YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY TH^^ECkET HISTORY OF THE COURT AND REIGN OF CHARLES THE SECOND, BY ~ A MEMBER OF HIS PRIVY COUNCIL; TO WHICH ARE ADDED 1NTRODUCTORT SKETCHES OF THE PRECEDING PERIOD FROM THE ACCESSION OF JAMES I. WITH NOTES, AND A SUPPLEMENT CONTINUING THE NARRATIVE JN A SUMMARY MANNER. TQ THE REFOLUTION: BY THE EDITOR. -Sfuaque ipfe miferrima niidi, Et quorum pars magna fui • virg. , , ; , , »¦'. I J IN -TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: PRINTED BY T. GILLET, NO. 19, BARTHOLOMEW-CLOSE, FOR J. BEW, NO. 28, PATERNOSTER-R.O.W. 1792, CONTENTS OF THE SECOND VOLUME, CHAP. L THE king's plaufible fpeech at ihe opening of the new fefjions — -Addrefs of the commons againft any tolera tion or indulgence — Remvnflrance on the lenity fhewn to papifts — Fallacy of a feeming compliance with ths wifhes of parliament — Spur to obtain a prefent fup ply — Changes in the cabinet, and in the manage* ment of the hoitfe of commons — Character and rife of fir Henry Rennet — tVilliam Coventry's appearance on the political theatre — League of friendfhip be tween thofe two favourites — Profits of the poft- 'qffice and wine-licenfes granted to ihe duke of York and his heirs — Introduction of three new members at the [eleEl meetings — Decline of ihe chancellor's power — The earl of Briftol's rafli and malicious at tempt — -Curious intrigue to effetl the removal of fe- • cretary Nicholas— National difcontents— Delujive A a promifes iv Contents. ffdmifts at the prorogation — Prevalence of the ps* pifto intereft — -Dif mal profpetl of public affairs — Information of a new confpiracy — -Ufe made of it at the re-meeting of parliament — 'Repeal of the Trien nial law — -Acl iofitpprejs conventicles— Inveftigation tif the remote caufes of a rupture with the Dutch—' Eftablifhment of the royal African company — Other branches- of commerce negkcled-Suggeftims bf mer cantile jealoufy and avarice — The duke of Tork's eager nejs f of a wa-r—Its- impolicf .and injuftice de monftrated by the chancellor^— Both houfes /educed into a menacing addrefs againft the Dutch — Some account of Downing, the Englijh refident at the Hague— Reply of the States to his memorial — ^Ad- •Vantage taken of their unfujpebling fecufity-r-The treachery retaliated — Progrefs of reciprocal provoca tions and injuries — - •— I CHAP. II. New feffions of parliament— Pote of thanks to the city of London — Contrivance to obtain an unprecedented fupply— Various embaffies to foreign courts — Treaty entered into with the bifhop of Munfter — Mifma- ndgement of the navy Jinc-e the king's return — All offices and commiffions fold to the higheft bidder — Stores embezzled with impunity — New modelling of the navy -board — Silly blufiering ofthe court- dlfnjuft rules content*. Yules /or the adjudication of prizet-fBad effeBs of encaurvgiiig privateer S'-^Commiffion to prevent the prize -maney from being carried: td the public account —Nightly meetings at lady Caftlemaine's — Extraor dinary fcheme of toleration defeated — Religion turned into ridicule — Firft appearance of the plague — War declared againft the Dutch — New creations— Du plicity ofthe French court — ViBory at fea — Caufe of not purfuing the fuccefs — Command of the fleet given to the earl of Sandwich — The court removed to Sa- lifhury-r^-x.Faint avowal of the French king's treaty with Holland — De Witt's indefatigable exertions — ¦ Reception of Mr. Coventry in Sweden— Dijreput- Able agreement with Denmark — The Danifh kinds fhamelefs perfidy- — fhe parliament convened at Ox ford—Vote of frefh fupplies — 'Five -mile AB — In novations in the exchequer — -Difgrace incurred by the earl of Sandwich — Menaces and departure of the French embajfadars — — 93 G H A P. IIL Gloomy profpeB at the opening of the new year — De feat of the bifhop of Munfter' s enterprize — Cor* refpondence entered into with the Orange faBion in Holland — Dtfcovery of the confpiracy againft De Wilt — Deer eafe of the plague — Profligacy and ex travagance of the court — Lady Caftlemaine's in fluence Vi dONTENTSi fluence— -The king wholly governed by an 'unfrin* cipled junto — -Separation of the fleet — Defperate confliBs at fea — "-Another naval '- engagement— -De Ruyter's well-conduBed retreat — Fatal blow given io the Dutch commerce— The fleet's parted by 'a ft orm — Fire of. London- *-Trawfieni hope of reform ai court — Defign to fupprefs coffee-h'oufes— State of the public exigencies at the re-meeting of parliament- — '¦ Refoluiidns dgairift the papifts — Delay of the bill of fupply — Alarm excited at court by a bill for the ap pointment of commiffioners of accounts--— Chancellor's fatal indifcretion — Difpute occafloned hy a claufie in the poll-bill — Duke of Ruckihgham' s Cabal— Violent debates on the bill againft ihe importation of Irifh cattle — Curious circumftances of a challenge— Far ther aBs of indecency and outrage- — Charitable dona tion of 30^00 Irifh beeves rejeBed-*— Lord Mor daunt' s inipeachmeni— -The chancellor renders himfelf very obnoxious to the commons — The bill of fupply pajfed at length — Impoffibility of providing a fleet td face the enemy — Humiliating and dangerous fituation' of England — Various efforts to bring about a peace — Alternative propofed by France — Embaffadorsfent by all parties to Breda — Death of the ford treafurer — His office put into commiffion*-- Dutch fleet en ters the Thames- —Debates in council — Peace con cluded — — * t— • 197 CHAP. CONTENTS. yji CHAP. IV. Perilous fituation of the chancellor— rMeffaye from the king — Sir Orlando Bridgman made lord-keeper—- New tempeft raifed againft the difgraced minifter' — Some viBim thought neceffary to appeaje the refent ment of the nation — Caufe of the duke of Bucking ham's perfonal animofity—r-The king informs parlia ment of the change in his councils — Addrefs of thanks on the earl of Clarendon s removal — Cabals entered into for his farther profecuiion — Heads of the charges brought againft him — Vote for his impeachment — - Refiifal of the lords to commit him — The earl's mo tives for quitting the kingdom — His petition to the houfe of lords — -Vote for its being burnt by the com mon hangman— AB paffedfor the earl of Clarendon's incapacity and banifhment — 'Seeming change in the fyftem of court-politics — Caufe of new overtures to the Dutch— rxCharaBer and negocia lions of fir Wil liam Temple — -Extraordinary exertions to effeB ihe fpeedy ratification of the Triple Alliance — Secret in dignation of the French king at this treaty — Re- luBant affent of the Spanifh miniftry — Peace con cluded at Aix-la-Chapelle — Independency of Portu gal .acknowledged: — New -counfels adopted in favour of the non-conformifts — Oppofition of the commons — Inquiry into the mifmanagement of the late war — Appointment VIU CONTENTS. Appointment of commiffioners of accounts«~*Impa" tience of miniftry for the money-bill— ^Violent conteft between both houfes on a point of judicature. 32a Supplement to the Secret History, continu-, ing the narrative in a fummary manner to the Revo* typon, —T- — — I THE SECRET HISTORY COURT AND REIGN OF CHARLES THE SECOND. CHAP. I. The king's plaufible fpeech at the opening of the new feffions — Addrefs of the commons againfi any tolera tion or indulgence — Remonflrance on the lenity fhewn to papifis — Fallacy of a feeming compliance with the wifhes of parliament— Spur to obtain a prefent fup ply— --Changes in the cabinet, and in the manage ment of the houfe of commons- —Char alter and rife of fir Henry Bennet—William Coventry's appearance on the political theatre— --League of friendfhip be tween thofe two favourites- —Profits of the poft- office and wine-licenfes tgranted to the duke qf Tork 'and his heirs--~Intr6duBion of three new member's at the feleB meetings— Decline of the chancellor's fower — -The earl of Briftol's rafh and malicious at tempt— -Curious intrigue to effeB the removal of fe- vol. ii. B cretary SECRET history of cretary Nicholas* — National difcontents— Delujive promifes at the prorogation — Prevalence of the po*, pifio -intereft — Difmal prdfpeB of public affairs — > Information of a new confpiracy— Ufe made of it ai the re-meeting of parliament— Repeal of the Trien nial law—AB tojupprefs conventicles— Inveftigation of the remote caufes of a rupture with the Dutch — • 'Mftablifhment of the. royal African company — Other. '¦'branches of commerce negktted—Suggeftkns. of mer* fantile jealoufy and avarice— T he duke o/Tork's "Mgernefis for a war--— Its impolicy and injuftice de- ~ mbnftrated by the chancellor-— Both houfes /educed into a menacing addrefs againft the Dutch—Some ¦ ffccount'of.Downingi the Englifh feftdent at the. ^Hague--*-Reply of the States to hii memorial-*-Ad- "Vantage taken of their unfufpeBing fecurity — The treachery retaliated— -Progrefs of reciprocal provoca tions and injuries. Tor king's plaufible fpeech at the opening of the new fef- fion. THE parliament affembled together on .the day in February, to which they had been prorogued; and' the king, in a very infinuating. fpeech, endeavoured to feduce them into ah? ap probation of what he had already done, and of what he farther defired to do in favour of the Ro man catholics.- He expreffed a full confidence in the wifdom and affection of both houfes; and doubted not but when they fhould have well exa mined the grounds of his late ^declaration, they would readily concur with him therein. Its great. object THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. object was " to cure the diftempers, and compofe CHAP. the different minds of the people ; — to fet bounds > to the hopes of fome, and to the fears of others." 1663. He faid, " that he was, in his nature, an enemy to all feverity for religion and confcience however miftaken, when it extended to capital and fangui- hary piinifhments, which, he was told, had' been begun in popifh times j" and added," that when he faid this, he hoped he fliould not need to warn them againft inferring thence, that he meant to fa* vour popery." He confeffed however, " there Were many of that profeffion* who, having ferved his father and himfelf very well, might fairly hope for fome part of the indulgence, which r*he would willingly afford .to other diffenters j but he was far from intending to grant them a toleration or qua lifying them thereby to hold any offices or places in the government : he even wifhed fome laws to be made to hinder the growth and progrefs of their doctrines." Having thus taken fome pains to remove any iufpicions that might be entertained of his par* tiality to papifts, his majefty next touched upon the very delicate point, to which his fpeech and his wifhes were alike directed ; and that was, to engage parliament to acquiefce in his occafional exercife of the difpenfing power. He faid, " he trufted they had all fo good an opinion of his zeal for the proteftant religion, as that he needed not 3<> B a to SECRET HISTORY OF to tell themi that he would not yield to any thereifij not to the bifhops themfelves, nor in his liking the uniformity of it, which , was to be kept pure and uncornipted, free from all other mixtures. Yet," lie added, " if the diffenters would demean themfelves peaceably and modeftly under the go vernment, he could heartily wifh, he had fuch a power of indulgence, to ufe upon occafions j as rnight not needlefsly .force, them out of the king dom, or ftaying here, give them caufe to confpire againft the peace of it." Addrefs of Though upon this occafion his majefty exerted againft any a^ h^s Powers of perfuafion and flattery, he could toleration, or not remove the prejudices, or quiet the fears of indulgence. . , . parliament. On the contrary, their enmity to the prefbyterians, and their alarm at the encourage ment which the popifh clergy met with at court, Were greatly increafed even by the moft cautious hints of the propofed indulgence. Befides the king was not fupported in this meafure by his own mi nifters. There were but a few members ofhis privy council at this time, who were friendly to popery ; and the party under their immediate in fluence in either houfe was by no means able to give the law to the others. The commons there fore, after fome debate, refolved upon prefenting an addrefs to the king, in which they renewed all their former aflurances of zeal, duty, and affection, and declared that " it was with the utmoft unwil- lingnels THE REIGN OF CHATtLES II. Kngnefs and relu&ancy of heart they were brought to CHAP. differ from any thing which his majefty had thought fit to propofe." They admitted, " that the di- ^63 {tempers of fome men's fpirits, and. the many mu tinies and confpiracies, which were carried on dur ing the late intervals of parliament, might have reafonably inclined his majefty to endeavour to; give fome allay to thofe ill humours by the "hopes ' of indulgence, if parliament fhould confent to it ; but that they humbly offered to his great wifdom, that it was in no fort advifable to grant any indul gence to perfons, who prefumed to diffent from the Act of Uniformity, and the religion eftablifhed." As to his majefty's declaration from Breda, the commons were of opinion, " that he ought not to be preffed with it any farther ; for that it was not a promife, but only a gracious declaration of his intentions to do what in him lay, and what a parliament fhould advife him to do : that no fuch advice of indulgence was ever given, or thought fit to be offered, nor could it be otherwife underftood, as there were laws of uniformity then in being, which could not be difpenfed with but by an act of parliament : and that thofe, who pretended a right to that fuppofed promife, had put the right into the hands of their reprefentatives, who had paffe'd, with his majefty's confent, the Act of Uni formity." B3 Ja 6 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. In the next part of the addrefs, the commons ^ , " ' enlarged on the confequences which they thought 1663. would neceffarily attend the indulgence propofed. Its effects they faid would be, " to e-ftablifh fchi&n bylaw ; to take aWay all means of convicting re- cufants ; to difcredit the gravity and wifdom of parliament ; to expofe his majefty to the reftlefs, importunity of eVery diffenter; to increafe fects and fectaries ; to render the tranfkion almoft un avoidable from indulgence to a general toleration, and from that to an eftablifhment, which, for ought that could be forefeen, might end in popery; arid, in all probability, to occafion great difturb- ance, inftead of tending to the peace of the king-? dom" After affigning fome plaufible reafons, why a, fettled tranquility and obedience were more likely to be, produced by afferting. the laws and the reli gion eftablifhed , according to the Act of , 'Unifor mity, than by any relaxation of thofe laws, the commons concluded with declaring, " that, if any perfon fhould prefume to difturb the peace of the kingdom, they would, for ever, and on all occa fions be ready, with their utmoft endeavour and affiftance, to adhere to, and ferve his majefty, ac cording tp their bounden duty and allegiance *." The * Had the commons refitted the king's attempt to obtain the fxercife of a difpenfing power, on legal and conftitutional grounds, THE EEIGN OF CHARLES II. The king was very much vexed at fo declared an oppofition to his wifhes : he expedted more com pliance from the parliament ; and knew not how to account for the littfe effect produced by his own (peeeh, but by aferibing the addrefs of the com* mons to the intrigues of the bifhops and the chan cellor, whom he knew to be ayerfe to his exercife of a difpenfing power. He did not, indeed? ex prefs his difpleafure to the chancellor : he even grounds, their oppofition would have done them honour. Fut the corrupt members of the penfion-parliameut were incapable of any thing either great, or good. Even when they afted rig|it, which was very feldom, they did To from the impulfe of fomg defpicable paffion, never from generous, or patriotic motives. The whole of their addrefs was dictated by a mean, arbitrary, unjuft, and intolerant Ipirit. Inftead of afierting that the king could have no right to fufpend the execution of a pofitive law, they endeavoured by the moft wretched fophjftry tp prove, that he was relieved from the obligation of his promife at Breda, be caufe an a£l to the contrary had, through his pwn perfidious artifice, been palTed by the parliament. They even pretended that the diffenters eould have no claim to the promifed indul gence, as they had committed that and all their other rights to their reprefentatives in parliament, vfho pafied the Aft of Uni formity. According to this curious mode of reafoning, the au thority ofa triift juftifies the abufe of it, and perfons elected for the general welfare are not accountable for a&ihg contrary to {he intereft of their confiituents. Such a pofition is juft as ab- (urd, to rife the fimile of a late writer, as to imagine, " that phy ficians, chofen to fuperintend and cure the fick in hofpitals, have a right to kill their patients, if they pleafe." The other absur dities of the addrefs are fo numerous and fo grofs as not to admit of, or require a particular illuftratipn. B 4 ftudioufly 8 SECRET HISTORY OF •V. CHAP. ftudioufly avoided all converfation on the fubject ; i^ _*_ _j but thofe, who knew him well, could clearly per- ,663. ceive his - diffatisfaction in his countenance, of which he had not quite fo perfect a command as of his language *. In this jealoufy of his minifter*s ; endeavours privately to defeat his fcheme of indul gence, he was encouraged not only by the earl of Briftol, and all the Roman catholic junto, but by his fair idol,, lady Caftlemaine, who befides her bearing an implacable enmity to the chancellor, foon declared herfelf of the popifh perfuafion, and became a warm and powerful, advocate for its in terefts. This gave rife to fome changes in the Cabinet, and in the management of the king's af fairs in parliament, of which I fliall prefently enter- jnto a more particular account,, Remon- But whatever his majefty had refolved upon with lenhv ftewT ^°^ ^cret advif"ers' lX- was at this time carefully to papifts. concealed. He took no public notice of the addrefs, for almoft three weeks ; and then in a written mef- fage, pretended an unwillingnefs to reply to the reafons it contained, though, he faid, he found he. . had been mifunderftood ; but thanked the com-. toons for their declaration to aflift him againft any perfon that fhould prefume to difturb the peace of * Saville fays in his character of Charles, " that his face was as little a blab as moft men'?; yet, though it could not be called a prattling face, it would fometimes tell tales to a good obferver.". the J) THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. the kingdom. As die commons, in their addrefs* CHAR had only given one hint refpecting the poffible efta- t blifhment of popery, they afterwards engaged the 16,63. lords to concur with them in a particular remon-. ftrance on that fubject alone,, in which they repre^ fented to his majefty, " that his lenity towards the papifts had drawn into the kingdom a great num ber of Romifh priefts and jefuits : they were there fore humble fuitors to him, to .iffue out a procla mation to command all jefuits, and all Englifh, Irifh, and Scotifh popifh priefts, and all fuch other priefts as had taken orders from die fee. of Rome, : or by authority thereof, (except fuch foreign je fuits or priefts, as, by contract of marriage, were ' to attend the perfons of either of the queens, or, by the law of nations, to attend foreign embaffa-- dors) to depart the kingdom