Part 17 (2/2)
”All these considerations put together were sufficient to make any honest and well advisedof this oath and declaration, the whole sureatest contest, that has perhaps ever been in Parlia assured of their own loyalty and enius, virtue, and courage, that their noble ancestors had forland, but with so reater commendation, in that they had here a fairer field and a ht it out under all the disadvantages iinable; they were overlaid by nuainst them, and if not the sun, the fireside was always in their faces; nor being so few, could they, as their adversaries, withdraw to refresh theement: yet never was there a clearer dereatness how little, when the bright truth discovers all things in their proper colours and di, shoots its beaht be injurious, where all of them did so excellently well, to attribute more to any one of those Lords than another, unless because the Duke of Buckingham and the Earl of Shaftesbury, have been the more reproached for this brave action, it be requisite by a double proportion of praise to set them two on equal terms with the rest of their companions in honour The particular relation in this debate, which lasted erness on both sides, and the reasons but on one, was in the next Session burnt by order of the Lords, but the sparks of it will eternally fly in their adversaries' faces”[205:1]
In a letter to his constituents, dated April 22, 1675, Marvell was content to say: ”The Lords sate the whole day yesterday till ten at night without rising (and the King all the while but of our addresses present) upon their Bill of Test in both houses and are not yet coed discussion the Oath Bill was sent to the Commons, where doubtless it e quarrel over Sir John fagg's case ation in June alain, and at once resolved itself into a Corowth of Popery This tiation which lasted from November 1675 until February 1677--a period of fifteenof Parliauation extending beyond twelve months was in construction of law a dissolution
For the expression of this opinion and the refusal to recant it the Duke of Buckingha being greatly angered by the duke's request that his cook ht be allowed to wait on hiation without precedent was to be warranted by an inity of Parliament and especially of the House of Peers did at presentbut Parliament can destroy Parliament_ If a House shall once be felon of itself and stop its own breath, taking away that liberty of speech which the King verbally, and of course, allows them (as now they had done in both houses) to what purpose is it co thither?”[206:1]
The character of this House of Coe
Marvell writes in the _Growth of Popery_:--
”Inbeen discoursed with in private, they are set right, and begin to understand it better themselves, and to convert their brethren: for they are all of theht and sold, only their number makes them cheaper, and each of them doth so overvalue himself, that sometimes they outstand or let slip their own s, in this case, even reat estates will stoop at, and most of them will do as much for hopes as others for fruition, but if their patience be tired out, they grow at last mutinous, and revolt to the country, till so these are sority, who affect to ingross all business, to be able to quash any good motion by parliamentary skill, unless the men of the House, and for their natural lives to continue so But these are men that have been once fooled, hted at Court, so that till some turn of State shall let them in their adversaries' place, in themotions, and contrive specious bills for the subject, yet only wait the opportunity to be the instruments of the same counsels which they oppose in others
”There is a third part still reht and darkness; those are either the worst, or the best of ate persons, they have neither estates, consciences, nor good manners, yet are therefore picked out as the necessary es of their elections are defrayed, whatever they ah Westminster, that they may be ready at hand, within call of a question: all of them are received into pension, and know their pay-day, which they never fail of: insoreat officer was pleased to say, 'That they came about him like so many jack-daws for cheese at the end of every Session' If they be not in Parliament, they must be in prison, and as they are protected thee, so they sell their protections to others, to the obstruction so ether of the law of the land, and the publick justice; for these it is, that the long and frequent adjournments are calculated, but all whether the court, or the monopolizers of the country party, or those that profane the title of old cavaliers, do equally, though upon differing reasons, like death apprehend a dissolution But notwithstanding these, there is an handful of salt, a sparkle of soul, that hath hitherto preserved this gross body froentlelishmen; such as are above hopes, or fears, or dissi or country: but being conscious of their own loyalty and integrity, proceed throw good and bad report, to