Volume III Part 24 (1/2)

3., and Boyer's History of William, 1702. Narcissus Luttrell repeatedly, and even as late as the close of 1692, speaks of Nottingham as likely to be Chancellor.]

[Footnote 22: Roger North relates an amusing story about Shaftesbury's embarra.s.sments.]

[Footnote 23: London Gazette March 4. 1688/9]

[Footnote 24: Burnet ii. 5.]

[Footnote 25: The Protestant Mask taken off from the Jesuited Englishman, 1692.]

[Footnote 26: These appointments were not announced in the Gazette till the 6th of May; but some of them were made earlier.]

[Footnote 27: Kennet's Funeral Sermon on the first Duke of Devons.h.i.+re, and Memoirs of the Family of Cavendish, 1708.]

[Footnote 28: See a poem ent.i.tled, A Votive Tablet to the King and Queen.]

[Footnote 29: See Prior's Dedication of his Poems to Dorset's son and successor, and Dryden's Essay on Satire prefixed to the Translations from Juvenal. There is a bitter sneer on Dryden's effeminate querulousness in Collier's Short View of the Stage. In Blackmore's Prince Arthur, a poem which, worthless as it is, contains some curious allusions to contemporary men and events, are the following lines:

”The poets' nation did obsequious wait For the kind dole divided at his gate.

Laurus among the meagre crowd appeared, An old, revolted, unbelieving bard, Who thronged, and shoved, and pressed, and would be heard.

Sakil's high roof, the Muses' palace, rung With endless cries, and endless sons he sung.

To bless good Sakil Laurus would be first; But Sakil's prince and Sakil's G.o.d he curst.

Sakil without distinction threw his bread, Despised the flatterer, but the poet fed.”

I need not say that Sakil is Sackville, or that Laurus is a translation of the famous nickname Bayes.]

[Footnote 30: Scarcely any man of that age is more frequently mentioned in pamphlets and satires than Howe. In the famous pet.i.tion of Legion, he is designated as ”that impudent scandal of Parliaments.” Mackay's account of him is curious. In a poem written in 1690, which I have never seen except in ma.n.u.script, are the following lines:

”First for Jack Howe with his terrible talent, Happy the female that scopes his lampoon; Against the ladies excessively valiant, But very respectful to a Dragoon.”]

[Footnote 31: Sprat's True Account; North's Examen; Letter to Chief Justice Holt, 1694; Letter to Secretary Trenchard, 1694.]

[Footnote 32: Van Citters, Feb 19/March 1 1688/9]

[Footnote 33: Stat. I W.&M. sess. i. c. I. See the Journals of the two Houses, and Grey's Debates. The argument in favour of the bill is well stated in the Paris Gazettes of March 5. and 12. 1689.]

[Footnote 34: Both Van Citters and Ronquillo mention the anxiety which was felt in London till the result was known.]

[Footnote 35: Lords' Journals, March 1688/9]

[Footnote 36: See the letters of Rochester and of Lady Ranelagh to Burnet on this occasion.]

[Footnote 37: Journals of the Commons, March 2. 1688/9 Ronquillo wrote as follows: ”Es de gran consideracion que Seimor haya tomado el juramento; porque es el arrengador y el director princ.i.p.al, en la casa de los Comunes, de los Anglicanos.” March 8/18 1688/9]

[Footnote 38: Grey's Debates, Feb. 25, 26, and 27. 1688/9]

[Footnote 39: Commons' Journals, and Grey's Debates, March 1. 1688/9]

[Footnote 40: I W. & M. sess. I c. [10]; Burnet, ii. 13.]

[Footnote 41: Commons' Journals, March 15. 1688/9 So late as 1713, Arbuthnot, in the fifth part of John Bull, alluded to this transaction with much pleasantry. ”As to your Venire Facias,” says John to Nick Frog, ”I have paid you for one already.”]