name. I can I hardly speak with any that were aboard with the
7^ ORIGINAL LETTERS.
Duke but they have lost of servants more or less. God make me thankful for this wonderful deliverance.
I believe I shall have trouble now that both my Lord Roxburgh and his man are lost, to recover payment of these bills : all my clothes and papers are lost, having nothing saved but the twenty guineas which were in my little pocket with my watch, and the little box with my wife's ring and necklace; but for my papers, I rolled them up in a handkerchief, and put them off me, so that both the King's letter for the .^1200 ster- ling, and the accompt I filed with you, are gone.
Yesterday his Royal Highness called the King's Council, and there the King's will was declared as to his Chancellor, who was the President of the Session ; my Lord Queensberry for Treasurer, and Lord Perth Justice-General which Queensberry had before.
Notwithstanding the disaster his Highness met with in this last sea voyage, yet he is within five or six days, with his Duchess and the Lady Anne, to take shipping for London.
JAMES DICK.
To Mr. EUies, in London.
-The reader will do well to compare the Letter which he has just read, with the very different statement which Hume gives of the circumstances of the Shipwreck. He says, " As the King was master in England, and no longer dreaded the clamours of the country party, he permitted the Duke to pay him a visit ; and was soon after prevailed on to allow of his return to England, and of his bearing a part in the administration. The
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 73
Duke went to Scodand, in order to bring up his family, and settle the government of that country ; and he chose to take his passage by sea. The Ship struck on a sand-bank, and was lost ; the Duke escaped in the BABGE ; and it is pretended, that while many persons of rank and quality were drowned, and among the rest Hyde, his brother-in-law, he was very careful to save several of Ms dogs and priests ; for these two species of favourites are coupled together by some writers. It has likewise been asserted, that the barge might safely have held more persons, and that some who swam to it were thrust off, and even their hands cut, in order to disengage them."
Among the persons of consequence who perished at this time, beside those who are mentioned in the Letter, was Sir John Douglas.
The commander. Sir John Berry (called Barrie by Sir James Dick), escaped by a rope over the vessel's stem. He was afterwards examined before the Privy Council, when the King, having satisfied himself that no fault attached to him, gave him the command of another vessel, the Henrietta, destined for the Coast of Ireland.
LETTER CCCXXV.
Lady Rachel Russell to
[bRIT. MUS. Ortg. PRESENTED BY JOHN WILMOT, ESft.]
Woburn Abbey, April 30, 84. Sir, Yours of the 20"' of April I have read; your Prayers and Wishes are kindly accepted by your af- flicted servant ; who have no other shadow of comfort but to find myself at all esteemed by worthy persons, and those had so for, and were so by that loved friend
74 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
my soul longs to meet again. When at any time you allow me the like favour, and I am not in London (as I purpose it not yet) if your Letters be left at my Ser- vant's house who brings this to your Servant, they will be carefully and safely delivered me. I have appointed him, at his giving this to your servant, to direct him where he shall find him ; his name is Benjamin Por- daye, his house in Great Russell Street near Montague House; he shall be very punctual to your servant. Till I have a return to this from you, Sir, you shall receive no further trouble from your ever mournful but
obliged faithful servant,
R. 'RUSSELL.
Of the Illness which immediately preceded the death of Charles the Second a very full and curious detail in Latin is preserved in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries, together with copies of the Prescriptions administered (two of them signed by no fewer than fourteen Physicians), and an Account of the appearances of his Majesty's body when opened ; the whole completely removing the suspicion that the King was taken off by poison.
It begins,
" Feb. 2°, 1684.
" Ad octavam prsecise horam Rex serenissimus Carolus II. lecto re- cens relicto, dum in cubiculo leniter inambulabat, inordinatum quendani in cerebro sensit motum, cui mox aphonia motusque convulsivi vehe- mentiores succedebant.
" Aderant forte tunc ex Bledicis Regiis omnino duo, qui, ut tanto Re- gum optimi periculo mature prospicerent, venam ei in brachio dextro apcrucrunt, sanguinisquc eduxerunt uncias circiter sedecim.
ORIGINAL LETTEKS. 1^
" Interim et caeteri Medici, per celerrimos nuncios advocati, in Regis subsidium convolarunt; habitoque inter se consilio, oninem navarunt opcram, ut periclitanti Majestati suppetias ferrent praesentaneas." *•*•*♦
On the morning of the G"". it is said,
" Caeterum (Eheu !) intempesta jam nocte S. R. vires usque adco iii- fractffi videbantur, ut totus Medicorum Chorus ab omni spe destitu- tus animum desponderit ; ne tamen uUa in re officio suo vidercntur deesse, generosissimum illud Cardiacum instituunt
52 Antidoti Raleighance Jj. Julap. Perlat. cochL 5. Sp. Salis Armoniac. succinat. g". XX. M. statim propinentur.
" Novissimo huic moestissimoque Medicorum Conventui aderant, C. Scarbui^h, E. Dickenson, E. Browne, R. Brady, T. Short, C. Farell, T. Witherby, T. Millington, R. liower, P. Barwick, J. Le Febure.
" Aderat etiam inclytus ille heros, Regis frater unicus Regnique op- timo jure haeres, Jacobus hinc Eboraci quidem et Albanite Dux illustris- simus, hodie vero Britanniarum augustissimus Monarcha, qui summa in Regem pietate et plusquam fratemo amore afFectus, de illius salute usque adeo sollicitus fuit, ut a decumbentis lecto vix unquam decedere sustinuerit, nunc totus in luctu versans, nunc sedulus cxequendis Medi- corum consiliis ipsemct invigilans alias ab Archiatro Ccrlesti opcm auxi- liumque ardentissimis precibus votisque et gemitibus subinde eifusis im- plorans, ut omnibus constiterit maluisse ipsum charissimi fratris consor- tio perfrui, quam Sceptro, frustra reluctantibus Fatis. Nam post tot amicorum vota et suspiria, post omne genus medelse a fidissimis juxta et eruditissimis Medicis tentatum, Regum optimus orthopnaea lethali ex improviso correptus, quae cum subinde violentiam remitteret, mox acrius recrudesceret, fomite mali perpetuo superstite, tandem toto naturae roborc dolorum immanitate attrito, mortalcm coronam placide dcposuit, ut ac- ciperet immortalem.
^' Expiravit Fcbruar. sexto paulo post meridiem, anno aetatis quiuqua- gcsimo quarto ad finem decurrente."