by a .certain day, under pain of having the penalties of the law : in flicted upon them." There were, indeed, juft grounds for this re- Fallacyofa monftrance. The number of Romifh priefts in- teeming r compliance creafed every day to the moft alarming degree'; with the and their party, too much elated by court-favour, mgn£s° pv" conducted themfelves with fuch indifcretion and • infolence as to fill the people with fears, and the : parliament with jealoufy. The king manifefted great uneafinefs on this occafion; and, after, af fecting to confult with the felect committee of his privy council, he fent a meffage to, the lords on the JO SECRET HTSTORY OF the fecond of April, to be alfo imparted to the commons, in which he faid, "that he was not a 1663. little troubled, that his lenity aod condefeenfion towards many ofthe popifh perfuafion (which were but natural effefts of his generofity and good-na ture, after having lived fo many years in the do minions of Roman catholic princes ; and out of a juft memory of what many of them had done and fiiffered in the fervice of his father and himfelf) had been made fo ill ufe of,, and fo ill deferved, that the refort of jefuits and priefts into the king dom, had been thereby increafed, with, which his, majefty was highly offended,'1 Having thus apologized for his indulgent, ta papifts, and expreffed his difapprobation of their abufe of it, he promifed to iffue out fuch a pro-^ ciamation as the parliament defired, and to take care that it fhould be more effectual dian any of -that kind had ever been. His majqfty farther de clared to both houfes, and to all his loving fubjefts, " that, as his affection and zeaj for the proteftant religion, and the church of England, had not been concealed, or untakem> notice of in the world, fo he was not, nor ever would be fo folici- tous for fettling, his own revenue, or providing for the peace and tranquility of the kingdom, as for the advancement and improvement of the religion, eftablifhed, and for ufing and applying all proper and effeftual remedies to hinder tlie growth of popery, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. If popery, both which he in truth looked upon as CHAP, the beft expedients to eftablifh, the peace and prof- « J ...» perity of all his kingdoms." ,663. Both houfes were highly pleafed with this me£ fage, as it prornifed the fulleft .gratification of their refentment againft papifts. His majefty feemed alfo very ready to comply, with their requeft, by immediately iffuing thedefired proclamation againft popifh priefts. But, iqftead of rendering it, as he faid, more effeftual than any former one, the end of it was defeated by the artful om'rffion of a fingle word in the claufe recommended by parliament for excepting fuch foreign jefuits or priefts as attended either of the queens, or any of the embaffadors from Roman catholic countries. The word "fo reign" was left out in the proclamation ; and thus every prieft might claim the benefit of the excep tion, under the pretence of belonging to one-of the queens, or to fome embaffador. The fallacy was ob vious, but no remarks were made upon it in either houfe ; for, befides their unwillingnefs to offend the king by too many reptefehtations on the fame * head, they intended before the end of the feffion, \o frame a bill for enforcing the penal afts with more rigour againft non-conformifts of every de fcription. From this purpofe, however, they were diyerted by very great addrefs. In 12 SECRET HISTORY OF In the mean time the commons proceeded, to take the ftate of his majefty's revenue into confide- 1663. ration, and to devife means for making good fuch Spur to ob- deficiencies in it as were complained of. The fi^tyPrefent produce of many of the fupplied before voted were faid to have fallen fhort of their expeftations ; but. though this was the cafe in a few inftances, the emptinefs of the exchequer was much more owing to the improvident and unthrifty expenditure of the money which had been received. The fettle- ment of thefe matters led to inquiries into fome other grievances, and occafioned fuch frequent In terruptions of the main bufinefs, and fo many un^ pleafant meffages to the king about objefts of re form *, that his majefty refolyed to apply the fame * In thofe melTages which refpefted only a very fmall part of the errors of adminiftration, the commons made it their humble; defire to the king to make no grant nor contraft, with relation. to the poft-office ; not to lay nor continue any impofition in Scotland or Ireland on the woollen or other manufaftures of England ; to recal his proclamations forbidding the exportation of geldings; to appoint no merchants confuls, but. at the deiirs, of die merchants, nor, unlefs fupported at their expence ; tp ifiue out his proclamation for the punftual and effeftual execution and obfervance of the navigation-aft, withput any difpenfation or connivance whatever; to recal fuch difpenfations as had been already granted; and to forbear to pais any farther grants Upon the commiffions iflued for the difcovery of lands gauged. from the fea, which commiffions had been unduly ejeercifed. What trifling objefts of reform compared with the long ; cata logue of national grievances, which this parliament of infamous niembry not only acquiefced in, but fupported! fpur THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 13 fpur to their difpatch which he had tried the year CHAP. before with fuccefs. He fent for them to White- t J j hall, and after fome .geritie expoftulation oh the 1663. feeming abatement of their zeal for his fervice, he ftated the urgency of his wants, and the neceffity ofa prefent fupply for the fupport of government, and for the maintenance of the public peace. Hd alfo reminded them of the feafon of the year, and of" the propriety of making a recefs at Midftim- mer ; and concluded with affuring them, upon his word, " that they fliould have great comfort iri what fhfey did for him *." The * As this fpeech affords another very curious fpecimen of thofe powers of infinuation and addrefs, which Charles fo often perverted to the worft of purpofes, the reader will not be dif pleafed with our inferting it at full length. " Mr. Speaker, and you gendemen of the houfe of commons, I have fent for you this day to communicate with you, as good friends ought to do, when they difcover the leaft jealoufy grow ing, which may leflen their confidence in each other ; and you may all remember, that, when there was lately a little jealoufy among you upon fomewhat I had faid or done, I made all the hafte I cpuld to give you fatisfaftion, for which you all returned rhe your hearty thanks, and were, I think, fatisfied. " Gentlemen, it is in no man's power, no, not in your own power, to make me fufpeft, or in the leaft degree imagine it poffible, that your affeftions and kindnefs are diminilhed to ward* me. I know very well, that the people did never, in any age, ufe that vigilance and circumfpeftion in the eleftion of reprefentatives of tried and known affeftions to the crown, of your good principles and imqueftionable inclinations to tha' peace of the church and ftate. You are the very fanfe men, whij, 14- 5ECRET HtSTORV &$ CHAPi The king was not disappointed in his hdpds of i. . ' ..,„.) quickening the liberality of the commons by this 1663. artful rritide of expoftuldtion. As foori as they re turned who, at your firft coming together, gave fuch fignal teftimonies ' of your affeftioii and friertdflrip to my perfon ; of your zeal for the honour and dignity of the crown, and liberal fupport of government; and of your horror and deteftation of thofe men, ttrhofe principles, you difcerried, did keep them awake, to take all occafions to difturb the peace of the kingdom", artd to embroil us in a new civil Waj-, which is as much theif endeavour now as ever, and, it may be, not enoiighabhorred by others, whofe principles and ends are very different frPrri theirs. You are the feme men, who, at your firft meeting, by a wdnderfuMiarmony and concurrence in whatfover I could w'ifh, gave Hie reputation abroad, and fecurity^ at hbme; nfade our neighbours folicit us •for our friendfhip, and fet a juft value upon it ; and, tfuft me, fuch a reputation is of filch a vaft importance as made my evil fubjefts even defpair of bringing' their wicked purpofes to pafs ; add is it poffible that the feme perfons can continue the fame together, without the fanie affeftion tb me ? I atri fure it is im poffible ; and yet I muft tell you, the reputati6n I had from your concurrence and tendeniefs towards me, is not at all im proved fince the beginning of this feffion : indeed it is much leffened ; and I am fure I never ftood more in need of that reputation than at prefent, to carry me through the many dif ficulties, in which the public is at leaft as much cphcerned as myfelf. " You cannot fake it amifs (you fhall ufe as much freedom! with me) that I tell you, there hath not appeared that warmth" in you of late, in the confideration df my revenue, as I -expected* as well from fome Pf your melTages, as my own confidence iri your care and kindttefs. It hath been faid to myfelf, that it is ufual for the parliament to give the- crown extraordinary fup plies upon emergent occafions, but not to improve the conftant revenue THE REIGN OF CHARLES Hi 1^ turned to their houfe, they voted four entire fub- fidies for the fupply of his majefty's prefent occa fions ; and the clergy, who were then affembled in 5663. convocation, revenue ofthe crown. I wifh, and fo do you, that nothing had been done in and by parliaments but what was ufual ; but if ill parliaments contrive the ruin and difinherifon of the crown, God forbid but good parliaments fhould repair it, how unufual foever it is. If you yourfelves had not, in an extraordinary manner, improved my revenue, the government could not have" been fupported ; and if it be not improved to the proportion yon have defigned, the government cannot be fupported. " Believe me, gentlemen, the moft difaffefted fubjefts iri England are not more unwilling to pay any tax or impofition you lay upon them, than I am to receive it. God knows, I do" not long more for any bleffing in the world, than that I may - live to call a parliament, and not afk or receive any money from them. I will do all I can to fee that happy day. I know the Vaft burthens this: kingdom hath borne, thefe laft twenty years and more ; that it is exceedingly impoverifhed : but alas ! what good will that which is left do them, if the government cannot be fupported. I mufl dealplainry with you, and I do but dif charge my confcience in that plainnefs ; ifypu do not, befides the improving my revenue in the manner I have recommended ' to you, give me fome prefent fupply of money, to enable me to ftruggle with thofe difficulties I am preffed with, I fliall have a very melancholy fummer, and fliall much apprehend the pub lic quiet ; for you have heard, I prefume, of the late defign in Ireland, for the furprize of the caftle of Dublin, which was. fpread ail over that kingdom, and many parliament-men en gaged in it. There is an abfolute neceffity, that I forthwith fend' over a fum of money for the payment of the army, and putting the garrifons there in -good order : you will not doubt but that thofe feditious perfons had a correfpondence with their friends here; and I pray, let us not be too carelefs of them. " I affure l6 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. convocation, having alfo teftified their affeftibn for i ' > his majefty by a, fimilar grant of four fubfidies, it" i66gi wad readily confirmed -by parliament. The com mons alfo prepared three other afts for rendering their former affignments to the crown of the duty of excife, and of the revenue arifing by hearth- money, more productive. But though, while the impreffions of the king's fpeech were frefh upon their minds, the vote of fubfidies, and other bills to increafe his majefty's revenue, and to ftrengthen his power, were carried through with the utmoft " I aflure you that I have fb great an occafion for money, which my revenue Cannot fupply me with, that I every day omit the doing fomewhat that is very neceflary for the public benefit. Thefe fure are as juft motives foperfuade you to give me a fupply as ever moved a houfe of commons y and therefore I conjure you to go chearfully about it, and let me not be dif- appointed in my confidence of your affeftions ; and, I pray, remember the feafon of the year, and how neceflary it is we make a recefs at, or about midfummer. " I do pray heartily that the effeft of this day's converfation may be the renewing our confidence in each other, and raifing our joint reputation, which will be the ftrongeft fecurity, with God's bleffing, the kingdom can have for its peace, plenty, and profperity ; and upon my word, you fliall have great comfort in what you do for me." Nothing can throw afuller light on the beauties of this fpeech than a little recolle&ion. of the unprecedented extravagance of parliament in their former grants, and of the immenfe fums Which Charles received from fo many other quarters, narticu- larly from his grand pay-mafter, the king of France. Ye?, poor man ! he wanted money for no other purpofe than to preferve. the nation fTpmciy.il confufion and foreign difgrace ! - - - '¦¦ -¦ — - ¦- - ....;¦. '. .1; difpatch; THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 17 difpatch'; yet they foon abated of that alacrity, and all matters depending proceeded with unufual flow- nefs. This did not arife from any diminution of zeal in the king's fervice, but rather from the ex ceffive officioufnefs of fome new members, to whom his majefty had transferred a great part of his con fidence, and who, by their ignorance, or their in trigues, puzzled and impeded, inftead of accele rating the progrefs of public: "flairs. I have before hinted at the changes made in his majefty's coun cil, and in the management of the houfe of com mons ; and fliall now explain the caufes and effefts of fuch alterations. In the courfe of almoft three years, fince this Changes ia parliament was firft affembled, many members of and in t^ ' the houfe of commons had died ; and great pains management were taken to have fome of the king's menial fer- 0f commons. vants chofen in their places. Hence it happened that there was a very great number of men in all ftations in the court, as well below flairs, as above, who were become members of parliament; and there were very few of them, who did not think themfelves qualified to reform whatfoever was amifs in church or ftate, and to procure whatfo ever fupply the king would require. They, who from the lownefs of their former rank in his fer vice, -never before had prefumed to fpeak to him, now, by the privilege of parliament, :reforted to him every day, and had as much conference with vol. 11. C him **8 StCRET. HISTORY OF him as they defired. They even took the liberty to give their opmions and advice on -the conduft T663. ofhis affairs ; and reprefented fuch and fuch men, whom they liked, as well affefted to his fervice, arid others of much greater merit, but who paid them left refpeft, as ill affefted, and as Wanting 'duty to his majefty. Availing themfelves of the king's weaknefs in too eafily believing fuch infinu- atlonsy. they brought the perfons, of whom they had fpoken favourably, and whofe great recom mendation1 confifted in a profeffed readinefs to do any thing5 his majefty pleafed to prefcribe, to re ceive his thanks, as well as immediate directions from himfelf how to behave in the houfe, though many of them were in reality capable of no other inftruftion than to follow the example of fome dif- efeet man in whatfoever he fliould vote. Till this time the king had been content to refer the direction of his affairs in parliament to the chancellor and thofe other members of tlie feleft committee, of whom I have already made frequent mention. They- conferred every day with fome members of the greateft talents and intereft in the commons ; and fettled with them in what manner to proceed in managing the houfe, and what pans to affign to other men, whom they found willing to concur in what'was to" be defired ; and all th^s * was done without noife,' -or fcandal. But there were two .perfons now introduced .to -aft upon that ' ftage, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 19 ftage, who djfdained to receive orders, or to have any method prefcribed to them ; — who took, upon them to judge of either men's defefts, and thought their own abilities beyond exception. The firft of thofe new performers oil the political Charafter theatre was fir Harry, Bennet, who. had refided for Henr^Ben- fome time as his majefty's agent, or, envoy at net. Madrid j and who, fince the, reftoration, had ob tained his recal, as hoping by means of the king's favour and his own dexterity to make a more rapid fortune at home than he could in a foreign coun try. He always profeffed great refpeft for the chancellor, with whom he was obliged, while abroad, to correfpond, and by whom his inftruc- tions were regularly drawn, though whatever or ders he received, and how pofitive foever, he ob ferved fo far, and not farther than his own humour difpofed him. Even during this formal correfpon dence with the chancellor, he held a more fecret intelligence, with Daniel ONeale of the bedcham ber, by whofe means he obtained the king's con fent to many particulars which he himfelf advifed, without the privity of the chancellor, or either of the fecretaries of ftate. He had renewed the treaty With Spain, without their being once confulted; nor did, they know any thing of his haying left Madrid, till they heard that he was in Paris, from Whence he arrived in London in a very fhort time after. He was well received by the king, in whofe C 2 affeftions lb SECRET HISTORY OF affeftions he had a very good place; and (hontf after his arrival, his majefty conferred upon him the only office then vacant, which was that of privy purfe ; and admitted him into a great familiarity, and to the nightly meeting of favourites at lady Caftlemaine's, where he filled a principal place to all intents and purpofes. His difcourfe was always enlivened .with ready wit and pleafantry ; and he could alfo throw into it a great deal of that lafei- vious feafoning, which was the-, higheft treat at thofe converfations. In politics he flattered the king's, Wifhes, and paid his court to the lady with equal addrefs; and, with -regard to religion, if he had any, it was fuppofed to be a leaning, to wards popery* . By die difplay of thefe accomplifli- ments * There is no doubt but he was one of the few intrufted with the grand fecret of the king's be,ing a papift. Befides a great va riety of 'prefumptive proofs, we meet with the cleareft evidence of it in Carte's life of the duke of Ormond, where he mentions a- difference of opinion between Bennet, and the earl of Briftol when they were with the king in Flanders, on the policy of his majefty's openly declaring himfelf a Roman catholic, after hav ing embraced that religion. Bennet thought, that' fuch a publis avowal of his faith was the only thing that could induce France. and Spain to concur with all their powers in reftoring him to his throne. But the earl afferted, on the contrary, that fo im prudent a declaration Would have no other effeft than that of ruining the king's affairs in his own country, while no depend ence or ftrefs. could be laid on the mighty promifes of France and Spain, " who," he faid, " would give more to get one frontier garrifon into their hands, than to get the catholic reli gion THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 2.1 ments he made himfelf fo- agreeable, and ¦ was thought fo ufeful, that the king defired the chan cellor to ufe his credit to get fir Harry eleftecV a member of the lioufe of commons, which was ac cordingly done upon the firft opportunity. The other perfon now brought forward was William Co- Mr. William Coventry, the youngeft fon ofthe ventI7'saP- J * , J ¦ ° pearance on late lord Coventry, who had been many years lord the political keeper of the great feaL This gentleman, towards the clofe of the civil war, had the command of a ¦company of foot, and fhortly after travelled into France, where he remained whilft there was any Tiope of getting another army for the king, or that ¦either' of 'the other crowns would engage in his •quarrel. But when all thoughts of that were dejf- perate, he returned to England, and gave up every idea of any farther attempt; till the king was pro claimed in London. He then went over with others to offer his fervice to his majefty at the Hague, and had the good fortune to find the duke of York without a fecretary. He was therefore re ceived into that employment, which, as ;the duke held the' office of high admiral of England, was jaot only very honourable, hut almoft as lucrative gipn eftablifhed, net ©ply in England, but all over Europe." The earl's arguments prevailed; and Charles continued to wear, $t leaft in public, .the roafk of hypocrify ever after. ¦C'3" as- 42 SECRET HISTORY OF as that of fecretary o£ ftate. He was a fullen, ill* natured, proud man, whofe ambition had no li- 1663. mits: his parts were very good, if he had not thought them better than any other man's ; and he had diligence and induftry, which men of good parts are too often without,, which made him quickly to have at leaft credit and power enough with the duke. He had a feat in the houfe of commons from the beginning of the parliament: he always fpoke pertinently, and was well attended to : he was, in like manner, one of thofe, with whom the perfons trufted by the king in conduct ing his affairs in the lower houfe confulted Very frequently. But perceiving that the advice of fome few others, who had much longer experience, was more relied upon than his, he began to think him felf not valued enough, and only made ufe of to promote the defignsand contrivances of other fnen, without being fignal in the management, to which h6 afpired. This determined him to make frequent experiments how far he himfelf could prevail in the houfe, by declining the method that was prefcribed, and propofing fomewhat which was either befide, or contrary to it. Then if it fucceeded, as it fometimes did, the reft of the court party not op pofing him, from a belief of his having received newer directions, he had argument enough to cen- fure the chancellor, for having formed wrono- ideas of the temper and affeftions of die lioufe. 