Volume II Part 27 (1/2)
[Footnote 59: In the first Dutch war, while Evelyn was one of the Commissioners for sick and wounded, L'Estrange in his ”Gazette”
mentioned the barbarous usage of the Dutch prisoners of war: whereupon Evelyn wrote him a very spirited letter, desiring that the Dutch Amba.s.sador (who was then in England) and his friends would visit the prisoners, and examine their provisions; and he required L'Estrange to publish that vindication in his next number.]
10th May, 1685. The Scots valuing themselves exceedingly to have been the first Parliament called by his Majesty, gave the excise and customs to him and his successors forever; the Duke of Queensberry making eloquent speeches, and especially minding them of a speedy suppression of those late desperate Field-Conventiclers who had done such unheard of a.s.sa.s.sinations. In the meantime, elections for the ensuing Parliament in England were thought to be very indirectly carried on in most places.
G.o.d grant a better issue of it than some expect!
16th May, 1685. Oates was sentenced to be whipped and pilloried with the utmost severity.
21st May, 1685. I dined at my Lord Privy Seal's with Sir William Dugdale, Garter King-at-Arms, author of the ”MONASTICON” and other learned works; he told me he was 82 years of age, and had his sight and memory perfect. There was shown a draft of the exact shape and dimensions of the crown the Queen had been crowned withal, together with the jewels and pearls, their weight and value, which amounted to 100,658 sterling, attested at the foot of the paper by the jeweler and goldsmith who set them.
22d May, 1685. In the morning, I went with a French gentleman, and my Lord Privy Seal to the House of Lords, where we were placed by his Lords.h.i.+p next the bar, just below the bishops, very commodiously both for hearing and seeing. After a short s.p.a.ce, came in the Queen and Princess of Denmark, and stood next above the archbishops, at the side of the House on the right hand of the throne. In the interim, divers of the Lords, who had not finished before, took the test and usual oaths, so that her Majesty, the Spanish and other Amba.s.sadors, who stood behind the throne, heard the Pope and the wors.h.i.+p of the Virgin Mary, etc., renounced very decently, as likewise the prayers which followed, standing all the while. Then came in the King, the crown on his head, and being seated, the Commons were introduced, and the House being full, he drew forth a paper containing his speech, which he read distinctly enough, to this effect: ”That he resolved to call a Parliament from the moment of his brother's decease, as the best means to settle all the concerns of the nation, so as to be most easy and happy to himself and his subjects; that he would confirm whatever he had said in his declaration at the first Council concerning his opinion of the principles of the Church of England, for their loyalty, and would defend and support it, and preserve its government as by law now established; that, as he would invade no man's property, so he would never depart from his own prerogative; and, as he had ventured his life in defense of the nation, so he would proceed to do still; that, having given this a.s.surance of his care of our religion (his word was YOUR religion) and property (which he had not said by chance, but solemnly), so he doubted not of suitable returns of his subjects' duty and kindness, especially as to settling his revenue for life, for the many weighty necessities of government, which he would not suffer to be precarious; that some might possibly suggest that it were better to feed and supply him from time to time only, out of their inclination to frequent Parliaments; but that that would be a very improper method to take with him, since the best way to engage him to meet oftener would be always to use him well, and therefore he expected their compliance speedily, that this session being but short, they might meet again to satisfaction.”
At every period of this, the House gave loud shouts. Then he acquainted them with that morning's news of Argyle's being landed in the West Highlands of Scotland from Holland, and the treasonous declaration he had published, which he would communicate to them, and that he should take the best care he could it should meet with the reward it deserved, not questioning the Parliament's zeal and readiness to a.s.sist him as he desired; at which there followed another ”_Vive le Roi_,” and so his Majesty retired.
So soon as the Commons were returned and had put themselves into a grand committee, they immediately put the question, and unanimously voted the revenue to his Majesty for life. Mr. Seymour made a bold speech against many elections, and would have had those members who (he pretended) were obnoxious, to withdraw, till they had cleared the matter of their being legally returned; but no one seconded him. The truth is, there were many of the new members whose elections and returns were universally censured, many of them being persons of no condition, or interest, in the nation, or places for which they served, especially in Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, etc., said to have been recommended by the Court, and from the effect of the new charters changing the electors. It was reported that Lord Bath carried down with him [into Cornwall] no fewer than fifteen charters, so that some called him the Prince Elector: whence Seymour told the House in his speech that if this was digested, they might introduce what religion and laws they pleased, and that though he never gave heed to the fears and jealousies of the people before, he was now really apprehensive of Popery. By the printed list of members of 505, there did not appear to be above 135 who had been in former Parliaments, especially that lately held at Oxford.
In the Lords' House, Lord Newport made an exception against two or three young Peers, who wanted some months, and some only four or five days, of being of age.