The following is the Account of the Opening of the Body :
" In Caroli Sccundi augustissimi Britanniarum Regis Corpore aperto pot^t mortem reperiebantur,
1". In cerebri cortice Venae et Arteriae super modum replctae.
2". Cerebri turn ventriculi omnes serosa quadam materia inundati, tuni ijisa substantia consimili humore baud leviter imbuta.
',V\ Thoraci dextri Uteris Pulmoues Pleurae tenaciter adiucrcntcs, sini.s«
7.6 OEIGINAL LETTERS.
Ik
tra vero plane liberi, quemadmodum ex Naturae instituto in sanis esse solet.
4°. Pulmonum substantia neutiquam culpanda quidem sed sanguine referta.
5°. Cor amplum firmumque, et in omnibus rectissime formatum.
6°. In infimo ventre nihil praeter naturale, nisi quod hepatis color ad lividitatem inclinaret, forte a sanguinis inibi restitantis pleonasmo, quo renes et lien cernebantur suflParcinati."
The total of the " Medicorum Chorus," as appears from the Sig- natures to the different Prescriptions, included also the Doctors, Gu. Charleton, Edm. King, C. Frazier, Fer. Mendes, and M. Lister. In all
SIXTEEN.
In the preceding Series the death-bed scene of King Charles THE Second, surrounded by the Protestant Bishops, has been fully described. Nevertheless it is equally undoubted that he received the rites of the Romish Church the day before his death.
Dr. Birch, among his Papers bequeathed to the Museum, has a copy of a Letter from one J. Aprice, to his brother-in-law Mr. William Lyn- wood of Deane in Northamptonshire, detailing Father Hudleston's Account to him of his administering extreme unction to the King. Dr. Birch has added a " Note of the Bishop of Lincoln" at the end, in these words : " The original Letter is now in the hands of Mrs. Eyre of Stamford, and J. Aprice abovementioned was a Romish priest and relation of hers, as was also Mr. Lynwood to whom the Letter was written."
It is not generally known, however, that Father Hudleston's own Ac- count is extant in print, published under the patronage of James the Second and the Queen Dowager, in a Work of which the following is the Title :
" A Short and Plain Way to the Faith and Church : composed many years since by tJiat eminent Divine Mr. Richard Hudleston of the English Congregation of the Order of St. Benedict ; and now published for the common good, by his nephew Mr. Jo. Hudleston of the same Congregation. To which is annexed his late Majesty King Charles the Second his Papers found in his Closet after his decease. As also a Brief Account of what occurred on his Death-Bed in re- jgard to Religion. Permissu Superiorum." London, 1688, quarto.
The dedication of this Tract is " To the Queen Dowager." John Hudleston declares himself, in it, to have been in Her Majesty's service from the time of her first Accession, and that the Book which had been written by his uncle was first seen by him " in his retirement at JMoscley in Stafibrdshirc."
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 77
The Dedication is followed by " The Publisher (John Hudleston himself) to the Reader." Hudleston here gives an Account of his Uncle's life and Studies, and states that the Work, the title of which has been just copied, was instrumental in King Charles the Second's conversion. He then says,
" There are none so ignorant who have not heard of the defeat of his late Majesty's Army by the Rebels at Worcester, on the 3^. September 1651 ; and of the then Preservation of His sacred life and person by the care and fidelity of his catholic subjects, of whom I acknowledge myself the most unworthy. In this sad conjuncture it was, that thd desolate King after having been harassed to and fro. Night and Day, in continual fatigues and perils, from Wednesday the day of the battle till Sunday following, at last found an Asylum and Refuge at M'. Whit- grave's House at Moseley, whither divine Providence, not long before, brought me, and where I had first the honor of attending upon him. During this retreat, whilst M'. Whitgrave, his Lady, and Mother, (who alone of all the Household were privy to the secret) were often busied in watching and other discharges of their duty towards his accommodation and safeguard, His Majesty was pleased to entertain himself for the most part with me in my chamber, by perusing several of my books, amongst others he took up this present Treatise then a Manuscript, lying on the table of a closet adjacent to my Chamber. He read it ; he seriously con- sidered it ; and after mature deliberation pronounced this Sentence upon it (viz.) ' I have not seen any thing more plain and clear upon this sub- ' ject : the Arguments here drawn from succession are so conclusive, I ' do not conceive how they can be denied.' Now that this was not any sudden motion or superficial compliment of His JIajesty, but the pro- duct of a real and solid conviction is manifest by the tenor and gravity of the words themselves ; by the Papers found in his Closet after his de- cease under his own hand, which seem even to the very manner of ex- pression to breathe the same spirit and genius with that of the book ; and lastly by those truly Christian Catholic resolutions he took (albeit through frailty late) in disposing himself for an happy departure out of this World by an entire reconcilement to God and the Church."
At the end of the Tract, p. 31. we have Copies of Two Papers written by the late King Charles II. of " blessed memory." •
The first concerns the Declaration of the King that the Roman Ca- tholic is the only true Church. At the close of it is this Attestation.
" This is a true Copy of a Paper I found in the late King my Bro- ther's strong Box, written in his own hand.
J. R."
• These have heeii printed more than once.
78 OEIGINAI/ LETTEUS.
The second is to the same effect, showing that the Roman Catholic is the true Church " from whence there can be no Appeal." Attested " This is a true Copy.
J. R."
Afterward comes
" A Brief Account of Particulars occurring at the
HAPPY DEATH OF OUR LATE SOVEREIGN LoRD KING CHARLES THE 2''. IN REGARD TO RELIGION ; FAITHFULLY RELATED BY HIS
THEN Assistant Mr. Jo. HUDLESTON.
" Upon Thursday the Fifth of February, 1685, between Seven and Eight a Clock in the Evening, I was sent for in hast to the Queen's Back-stairs at Whitehal, and desired to bring with me all things necessary for a dying Person. Accordingly I came, and was order'd not to stir from thence till further notice. Being thus obliged to wait, and not having had time to bring along with me the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar, I was in some anxiety how to procure it : In this conjuncture (the Di- vine Providence so disposing) Father Bento de Lemos a Portuguez came thither, and understanding the circumstance I was in, readily profer'd himself to go to S'. James's and bring the most Holy Sacrament along with him.