'When. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 23 When thofe two perfons, fir Harry Bennet and Mr. Coventry, (who had entered into as great a league of friendfliip as can fubfift between two very proud men) came to fit together in the houfe of League 6f commons, though the former of them knew no fnendfl"P ¦.--.. D. „ between thofe more of the conftitution and laws" of England, than two favou^ •he did of China, nor had in truth a care or tender- ne'fs for church or ftate, but believed France was the beft pattern in the world, they thought it would be doing them the- greateft wrong, if they were not allowed entirely to govern the houfe, or if tlie king took his meafures of what fhould be done there from any body but themfelves. They made friend'lhips with feveral young members,' who fpoke confidently, and often feemed to have credit in the houfe. As thefe were for the moft part country gentlemen of ordinary Condition, and mean fortunes, they were defirous to fecure the intereft of fuch a perfon as fir Harry Bennet, who was thought to have, and who indeed had confiderable influence with his majefty. Sir Harry, proud of having, gained fuch a num ber of adherents, fancied he underftood the houfe, and what was to be done there, as well as any man iri England. He recommended thofe men to the king, as perfons of fublime parts ; fpoke in their own hearing of the fervices they had done, and how ihuch greater they could do ; and affured his majefty, that with fuch loyal and zealous fupporters. C4 he Zt\ SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP- he might carry what he would in the houfe of? t I i commons. The king received andiconferred with, 1663, them very gracioufly, and difmiffed them with pro mifes whiph made them rich already. They had before been entirely governed by fir Hugh Pollard, under the chancellor's fecret . direftion ; but they thought they had now got a better patron: the, new courtier had raifed their value, and talked to them of recompences and .rewards in a different dialeft from what they had beea accuftomed to. :.- Profits of the .The. two friends before -mentioned agreed fo well andwine-li- between themfelves, that whether, they fpoke toge-, cenfes grants ther,-. or apart to the king, they always faid the duke of York fame, things, gave the fame information, and took and his heirs, carg t^at ^fa their mafters might have the fame opinions and judgments of the" affeftions of the houfe of commons, which they faid were fo great and united, as to be ready to do whatfoever the king, or duke could require. They had it in their power to give the latter more efpecially a ftrong inftance of the feeming truth of their affertions. About the beginning of the feffion, fome abufes in contrafts with relation to the poft-office having been complained of, the commons requefted the king to make no farther grants of that kind, tiff the matter could be more fully inquired, into., But by the contrivance of Coventry and Bennet, the houfe fome time after unanimoufly affented to a motion for fettling the profits of the poff-office, an4 THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 2jJ and the power of granting wine-licenfes," on his CHAP. royal highnefs the duke of York, and the heirs ¦-," 'v ; male of his body.' This was a very acceptable, 1663. piece of -fervice, as fo great an addition to the -duke's eftablifhment* enabled him to keep a fepa- ' rate court, without troubling the king, for any farther affiftance. Such a proof of the fentiments and liberality of- . Introduction the common^ afforded an excellent fubjeft for fir members at Harry and Mr. Coventry to enlarge upon. They faid, " that former delays in matters which the king had at heart were entirely owing to mifma- nagerhent : they knew many worthy and able men, of whofe wifdom the houfe was fo Well perfuaded, as to agree to whatever they propofed-; and. yet thefe men complained that they had no directions given to. them, which way they might beft ferve the king." They farther afferted, '.'that if .thofe men were properly treated with, it wpuld quickly appear how much they were at his majefty's difpo- jal ; and all things, which now depended long, would be hereafter difpatched in half the time.";,.; The king wondered1 very much, that any mem bers of the houfe, who ..were fo well difpofed -to ferve him, fhould have been fo much neglected; * The revenue ofthe port-office alone afforded at that time a, deaf income of twenty-one thoufand pounds a year. and the feleft meetings- *5 SECRET HISTORY OF and wifhed fir; Harry and Mr. Coventry to fpeak to the chancellor on the fubjeft. , They, artfully concealed their having the leaft, prejudice againft the chancellor, (though they were not united in any one thing more than the defire of his ruin) arid faid they would very willingly repair to him, and be direfted by him ; but they 'requefted,, that his majefty himfelf would firft fpeak to him to call thofe perfons, whom they had recommended, to meet together -with the reft, whom the chancellor ufed to eonfult. This the king willingly under took, and being fhortly after waited upon by the chancellor, his majefty mentioned what had been told him, and named feveral members of the houfe of commons, who, he faid, took it ill, that they were not particularly informed of the king's willies, and wliich way. they might beft ferve him. He therefore defired that, at the next conference upon parliamentary bufinefs, thofe gentlemen, with fir Harry Bennet, might have notice to be prefent. As to Mr. William Coventry, he and his brother Harry of the bedchamber had been conftantly in thofe councils. It was not difficult for the chancellor to perceive the fecret defign of thofe meafures which had been fuggefted to the king. He faid, " that great and notorious meetings in parliament had been always odious ; arid though they might produce fuccefs in a few particulars, they commonly ended un luckily : THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. ZJ luckily : that fince his majefty's return', care had CHAP. been taken to confine the management of his'bu- t v* j finefs in the commons tb a few perfons, who had 1663. a mutual confidence in each other, and by whofe means inftruftions were eofnmunicated, without noife and without notice, to fuch of the members as were willing to be inftruments towards pro^ curing what was defirable, and preventing what might be unpleafant to his majefty : that the very gentlemen, whom his majefty had named, had al ways received every neceffary advice and informa tion of his pleafure, without being expofed by any numerous meetings to thofe fufpicions and re proaches, Which in all parliaments had been looked upon as a difgrace : and laftly, that he could not conceal his own fears, that putting the bufinefs into a wider and more open channel, and his ma jefty's too publicly fpeaking with the members, and believing the reports of every man, who was prefent at the* debates, would be attended with fome inconvenierices not eafy to be remedied *." The king did not exprefs any diffatisfaftion at this difcourfe, but feemed to approve it. However he would have fir Harry Bennet, and two of the other gentlemen', Mr. Clifford, and Mr. Churchill, cal led lp the next meeting ; and becaufe they were to ? By thefe remarks we may fee, that fome of the minifters of Charles II. were almoft as well fkilled in the arts oi decent cor- ruj»ion,i\s Walpole himfelf, or any ofhis modern imitators. be $8 SECRET HISTORY OF be introduced into company they had not ufed to converfe with, his majefty defired that the feleft party might meet at the chancellor's, and not at the chief baron Bridgeman's, or the attorney-ge neral's chambers, the former' places of refort ; and that the • chancellor fhould let the reft know the good opinion his majefty had of thofe, who were, added to the number. DecEne qfthe. By thefe. means, and with thefe circumftances, power.6 °r!> c^s alteration was made in the conduft- of the king's fervice in parliament, upon which many other alterations followed, though not at once.' It foon appeared, that -the introduction of new- confi dents was not pleafing to thofe, who thought they had very well difcharged their truft. The old- members became more referved in die delivery of their opinions, and fome of them always difconti nued their attendance at the meetings. The new comers, on the other hand, knowing their credit^ with the king, and prefuming on tlie fuperiority of their talents, came rather to diftate than advife ; fo that; by degrees there were lefs refolutions taken than had been formerly, nor was there fo chearful a concurrence, or fo fpeedy a difpatch of the bufi- finefs depending in die houfe, as before. The chancellor felt very fenfibly the diminution of his own power ; and knew very well to what caufes it was owing, though both fir Harry Bennet and Mr. Williarri Coventry carried themfelves towards hirn with THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 29 with great civility and outward refpeft, while nei- CHAP. ther of them let flip any opportunity of injuring v * , him in private. Still, however, they afted with x^, great warinefs and caution ; and even among their parties they fpoke of his foibles rather with an air of , pleafantry and ridicule, than with any fhew of enmity or ill-nature. Another of the junto, who privately confpired The earl of the chancellor's ruin, was not quite fo difcreet, or amirnalici- rather fo patient to wait for a favourable opportu- ous attempt. nity of effecting his deftruftion. This was the earl of Briftol, who had been croffed in many of his fchemes by. the chancellor, and who afcribed to him every cheek that was impofed on his own moft extravagant pretenfions. Though the king had been often very liberal to him, at one time making him a prefent of ten thoufand pounds in money, with which he purchafed Wirribleton of the queen-mother, and at another time giving him Afhdown foreft and other lands in Suffex, yet thefe marks of royal favour were not fufficient to gratify his pride, or his avarice. His religion kept him from any poft of . confiderable honour, or emolument ; and his family eftate had been fold and fettled by his own confent upon the marriage of his eldeft fon twice to great fortunes ; fo that^ when he, returned from beyond the feas, he had little more to fubfift upon than the king's bounty j- and though no man tailed more of it, yet he al ways $Q SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. ways thought the chancellor , prevented ifs being * j poured out upon -, him, in. greater meafure. He was 1663. in his nature very covetous, and ready, to embrace alf ways of getting money; but, with, an incon fiftency very common to proud men, be was, no thing provident in his expences, when he had any temptation from ambition or vanity. He fpent as much in building and gardening at Wimbleton as the land was worth ; and to add to. his frequent diftreffes, he had an unconquerable paffion for gaming, in which he had no fkill, but conftantly loft all the money he ever could command. By fuch imprudent conduft the earl found him felf in ftreights, which he could; neither endure, nor get out of, and which tranfported him to fuch a degree, that he refolved to treat the king in a very different manner from, what he had ever yet prefumed to do. Upon this determination, he immediately, went to the king, and finding only lord Aubigny in his company, with whom the earl was upon a footing of the greateft intimacy, he ftated his wants, and made a requeft - fo very unreafonable that it could not be complied with* tie then told his majefty, " that he knew well the caufe of .his withdrawing his favour from him : that it proceeded folely from the chancellor, who governed him and managed all his affairs, whilft he himfelf fpent his time only in pleafures and, de bauchery." He went on in the fame paffionate ftrain, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 31 ftrain, upbraiding the king with many exceffes, to which no man had contributed more than the earl himfelf; and uttering many harfh truths, which came with a worfe grace from his lips. He con cluded; " that if his requeft was not granted in four and twenty hours, he would do fomewhat that would awaken the king out of his flumber, and make him look better to his own bufinefs ;" adding many threats againft the chancellor. So violent and daring an attack deprived the king of all pre fence of mind ; and he afterwards reproached him felf for not having called his guard, and fent the earl to the Tower *. A report was quickly fpread through the court and the town, that the earl of Briftol would accufe the chancellor of high-treafon ; and the earl did not fail to realize his menaces. - When the time was paft, that he prefcribed to the king to give him fatisfaftion, he came to the lioufe of lords with a paper in his hand, and told them, ,( that he could not but obferve, that, after fo glorious a return, -with which God had bleffed the king and the na tion, all the world had expefted, that the profpe- 1 ' 1 * It is very probable that the Icing had fome ftronger reafons for not taking this ftep, than the pretence ofhis momentary con fufion. The earl was privy to fome fecrets, the difcovery of which, at this junfture, might have fhaken the hypocritical tyrant from his throne. This made the latter as timid as the former was infolent and audacious. rity %% SECRET HISTORY OF rity of the kingdom would have far exceeded th£ mifery and adverfity which it had for many years endured ; and that the parliament, on their part, had left nothing undone to promote fo happy and defirable a change ; notwithftanding all which it was evident to all men, and lamented by thofe who wifhed well to his majefty, that his affairs grew every day worfe and worfe, and that the king himfelf loft much of his honour, and of the affec tion he had in the hearts of his people': that, for1 his part, he looked upon it with as much fadnefs as any man, and had made enquiry as well as he could from whence this great misfortune, which every body was fenfible of, could proceed ; and that he was fatisfied in his own confcience, that it proceeded principally from the power and credit, and fole credit of the chancellor ; and therefore he was refolved, for the good of his country, to accufe the lord high chancellor of high-treafon, which," he added, " he had done in the paper now fub mitted to their lordfhips, all written with his own hand, and fubfcribed with his name " He then defired the paper might be read : it contained many articles of fuppofed treafon and other mifdemea-' nours, the chief of which confifted in charging the chancellor with having endeavoured to alienate the affeftions of his majefty's fubjefts, by infinuating that the king was a papift ; with fowing diffentioris between the king and his brother; with ftriving-to raife his own reputation and popularity on the ruins THE REIGN OF CHARLES II.' 4? ruins ofthe royal charafter : and with affurhing to himfelf the government of all public affairs, which he had adminiftered unfkilfully, corruptly, and traiferoufly. Moft of the other charges were fri volous, or malicious, and evidently defigned to wound the king through the chancellor*. As * Thefpecific charges exhibited againft the chancellor by the earl were tb this effeft : " That he had endeavoured to alienate the hearts of his ma jefty's fubjefts, by artificially infinuating io his creatures and de pendents, that his majefty was inclined to popery, and defigned to alter the eftablifhed religion : ' " He had faid to feveral perfons ofhis majefty's privy council, that his majefty was dangeroufly corrupted in his religion, and ' inclined to popery; and that perfons of that religion had fuch accefs and fuch credit with him, that unlefs there were a careful eye had unto it, the proteftant religion would be overthrown in this kingdom j - " Upon his majefty's admitting fir Henry Bennet to be fecre- tary of ftate, in the place of fir Edward Nicholas, he faid, that his majefty had given ten thoufand pounds to remove a zealous prbteftant, that he might bring into that place of high truft a concealed papift : " In.purfuance ofthe fame traiterous defign, feveral friends. and dependents of his had faid aloud, that were it not for my. lord chancellor's ftanding in the gap, popery would be intro duced into' this kingdom : " " That he had perfuaded- the king, contrary to his reafon, to allow his name to be ufed to the pope and to feveral cardinals, in the folic-ifetipn of a. cardinal's cap for the lord Aubigny, great almoner to the queen ; in order to effeft which, he had em ployed Mr. 