acquit themselves in their duty to God, their prince, and their nation; although so s in number, that men can scarce reckon of them more than a _quorum_; insomuch that it is less difficult to conceive how fire was first brought to light in the world than how any good thing could ever be produced out of an House of Coined to have coether, by accident, so these, by their clashi+ng with one another, have struck out an useful effect froood hath been wrought at any time by the assimilation of ambitious, factious and disappointed members, to the little, but solid, and unbiassed party, the more frequent ill effects, and consequences of so unequal acontinued, are demonstrable and apparent For while scarce any man con to make and raise his fortune, it is not to be expressed, the debauchery, and lewdness, which, upon occasion of election to Parliarown habitual thorow the nation So that the vice, and the expence, are risen to such a prodigious height, that few sober men can indure to stand to be chosen on such conditions
From whence also arise feuds, and perpetual anientlemen of worth, spirit, and ancient estates and dependances, see thehbourhood by the drunkness and bribery, of their competitors
But if nevertheless any worthy person chance to carry the election, some mercenary or corrupt sheriff makes a double return, and so the cause is handed to the Committee of elections, who ask no better, but are ready to adopt his adversary into the House if he be not legitiainst the sheriff in West's Bench cannot invent how to do hies shall upon better consideration vacate the sheriff's fine and reverse the judgement; but those of theer to be turned off the bench without any cause assigned While et into the House of Commons, neither can it be expected that they should make any conscience of what they do there, but they are only intent how to reie) or how to bargain their votes for a place or a pension They list thehtways into so them, to what Lord each of thees By this long haunting so together, they are grown too so fa themselves, that all reverence of their own asseether not like Parliaether in a publick house to hly acquainted, they understand their number and party, so that the use of so publick a counsel is frustrated, there is no place for deliberation, no perswading by reason, but they can see one another's votes through both throats and cravats before they hear them
”Where the cards are so well known, they are only fit for a cheat, and no fair gamester but would throw them under the table”[209:1]
It is a melancholy picture
Here, perhaps, may be best inserted the story about the proffered bribe
The story is entitled to s to swell andan historical character about whom little is positively known, it can hardly escape raphy of Marvell A pa version of the tale
”The borough of Hull, in the reign of Charles II, chose Andrew Marvell, a young gentleman of little or no fortune, and maintained hi, integrity, and spirit, were dreadful to the then infamous administration Persuaded that he would be theirs for properly asking, they sent his old school-fellow, the Lord Treasurer Danby, to renew acquaintance with hi, the Lord Treasurer, out of _pure affection_, slipped into his hand an order upon the treasury for 1000, and then went to his chariot Marvell, looking at the paper, calls after the Treasurer, 'My Lord, I request another arret, and Jack, the servant boy, was called 'Jack, child, what had I for dinner yesterday?' 'Don't you remember, sir? you had the little shoulder offroht, child' 'What have I for dinner to-day?' 'Don't you know, sir, that you bid ht, child, go away' 'My Lord, do you hear that? Andrew Marvell's dinner is provided; there's your piece of paper I want it not I knew the sort of kindness you intended I live here to serve my constituents: the ministry may seek men for their purpose; _I am not one_'”[210:1]
One more letter remains to be quoted:--
_To William Ramsden, Esq_ ”_June 10, 1678_
”DEAR WILL,--I have time to tell you thus much of publick matters
The patience of the Scots, under their oppressions, is not to be paralleled in any history They still continue their extraordinary and numerous, but peaceable, field conventicles One Mr Welch is their arch- forty miles to hear hie book concerning the growth of popery and arbitrary governreat rewards offered in private, and considerable in the Gazette, to any one who could inform of the author or printer, but not yet discovered Three or four printed books since have described, as near as it was proper to go, thea Member of Parliament, Mr Marvell, to have been the author; but if he had, surely he should not have escaped being questioned in Parliaood wishes attend you”
The last letter Andrew Marvell wrote to his constituents is dated July 6, 1678 The ust 1678 The Parliahteen years was at last dissolved on the 30th of December in the year of his death
FOOTNOTES:
[181:1] Grosart, vol iv p 248