" Soon after his departure I was call'd into the King's Bed Chamber, where approaching to the bed side, and kneeling down, I in brief pre- sented his Majesty with what service I could perform for God's honor, and the happiness of his Soul at this last moment on which Eternity depends. The King then declared himself: That he desired to die in the Faith and Communion of the Holy Roman Catholic Church ; That he was most heartily sorry for all the Sins of his life past, and particu- larly for that he had deferred his Reconciliation so long ; That through the Merits of Christ's passion he hoped for Salvation ; That he was in charity with all the world ; That with all his heart he pardoned his Ene- mies and desired pardon of all those whom he had any wise offended, and that if it pleased God to spare him longer life, he would amend it, detesting all Sin.
" I then advertis'd His Majesty of the benefit and necessity of the SaCrainent of Penance, which advertisement the King most willingly embracing, made an exact Confession of his whole Life with exceeding compunction and tenderness of heart; which ended, I desired him, in farther sign of Repentance and true sorrow for his Sins, to say with me this little short Act of Contrition.
" ' O my Lord God, with my whole heart and soul I detest all the ' Sins of my Life past for the Love of Thee, whom I love above all ' things ; and I firmly purpose by thy Holy Grace never to offend thee
ORIGIXAL LETTERS. 79
' more, Amen, sweet Jesus, Amen. Into thy hands, sweet Jesus, I com- ' mend my Soul; Mercy, sweet Jesus, Mercy.*
" This he pronounced with a clear and audible voice, which done, and his sacramental penance admitted, I gave him Absolution.
" After some time thus spent, I asked His Majesty if he did not also desire to have the other Sacraments of the Holy Church administred to him ? He replyed, ' By all means 1 desire to be partaker of all the helps ' and succours necessary and expedient for a catholic Christian in my ' condition,' I added, ' And doth not your Majesty also desire to receive the pretious Body and Blood of our dear Saviour Jesus Christ in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist ?' His answer was this : ' If I am worthy, pray fail not to let me have it.' I then told him, it would be brought to him very speedily, and desired His Majesty, that, in the interim, he would give me leave to proceed to the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, he replyed, ' With all my heart ;' I then anoyled him, which as soon as pcrform'd I was cal'd to the door, whither the Blessed Sacra- ment was now brought and delivered to me.
" Then returning to the King, I entreated His Majesty that he would prepare and dispose himself to receive. At which the King raising up himself, said, ' Let me meet my Heavenly Lord in a better posture than in my bed.' But I humbly begg'd His Majesty to repose himself: God Almighty who saw his heart, would accept of his good intention. The King then having again recited the forementioned Act of Contrition with me, he received the most Holy Sacrament for his Viaticum with all the symptoms of devotion imaginable. The Communion being ended, I read the usual Prayers termed ' the Re commendation of the Soul,' ap- pointed by the Church for Catholics in his condition. After which the King desired the Act of Contrition : ' O my Lord God,' &c. to be re- peated : this done, for his last spiritual encouragement I said,
" 'Your Majesty hath now received the Comfort and Benefit of all the Sacraments that a good Christian (ready to depart out of this World) can liave or desire. Now it rests only. That you think upon the Death and Passion of our dear Saviour Jesus Christ, of which I present unto you this figure' (shewing him a Crucifix) ; ' lift up therefore the Eyes of your Soul, and represent to yourself your sweet Saviour here crucified : bowing down his head to kiss you : his arms stretched out to embrace you : his body and members all bloody and pale with death to redeem you : and, as you see him dead and fixed upon the Cross for your re- demption, so have his remembrance fixed and fresh in your heart : be- seech him, with all humility, that his most precious blood may not be shed in vain for you : and that it will please him by the merits of his bitter death and passion to pardon and forgive you all your Offences : and finally to receive your Soul into his blessed hands ; and when it shall
80 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
please him to take it out of this transitory World, to grant you a joyfull Resurrection and an eternal Crown of Glory in the next. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.'
" So, recommending His Majesty on my knees, with all the transport of Devotion I was able, to the divine mercy and protection, I withdrew out of the Chamber.
" In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my Name.
JO. HUDLESTON."
The Editor has been informed that in a Diary still extant of Philip Earl of Chesterfield, who was immediately about the person of King Charles the Second, the particulars of father Hudleston's admission to the King on this occasion are recorded. M. Barillon, also, in his Letter to Louis the Fourteenth, printed in the Appendix to Mr. Fox's History of the Early Part of the Reign of James the Second, written im- mediately after Charles's death, corroborates Hudleston's Narrative in the main facts. Hudleston's introduction to the King was certainly in- tended to have been a secret, but Barillon very properly believed that it could not long be kept : " cependant les femmes de la Reine, et les au- tres pretres, ont vu tant d'allees et de venues, que je ne pense pas que le secret puisse etre long tems garde." Barillon says, that Hudleston had a wig and cassock to disguise him : " on lui donna une perruque et una cassaque pour le deguiser." The Duke of York who introduced him to the King said, " Sire, voici un homme qui vous a sauve la vie, et qui vient a cette heure pour sauver votre ame. Le Roi repondit, qu''il soil le bieti venu.^' Hudleston's Interview lasted for three quarters of an hour.
LETTERS
THE REIGNS OF
KING JAMES THE SECOND,
AND
K. WILLIAM AND QUEEN MARY.
VOL. IV. SER. 2.
The Letters of the Reigns of KING JAMES the SECOND and KING WILLIAM and QUEEN IMARY are here combined, not only because it is impossible to separate one Reign from the other at the immediate moment of the Revolution, but because King James retained possession of a part of his Irish territory till the Battle of the Boyne drove him finally from his Dominions.
Of the Reign of KING WILLIAM alone, Two Letters only are given.
Those which relate to the Revolution tell the daily story of their time. A political Change of such importance never perhaps took place in any Country with less of violence and bloodshed. Public Feeling was certainly moderated, if it was not entirely subdued, by the recollections of the Great Rebellion.
ORIGIKAL LETTERS. 85
LETTER CCCXXVI.
to Mr. Ellis, Secretary of the Re- venue in Ireland. Hampden said to be reprieved. Some of the Bishops JaUing out qfjavour.
[ms. dokat. 4194. pag. 1. Orig.'\
*0* This with numerous other Letters in the Donation Volume, 4194, many of which are here transcribed, are without the signature of the writer. The Post-marks, however, authenticate the transmission of the Letters, and a Seal of Arms upon two or three, affords a presumption that the name of the writer must have been the same with that of the person to whom the Letters were sent. The Arms are those of Ellis of the West Riding of Yorkshire. The writer was probably a cousin to the Secretary of the Revenue in Ireland ; from passages in one or two of the Letters he could not have been a brother. He held a post about the Go- vernment, and in one or two instimces mentions himself as attending King James's Levies.