'Richard Bealing/aknown papift, and had' likewife applied himfelf to feveral popifh priefts and jefuits for the fame , vol. n. D purpofe, SECRET HISTORY OF GHAP- -fe foon as the paper was read, the chancellor* » J * rofe, and without any trouble in his. countenance, j§6.3. faid, " that he had had the honour heretofore to have purpofe, prrimifing great favour to the priefts here, ^ in cafe it mould be effefted : " That he had likewife proinifed to feveral papifts, he would do his endeaypur ; and faid, he hoped to compafs the taking away all penal laws againft them ; to the end they might pre sume apd grow vain upOn his patronage, and, by their publifll- ing their hopes of a toleration, increafe the fcandal endeavoured by him to be raifed throughout the kingdom : " That being intrufted with the treaty betwixt his majefty, imd , the royal confort, the queen, he concluded it upon articles fcandalous and dangerous to the proteftant religion : moreover he brought -the king and queen together, without any fetded agreement about the performance of the marriage-rites, whereby the queen refufing Jo be married by a proteftant prieft, in Cafe of her being with child, either the fucceflion fhould he made uncer tain for want of due rites of matrimony, or elfe his majefty be expofed to a fufpicion of his being married in his own domi nions by a Romifh prieft : " That haying endeavoured to alienate the affeftions pf the king's fubjefts, upon the.fcore of religion, he made ufe of all ma licious fcandals andjealoufies to raife to himfelf a popular ap- plaufe of being the zealous upholder ofthe proteftant reiigipn : " That he. farther endeavoured to alienate the affeftiohs of the king's fubjefts, by venting in his own difcourfes, and in thofe, ef his emiffariesj opprobrious fcandals againft his majefty's per fon and courfe of life, fuch as were' not fit to be mentioned, un lefs neceffity fhould require it : " That he endeavoured to alienate tlie affeftion qf the duke. of York from his majefty, by fuggefting to him, diat his majefty- intended to legitimate the duke of Monmouth : ?' That THE REIGN OF CHARLES 111 §£ have fo mucli the good Opinion and friendfhip of CHAP. the noble earl, that he durft appeal to his own con- * v ..,* fcience, that he did not himfelf .believe oneof 1663, thofe articles to be true, but knew the contrary of moft of diem." He then fpoke at large to the feveral charges, not only to fhew the impoffibility of their being founded: in truth, but that they re- " That he had perfuaded the king, againft the advice of the lord general, to. withdraw the Englifh garrifons out of Scotland, and demolifh all the forts built there at fo- vaft a charge to this kingdom ; and all without expefting the advice of the parlia ment of England : "' That he endeavoured to alienate his nlajefty's affeftions and efteem for his prefent parliament, by telling him, that there neT Ver was fo weak and , inconflcjerable a houf^ of lords, hor ever fo weak aha heady a houfe of commons ; and particularly, that it was better to fell Dunkirk, than to be at their mercy for want of money : , " That, contrary to a known law made laft feflions, by which money was..given and applied for the maintaining of Dunkirk, he , advifed and effefted the fale of the fame to the French king \ " That he had, contrary to law, enriched himfelf and his creatures by the fale of offices : " That lie had converted to his own ufe vaft fums of public money raifed in Ireland by way of fubfidy, private and public benevolences, and otherwife given and intended to defray the Charge of the government in that kingdom : " That having arrogated to himfelf a fupreme direftion of all his majefty's affairs, he had prevailed to have his majefty's cuf toms farmed at a lower rate than, others offered, and that by perfons with fome of whom he went a fhare ; and had enriched himfelf in various other inftances to the injury of his majefty's revenues." D z 'flefted \6 , SECRET HISTORY OF 2 CHAP. fledled more upon the king's honour than upon *, - y ¦ his; The chancellor concluded. with faying, " he. S663. ( was forry the noble earl had. not been, better ad- vifed; for he did believe, that, though all that was alledged in the articles fhould be true, they would not all amount to high-treafori ;" and de-, fired that the judges might be required to deliver their opinion upon that point. To this the houfe very readily agreed, Ordering the judges to con fider the articles, and to give their opinion next day. It was alfo moved by one of the lords, that a copy of the articles might be fent to the king, as his majefty was fo prefumptuoufly mentioned in them ; which was likewife agreed ; and the articles were deUvered' to the lord chamberlain to prefent to the king. Next morning, the lord" chamberlain informed the houfe, " that he was commanded by the king, to thank them for the refpeft they had fhewn his majpfty, .in fending thofe articles, to him ; and. to let them know, that, he looked upon them as -a libel upon himfelf*, more than a charge Upon the chancellor, who, upon his knowledge, was inno cent in all the particulars charged upon him.'' * Moft of the infiriuations, as far as they refpefted the king's fentiments, were, indeed, ftriftly true; though the earl of Briftol, aferibing them to the chancellor, affefted to reprefent them ; t n 1 Th • ledged wete true, they did not amount to treafon, as was afferted in the charge," The meffage from his majefty, and the declara^ tion of the judges threw the earl of Briftol into great confufion. He lamented his condition, " that he, for endeavouring to ferve his country, from the impulfe of his confidence , was difcoun- tenanced and threatened with the anger and dif- pleafure of his prince, whilft his adverfary kept his place in the houfe, and had the judges fo much at his devotion, that they would not certify againft him." The chancellor then moved the houfe, " that a fhort day might be given to the earl to bring in his evidence to prove the feveral matters of his charge ; otherwife that he might have fuch reparation, as was in their judgments proportion able to the indignity." The earl faid, " he fhould not fail to prove all he had alledged and more ; but that he could not appoint a time, when he could be ready for a hearing, becaufe many of his moft important witneffes were beyond the fea$, fome at Paris, and others in other places; and tha; he muft examine the duke of Ormond, who, D 3 was 3$ SECRET HISTORY OP cms: I,!. 1 — » — ' 1663. was lieutenant in Ireland, and the earl of Lauder-' dale who . was then in Scotland, and muft defire' commiffions to that purpofe." But from that day he made no farther inftance; and underftanding that the king had given warrants to a ferjeant at arms to apprehend him, he abfconded for fome time, fending letters and petitions by his wife to the king, who would not receive them. At length his majefty was prevailed upon by lady Caftle- maine and fir "Harry Bennet to .fee him in private ; but never fhewed him any public countenance till the chancellor's, misfortune, when die earl came to. the court and to parliament in great triumph, and boafted of enjoying a greater fhare than before of the king's familiarity and confidence. Curious in trigues to ef feft the re moval of fe cretary Ni cholas. There was one ofthe articles in. the charge againft the chancellor, which took its rife from the foli- cited refignation of fecretary Nicholas, and the ap pointment of fir Harry Bennet to" that high office. As this alteration foon produced a variety of other changes at court, and led the way to the total dif- miffion of the chancellor and his party,- I fhall here relate the circumftances attending it. Sir Harry, though appointed keeper of the , privy purfe, . did not think himfelf preferred to a ftation worthy of his merit and great qualifications. The king had made hirn fome flattering promifes at Fontarabia, whither he attended the Spanifh minifter to meet his majefty, and to ftrengthen himfelf in .his good- graces. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 39 graces. Since his return to England, he had been CHAP. uncommonly fuccefsful in making a farther pro- , f -jj grefs in his majefty's affeftions. There was no ^63, man for whom the king fhewed more kindnefs, or whofe company he more delighted in. He had alfo fecured the lady's favour ; and his old frierid Mr. O'Neale was ftill ready to put his majefty in mind of all his fervices ; fo that the only difficulty was to find a vacancy, that might giye opportunity for his advancement, It was1 impoffible, that fir Harry could have a better friend near the king's perfon than Mr. O'Neale, or any man more dexterous in making opportunities, which he could not find. He made rio fcruple to infinuate to the king, that the abili ties of neither of his fecretaries were fo great, but that he might be better ferved. He kneW very well that his majefty was not fond of old men ; and had not fo much efteem of them, as their parts, induftry, and integrity deferved ;¦• and that he would not have been forry, if either, or both of them had died. But it would have been an. ungra cious thing to difmifs either, merely becaufe they had lived too lorig. Secretary Nicholas had ferved the late king, in the fame function with great fide lity ; and having very much impaired his fortune , by his attachment to the royal caufe, he returned from exile with his pfefent majefty, in the hope of D 4 repairing 4-0 , SECRET HISTORY OF repairing paft loffes by the, juft perquifites of his office. He- was, indeed, fome years above , fe- venty ; but being.well verfed in bufinefs, and all the forms of difpatch, ,he. fupplied by his induftry. and expertnefs the , want of youth and of fhining talents. The other fecretary was fir William Mor- rice, general Monk's kinfman and great confidant,. who alone was entrufted with the; correfpondence: between him and the king ; and who,/.having ob tained his prefent place by the, general's fpecial re commendation, could not be turned out without the groffeft affront to his friend and patron. The only expedient, ''therefore, to provide for fir Harry Bennet was to remove fecretary Nicholas by his own confent ; and to this the king was the more eafily perfuaded, becaufe it would give him: an op-*. portunity to bringanother perfon into the office of the privy purfe, of whom he was lately grown very fond, though when he came into England, he had a greater averfion to him than to any gentleman, who had been abroad with his majefty. This was fir Charles Berkeley, then captain of the. duke of York's guard, and much in the good graces of his royal highnefs. I have in a former part taken notice of his enmity to the chancellor, and of his entire devotion to the queen-mother's, intriguing defigns *, * Seepage 150,70!. I. Whilft THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 41 Whilft this fcheme of new promotions was con- CHAP. triving and depending, -great care was ' taken that . v' » it might not come' to the notice of the chancellor, 1663. left, if he could not divert the king from defiring it, he might diffuade his old friend fecretary Ni cholas from hearkening to any fuch propofal, or accepting any compofition. This, they thought, he would exert all his influence to effeft, as well to keep a man in, whom he could entirely ma nage, as to keep another out, of whom he had rea fon to be jealous. O'Neale, who had always the fkill to bring that to pafs by others, which he could not barefacedly appear in -himfelf, infinuated to Mr. Afhburnham, a friend of the fecretary's, " that the king thought the, fecretary too old to take fo much pains, and often wifhed that his friends would perfuade him to retire, that there might be a younger man in the office, who could attend upon his majefty at all hours, and in all jou'rnies ; but that his majefty always fpoke kindly of him, and as if he refolved to give him an ample recompence." O'Neale added, as a great fecret, that the- king had an impatient defire to have fir Harry Bennet fecretary of ftate. Afhburnham was well verfed in the artifices of court too ; and thought he might very well per form' an office of kindnefs to his old confidant, and at the fame time find a new and more ufeful friend for himfelf, by having a hand in procuring a large tyf SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. a iarrre fatisfaftion for the old, and likewife faeill-. j tating the way for the introduction of a new fecre- ^663. tary,, who could not forget the obligation. He told O'Neale, " that all the world knew his long and fincere friendfliip for fecretary Nicholas;" [They had been both fervants at, the fame time to the duke of Buckingham, when he was killed.} " and that he fhould be much troubled to fee him difplaced in his old age with contempt : but, if his majefty would difmifs him with honour and re ward, fo as to enable him to provide for his wife and children, he would not hefitate to perfuade him to quit his' ernployment. O'Neale had all he looked for ; and only repeated his injunftion of fecrecy, " left," he faid, " it might come to the king's ear, that he had communicated this to any man j and he did prefume, that before any refolu tion was taken in it, his majefty. would fpeak of it, to the chancellor." Within a day or two the king fent for Afh burnham and told him, " he knew he was a friend to the fecretary, who was riow grown old and not able to take the pains he had done ; that he had ferved his father and himfelf very faithfully, and had fpent his fortune in his fervice ; that if he were willing to retire, he would give him ten thou- fand pounds, or any other recompence he fhould - chufe," implying a title of honour ; but intimated, though he referred all to his own will, that he wifhed,. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 43 wifhed, and that it would be acceptable, that the CHAP. office' might be vacant, and at his majefty's difpor. v J ? fal. Afhburnham undertook the employment very 1663. chearfully, and quickly imparted what the king had faid, and ali that he himfelf knew before, to the fecretary, who was not fond of the court,- and thought he had lived long enough there. The fe cretary alfo confidered, that though the king's mef- fage was very gracious, and offered a noble reward, it did withal appear, that his majefty defired he fhould be gone, and that having defigned a fuccef- for, who had already much credit with his majefty, if he himfelf fhould feem fullen, or unwilling, he might in a fhOrt time be put out without any con fideration, or at rrioft with the promife of one. Hereupon he wifhed his friend to affure the, king, " that he would very readily do whatfoever his majefty thought neceffary for his, fervice ; but he hoped; that after above forty years fpent in the fervice of the crown, he fhould not be expofed to difgrace and contempt : that he had a wife and children, who had all fulfered with him in exile, till his majefty's return, and for whom he could not make a competent provifion, without his ma jefty's bounty ; and therefore he hoped, that, be fore his majefty required the fignet, he would caufe the recompence to be more than, what' was men tioned, and to be firfi paid*." * The old fecretary knew the king too well to truft to his pro mifes. The 44 , SECRET HISTORY OP The bufinefs could not be put into "better hand's, for it was managed by Afhburnham with notable 1663. fkill. As foon as it was known that the fecretary would willingly refign, (which was feared) and .that only a better recompence was expefted, all the party were killing that the king fhould make' the aft look as gracioufly as might be, that the fuc- ceffor might be attended with the lefs envy ; and Afhburnham cultivated their impatience fo cun ningly, that it coft the king in prefent money, and land or leafe, very little lefs than twenty thoufand, ¦ all which the old fecretary' received before he re-?/ .figned his place. Thus fir Harry Bennet was, at the king's charge, accommodated even to the fa-* . tisfaftion of his own ambition ; and his majefty was as Well pleafed both in having procured him the objeft of his wifhes, and in being thereby en-' abled to bring into the other office near his owir: perfon fir Charles Berkeley, whom he every day* Ipved with more paffion, for what reafon no man,; knew, nor could imagine. From this time, every clofe obferver could not but difcern, diat the chancellor's influence with the king manifeftly declined. Inconvenient grants came every day to the feals, for the benefit of par- , ticular perfons ; and when the chancellor ftated any objections, though his majefty feemed to hear him as willingly as ever, he had always, fome reafons for perfifting in his firft refolution to havejthe grants, paffed./ THE RElGN OF CHARLES II. 45 faffed. It was alfo well known, that in the evening CHAP. ponverfations at lady Caftlemaine's greater liberties * — vr_j were taken than ufual in fpeaking of public affairs, 1663. and of the chancellor's conduft ; and .what before was mentioned only as a jeft, or with an air of pleafantry, became now an object of ferious cen- fure. However, there appeared nothing of dif- union as yet in the meetings of the feleft commit tee ; and the fhew at leaft of a famenefs of opinion in all matters relating to the king was kept up. In parliament, as I have already hinted, bufinefs went on more tardily ; not that the number of perfons devoted to the court was leffened ; but upon any debate, they feemed to be guided by different in- ftruftions. Sir Harry Bennet, .never fpoke, nor ever was likely to fpeak in the houfe of commons, except in the .ear of .whofoever: fat next to him; and yet that whifper, 'often produced more effeft than the eloquent 'harangues of others. Mutual confidence in the fervants of the crown was really loft, while all profeffed an equal zeal for his ma jefty's. intereft. : But with whatever care any divifions were avoided National in council and in parliament, great murmurs and difcontents. difcontents broke out in the country, where the people began to talk with more freedom and lefs reverence of the court, and of the king himfelf; and to reproach the commons for their granting fo much money, and increafing taxes and impofitipns, < • without ifi ' SECRET HISTORY OF Without having' done any thing for the redrefs of public grievances. The fcandalous corruption of 1-663. manners, which, flowing from the court, as front a polluted fou-rce, had fpread all over the land, af forded the diffenting preachers matter enough for the fevereft inveftives. As they themfelves fmarted from the lafh of perfecution, they gratified their private refentment in aferibing the diffolutenefs of the times to the indolence, and irreligion of the eftablifhed clergy. The number of conventicles % increafed; and fome ofthe fermons delivered there were little fliort of libels on the conduft of the le* giflature. The papifts affumed ftill greater liber- ties ; and bragged as- if they had a toleration, and Cared not what the magiftrates could do. The par*- liament had a defire to correct both with the fame- / rigour ; but though there would have been a gene ral confent in any feverities that could be inflifted on the frequenters of conventicles, yet there could riot be the like concurrence againft the .papifts; and it was not poffible to carry on the one without , the other. The new leaders of the; court-party therefore, that they might be fure to prevent the latter, interrupted all that Was propofed againft the former ; and chofe to have neither, out of fear of both. This increafed the diforders in the country, and caufed more'refleftionsbn the court. Delufive pro- The fummer" being now very far advanced, and profogadotf. as much money .obtained as could then be well