The Popish Lords, who had been sometime before released from their confinement about the plot, were now discharged of their impeachment, of which I gave Lord Arundel of Wardour joy.
Oates, who had but two days before been pilloried at several places and whipped at the cart's tail from Newgate to Aldgate, was this day placed on a sledge, being not able to go by reason of so late scourging, and dragged from prison to Tyburn, and whipped again all the way, which some thought to be severe and extraordinary; but, if he was guilty of the perjuries, and so of the death of many innocents (as I fear he was), his punishment was but what he deserved. I chanced to pa.s.s just as execution was doing on him. A strange revolution!
Note: there was no speech made by the Lord Keeper [Bridgman] after his Majesty, as usual.
It was whispered he would not be long in that situation, and many believe the bold Chief Justice Jefferies, who was made Baron of Wem, in Shrops.h.i.+re, and who went thorough st.i.tch in that tribunal, stands fair for that office. I gave him joy the morning before of his new honor, he having always been very civil to me.
24th May, 1685. We had hitherto not any rain for many months, so as the caterpillars had already devoured all the winter fruit through the whole land, and even killed several greater old trees. Such two winters and summers I had never known.
4th June, 1685. Came to visit and take leave of me Sir Gabriel Sylvius, now going Envoy-extraordinary into Denmark, with his secretary and chaplain, a Frenchman, who related the miserable persecution of the Protestants in France; not above ten churches left them, and those also threatened to be demolished; they were commanded to christen their children within twenty-four hours after birth, or else a Popish priest was to be called, and then the infant brought up in Popery. In some places, they were thirty leagues from any minister, or opportunity of wors.h.i.+p. This persecution had displeased the most industrious part of the nation, and dispersed those into Switzerland, Burgundy, Holland, Germany, Denmark, England, and the Plantations. There were with Sir Gabriel, his lady, Sir William G.o.dolphin and sisters, and my Lord G.o.dolphin's little son, my charge. I brought them to the water side where Sir Gabriel embarked, and the rest returned to London.
14th June, 1685. There was now certain intelligence of the Duke of Monmouth landing at Lyme, in Dorsets.h.i.+re, and of his having set up his standard as King of England. I pray G.o.d deliver us from the confusion which these beginnings threaten!
Such a dearth for want of rain was never in my memory.
17th June, 1685. The Duke landed with but 150 men; but the whole kingdom was alarmed, fearing that the disaffected would join them, many of the trained bands flocking to him. At his landing, he published a Declaration, charging his Majesty with usurpation and several horrid crimes, on pretense of his own t.i.tle, and offering to call a free Parliament. This declaration was ordered to be burnt by the hangman, the Duke proclaimed a traitor, and a reward of 5,000 to any who should kill him.
At this time, the words engraved on the monument in London, intimating that the Papists fired the city, were erased and cut out.
The exceeding drought still continues.
18th June, 1685. I received a warrant to send out a horse with twelve days' provisions, etc.
28th June, 1685. We had now plentiful rain after two years' excessive drought and severe winters.
Argyle taken in Scotland, and executed, and his party dispersed.
2d July, 1685. No considerable account of the troops sent against the Duke, though great forces sent. There was a smart skirmish; but he would not be provoked to come to an encounter, but still kept in the fastnesses.
Dangerfield whipped, like Oates, for perjury.
8th July, 1685. Came news of Monmouth's utter defeat, and the next day of his being taken by Sir William Portman and Lord Lumley with the militia of their counties. It seems the Horse, commanded by Lord Grey, being newly raised and undisciplined, were not to be brought in so short a time to endure the fire, which exposed the Foot to the King's, so as when Monmouth had led the Foot in great silence and order, thinking to surprise Lieutenant-General Lord Feversham newly encamped, and given him a smart charge, interchanging both great and small shot, the Horse, breaking their own ranks, Monmouth gave it over, and fled with Grey, leaving their party to be cut in pieces to the number of 2,000. The whole number reported to be above 8,000; the King's but 2,700. The slain were most of them MENDIP-MINERS, who did great execution with their tools, and sold their lives very dearly, while their leaders flying were pursued and taken the next morning, not far from one another. Monmouth had gone sixteen miles on foot, changing his habit for a poor coat, and was found by Lord Lumley in a dry ditch covered with fern-brakes, but without sword, pistol, or any weapon, and so might have pa.s.sed for some countryman, his beard being grown so long and so gray as hardly to be known, had not his George discovered him, which was found in his pocket.
It is said he trembled exceedingly all over, not able to speak. Grey was taken not far from him. Most of his party were Anabaptists and poor cloth workers of the country, no gentlemen of account being come in to him. The arch-_boutefeu_, Ferguson, Matthews, etc., were not yet found.