London, Jan. 5'^ 168 ^ Dear Sir,
I HAD yours of the 19'^ I suppose, but it bore no
date. I hope your Lord Lieutenant is safely arrived
by this time, though some of our inspired folks said
on Saturday he was cast away, and he could not be
at the water-side till Thursday evening. The whole
discourse both in City and amongst the under-spurr-
leathers of the Court is that Hambden is to die on
Friday, a but he himself has better knowledge of what
• John Hampden, Esq. He had been arraifpied for hiRh-treason, a» connected with Lord Russel, and had pleaded guilty.
a 2
84
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
usage he is likely to receive from Court ; and I am well informed that the warrant that they say was signed for his execution was a reprieve; though in the Re- corder"'s Roll of the condemned, his name was crossed amongst the designed for execution. A strong report now goes likewise of a Session of Parliament ; but those behind the curtain say not. I apprehend Dela- mer in much danger ; his trial comes on on Thursday next week.
The Bishop of London's fame runs high in the vogue of the people. The London pulpits ring strong peals against Popery ; and I have lately heard there never were such eminently able men to serve in those cures. The Lord Almoner Ely is thought to stand upon too narrow a base now in his Majesty's favor, ^ from a late violent Sermon on the Fifth of November. I saw him yesterday at the King's Levy, and very httle notice taken of him, which the more confirms what I heard. Our old friend the new Bishop St. John gave a smart answer to a (no very well put) Question of his
M with respect to him, that shows he is not
altogether formed of court-clay ; but neither you nor I shall withdraw either of our friendship for him on such an account.
We have still whispers of new Law men : Chief
» Francis Turner bishop of Ely. He liad preached the Sermon at King James the Second's Coronation. He was discovered to have corresponded with the Court of St. Germains. and in 1690 was deprived for refusing to take the oaths to King William and Queen Mary.
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 85
Justice, Attorney, and Solicitor General: but who succeeds I can [not] hear yet further than that Allibone says he will do fine things in a great place. The latter end of next month we are likely to see you. I hear of rare matters putting in order in Scotland; Religious Houses settled ; &c. : but more of that hereafter as I hear the bruit of it. Leml'. Kingdon is patching up again. Adieu in haste.
For John Ellis, Esq. Secretary of his Majesty's Revenue in Ireland, Dublin.
LETTER CCCXXVII.
The same to the same. Hampden reprieved. The Bishop of London in disgrace. A Pardon granted to Roman Catholic Officers for fiolding their com- mands without talcing the Test.
[ibid. p. 3. Ong.\
January 9"'. 168^.
Sir,
I THANK you for your last Letter. I gave the in- closed to Sam, who is well, and we drank your health to-day at friend Colletts. I suppose it will be no news to tell you that Mr. Hambden is reprieved, and it is believed will be pardoned; or that my Lord Bishop
86 ORIGINAL LETTEBS.
of London a is no longer a Privy Councillor or Dean of the Chapel, which places the Bishop of Durham fills. Yesterday a Proclamation was ordered for the pro- roguing the Parliament till 10'''. May next ; and then not to sit unless there be special occasion. This day came into our office a Pardon for the Roman Catholic Officers now in the Army of all pains and forfeitures incurred by their holding their commands without taking the Test, &c. and a dispensation for them to hold their commands for the future, notwithstanding the Acts for the taking the Test and Oaths of Alle- giance and Supremacy, &c. Lord Delamere comes to his trial on Thursday next, for which a scaffold is pre- paring in Westminster Hall.
For John Ellis, Esq.
Custom-House, Dublin.
LETTER CCCXXVIII.
The same to the same. The Trial and Acquittal of Lord Delamere.
[ibid. p. 9. Orig.'\
*^" Henry Booth, Lord Delamere, was accused of acting in con- junction with the Duke of Monmouth. Lord Orford says he narrowly escaped the fury of JefFeries, who was high-steward upon his trial : but
• Henry Compton, youngest son of Spencer earl of Northampton, was translated from the See of Oxford to London, Dec. 18th, 1675.
ORIGINAL LETTERS. ^7
Speaker Onslow, in a note to the last edition of Burnet's History of his Own Times says, that JefFeries behaved himself with a decency and a dignity upon this trial which he had never shown before. Lord Dela- mere was afterwards one of those who planned the Revolution. Yet "William had little affection for him : he made him Earl of Warrington in 1690, but afterwards dismissed him to gratify the Tories.
16 Jan. 168^.
On Thursday Lord Delamer came to his Trial in Westminster Hall before his Peers, who were twenty six in all. They unanimously acquitted him. The evidences against him were very many, and the cir- cumstances very numerous and presumptive ; yet there happened to be but one positive witness (and he a very suspicious one) whose testimony was invalidated by a cloud of others for the Lord, who made a very notable defence, and being well skilled in our Laws, and withall a good spokesman, gave all the advantage to his cause, and good entertainment to his auditors.
It is said the King hath already ordered that Evi- dence (called Saxton-'') to be tried for perjury; and when he hath got his reward for that, he will be sent into the West to be tried for high- treason as having been in the Rebellion.
This fellow also was the chief, if not only evidence against Sir Robert Cotton and Mr. Offley, upon whose testimony the bills of high misdemeanor were found against them at Chester.
* * # # #
« 1 1 should be Saxon, edit.
88 OKIGINAL LETTERS.
LETTER CCCXXIX.
Samuel de Paz to John Ellis, Esq. Lord Delamere has an audience of the King: False Reports of Quo Warrantos issued against Cathedral Churches. Mrs, Sedley to he Countess of Dorchester. Sir Henry Waldegrave to be Baron Waldegrave.
[ibid. p. 11. Orig.^
Whitehall, 19 Jan. 168|.
▼ ^ vr ^ ^
My Lord Delamer was admitted last Saturday to kiss the King's hand, when his Majesty was pleased to give him warning as to his future behaviour. The Gazette tells you of the Orders already given for the proceeding against Saxon for perjury.
iU- ^ ^ ^ ^
The King has shewn great concern at the false reports spread abroad of Quo Warrantos being out against Cathedral Churches and the like, and in order to prevent the ill consequences of such like false re- ports, all possible care is taking for the suppressing of all seditious Newspapers, or Letters commonly read in Coffee-Houses and sent about to poison the Country.