drawn THE REIGN OF CHARtES, II; 47 drawn from the commons, the king, in order to CHAP. prevent thofe queftions refpefting the diffenters , ' ,* and the papifts from being farther agitated, refolved 1663. to prorogue the parliament. He went to the houfe of peers on the twenty-feventh of July, and having paffed the bills that were ready *, he fent for the commons, * BefideS the afts before-mentioned, another, which received the royal afTent at this time, deferves notice. It was entitled " an Aft for the encouragement of trade," though one of its claufes betrayed the groffeft ignorance of the principles not only of commerce, but of found policy. Tt prohibited the importation. of foreign cattle. Such a prohibition, which was particularly levelled at Ireland, not only reduced the inhabitants of that country to the greateft diftrefs, by {hutting them out .from the.. only market they had for the chief article of their produce,- but Was highly injurious to the induftry, the agriculture, and the manufaftures of England. It caufed a greater quantity of land here to be applied to the purpofes of pafturage than is confiftent with the higher improvements of hufbandry in a populous and commercial ifland : it gave the Englifh graziers ah the advan tages of a monopoly againft their own countrymen; and as the Irifh, who had no wealth but their cattle, were deprived of the means of fupplying themfelves, as before, with the manufaftures of England, this opprefiive dft, which was carried to a ftill more pernicious extent by the parliament in 1666, put a flop to all trade between the two nations. ,Mr. Carte, in his Life of the duke of Ormond, takes occafion from this aft to obferve, "that the Englifh never underftood the art of governing their provinces ; that they always treated them in fuch a manner as either put thern under the neceffity, or fubjefted them to the temptation, of cafting off their govern ment, whenever an opportunity offered : that it was a feries of -this impolitic conduft which loft them Normandy, Poiftou, Anjou, 48 - SECRET HISTORY OF commons, and thanked them for the prefent they had made to him of the four fubfidies, *' which," 1663. he told th^m, " he would not have received from them, if it' were not abfolutely neceffary for their peace and quiet, as well as his ; and that it would ' yet do him very little good, if he did not improve it. by good hufbandry, and by retrenching thofe Anjou, Guienne, and all die dominions which they formerly had in France: that in the king of France's Trefor de Chartres there are an infinite number of appeals and memorials for grievances, which the inhabitants of the Englifh provinces fuffered from the Englifh government : that, for thefe reafons, they never appeared in arnis to aflift the Englifh againft the French, according tothe obligation of their tenures ; and whilft one hundred thoufand vaffals, under the like tenures, ferved in the armies of France, the Englifh were forced tb fight their battles themfelves : that from an abhorrence to the Englifh government, when Rochelle, Saintes, Angoulefme, and other towns iu thofe provinces fub mitted to the kings of France, they took particular care to infert in their capitulations, an exprefs article, That in no dif re/7 ofthe mffairs of France they Jhould ever be deli-vered back into the hands of the Englifh." Had Mr, Carte lived in our times, what a melancholy addition he might have made to his catalogue of provinces difinembered from the Britifh empire by the narrow and illiberal policy of its government! He would alfo have increafed the number of his flinging remarks by afferting, that, even after the lofs of Ame rica, the coneeffions in favour of Ireland were not obtained from the generofity, but extorted from the fears of its rulers. Thefe faults, however, are not peculiar to the Englifh. govern-, ment, as Mr. Carte infinuates. Moft of the European ftates, have not only been guilty of the fame abfurd oppreffions, tut ftill perfift in them contrary to the cleareft precepts both of hif tory and experience, x very THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 49' very expences, whiclv.in friany refpefts might, be ' CHAP. thought neceffary enough." When his majefty v__J___> touched,upon this fubjeft, he was too apt to for- 1^63. get the weaknefs. of all his paft refolutions, and the vanity of his repeated promifes of oeconomy and reform.. He now again affured them, " that they fhould fee, that he would rather impofe upon himfelf than, upon his fubjefts ; and if all men would follow his example in retrenching their ex pences, (which poffibly they .might do with rriuch more convenience than he could retrench his) the kingdom muft in a fhort time gain what they had given him' that day." His majefty then took notice of the difcontents of the people, and of the licence in religion which he knew had been fo much complained of. He faid, " he was very glad the members were going irito their feveral counties, , where their prefence would do much good; and he hoped their vigi lance and authority would prevent thofe difturb- ances, which .the- reftlefs fpirits of ill and unquiet men would be always contriving, and of which he affured the parliament thofe men promifed them felves fome effefts that 'fummer; and that there had been more pains and unufual ways taken to kindle the old fatal fears and jealoufies, than he ¦ thought he fhould ever have lived to have feen, at leaft to have feen fo countenanced." He farther told them, " that he had expected to have had vol. 11. E fome %0 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. feme bills prefented to him againft the feveral di-' t I i ftempers in religion, againft feditious conventicfes, 1663. and againft the growth of popery; but that it might be they had been in fome fear of reconciling thofe contradidtions iri religion, into fome cOnfpiracy againft the public peace, to which ,. he , himftlf doubted men of the moft contradictory motives in confcience were inclinable enough." He promifed " to lay that bufinefs to heart, and the mifchiefs which might flow from thofe iicenfes; and that if he lived to meet his parliament again, as -hejhoped he fhould, lie would take care to prefent two bills-, to them to that end. In the mean time," he faicU *•' he had given it in charge to the judges, in their feveral circuits, to ufe their utmoft endeavours to prevent and punifh the fckndalcfus and feditiouf meetings of feftaries, and to convift the papifts ;. and he himfelf would take all the pains he could, that neither the one npr the other' fhould difturb tlie, peace of the kingdom.". After adding many gracious expreffions of his efteem and confidence! in both houfes, he caufed them to be prorogued. till the fixteenth of March following.' Prevalence b'f The king was in truth content enough that, the - Imereft ^ parliament had not prefented to him any fuch. biUsv as he mentioned, which he Well forefaw would not have been agreeable to his wifhes ; for though he, was ready to affent to the moft rigorous afts againft all the other faftions in religion, he did not think the. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. $1 the papifts had deferved the fame feverities. The CHAP. Order given to the judges for convicting them, as i „',"¦« well as punilhing other non-conformifts, and his 1663'/ majefty's promife to prepare againft the next meet ing two bills to remedy the diftempers in religion were entirely owing to the perfuafions of the chan cellor ; but were foon retracted through the more powerful influence of contrary advice. He had re prefented to the king, how much his riiajefty's goodnefs and condefcenfion towards the catholics - weie abufed by their very imprudent carriage'; and that even fome of their priefts often urged it as an argument to thofe whom they endeavoured to make profelytes, that the king was of their religion in his heart, and would fhortly declare it to all the world. The beft way therefore, the chancellor faid, to filence and contradift fuch fcandals, and to reftrain fuch infolence in future, would be to give the before-mentioned order to the judges, and to pre pare a bill, which, without expofing the papifts to any notable inconveniences in their perfons, or their fortunes, if they behaved themfelves well and wa rily, might leffen and limit the number of their priefts, who upon miflions reforted hither as to an infidel nation ; and might alfo remove the in ducements which made many weak people, even about the court, embrace that religion from falfe Jiopes arid worldly temptations. •y 5a SECRET HISTORY OF So candid and juft a reprefentation had the mora Weight with the king at the moment, -as he well knew the chancellor was no advocate for the old fanguinary laws againft the papifts; and as the order to the. judges for convicting them would: be of no material prejudice to them, without a far ther proceeding upon their conviftion, which his majefty could eafily reftrain. The chancellor alfo pointed ouf to him, that the unchecked refort of the Komifli priefts and jefuits was a very great grievance, to the catholics themfelves; that by Contracting their numbers, and by other regula tions in the propofed bill, his majefty might him felf know the names of all priefts remaining in the kingdom, and the feveral ftations where they re- fided; which, he (aid, niuft produce fuch a fecu rity to thofe. who flayed, and to thofe with whom they flayed, as. would free them from any appre- henfion of any penalties impofed by former laws* 'It was in confequence of thefe remarks, that die kingj Without imparting his defigns to any of his private favourites, commanded the chancellor to give proper inftmftions to the judges on the fub jeft ; and refolved to have two fuch bills prepared as he had mentioned to the parliament. But all his, purpofes vanifhed, as foon as they were difcovereck His own difcourfe about the bill againft the Ro man catholics excited an immediate alarm among theni THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. $$ them and their numerous friends at court. They CS^P. complained that the king Was deceived by the »¦ • *j chancellor. They faid, " that the direft ion given, 1663. to the judges was the neceffary preamble to the higheft perfecution the law had prepared againft them : that, till dieir conviction, they Were in the fame predicament with the reft of his majefty's fubjefts ; but as foon as they were convicted, they would be liable to all the other, penalties, which his majefty was inclined to protect them from." They alfo prefented to him a fhort- memorial of the difad vantages which were confequent to a con- viftion, in which diey alledged many particulars, that were not clear in law, at leaft, had never been, practifed in the fevereft times. Though the king had Well, weighed all he had done, before, he determined upon it With the chan cellor;! and though he well knew, after all their infinuations and allegations, that none of thofe in- conveniencies could enfue to them, if he reftrained any further profecution, as he always had intended to do ; yet they wrought fo far upon him, that, he was forty for the order given to the judges, and threw out hints that he cared not how little h was _ attended;: to. Then for the bill he meant to prefent in the next feffion, the fame, perfons faid, "that all the fecurity , and, quiet they had enjoyed fince- his majefty's happy return, depended wholly upon ,«-j...< E 3 the 54 SECRET H1S.T0RY OF CHAP. , the general opinion, that he had favour for diem, 1 ,d~,^> and fatisfaftion iri their duty and obedience as good 1663. fubjefts, and in their readinefs to do him any fer- - ¦ vice ; (which they would all make good with their lives) but if he fhould difcover any jealoufies of their fidelity, and that there was need of a new law againft them, which his purpofe of providing a bill implied, what mitigations foever his majefty in tended in it, it would not be in his power to re- ftrain the paffion of other men : they were fure, all thofe animofities, which had been hitherto co vered and concealed through refpeft for his ma jefty, would upon this occafion break out to their deftruftion : they hoped therefore that, whatever bitternefs the parliament might exprefs againft them, at its next meeting, fuch unjuft prejudices would receive no invitation or encouragement from any jealoufy, or difpleafure manifefted towards them by his majefty." Thefe and the like argu^ ments, or rather the influence and credit of thofe who urged them, made fuch' impreffion, that h& declined any farther thought of the bill, nor was there ever after any mention of it. The Roman catholics grew bolder in all places, and converfant in thofe rooms of the court, into which the king's chaplains never prefumed to enter; and, to crown all their hopes, lady Caftlemaine now made public profeffion of that faith, and inveighed fharply againft the church fhe had been bred in. During THE. REIGN QF CHARLES II. ?5 During the interval of the parliament there was not fuch a vacation from trouble and anxiety as was expected. 'The domeftic Unquietnefs in the 1663. court made eVery1 day more noife abroad : infinite Difmalpro- fcandals and calumnies Were fcattered amongft the fr.. pu people : the increafe of taxes, the decay of trade, and the fall of rents throughout the kingdom Were loudly complained of; and what, perhaps, pro voked the public clamour frith more, the pronation cf the court, arid of thofe who depended upon it, ¦ was carried to the greateft exceffes ; and the king. himfelf, after all his admirable fpeeches, grew lefs intent upon bufinefs, and fonder of his pleafures, to which he prefcribed no limits, nor to the ex- peWces which could not but accompany them. The, gloom of defpondehcy hung Over every thinking mind; and many fenfible men really believed, that God was angry with the nation, and refolved to Exercife them under greater tribulation than they had ever before experienced. In this "ftate of general difcontent, while the, Information coUrf were upon a journey of pleafure in the weft, ^d^ con" informations were received of a defign formed by the republicans and fanatics to feize York and other 'towns in the north, and to excite a general infurreftion. The praftice _ of contriving or in venting plots for the fole purpofe of committing obnoxious and fufpefted- perfons tb prifon had be- &4- gun 5b s e c k e r in st ory" wf f ;'?- CHAP. gun in the late troubles ; and was too much con-' v,.f J i tiriued after his majefty's peaceful reftoration: Thei. .1663. accounts, however, which were laid "before the: council of this frefh confpiracy were fo plaufible, fo: circumftantial, and at the fame time fo alarming, as they ftated that all the difbanded officers and foldiers . were to join in it, that orders were imme diately iffued to increafe the vigilance of the lord lieutenants and- deputy lieutenants of all the nor thern countries; 'and feveral troops of horfe were fent to fecure the city of York, and to attend fome of the places, where- it was faid the malecontents • had: propofed to affemble.' A great many people^ were taken up ; and all the prifons in the. north were foon. fo full, that. the king thought it necef fary to fend , down four or five of the judges to York, with a commiffion of oj^er and terminer to examine thewhole matter there. Several of the prifoners were condemned, feventeen or eighteen executed, fome reprieved, and a great number left'. to be tried at the. next affizes. :' > i66x\. .The. judges were returned from York a littler ¦ Ufe made of time before the meeting of parliament ; and the meetingof kin§ refc4ved t» &vail himfelf of fo good a pretence parliament, and of fo feafonahle an opportunity for foliciting the repeal of the Triennial Aft, to which his father had given an involuntary affent, and which was in truth' a very great check ori the royal power 'and prerogative',,' THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 57 prerogative *. He knew that the prefent parlia ment would not objeft to a requeft which tended to remove all bounds to their own duration : he only wanted a popular pretext for that meafure ; and he could not wifh for a better than the late alarm, fo univerfally fpread, of a republican infur- reftion. When the two houfes therefore met, his majefty, after- enlarging on the danger and extent of thofe rebellious combinations, faid, " he could' not upon this occafion omit to tell his parliament, that the defperate confpirators (as appeared by fe veral examinations) had not been all of one mind in the ways of carrying on their wicked defigns : fome would ftill infift on the authority , of the long parliament, of which they faid they had numbers enough willing to meet :• others fancied to themfelves by fome computation of their own, upon a claufe in the Triennial Bill, that the prefent parliament was at an end fome months fince ; and that for want of new writs, they might affemble themfelves to chufe reprefentatives, which would be the beft expedient to bring themfelves together for their other purpofes. For the long parliament," his majefty faid, " that he and they together could do no more than was already done to inform' and compofe the minds of men; let * See the account of this aft, with a detection of Mr. Hume's errors and inconfiftencies in his remarks upon it, in the Sketches of Conftitutional Hiftory prefixed to the firft volume of this work. them j5 n SECRET HISTORY OF -ftl'f . diem proceed upon that at their peril \ but hei thought there /had been nothing done to dif abufe men in tefpeft of the Triennial Bill : he con- feffed that he had often himfelf read over that bill; and though there was no colour for the fancy of determination of this parliament, yet he would not;' deny, that he had always expected that they would; arid even wondered that they had not confidered' the wonderful claufes in that bill, which had paffed in a time, very uncareful of the dignity of the crown, or the fecurity ofthe people *," {)-<* r.'jitfdi iufi.< 3ioi. orJj.V' Having thus prepared the compliance of his hearers by the difcovery ofhis own fentiments, his- majefty defired the fpeaker and the gentlemen of fi the houfe of commons to give that Triennial Bill^ a reading, and then, in God's name, to' do what J they thought fit for him, themfelves, and the whole'' kingdom; adding, " that he needed not to tell ?" them, how much he loved parliaments : never& king "was fo much beholding to parliaments as he £ declined, and that the; laft half year brought in lefs CHAP., than the former did : he defired therefore that they t J j would review that bill, and fince he was fure they ^4. would have him receive whatfoever they gave, that he might have the collecting and hufbanding of it by his own officers; and then he doubted, not but to improve, that receipt, and he would be. cozened as litde as he could." His -majefty concluded his fpeech with defiring arid conjuring both houfes, " to keep a very good correfpondence together, that it might not bejri the. power of any feditious or : factious fpirit*- to make them.jealous of each other, or either of them jealous of him, till they fhould fee him pretend om thing, and do another, which he was fure they had never yet- done : he affured them, that it fliould be in nobody's power to make him jealous of them; and fo defired them to difpatch what they found neceffary, that they might be ready for a feffion within .jtwo months or thereabouts, becaufe the feafon ofthe year would invite them all to take the country air." • ¦.if The .hint of difpatch had a wonderful effect Repeal ofthe upon, both houfes ; and they proceeded with, great ia^enma alacrity to the work which his majefty had cut out for them. In little more than ten days they Carried through, "and got ready for the royal affent a bill, for the repeal of the Triennial law ; which was fo grateful 6i SECRET HISTORY OF grateful to the king, that he went in perfon to the lioufe to pafs it, and to thank them, adding, " that every good Englifhrrian Would alfo thank them for it, as the aft they had repealed could only have ferved to difcredit parliaments ; to make the crown jealous of parliaments, and parliaments of the crown ; and to perfuade neighbour princes, that England was not governed under a Mo narch*." AeYtofup- As the parliament made this entrance,, they went prefs conven- 0n y,^ unabated zeal in compleatirig all qther bu finefs within the two months, in which the king defired they would be ready for a prorogation. They empowered his majefty, according to his particular defire to colleft the tax of hearth-money by officers of his Own ; arid they farther gratified him in making a very fevere law to prevent and fupprefs conventicles, without taking any notice * An aft to prevent tlie inconveniences happening by the long interrriiflion of parliaments was inconfiftent with Charles's idea of monarchy; but what is moft remarkable in this tranf- aftion between the king and his hirelings, is the paltry artifice made ufe of by the latter to hide from their conftitiients, l~o treacherous a furreiider of their only remaining fecurity. ' They5' entitled it " an aft for the aiTembling' and holding parliaments once in three years at the leaft, &c." .as' if to amufe the people with the, fpecious form of their ancient conftitution, while the/- robbed them of their moft ineftimable privilege, the power of difmiffing after fufficient trial fuch reprefentatives as had bf trayed, their truft, • Of THE REIGN OF CHARLES li. 6j ofthe growth of popery *. But this feffion, though fhort, was not entirely devoted to the king alone. The parliament prepared a very good bill, and very neceffary for a time of fuch corruption, that had contracted new ways of difhonefty and vil lainy, y^hich former times had not thought off. *- We canrtot give a better account of this , aft for the total fuppreffion of all public worfhip according to the prefbyterian form, than in the words of the fpeaker of the houfe of commons, upon prefenting it with the other bills to the king. " We have," faid he, " prepared a bill againft Ihe frequenting of conventicles, the feed-plots and nurferies of feditious opinions, under pre tence of religious worfhip. The firft offence is made punifli- able with five pounds, or three months' imprifonment, and ten pounds for a peer : the fecond offence ten pounds, or fix months' imprifonment, and twenty pounds for a peer: but the third offence, after a trial by jury, and the trial of a peer by his peers, the party convifted fliall be tranfported to fome foreign planta. tion, unlefs he lays down an hundred pounds — ¦ ¦ Immedicabile vulnus ( Enfe reddendum, ne pars fincera trahatur." Care alfo was taken to prevent this aft from being evaded by holding religious nieetingS in private houfes; for the penalties wtere extended to every five perfons, over and abovethofe ofthe fame houfehold, who affembled to worfhip God, after a differ ent mode from that of the eftablifhed church. f The writer has pointed out very clearly, in a former part of this chapter* the true caufe of fuch general, and before un heard, of corruption. It flowed from the polluted fountain of the great, and fpread its infeftion through all the lower claffes of fociety, , .Was it likely that common failors would hefitate to take a .bribe, -pr to facrifice honour and honefty to prefent gain, when the fords, and: commons were not afhamed to fet the example-? ..;.--. — Its I. 64 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. its objeft was to prevent a fpecies of treachery praftifed by' many unworthy and cowardly mafters 1664. of fhips and their crews, who were often contented' to be robbed at fea, and to have all their owners' goods taken, upon an allowance made to them by the pirate. This was a breach of truft for which no law had before fufficiently provided. A bill was therefore drawn up, and readily agreed to by both houfes, for the difcovery and punifhment of all fuch treacherous and infamous aftions, and for the reward of fuch honeft and ftout feamen, as fhould manfully and courageoufly defend their owners' goods, and therein maintain the honour of the na tion. Thefe bills, and a few others * for the re medy of particular grievances, were prefented to the king, and confirmed by his affent, on the fe- venteenth of May, when his majefty, after thanking the parliament in the ufual manner for their public fervices, told them, " he did not intend to bring them together again till the month of November, that they might enjoy the fummer in the tranfac- tion of their private affairs : yet becaufe there * One was for preventing abatement of writs of error on judgment in the Exchequer ; another for fuppreffing the 4iC- turbances of feamen, and preferving die ftores belonging to the navy; a third againft deceitful, diforderly, and exceffive gaming} .and a fourth for the continuance ofa former aft to regulate ths prefs; tbat is to fay, to prohibit and to punifh by fines, by imprifonment, by the feizure of property, and by corporal punifhments, the publication of any truth, that might be dif agreeable to thofe in power. might THE REIGN OF CHARlES II. $$ might fome^mergent-QCcafion fall out, that might CHAP. make it neceflary to bring them together fooner, i \ f he would prorogue them only to Auguft; and be- 1664, for then they fhould have feafonable notice by pro clamation not to give their attendance, except fuch occafions fhould fall out." The poffible emergency, which the king faid Inveftigation might oblige him to convene the parliament before caufesof a° ' November, was the great likelihood of a rupture rupture with with the Dutch, againft whom both houfes had prefented in the courfe of this feffion a very me nacing addrefs. But in my remarks on their pro ceedings I deferred taking any notice of their ho- ftile refolu tions, that 1 might bring into one point of view the different caufes of this impolitic war, fome of which I muft trace a little farther back*. Upon the king's' firft arrival in England, he Eftablifh- manifefted a great defire to improve the general ment°f the traffic of the kingdom, and often conferred with company, the moft aftive merchants on the fubjeft* He alfo eftablifhed a council of trade ; but its only effect Was to give birth to a Variety of fchemes and ad ventures, the projeftors of which had commonly much more regard to their own intereft than to the public good, Some merchants and feamen made a propofal by Mr. William Coventry and a few others to the duke of York, for the erection of a company, in which they defired his royal vol. 11. F highnefs jfRI -- SECRET HISTORY" OF""""' CHAP. highnefs : to; spsefto^p and-3 to j which .his majefty t J ) fhouldigrant meifofe.rtr^eirf.,SuiBe|t.:s This, they j>664- affertedj; would in^i-fhbrt;linie::birlin^ great advan tage, to the .nation, and much profit Toe the adven turers, who were to begin upon ta. joint flock, to be managed by a committee chofen from among themfelves. ref fff ,fouf>> ten a^ub- 1, ^•o:.. z-v'-r- -? fj?:fn a/:.r fai.. ,iU;'< < od.,' .-j Before the troubles, A fimilar privilege had been granted by .the late king to fir Nicholas Crifpe and others, named by, him, who at their ownf charge fent fliips to. the African coaft. )\In order to carry on- the; trade with/greater convenience, fir Nicholas purchafed from the natives a nook of land, that jutted out into, the Jea, and built thereon ware-? houfes and a, fort, .under which the fhips lay in great jfafety.-; -After the. breaking out of the civil war, fir .Nicholas betook, himfelf to ferve the king ; but the trade wis- continued by others, either with fir; -Nicholses .confent, -,-; or. through Cromwell"? power,, and the- fort he had bulk, called Fort Cor- niant-ine,. wa^s.- ftillfin the. poffeffion of the Englifh, .when-, hit -pfefent cmajefty? ^returned. Btryvvith riiuch wealth. -..But H'WftScfeidjMiftt it-mighfr now be eafily extended ita fpitt.^f :ib§k rivals;; that it would open a wider '.;'.. ; : : maiket THE-REION OF CHARLES II. 4>J hiarket for putting off great quantities of our own manufaftures ; and afford valuable returns in gold, Which that coaft produced in good quantity, and in negro flaves, who were readily fold to any plan tation at great prices. The duke was rriuch pleafed with the details both of the plan, and the profpect of advantage, which was likely to refult from it. He quickly procured a charter, with ample privileges to be granted, by the king to the company ; and even perfuaded his majefty to become himfelf an adven turer, and what was more, to aflift them, for th& firft eftablifhrherit of their trade, with the ufe of fome of his own fhips. The duke was the governor of the company, thence called the royal company. He had alfo the power of appointing a deputy ; but all. the other pfficers and the committee were chofen by the entire body of adventurers, who were all perfons of quality. Every one of therh brought in five hundred pounds for the joint flock, with which they fet out the firft fhips ; upon the returns whereof they received fo much encourage ment, that they compounded with fir Nicholas Crifpe for his property in the foft and caftle, and poffeffed themfelves of another place upon the Coaft, for die greater convenience and enlargement of their traffic. They increafed the number of their fhipping, all which made profitable returns, by putting off their blacks at Barbadoes and the F 2 pthej? tfg SECRET HISTORY OF Other plantations, at their own prices, and brought home fuch ftore of gold, as adminiftered the firft occafion for the coinage of thofe pieces, which from thence had the denomination of guineas. Other branches of commerce fleglefted. Suggeftions of mercantile jealoufy and avarice-. But; though the people were at firft dazzled with the vaft profits which refulted from the eftablifh- ment of this new company, the general intereft of the ftate, fo far from being promoted, was very much injured by it. Other branches of commerce, that might have afforded more lafting and fecure advantages, were fuffered to languifh. Even the trade to the Eaft-lndies, which had of late been fo badly cdndufted as to call loudly for the imme diate care and interference of government, was dif- regarded, and the royal patronage and affiftance were wholly confined., to the favourite company. Nor was this the pnly evil attending it. The na tion was thereby plunged into a war, which was' chiefly, if not folely owing to the avarice, the ra pacity, and intrigues of the African adventurers. From the firft entrance into this trade, it was eafily difcovered that the Dutch had a better foot ing in Guinea than the Englifh, which the latter were willing to believe the former had no right to; for that they themfelves had firft fettled there, and were therefore entitled to exclude all others, at leaft by die fame law thsyt die Spaniards claimed die fole property ,o£ the Weft Indies,, and th© Dutch I. 1664. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 69 Dutch what theyi or the Portuguefe enjoyed in CHAP. the Eaft. But this pretence they quickly found would not eftablifh fuch a! title as would bear a difpute : the having fent a' fhip Or two thither and built a litde fort could not be allowed fuch a pof feffion as would fhut out other nations ; arid the truth was, the Dutch were there fome time 'before us, arid the Danes before either*;' and the Dutch (which was the real grievance) had planted them- - felves more advantageoufly, upon the bank of a river, than we had' done, and by the ereftion of more forts were more ftrongly feated, and -drove a much greater trade, which it was not likely they could be perfuaded to quit. This drew the dif courfe from the point of' right to the eafinefs, by the affiftance of two or three of the king's fhips, to take away all that the Dutch poffefled in and about Guinea, there having never been a fhip of war feen in thofe parts, fo that the work might bp prefently done, and fuch an alliance made with the natives, who did not love the Dutch, as that the Englifh may be unqueftionably poffefled of the whole trade of that country, which Would be of jneftimable profit to the kingdom. Such Were the arguments which the rhembers of the committee took much delight to enlarge-upon at their meetings, that were held once a week at the duke of York's lodgings at Whitehall. They went farther, and endeavoured to fhew what im- F 3 menfe *JO SECRET HISTORY OF menfe benefit would accrue from a barefaced war againft the Dutch, and how eafily they might be conquered, and the trade carried on by the En glifh. They faid, " that Cromwell had always beaten them, and brought them upon their knees, and could have totally fubdued them, if he had not thought it more for his intereft to have fuch a fe cond, whereby he might the better fupport his ufurpation : that it was from this motive alone he made peace with them, after they had confented to all the infamous conditions of totally abandoning the royal caufe, and, as far as in them lay, to the ex tirpation of all the royal family, and to a perpetual exclufion of the prince of Orange : that the only popular and glorious thing the ufurper had ever done was his having compelled them to pay a great fum of money for the damages which the Englifh had fuftained at Amboyna, when all thfe demands and threats from king James could never procure any fatisfaftion for that foul aftion *." Thefe ¦* The war with the Dutch was certainly the moft gloripus part of Cromwell's adminiftration. Enraged at the favours that people had fhewn to the family of the Stewarts, and at their affording an afylum tp Englifh outlaws; piqued alfo that the republic of the United Provinces fliould pretend to the domi nion of the fea, he refolved at once to infpire refpeft for his country, and to avenge himfelf. Of all the maritime wars recorded in hiftory none were more famous for the fkill of the commanders, for the bravery of the failors, and for the number of obftinate and bloody engagements, in which the Englifh at lengtl^ THE REIGN OP CHARLES II. $j l Thefe difcourfes, with fome remarks on the far- dinefs of the Dutch to reftore, according to treaty, the ifland of Poleron, which they had fo long fince 1664. barbaroufly taken from the Englifh, being often The duke of reiterated in feafon and out of feafon, made a very Yo.r^ s eager- J nelsrorawar. ' deep impreffion on the duke, who, befides his hav- a particular averfion to the Dutch, longed impa tiently for any war, in which he knew. he could not but have the chief command. This difpofition of his wa? alfo affiduoufly cultivated by many per- fons about the court, who hoped . thereby to ad vance their own. intereft, „and to get more power into, their -own Jiands,rr, ^ f.,^,i ^ vr'* JJ5tit ; 3£n;;~0 *- ¦--.: fq ¦: length gained a tlecifive fupertority. But Cromwell, having fuhygratifiecf-Ifis^bwH^^fentment, checked hisxountry in the career* of-conqueft.'an^j of ^lor^ He made peace with the Dutch; an^ though, t}>e,ternis w|e;re! very humiliating to them, aad very honourable to England, yet they were far from being fp advantageous to the Jatter as might have been expcfted from fuch brilliant fucceffes. He did not exert himfelf as far as he might in favour of India. He was fatisfied with providing for the fecurity of the Englifh trade, procuring a difavowal of ths mafTacre at Anjboyna, and infifting upon an indemnification fpr the defcendants of the unhappy yiftims who, perifhed in that dreadful tranfaftion. He alibi took .care, as is above obferved, to ftipulate for having the ifland of Poleron reftored : but no mention was made in the treaty of the forts taken from the nation by the Dutch in the ifland of Java, and in feveral of the fyfolucci|s? by which that monopolizing people had aimed at get ting, all the ibices into their own hands. . r«io' F 4 uv". But f . *]¦% SECRET HISTORY/' OF But there was lately a peace fully concluded with the States-Gerieral upon the fame terms, articles, and conditions, which they had formerly yielded to. Cromwell, and upon the ratification of which they iffued orders for the delivery of the ifland of Po- lerori tp the Englifh Eaft-India company *. They alfo gaye at the fame time another proof of their readinefs to comply with any reafonable or juft re- quifition on the part of his majefty. As during the interval between the two treaties, a mifunder- ftanding had taken place between both nations on account of two Englifh fhips, which our merchants faid had been unjuftly attacked and captured by the Dutch in the Eaft-Indies, the States, in order to prevent the treaty from being delayed by the in veftigation of this claim, agreed to depofit four- fcore thoufand florins for the full indemnification pf the fufferers, in cafe the procefs already com menced on account of their fhips fhould be de cided in their favour. After doing all this, there could be no colour of juftice to make war upon. them. Befides there were then great jealoufies from Spain, on account of the marriage with Por tugal; nor had France, notwithftanding all her * Before the Dutch reftored this ifland, they rooted up all the trees that furnifh the fpices ; but as the foil ftill remained, and might, with proper culture, prpve an obftacle to the monopoly which they meant to eftabh'fh, they retook it in 1666, and could »ever after be prevailed upon to give it up. profeffions, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 7& profeffions, made any hafte to renew the treaty with CHAP,. England. She had even, contrary to the pofitive u- _„ — t affurance given by Monfieur Baftide in the French $664* king's name, concluded a treaty with the States, without any previous notification of the terms to his Britannic majefty. It therefore could not but feem ftrange, that we fliould defire to make war upon Holland, the only ftate, except Portugal, with which we had as yet renewed former treaties of peace, and that fo lately, and after fuch long deliberation. However, the duke's heart was fet upon it, and he loved to fpeak of it, and the benefits which would attend it. He had not yet thought proper to propofe it in council ; but he mentioned it pri vately to many of the members, and found moft of them to concur with him in the opinion of the advantages which might arife from thence. He alfo prefled it very earneftly upon the king, who, he . well knew, had no kindnefs for the Dutch j and he often left his majefty ftrongly difpofed to wards it by an argument, which he found prevailed with many, and which he never failed to enforce in any converfation upon the fubjeft. He faid, " that the differences and jealoufies in point of trade, which did every day fall out, and would every day increafe between the Englifh and the Dutch, who had in- the late diftraftions gained great advantages, would unavoidably produce a war *f4 " SECRET HISTORY OF war between them: then the -queftion only was, , whether rit: were not better for us to begin it now,(r; when they idid- not expect it, and we were better^ prepared for it than probably we fhould be then; or to ftay' two> or three years, in which the fame jealoufy would, provoke them to be well provided, Wherii probably we might not be. ready:" headded* *« that we.hadjtliebeftjfea-Qfficers^in the -world, .many of wh«r$khad Toften 5 beaten the Dutch, and knew' how to^fo/k again -j~a multitude of excellent marinersj andi cpmri^ori: feamen, all of whom, if they found -that nothing Was to be done -at home, would difperfe; -themfelves in riierchant voyages to the Indies and;. thecStreights, and probably fo many good- men- would nevetbe found together again." -::f fs .ffq .... , -^ : ' •¦eio-";. '' ":?''