Mrs. Sidley is making Countess of Dorchester, »
• Catharine daughter of Sir Charles Sedley, Bart, was created Countess of Dor-
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 89
and Sir Henry Walgrave (married to Mrs. ChurchilFs daughter) a Baron of his own name.''* Dear Sir,
Your most humble and most obedient servant,
SAM. DE PAZ.
Mr. Ellis.
LETTER CCCXXX.
to Mr. Ellis. Mantaffue Hcruse burnt.
Mr. Harbor d ordered to surrender.
[ibid. p. 12. Orig.]
Whitehall, the 21 Jan. 168|. On Wednesday at one in the morning a sad fire happened at Montague House in Bloomsbury, occa- sioned by the Steward"'s airing some hangings, &c. in expectation of my Lord Mountague''s return home, and sending afterwards a woman to see that the fire-pans with charcoal were removed, which she told him she
Chester, Jan. 2<>. 1685-6- Burnet says much upon the agitation which the advance- ment of this Lady to the Peerage brought upon the Queen and the Romish priests.
Mrs. Sedley was as little restrained In her conversation as the Lady Castlcmainc had been ; and was so far from beautiful in face, that Charles the Second used to say, his brother " had her by way of penance." She afterwards espoused the Earl of Portmore, and died in 17 IT.
» .Sec the former Scries of these Letters, vol. iii. p. 32<(.
90 OKIGINAL LETTERS.
had done though she never came there. The loss that my Lord Mountague has sustained by this accident is estimated at d£'40,000, besides .£'6000 in plate, and my Lord Devonshire's loss in pictures, hangings, and other furniture is very considerable.
The Earl of Arran is very dangerously ill.
A Privy Seal is sent to Mr. William Harbord, com- manding him to appear within fourteen days before some of his Majesty's Privy Council, upon his alle- giance.
LETTER CCCXXXL
The same to the same. Public News. Countess of Dorchester. The Princess Anne. Pepys.
[ibid. p. 35. Orig.'l
London, April 6 »'. 1686. Yours per the 5"^. of last month came on Saturday hither per the boat we concluded lost. The busy time of Devotion is now over here. His Majesty, God bless him ! one of the zealousest. Ten hours in a day some- times. The Court returns from St. James's to White- hall to-morrow, and go not to Windsor till the middle of May ; when, also, the Camp opens at Hounslow. Our sparks all go for Hungary to-morrow. D. Ha-
1
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 91
miltou, Lieut. Gen. Drummond, &c. come to town this evening ; sent for I imagine. It will end in his Grace becoming Commander of Scotland, though the common vogue is, he was sent for to be chidden for the method of his management since he became a Commissioner of the Treasury there. Our Ministers of State have all retired likewise this holy season ; Lord Chancellor to his Country House near Uxbridge, Lord Treasurer to Twitnam, Lord Sunderland to Althrope; either for their private satisfaction in their consciences, or to avoid showing in town whether they have any or no.
I imagine your Countess Dorchester will speedily move hitherward, for her house is furnishing very fine in St. James's Square, and a seat taking for her in the new consecrated St. Anne's Church. The French King is not right yet, though little is said of him. Madame de Maintenon makes all the applications to him that he stands in need of.
I hear poor Pr. Anne is sadly teased about a new
declaration in matters of so that at last it is
agreed to, after lying in. But I hope it may not be thus. Say nothing of it.
New equipage in great splendor is every where to be seen, especially their Majesties. Her Majesty is won- derfully glorious in her own apparrel.
Here is arrived an Italian Prince of Piombino, the greatest spendthrift in the world reckoned, for he has consumed the greatest part of a matrimonial estate of
92 OEIGINAL LETTERS.
150,000-'. per annum, and the Treasure of Three Popes. So it seems not that we need fear his poHticks.
This next Term I am like to be confined hither, and then what I shall do I know not. Lord Or — and Oss — come next week. If their favour help not, I will see you for a little to wind up a mean bottom very indifferently worth my while ; and so go for Paris, and with my Lord Denbigh into Italy in the winter.
I hope you will succeed in your design of removal hither; but these Lords keeping thus out of town, puts us both out of our way. Phil has many wonderful kind expressions from the King, so that I imagine some room in the Navy (where they rowle in money) might be found. So I advise you to solicit hard and court kindly. Sure Pepys would value Lord Ossory's re- commendation at no mean rate, though Eure and he together neglect all where money chinks not.^ You may be sure of me on all occasions.
« Samuel Pepys, Esq. with whose Memoirs the world has been so recently de- lighted, is the person here alluded to. He was Clerk of the Acts of the Navy. Eure, as he is called, was William Hewer, Esq. a Commissioner of the Admiralty, who had been Pepys's servant.
There is another Letter in the same Volume dated London, April 10*. 1686, which speaks in stronger terms. The writer says, " I shall urge your monkish brother all
I can, and imagine his personal interest in will do. He tells me he discoursed
Pepys about the matter who told him all was settled. I know the griping temper of lK)th him and Eure, and what rates every poor boson (boatswain) pays for what he has purchased with his blood and many years hardship."
One cannot upon this occasion refrain from adverting to some passages in Pepys's Diary, even at an earlier period, which show how rapidly he obtained his wealth.
Junes*. 1660. "At sermon in the morning; after dinner into my cabin to cast my accounts up, and find myself to be worth near 100?. for which I bless Almighty God, it being more than I hoped for so soon, being I believe not clearly worth 2il. when I come to sea besides my house and goods." vol. i. p. S6.
Dec. 1660-1. " Myself in constant good health, and in a most handsome and thriving condition. Blessed be Almighty God for it." vol. i. p. 88.
Oct. 30*. 1003. " To my great sorrow find myself isi. worse than I was the last
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 93
Your new Chancellor is on the road, and I am going to sup with Will Legg, Governor of Kinsale, who follows him to-morrow.
LETTER CCCXXXII.
The same to the same. Judges and Serjeants changed. Disorders in London on account of Popery,
[ibid. p. 44. Orig.^
London, April Tl^K 86.
•H, * * Ht *
Here are a new set of Judges and Serjeants, such as they are. For their names I refer you to the Ga- zettes, and for their virtues to those that know them better. Solicitor General was put out on Saturday, and Powis in his room, a very young counsellor, but a cozen and careful man in Christian causes. The At-
month, which was then 760/. nnd now it is but 7 IT/. But it hath chiefly arisen from my layings out, in clothes for myself and wife." vol. i. p. 247.