•'* '.;-'¦, ¦;? smt* }sr'~ 'ffo - Its impolicy When by ythefenand the like arguments he demonftrated thought he had fufficiently fecured the. king's con- by the chan- currenCe, he propofed the matter to the chancellor, eeilor. . ¦ ' ' ' whom he found to be paffionately and obftinately againft it, and who thought it his duty to point out to his highnefs, and afterwards tq, the king, the probable confequences of fo unjuft, fo unfea- fonable, and fo ill-advifed a war, TThe /5|vf^cellor reprefented to- his majefty " the-fiate^-his own af- , fairs, the great debt, that yet fay uj^iT^jjniQwhi^ch with peace and goodhufbanctfy n^ght^^t^? time paid; but that a^^ar^^^^y^-^^R- fo much greater,, that np; ri^n<$^ldj£ee th€,«nd.of it: THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. S]$ it : that his majefty would be able to preferve hjm- CHAP. felf againft the faftions and diftempers in his t ' * own kingdom, and probably fupprefs them, if he 1664. were without a foreign enemy; but if he fhould be engaged in a war abroad, his domeftic divifions, efpecially thofe in religion, would give him more trouble than he could well ftruggle withal : that it was an erroneous affumption, that the Dutch would be better provided for a war two or three years hence, and his majefty worfe; for that it would be his own fault, if, within that time, the diftempers in his three kingdoms were not com pofed, which would make him much fitter for a war, whereas now neither of them could be faid to be in peace, Ireland being wholly unfettled, Scotland not yet well pleafed, and England far from it : that in that time it was very probable the two crowns of France and Spain would be engaged in a war, fince it was generally believed, and with great reafon, that France only waited for the death of the king of Spain, who was very infirm, and then meant to fall into Flanders, having already provided great magazines of corn and hay "upon the borders, which could be for no other end : that whilft his majefty continued in peace, his friendfhip would be valuable to all the princes of Europe, and the two crowns would ftrive who fhould gain him ; but if he engaged in a War, par ticularly with Holland, ^hich would interrupt and difturb all thf trade pf the kingdom whence the greateft ^ SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. greateft" part ofhis revenue arofe, all other princes t v' j would look on, and not much efteem any offices ¦ 1664. he could perform for therri." To thefe very forcible remarks ori the impolicy of the war the chancellor added the flagkncy of its injuftice. He faid " that a general outcry Would be) raifed againft fo precipitate and unprovoked a rupture, after the late ratification of a treaty of peace.": But perceiving, that this part of his~ dif courfe was not fo well relifhed as the former, he did not enlarge Upon it ; and contented himfelf with obferving, '" that a little time might poffibly adminifter a juft' occafion of a, war ? which at pre? fent there was not." Both houfes feduced into a menacing addrefs againft the Dutch. The king yielded to the full evidence of xhci% truths ; but the duke was very much difpleafed, that the chancellor fhould pofitively endeavour to crofs him in an affair, upon which his heart Was fo much fet, The fubjeft, however, was feemingly dropt, and for fome months, there was rio more mention of it in the court, though theperfonS, whd firft laid the defign, ftill cultivated it, fecreuy, and made little of bringing it at laft, to pafs. ^ During the laft fhort feffion "of parliament, thpf« private advifers of a War with Holland did not for get what they had to do. They knew, indeed, that it was not a good feafon to fpeak of raifing fwfh THE REIGN OF CHARLES llf f-J frefh fupplies of money, , which, the king himfelf CHAP. had forborne to mention, that the people , might t v" j fee one feffion at leaft pafs without nevj, impofi- 1664. tions ; and therefore, that it would be improper to propofe a war in. -direct terms. .However, they made fuch an approach towards , it, as might ren der a farther adyanee much more eafy. The mer chants in the committer of trade, iwho^had all pri vate views of intereft in this bufinefs, and who were alfo entirely governed by the diftates of the duke of York, lamented much, the obftru ftions and discouragements, which, they faid, they had long found Jn their commerce , by; fea, and with nother nations, and whjch. were not removed by the bleffed return of the king, all which they imputed to the pride and avarice of the Hollanders. They afferted, " .that thofe infolent republicans obferved no laws of commerce, nor any conditions, which even they themfelves confented too that by, their fraud and praftice the Englifh were almoft driven out of the Eaftand. Weft-Indies, pnd had their trade m Turkey and Africa much, diminifhed : that^v befides many other., unfofferabfe indignities offered by them to his, majefty and to the crown of England, his fubjefts had in. few years fuftained the damage of fevqn or eight hundred thoufand pounds fterling;" and here, they added a particular inftance in the lofs of the two fhips. before-men- tioned. r v1 -: ,W3fO \ ' ' =01) 0' : '.' :¦'¦"-•'- ¦x -, 1. A report jZ SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. A report of all thofe pretended grievances was «. j made to parliament from the committee of trade ; 1664. and after a very fhort inquiry into the grounds of fuch complaints, the commons refolved, and eafily obtained the concurrence of the lords in the fame refolution, " That the wrongs* difhonours, and indignities done to his majefty by the fubjefts of the United Provinces in India, Africa, and elfe- where, and the damages done by them to the En* glifh merchants, are the greateft obftruftions of the trade of England: that the fame be fpeedily * prefented to his majefty, and. he be moved to take fome effeftual courfe for redrefs of thefe injuries* and all others of the like nature, and for prevent I tion of the like for the future : and that, in profe- f cution thereof, they Would with thejr lives and fortunes affift his majefty againft; all oppofitiona whatfoever." An addrefs, drawn up according to thefe refolutions, was immediately prefented by both houfes to the king, who next day fent them a written anfwer, 'j That he was pleafed with their zeal for the advancement of trade, and the removal of all obftruftions which might hinder the fame ; being convinced that nothing would more contri bute to tfie honour of the nation, and the profpe- rity of his people: that he would examine dje complaints which had been reprefented by- his par liament, and order his minifter in Holland to de mand fpeedy reparation ;:and, in cafe of a denial,: he THE RETON OF CHA.REBS II. 79 he relied on their promife and declaration to ftand by him." 3o:iiimmo3 sril moil Jnaroukaj 03 absm i> ihauoig 3fb olnt ^tkfn'j nodi jiav r. loilr. fo,,x ^64. vi QBhe^whole of mb-.dcheme for obtaining the ad drefs from 1 aarharnent: was. contrived arid fnanaged by fir William JBennet,;: iir dGharlesTBerkeley, < and lord Afhley, a man of :miaeMgreate:r: abilities than either, .and of. whofe. reccdmpence for Ithisj firft ex ertion of his ingenuity tb pleafe.theoduke of .York I fhall prefently have occafion ta take notice. As th&chancellor, befides his other arguments to dif- fuade the king andduke from any xrupture with the /Dutch? had faid, " Tliat he did not think the parliament ; Would be forward, to encourage the war ; and fince it was a fubjeft entirely in the king's determination, all the odium of it would inevitably fall. upon his majefty and his minifters;" itvgraneceffary, in order to refute thefe affertions, t^iridaceboth houfes.. to manifeft fuch warm re fentment of the fuppofed wrongs and indignities fuffered-from the Dutch, as iriight feem to force the. king to a peremptory demand of reparation. By the temporary fuccefs: of this artifice, the point was.-gainesd, rand the chancellor forced to withdraw his offenfive and unavailing oppofition. :>,i? oj"s>. siti 3nim£X3 bluov sri jjs .... , oiqo3q aid 10 It was; eafy to forefee that this firft ftep [would fodn lead to actual, hoftilities; andthe.profecution of the bufinefs to that end could not be put.into better hands, than thofe of the perfon mentioned by So SECRET HISTORY OF by the king in his anfwer, who was bis majefty's refident at the Hague, and who being alfo a mem- 3664. t>er ofthe houfe Of commons, had inflamed them' more than the merchants themfelves againft the Dutch. This was fir George Downing, a man of obfcure birth, and more obfcure education, which he had received in part in New England. He had paffed through many offices in Cromwell's army, of chaplain, fcout-mafter, and other employments j and at laft obtained great credit with the ufurper, and under that countenance married a beautiful lady of very noble extraction. When Cromwell had fubdued the Dutch to the temper he wifhed, and thereupon ¦ made a peace with them, he chofe Downing to refide as his agent in Holland, knowing him to be a man of .great pride and infolence, and who would add to any imperious command of his fomewhat of the bitternefs ofhis own fpirit. It foon appeared how Well fuited he was to the ufurper's purpofes in this new employment ; for he did fo fully execute his charge. in all things, efpecially when he might ma nifeft his animofity againft the royal party, that having notice of the king's being upon a tour of pleafure incognito to Amfterdam and other towns in the fame province, he delivered a memorial to the States of Holland, wherein he inclofed the third - article of their treaty, by which they were obliged not to fuffer any traitor, rebel, or any other perfon, . who THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. tt who was declared an enemy to, the commonwealth of England, to refide or ftay in their dominions ; and told them, that Charles Stewart, and the mar- 1664* quis of Ormond had been lately in Amfterdam, and were ftill in fome places adjacent; and re quired that they might not be permitted to remain in any part of the dominions of the States. Upon this the States fent immediately to the princefs of Orange, Who was then at her Country houfe of Hounflerdyke, that if her brother were then with her, or fhould come to her, he fhould forthwith depart out of their province. An order to the fame purport was alfo pUblifhed at the HagUe, and fent to Amfterdam and other towris', according to their cuftom, With this rude punctuality Downing behaved himfelf during the life of Cromwell, and while his fon retained the ufurpation.; but when he faw Ri chard thrown out, and that the ftruggles and in-* trigUeS, which followed, might lead to the king's - reftoration, he bethought himfelf how he might have a referve of his majefty's favour. The marquis of Ormond making a journey about that time in cognito to the Hague, upon a marriage of his feldeft fon with a noble lady whofe friends lived there, Downing found art opportunity to have a private conference with him ; and made an offer of his fervices to the king, if his devotion niight be concealed, without which, he faid, it would be vol. 11. G ufelefs $2 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. ufelefs to his majeftyj For an earneft of his fide- i j lity, he informed the marquis of fome particulars, ,664. which were of moment for the king to know ; and engaged in future to give his majefty notice of any thing that it would be rieceffary or ufeful to be in formed of with reference to England, or Holland." The marquis thought it very fit to accept of fuch an inftrument, and promifed him to acquaint his majefty With his good affeftion, who, he prefumed, would receive it gracioUfly^ and give him as much encouragement to continue.it, as his majefty's pre fent condition would permit. To this the other. replied,- that he kriew the king's prefent circum ftances too well, to expeft any reward from him ; but if his majefty would vouchfafe, when he fhould be reftored, to confirm to him the office he then held of a teller in the exchequer, and continue him in his employment in Holland, where he prefumed he fhould be able to do his majefty more fervice dian a ftranger could do, he would think himfelf abundantly rewarded. Upon the marquis's return to the king at Bruffels, he was authorized to affure, Downing of his majefty's acceptation, and that all jhat he expefted fhould be made good. This was the ground and reafon that, when the king came to the Hague the year following to embark for England, he received Downing very. gracioufly, and knighted him, and left him there as his refident; which many, who were near the. king, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. S3 king, but knew nothing of what had paffed fe- cretly, wondered at as much as ftrangers, who had ' , obferved Downing's former behaviour. The States themfelves, who would not, at fuch a time, do any thing, that might offend his majefty, could not for bear lamenting in private, that his majefty would de pute a perfon to have his authority, who had never ufed any other dialeft but threats to perfuade them to whatever he propofed ; and who at feveral times had difobliged moft of their perfons by his infolence. They foon had ftill more reafon to be diffatisfied ; for Downing having found out that the king and duke were in their hearts no friends to the States, he affumed a ftill bolder tone, and made them feel the full weight of his increafed confequence. He never made fuch reprefentation s as men in the like miniftries ufed to do, but put the worft comments Upon all their actions '$ and when he afterwards fat as a member in the Englifh houfe of commons, returning ftill in the interval of parliament to his :efnployment at the Hague, he took all opportuni ties to inveigh againft their ufurpations in trade \ and pretending to kriow many of their myfteries of iniquity, he rendered himfelf very acceptable to the houfe by laying them open. Wheri the province of expoftUlation for the in- %tp\y ofthe juries faid to be fuftairied from the Dutch was com- ^ates *° , . ; - ; " ' i Downing s mitted to tins their mortal enemy, he had his with, memorial. G 2 and *— —I 84 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. and ufed little modefty in urging it: The States I j anfwered, " that moft of the particulars of which he 1664. complained, were put under oblivion by the late treaty ; and that in confideration thereof they had yielded to many points for the benefit of the En glifh *: that for the other claim, in refpeft to the lofs of the two fhips in the Eaft-Indies, that like- wife, by the fame treaty, was referred to a procefs in juftice, againft which no exception could yet be taken f : and laftly, that fince the conclufion of the treaty, which was not many months before, no thing could even be pretended to have been done on their part, which could give occafion to the fmalleft mifunderftanding." All this was ftridtly true ; but Downing, according to his ufual mer * They had, hj confequence of that treaty, yielded to one point, highly difhonourable to themfelves, and contrary to the laws of all generous nations : that was the treacheroufly giving up Corbet, Okey, and Berkftead to the vengeance of the Englifh court. See page 1 16 of the firft volume. f Downing, however, foon found an exception, by faying tbat the States made themfelves judges of the procefs; to which fhey replied, " that it belonged to the cognizance of the admi ralty of Amfterdam, who only had a right to decide it." He even took another ftep to prevent any compromife on account of thofe fhips with the. 'fufferers ; for when Cary, a man in- trufted by the claimants with the management of the law-fuif for one of the fhips in difpute, would have accepted of the offer of thirty thoufand pounds, he was hindered by Downing, who told him, that the claim was a matter, of ftate, and not a concerns between private perfons. thod, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 85 thod, infilled upon his own demand * ; and fre- CHAP. quendy reproached them with their former fub- t f d • J miflions to Cromwell, and their prefent prefump- 1664. tions upon the goodnefs and generofity of the king. It is without queftion, that the States General, Advantage guided by the flandard of their own warinefs and ^" °^f£ circumfpeftion, did not fufpeft that the king in- fecurity. tended to make war on them. They well knew the ftreights and neeeffities in which his affairs flood, both with reference to money, and to the feveral diftempers of the nation in matters of reli gion, which might probably grow more darigerous, if there were a foreign war : they concluded, there fore, that Downing's importunities and menaces Were but the refults of his own impetuofity; and that the king would not be fo forward to interrupt * Ih one of count D'Eftrade's letters, dated June 5, 1664, he fays he had been told by De Wit, " that the difference between England and Holland arofe on account of Downing's interefts only, who had bought the pretended rights of the merchants concerned in thofe two fhips, for a trifle : that to this end he in flamed the king of England's council, raifing imaginary griev ances and injuries received at fea by the Englifh, which they never fuffered." This was true in part; but the Dutch ftatef- man was not in the fecret of the refident's private inftru&ions : he could not at that time know, that Holland had much more dangerous enemies in the Englifh council than Downing, not withftanding all his felfifhnefs, falfehood, impetuofity, and in- folence, G 3 and 86 SECRET HT4TGRY OF and part with his own peace. According to this, perfuafion they fent out their trading fhips as ufual; 1664. without any cf thofe precautions, which commonly ; indicate the dread of hoftilities. But, the royal , African company here acted in a very different mariner. They fent out a ftronger fleet- of mer chant fhips than they had ever before dorie ; and for their better encouragement, the king lent them fome of his own fhips for a convoy *. The reafori affigned for this was, that the Dutch had made it a common praftice, not only in the Eaft-Indies, but lately alfo upon the African coaft, when they found that an advantageous trade was carried on in any port by fome other nation, prefently to fend their fhips to lie before that port; and to declare war againft the prince to whom the port belonged; which being done, they publifhed a declaration* that it -fhould not be lawful for any nation what foever to trade to the territories of that prince, with whom they were then at war. The royal company therefore pretended it was neceffary to put their fleets in a ftate to refift fuch infolence and usurpation. * Hiftorians differ in their account of the number of fhips, of which this fquadron, fent out under the command of fir Robert Holmes, confifted; but whether it was twenty-two, or only four teen men of war, it certainly fer exceeded the ordinary means of peaceful fecurity, and manifefted a hoftile defign. Holmes's con duft foon put the matter beyond a doubt. Nos THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 8? Not long after the departure of this fleet, in or der to fhew that fuch fteps had been taken only for the fake offelf-defence, and to affert the rights and freedom of our trade, the king ordered a