Dec. 30'''. 1665. " All the afternoon to my accounts, and then find myself to my great joy, a great deal worth above 4000/. for which the Lord be praised ! and is principally occasioned by my getting 500/. of Cocke, for my profit in his bargains of prize goods, and from M'. Gauden's making nie a present of 500/. more, when I paid him 800/. for Tangier. 81". Thus ends this year, to my great jcy, in this manner. I have raised my estate from 1300/. in this year to 4400/." vol. i. p. 384.
Dec. 81, 1666. " To my accounts wherein at last I find them clear and right ; but to my great discontent do find that my gettings this year have been 578/. less than my last: it being this year in all but 2986/.; whereas, the last, I got 8560/. Blessed be God ! and I pray God make me thankful for it, I do find myself worth in money, all good, above 6200/. Thus ends this year of public wonder and mischief to this nation." vol. i. p. 497.
94 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
toriiey is threatened, but yet keeps within the Bar. Many more new matters are let fly abroad to see how they will relish, that they may be given to chew.
On Sunday, the London hot-heads were bantering Mr. Sandford's Chapel, got away a cross, and set it by a pump, paying very disorderly adoration to it, with holloaing, and then going back and taking a crucifix, and saying they would have no wooden gods wor- shipped. These frighting the priest, but not hurting him. Then comes the Lord Mayor and commands the peace. The answer was in a scornful way. ' What ! the I^ord Mayor of our city come to preach up popery ! too sure, it cannot be !' Then the guard militia was ordered to send the rabble away ; and asking what they meant, the answer w;as, ' Only pulling down popery ,"■ and their return was, ' If that be all, we can- not in conscience hinder.' But vespers not going on in the chapel, they dispersed. By next Sunday more matters may occur.
The King went hence on Monday his water voyage to visit the ships at Chatham, and returns not till Thursday ; and I shall not wonder if the Scotch regi- ment of guards now quartering at Greenwich be quar- tered in Cheapside before this week is out.
More comes to my knowledge than the common talk of a letter will bear, or than ordinary reason would put there.
Twenty thousand swords lately seized in Stockton
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 95
in YOTkshlre, and many people buzzing about ; and from Holland the Amsterdam caballers have sent spies that have very lately escaped here.
I suspect old Macclesfield has put his blundering brains to work, and they will dash out his son's if he have any : for it is not his fault, but father's flight that keeps him in fetters. »
The Court cares not to stir hence till the latter end of May, and the King himself encamps with his army. 1 will say more as to yourself on Saturday.
LETTER CCCXXXIII.
The same to the same. King James drinks the Church of England as established by Law. The Judgment in the Case (^ Sir Edward Hales.
[ibid. p. 48. Orig.'\
June 22d. 86. # # # * *
The King they say dined in the camp, and in my
• Charles Gerrard, Lord Gerrard of Brandon. He was first made Earl of Newbury by King Charles the Second, who afterwards, in 16T9, changed his earldom for that of Macclesfield. H'm flight from justice is noticed in a Proclamation dated fh>m Windsor, Sept. 7'^. 168S. In the a"". James II'i. he was convicted of high-treason, and sentenced to die, but was afterwards pardoned. He subsequently fled to Holland whilst Monmouth was preparing for his expedition, and thence to Germany, whence he returned to the Hague in 1688, to take part in the preparations of the Prince of Orange. See Onnerod's Hist, of Cheshire, vol. i. Introd. p. xlii. note. Kennet's Hist. Engl. vol. iii. pp. 443, 488.
96 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
Lord Dunbarton's tent the other day ; where after his and the Queen's health had gone round, His Majesty was pleased to renew his kindness to the Church of England, by beginning a health to it as established by Law.
The judgment in the case of Sir Edward Hales is gone for His Majesty, and one of the arguments and reasons for it as I am told, is, that what the act enjoins in that case, being a service or ceremony relating to His Majesty, he may in his prerogative royal dispense with it. a
LETTER CCCXXXIV.
The same to the same. The Appointment of Lords Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction.
[ibid. p. 59. Orig.]
17 July, 86. In return for your kind letter of the 7''i. I have not much to send you worthy your curiosity. What takes
• " An Action was brought" (against Sir Edward Hales) "on thestat. 25<i'. Cha. II, c. 2. for the penalty of 500?. on account of his executing the office of a Colonel of Foot without taking the Communion, Oaths, and Test; to which the Defendant pleaded, he had a dispensation under the broad seal to act, no}i obstante the statute : to this the Plaintiff demurred, and in conclusion, judgment was given for the De- fendant that his plea was good." Life of King James the Second, publ. by Dr. J. S. Clarke, vol. ii. p. 82. Sir Edward Hales, after the Prince of Orange's arrival, fol- lowed the fortunes of King James.
ORIGINAL LETTKIIS. 97
up most men here is a new Commission that His Ma- jesty hath issued out, whereby he is pleased to consti- tute Seven Lords Commissioners for executing and exercising all Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction : viz. the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of Durham, and Bishop of Rochester, Lord Chancellor, Lord Trea- surer, Lord President, and Lord Chief Justice Her- bert. They have power and authority to visit and correct all offences, to enquire of any misdemeanors against the ecclesiastical laws, and to punish the same offenders by suspension, deprivation, and excommuni- cation, and other church censures, according as they in justice shall think meet; to examine into all irre- gularities and immoralities punishable by church laws, and even into Disorders in Marriages ; and to call before them and punish any offenders, or any that shall seem to be suspected persons ; to cite and swear wit- nesses; to punish the obstinate and disobedient; to tax and condemn in costs the party prosecuting or prosecuted ; to have a Register (who is Mr. Bridgman), and a Common Seal with the circumscription of Si- gillum Dominorum Commissariorum S, R. Majestatis ad Causas Ecclesiasticas. For all this Three are to be of the quorum, whereof Lord Chancellor to be one. They are farther to cause all Universities, Colleges, Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, to bring up their charters and statutes when required, and the same to alter as they see cause, and to add to or diminish from
VOL. IV. SER. 2. ir
98 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
the same; and where there is room, to make such sta- tutes as any five of them shall think meet, notwith- standing any law, statute, &c. to the contrary. This is the purport of it as far as I can remember.
We know not yet who succeeds the Bishop of Ox- ford. Doctors South, Hooper, Aldridge, Levett, and Dr. Parker are talked of; the last stands fair with the King and is now at Court. ^ Lords of Powys, Arrun- del, Bellasis, and Dover are said to be this day ad- mitted of the Council at Hampton Court.
Mr. Ellis.
LETTER CCCXXXV.
The same to the same. Bishop Compton called before
the Lords Commissioners.
[ms. donat. mus. BRIT. 4194. fol. 69. Orig.'\
*^* In " the Life of King James the Second collected out of Memoirs writ of his own hand," we read, " It was not long after the opening of the Commission, that D^ Sharp, rector of S'. Giles, was complained of for using reflecting expressions on the King and his government ; upon which His Majesty ordered the Bishop of London to suspend him."
lO^K Aug. 86. Yesterday Lord Bishop of London appeared be- fore the Commissioners, who told him he was to answer
» Samuel Parker, D. D. was consecrated bishop of Oxford October 17'K 1686. He died March 20'''. 1C87. His Histoiy of his own lime from icco to icso, is sufficiently known.
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 99
to this Question, ' Why he disobeyed the. King in not suspending D' . Sharp when his Majesty commanded ?'' His Lordship saiji, he hoped it was no disobedience to say he could not do it without a judicial Act. But, the better to frame his 4-nswer, he desired he might have. First, a Copy of their Lordships' Commission ; Second, his Charge in writing ; and a longer time to answer to it.
First, the Lords told him, that no Courts granted Copies of their Commission, and that this had passed all the offices to the Great Seal, whence he might easily get a copy : Second, that there was no libel given in in this case, that the proceedings were as in the like cases summary and ore tenus, and the charge being but a plain easy question, he might give it as plain an answer upon the place. Third, that they thought any long time to be urmecessary. However, that they would allow his Lordship till next Monday.
H 2
100 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
LETTER CCCXXXVI.
The same to the same. The Duke of Ormond. Father Peters. Lord Tyrconnel.
[ms. DONAT. 4194. fol. 91. Orig.^
London, Nov. 30*. 1686. Dear Sir, I FOUND yours of the 10*. here when I came* last Thursday and had writ on Saturday last that I knew httle what to write, especially Lord Duke of Or- mond being out of Town in Hampshire to see a house which he has a mind to purchase, but I think will not, though he is very much bent upon having a decent country-house in some sporting part of the Kingdom. After a little discourse with his grace, I brought you in, and how desirous you were to be beholden to him for a transportation hither. He said he doubted the difficulty would be great ; and stumbled at doing for me what he formerly promised ; so that I left him but indifferently satisfied. I must work as well as I can. My Dartmouth interest too is at a very low ebb. The
Jesuit Jack Peters is very great and Tyr works
by him. This High-Priest has the lodgings in White- hall which were the King's whilst Duke. Tyr
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
101
makes all the visible preparations for the chief govern- ment of your kingdom, as coaches, plate, beds, &c. and Tho. Sheridan his chief secretary. This is the public vogue, but no other signs, no declaration in Council, nor any thing in the offices ; and WilL Shaw is confident he wont go this twelvemonth ; what reason he has for his confidence I cannot see. »
* * # # #
If Tyr. comes, the Royal Chap, of Christ Church is in a fine way.
Direct to Mr. Wynnes in Germain Street.
LETTER CCCXXXVII.
The same to the same. The Affliction qftlie Princess of Denmark.
[ms. donat. MU8. BBIT. 4194. foL 1 18. Orig.\
5'!'. Feb. 168|. The beginning of February proves still fatal and unlucky to us here. Upon the st^cond, the late King
• The Earl of Tyrconnell went for Ireland Jan. 11'''. 168|- with hig Majesty's Com- mission as Deputy of tliat Kingdom ; the Commission not to be in force till after fo\irteen Days of his arrival there: Lord Tyrconnell carrying at the same time a letter from the King to the Lord Lieutenant, that he should be constituted in the interim the Lord Lieutenant's Deputy, that the Lord Lieutenant might come away in that quality, and have no greater person there than himself while he staid. Letter of Jan. U'h.
102 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
sickened, and upon the same, three days ago, died the Lady Ann Sophia youngest daughter of the Princess of Denmark, to the great grief of us all, and the more as that it happened upon the heels of a miscarriage, ^ and that the eldest daughter Lady Mary lies de- sperately ill. All this put together, may, I am afraid, too sensibly affect the Princess herself.
***** We are told L. Tyre is driven back to Neston.'*
LETTER CCCXXXVIII.
The same to the same. The Birth of' the Prince^
[ms. DONAT. BRIT. Mus. 4194 p. 201. Orig.^
l^fh. June 88. Dear Sir,
In return of all your favours from thence I can send you now the joyful news of a Prince of Wales. God continue it to us. It is a brave lusty boy, and like to live. Nothing but this happy incident could have justled that of the Bishops so soon out of our thoughts. What will become of them I know not. Thanks for yours of the 1**.
Mr. Ellis.
• In a previous Letter of the same writer it is mentioned that the Princess had miscarried January the 2l«. ^ The news of Lord Tyrconnell'o arrival at Dublin came to England. Feb. T^.
ORIGINAL LETTERS.
103
LETTER CCCXXXIX.
The same to the same. D. ofMonmoutKs Citaplain pardoned.
[M8. DOKAT. MU8. BHIT. 4194. fol. 208. Or%g.\
June 21«t. 1688.
# # * * *
On the 19 ''. was a Trial at Westminster Hall be- tween the Earl of Lincoln and several Pawnbrokers who had received divers parcels of his goods that had been stolen. The Earl indicted them upon an Action of conspiracy with the Thieves, and upon hearing of the matter the Court was very ill satisfied with those sorts of Cattle called Pawnbrokers, alias receivers of stolen goods, and declared them to be one of the ble- mishes of the government.
# ♦ * » » Nathaniel Hook, the late Duke of Monmouth his
Chaplain, who was concerned in the Rebellion, and hath ever since skulked up and down without being able to obtain his pai'don, threw himself lately at His Majesty's feet, desiring His Majesty's pardon, or to be speedily tried and executed ; since now life itself, as well as the sense of his guilt, was wearisome to him ; whereupon His Majesty thought fit to extend his gra- cious pardon to him.
# # * * «
104 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
LETTER CCCXL.
The same to the same. King James at the Camp on Hounslow Heath. Pannel of the Jury at the Trial of the Seven Bishaps. Various lesser News.
[ms. donat. BRIT. Mus. 4194. fol. 216. Orig.]
London, June 28th. 1688. Sir,
His Majesty was pleased yesterday to go to Houns- low heath, where the Camp opened, and a battalion of the Guards marched. His Majesty did the Lord Churchill the honour to dine in his tent. In his return he called at Richmond, and viewed the Palace where the Prince of Wales is to be lodged ; as the Prince and Princess of Denmark are to be at Hampton Court.
To-morrow (though St. Peter's Day) being the day for the Trial of the Seven Bishops, preparations are making for it accordingly. Ifs a bad wind blows nobody good. The Officers of the Court will get well by the trial for places and conveniences to hear the same, which are sold excessive dear. Most of the no- bihty are also come up and will be present. The pannel of the Jury as it was agreed on, is as followeth Sir Roger Langley, Sir William Hill,
Sir John Berry, Roger Jennings,
ORIGINAL LETTERS. 105
Thomas Harriott, Nicholas Baxter,
Geoff ry Nightingale, Nehemiah Arnold,
William Withers, John Green,
William Avery, Robert Barre,
Thomas Austine, George Ford,
Nicholas Grice, Charles Prior,
Mich. Arnold, Ed. Harris,
Thomas Doune, John Walton,
Richard Shoreditch, James Supple,
William Hewer, Richard Cooper.
Of which the twelve first will likely stand for a Jury, in case they do appear, unless some very legal objec- tion be made against them. Most of them are known to be Church of England men : several are employed I by the King in his Navy and Revenue : and some are,
I or once were of the Dissenter's party.
On the 26**'. M'. Attorney General prayed judg- ment against several Charters and Corporations in f England and Wales that are forfeited for not pleading
to the Quo Waranto brought against them.
# # * * #
We expect Verses gratulatory upon the birth of the Prince from l)oth the Universities ; and also from the Society of Magdalen College in Oxford, in a particular b(X)k by themselves.
We are told from Oxford that the Convocation voted against an act, only Obadiah Walker and some of his friends were for it. Cambridge seems also inclined
106 ORIGINAL LETTEKS.
to have no commencement, but it is not yet de- termined.
The Count de Grammont is dispatched by the most Christian King to compHment the Court of England upon the birth of the Prince.
LETTER CCCXLI.
The same to the same. Trial of the Bishops, who are
brought in not guilty.
[ms. donat. BRIT. Mus. 4194. p. 219. Orig.^
London, June the 30th. 1688.
SiK,
Yesterday the Seven Bishops came to their trial, which held from morning till seven at night. We gave you an account of the Jury in our last. The first twelve stood ; only Sir John Berry was not there. They did not bring in their verdict last night, and it is said they had not agreed upon it this day at four in the morning.
The Counsel in handling the matter for the Bishops divided the substance of the information into two parts, whereof the same consisted. The first was that they had maliciously, seditiously, and slanderously made, contrived, and published a false and seditious libel against the King, which tended to dimini^ his royal
ORIGINAT, LETTERS. 107
authority and prerogative ; the second part of the plea for the Bishops was to the special matter of their Pe- tition, which shewed there was no malice or sedition in it.
As to the first point, much time was spent in proving the hands of the Bishops. That of the Archbishop was proved and well known by several ; but that of the other Bishops was not otherwise made out than by the belief and supposition of the- witnesses ; though their own servants were subpoena"'d against their masters : so that the Court were of opinion there was not suf- ficient proof of their hand-writing.
As to the Archbishop, it was objected that he could [not] be within the indictment, for that it was laid in Middlesex, and his Grace had not been out of Surrey in seven or eight months. To this it was answered that his signing and writing of the Petition, and sending of it over to be delivered in Middlesex was a sufficient publishing of it there ; but the Court was divided in this point.
Then the King's Counsel alledged that the Bishops had owned their hand-writing in the Council, and had also confessed the delivery of the petition. It was re- plied on the bishops' side, that they had owned their hands, but after that the Lord Chancellor had required them to do it, and that they had done it trusting to their Majesties' goodness that no advantage would be made of their confession against themselves. But they
108 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
denied they had owned the delivery of the petition, much less that they had published it : and there being no other evidence of it than that they had been with the Lord Sunderland, and had offered his Lordship a sight of a petition which he had refused, nor did he see them deliver it to the King, the Court said it was only a presumption and no proof.
As to the matter of the petition, whether a libel upon the government or no, the Attorney and Solicitor Ge- neral maintained it was, for that it boldly meddled with the acts of the government, declaring His Ma- jesty's toleration to be illegal, and thereby tending to diminish the King's authority and prerogative royal.
To this the Bishops' Counsel replied, that they had done but what was the right of every subject, to peti- tion the King ; and that, in matter of conscience and upon the account of religion, they were by their oaths and by laws of the land to take care of; and quoted several laws and statutes to the purpose. They urged also that they did not declare the King's declaration of indulgence to be illegal, but said only that the par- liaments of 62, 72, and 85, had declared so ; where- upon the Journals of the Lords and Commons were read.
The Court was also divided in this point. The Chief Justice and J. Allebone said that it was a libel ; but J. Powell and Holloway were of a contrary opinion.
The Attorney and Solicitor were only for the King,
ORIGINAL LETTEKS. 109
and kept their ground against Pemberton, Sawyer, Finch, PoUexfen, Treby, and Sommers, who were for the bishops.
This morning between ten and. eleven the Jury brought in their verdict, the bishops attending in court, NOT GUILTY in part or whole: which causes great joy.
For John Ellis, Esq. Secretary to the Commissioners for the Revenue of Ireland, Dublin.
LETTER CCCXLII.
The same to the same. Disorders of the Populace upon the Acquittal of the Bishops.
[ms. donat. 4194. p. 221. Orig.]
London, July the 3d, 1688. Sir, The jury having brought in their verdict of not guilty upon the bishops on Saturday morning, the un- ruly Mobile broke out into wild huzzas and acclama- tions. Some of the gown were also observed to be as loud as any ; for which the Attorney General caused one of Gray"'s Inn to be seized, and bound him to an-
110 ORIGINAL LETTERS.
swer to an information ; the Solicitor General was like to catch another, but that he narrowly escaped in the crowd.
The giddy rabble continued their disorderly joys till Sunday morning, making bonefires all Saturday night and committing some insolencies where they found no contributions. Several were wounded, others were robbed ; and many will be called to an account this week, that the Quarter Sessions do begin.
Yesterday the Lord Mayor appeared before the King and his Council to give account of those few bonefires which were made in the city by some of too fiery and indiscreet zeal.
LETTER CCCXLIIL
Changes in the Privy Council, ^c. The King dines ui the Camp twice a week. The Prince declared Prince of Wales. Changes in Westminster Hall.
[MS. DONAT.