com plaint of the above-mentioned praftice cf the Dutch to be added to the lift of other. grievances ; and required Downing to demand a pofitive re nunciation of all pretence on the part of the Dutch to fuch an odious uforpation. Tb this complaint and demand they deferred making an anfwer, fill their embaffador had prefented a memorial to the king on a recent injury, which they complained of in their turn. Captain Holmes, who commanded the fhips of war, which the king had lent to the the royal company for the convoy of their fleet to Guinea, had, in the voyage thither, affaulted and taken the Dutch forts and fetdements in the neigh bourhood of Cape Verde*. Of this invafion their embaffador made a loud complaint ; and demanded , that the captain might be punifhed feverely, and that the king might, in the mean time, give a pre fent order to him, the embaffador, for the re-de- ljvery of thofe places, which he would tranfmit to * He not only expelled the Dutch from Cape Corfe,-to which the Englifh court pretended they had a title ; but feized on all their fettlements at Cape Verdg, and in the ifland of Gqree, Then, after erefting a fort in the mouth of the river Gambia, Jie proceeded all along the coaft of Guinea, leaving the Dutch no other poffeffions there than two forts, Achin and. St. George de , jVKna> which he did not attack. G 4 his SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. I. V 1664. his mafters. The king told the embaffador that the captain, if he had done any fuch thing, had not the leaft commiffion or authority for fo do ing; that he was now on his way homeward, fo that he might be expefted fpeedily, and then he fhould be fure to undergo fuch pu nifhment as the nature of his offence required, When the matter fhould be examined ; and they fhould then receive foil reparation '*. The treache ry retaliated. The States began now to think ferioufly of ha- ftile preparation ; but as they found they had been ufed treacheroufly, they refolved to retaliate by means of fome fimilar artifice. Large fleets were at this time equipping both in Holland and Enj gland for the avowed purpofe of contending for fuperior ity on the African coaft ; but when the" Englifh fleet under the command of prince Rupert was almoft ready to fail, the Dutch embaffador prefented to the king, an humble defire from the States, that Prince Rupert's fleet might ftay in harbour, as their's likewife, that was prepared for< Guinea, fhould, till fome means niight be found for the accommodation of all differences, They * In order tp keep up the' deception a little longer, Holmes, upon his return, was confined to the Tower; but being foon after fet at liberty, and no fteps having been taken to redrefs the injury he had done the States, it was very evident that he had riot afted from the impulfe of wanton infolence, but by theex- prefs orders of the duke of York. had THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. S^ "had two objefts in view, firft to amufe the Englifh, CHAP. while they fent fecret orders to De Ruyter, then t ' , cruizing in the Mediterranean, to make all poffible t664. hafte with his fleet to Guinea, to recover their late loffes ; and next to gain time, in hopes that their homeward-bound fleets of merchantmen might re turn before the commencement of hoftilities. They accompliflied one of thefe objefts, but in the other they were miferably difappointed. At the time of De Ruyter's being firft fent into the Mediterranean, the purport of his commiffion was to cruize againft the pirates of Algiers and Tunis, who had, in truth, preyed very much upon the Dutch, taken many of their fhips, and had abundance of their fubjefts in chains. When that fleet was ordered out by the Dutch, their embaffa dor had requefted of the king, that his majefty's fleet under the command of Lawfon, which was then: in thofe parts, and for the fame purpofe, might upon all occafions join with De Ruyter, when opportunities fhould be offered thereby to infeft the Turks ; to which his majefty confented. But the two naval commanders, inftead of fuch an amicable union, fent home different complaints of each other. De Ruyter faid, that upon meeting Lawfon in the Mediterranean, he faluted the En glifh admiral, who did not return the compli ment, as he ought to have done according to an exprefs ftipulation in the treaty of 1662. Lawfon, on §0 1664. SECRET HISTORY OF on his part, complained, that the fole bufinefs of the Dutch admiral appeared to be to ranfom the captives with money, not to exaft the delivery of them by force, and to make, an accommodation for the time to corneas well as he could ; and that when the Englifh fleet was at anyi time in purfuit of the Algerines, and expefted that the Dutch, by whom they muft pafs, would have given a little flop to their flight, which ,lhey might eafily have . done, they rather affifted than obftrufted their efcape. There was certainly a great deal of truth in thofe mutual reproaches, Progrefs of reciprocalprovocations and injuries. Intelligence was foon brought that De Ruyter, having concluded a hafty and di (honourable peace with the pirates, had repaffed the Streights, with an intent, as was naturally conjectured, to fail, to Guinea. As itvwas now top late to oppofe him iri that quarter, the king thought he might juftly feize upon any fhips belonging to the Dutch, to fatisfy the damage that he could not but fuftain from De Ruyter' s unrefifted operations on the coaft of Africa. It being now therefore the feafon when the Dutch fleets returned with their wines from Bourdeaux, Rochelle, and odier, parts of France, fuch ofthem, as were forced by the wea ther to put into the Englifh harbours, were feized upon ; and the duke of York having put himfelf on board, with a fleet of about fifty fail, upon; the report of the Dutch being come out tb defend theirs, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. Qt theirs, took a great many more of their merchant men, even upon their own coafts, which they chofe rather to fuffer, than to venture out of their ports 1664. to relieve them. That this proceeding might not appear an open breach of the late treaty, or a vio lation of the law of nations, the captured fhips were not immediately condemned, but were or dered to be kept. unladen and unhurt, till advice fhould be received from Guinea of what De Ruy ter had done there. This, indeed, was merely to keep up appearances, as it was juftly prefumed that he would retaliate the violence committed by Holmes. He did not difappoint fuch expefta tions ; for not content with retaking the places feized upon by Holmes, he difpoffeffed the Englilh of many other forts and fettlements of their own, took feveral of dieir fhips in thofe parts, and then failing to America, he exercifed all the afts of ho- ' ftility there which his commiffion authorized him to do, and made an attempt upon Barbadoes, but . without fuccefs. Some time before any intelligence was received pf De Ruyter' s proceedings, the Eaft-India com pany complained and informed the king, that, when their officer had demanded the re-delivery of the ifland of Poleron, according to one of the articles of the late treaty, and had prefented to the Dutch governor of that ifland the orders from die States, given by their embaffador at London, the governor, $Z SECRET, HISTORY OF CHAP. governor, after making the Englifh officer with his > j fhip and men wait for two or three days, then told 1:664. him, that upon a better perufal of thofe orders, he found they were not fufficient, and therefore he could not give up the place, till he fliould receive fuller inftruftions. In confequence of this fraudu lent evafion, they faid, their officer and fhip, which had been fent at a great charge, was neceffitated to return, without any effeft than the affront and, in dignity tbhis majefty! Such was the ftate and progrefs of reciprocal provocations and injuries, before either country publicly avowed and proclaimed its hoftile defigns, according to the forms very properly fanftioned by the law of nations, but too often disregarded even by thofe that call themfelves moft civilized. CHAP. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. Firft appearance of the plague — -War declared againft the Dutch— New creations — Du plicity of the French court — FiBory atjea — Caufe of not purfuing the fuccefs — Command of the fleet given to the earl of Sandwich — The court removed to Sa- lifbury — Faint avowal of the French king's treaty with Holland-— De Witt's indefatigable exertions — Reception of Mr. Coventry in Sweden — Difrepuf- able agreement with Denmark — The Danifh king's fhamelefs perfidy — The parliament convened at Ox ford — Fote of frefh fupplies — Five mile AB — In novations 94 Secret history of novations in the exchequer — Difgrace incurred by thi earl of Sandwich — Menaces and departure of thi French embaffadors*- 1664. New feffions of parlia ment. WHEN there was now no rerhedy, and the wax was aftually made, though riot dt-, clared, there was nothing tb be done but to refort to parliament, which, after having been twice pro rogued, met on the twenty-fourth of November. The king, in his fpeech to both houfes, did riot fail to remind them, that he had proceeded thus far, in confequence of their earneft advice and. re folution. He informed them of the preparations he had already made, upon the flock of his own credit : he had, he faid, fet out a fleet not inferior- . to any England had ever feen, and which had coft him eight hundred >thoufand pounds : he expreffed ' his confidence in their zeal and affection to vindi- cate his honour and' their country's rights : he took notice of a vile jealoufy, which had been fcattered abroad by fome ill men, that when parliament*^ fhould give him a noble and proportionable fupply for the fupport of the war, he might be induced to make a hidden peace, and to keep the money for his own occafions : fo unworthy a jealoufy, he was fure, did not deferve an anfwer : nor would he be thought to have fo brutifh an inclination as to love war for war's fake : he defired no bleffing more than to fee a firm peace between all Chriftian princes THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 95 princes and ftates ; but when' he was compelled to CHAP. enter into a war for the proteftion,. honour, and t „' . -» benefit of his fubjefts, he would not make a peace, 1664. till he had obtained and fecured thofe ends, for which the war was entered into. After thefe af- furances, his majefty told them he had ordered a written narrative concerning" the treaty and manner of proceeding with the Dutch to be laid before both houfes, as the chancellor was prevented by illnefs from attending in his place to relate thofe particulars *, * Air. Echard thinks t|he chancellor's indifpofition at this time was rather political than real, on account of his being ut terly againft the war. But the plaufibility of fuch a conjefturte will yaniih, when we find that the vote of two millions and a half, for the fupport of the war was recommended this very fet- fion by the chancellor and treafurer only, and obtained by their uncommon exertions and addrefs. Thofe two friends had, in deed^ at firft endeavoured to difluade the king from fo unjuft and fb impolitic a war; but as foon as it was determinqd upon, and the blow ftruck, none of thofe, who promoted it, contri buted fo much to the carrying it on, as the former two. This may feem ftrange ; but it is very clearly accounteSnbr in page 72 of the firft volume, where the author takes notice of the fol lowing remarkable trait in the chancellor's character. " Such was his fenfe of official duty, that if any meafure vas refolved\ Upon in the cabinet, however contrary to his opinion and advice, he' thought hinifelf bound afterwards- to fupport it in parliament with the utmoft ftrenuoufnefs." This, however, was a very weak excufe for exerting all his influence in the, fup port of meafures reprobated by his own judgment, and pregnant with mirt to hia country. The 96 SECRET HISTORY OF The only immediate proof, which the parlia ment gave of their approbation* of what had been r664. done, was a vote of thanks to the city of London « Vote of for having affifted -his majefty. with a loan of one dt^fLon^ nundreci thoufand pounds, towards the neceffary e after ten battles,1 and all upon the defire and promife of parliament, they could not refufe to give any thing propofed within the compafs of that reafon, which all underftanding men might examine and judge of ;¦ that it was evident enough that the true ground of ail the. confidence, which the Dutch had, was from the opinion ofthe king's neceffities and want of money, and their belief that the parliament would fupply him very fparingly, and not long con tinue fqch an expence as a war at fea muft, re quire ; in which imagination they would be con- ....... H 2 ' firmed, 99 10.Q SECRET HISTORY OF firmed, if, at the beginning, they faw parliament give him fuch a fum of money, as feemed to be 1665. implied by what the other gentlemen had faid." Having thus derrionftrated the impolicy of a a fcanty fupply, the chancellor and treafurer de clared, " that they thought it abfolutely neceflary that the king's friends fhoUldmove for fuch a fum ( as -might,1 upon a proper eftimate, carry on the war •for a full year, that is, a fufficiency for fetting out the prefent fleet, and paying it off upon its return, and for fetting-out another fleet the next fpring : if. this were now done," they. faid, " his majefty would not be involved in importunate neceffities the next winter, but he might calmly and delibe rately confider upon fuch farther fupplies, as the experience of what would be then paft fhould fug- geft to be neceffary ; and that diis would give his majefty fuch a reputation with all his neighbours, and ftrike fuch a terror into his enemies, as. would probably difpofe them to a peace." They obferved, " that the beft method to compute what the ex- pence might amount to in a year, would be, by reflefting on the difproportion of the charge we were already engaged in, and what had been efti- mated four months fince, when the war was: defign ed : that it was well known to Mr. Coventry, who had been always prefent at thofe conferences, that it had been faid by, the moft experienced tea-offi cers, and thofe who had fought in former battles. againft THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. TOI againft the Dutch, that a fleet of forty or fiflyjuch CHAP. fhips, as the king's were, wmld be ftrength fufficient <- v > to beat the whole Dutch navy- out of the narrow feas ; 1665. and one very eminent man among them faid, he wduld not defire above fifty fhips to fight with all they had, and that he was ¦ confident a greater number than fifty could never be brought to fight orderly 'and vfiefully ; and yet that there were at prefent no fewer than fourfcore good fhips preparing for the duke, and the charge in other particulars appeared already to amount to double the fum that was at firft com puted." The chancellor and treafurer therefore concluded, " that a lefs fum than two millions and a half ought not to be propofed, and when once propofed, ought to be infifted op,, and purfued without contenting to any diminution; for that nobody could conceive it Would do more than maintain the war one year, which the parliament could not refufe to provide for in tlie beginning; and there being, in truth, fo much of it already expended in the preparations and expedition the duke had made in -November, when he werit to fea in purfuit of the Dutch merchantmen, and thought it neceffary to employ as great a force a? poflible, in cafe their fleets, as was expefted, fhould come but of their harbours for the proteftion of their trade." ¦ j£ir, There was not a man of thofe, who fhrunk. from die meafure, that did not heartily with that fum H3 or r^. 102, 'sWRET HiSTdRY^bF >?T is.1- . . :¦.,-. ,-, ,- .. . . ... CHAP. or a greater 'to be' propofed and granted ;' "but they "~\" "i all protefted, that/they could riot advife fo prodi- 1665. gibus a- fum mould be even named ; and, that,Jias it was' 'not "proper for any of His majefty's fervants to make' fuch a 'motion,' they did not know any tne man, who had the courage to attempt it, ot who Would be perfuaded to it. The two lords con^- continued very obftinate, that a 4efs fum' fhould hot be named fot the reafons they had 'given: they acknowledged that' the propofal iri the 'houfe ought riot to be made by ahy man, who had relation to the court, or was' thought to be in any grace there that might influence him ; rior yet by any ^gentle man of a fmall eftate, as it niight be faid,' he Was very liberal in grants, towards which he himfelf was likely to contribute very little. I^WaS necef fary therefore to think of fome members, who wefe looked upon as lovers of their country, and whofe great fortunes would put them beyond" the fufpi- cion of having any defigns at court. Mr. Coventry named five or lix perfons, of whom he faid the houfe had a very good opiniori ; but he feared that rione of them could be prevailed with to under- take the bufinefs. The two lords engaged to try what might be done next morning, in order, if poffible, not to have the motion for fupplies de ferred any longer than till the following day. The chancellor and the treafurer chofe out of the perfons mentioned three Norfolk gentlemen, be caufe THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 103 caufe they were good friends and grateful to each CHAP. - other; and fent to defire an interview with them. 1 ' > Here the chancellor repeated the former arguments 1665. *>n the neceffity of a liberal vote at the prefent junc ture,; and faid, that he had therefore defired to confer jWith them on the beft method of obtaining it, as he was well affured both of their good affec tions -, to . the king, and the great influence their opinion would have upon the houfe. They readily promifed their concurrence, and their utmoft en deavours to compafs what the king fhould defire. Tp| this the chancellor replied, that fomething more was expefted from them ; and then mentioning the exaft fum of two millions and a half, faid, that he hoped they would not only affent to it, but that, when the debate fhould be entered upon, which was intended to be next day, one of them would propofe this fum, and the others fecond the mo tion,. They looked at each other for a little time, as if in furprife : at laft one confeffed, that though the reafons for a liberal fupply appeared to him. very juft, yet he did not expeft the demand of fo prodigious a fum,. which he believed had never yet been mentioned in parliament to be granted at one time : .he would, however, do his beft to anfwef any objections that fhould be made to it, but de fired to be excufed as to thefirft propofing it. An other was of the fame mind ; but the third, fir Ro bert Preftbn, declared very frankly, " that if they 1™ .< ¦ ..... • ¦^.iji.',-.'\ - rt' j .x .. i •¦ _ . " , believed him fit to do it, he would propofe it the H 4 next IO4: i. SECRET, HHSISTORY: OF 5HT- ' CHAP.' * next morning; let other -men think what they 1 t J 1 would of him for iig'rf The two .lords .gave", him- j \ 1665. their warmeft thanks, andfaid what was neceffary ;t , to confirm him in his refolution, and the others ; gentlemen in their proj»ife.to-,f£Cond.hiin.^vi..Jra';iliK . tiiov offf wsfii :-'>:£i '/num Liu, f>.-)ul& nvh&^fm So delicate a point having- been thus fatisfafte* ..' rily) fettled, notice was given to fir Harry Bennet- and Mr. Coventry to call for the debate next day,y which was entered into with. readinefs, every man acknowledging the neceffity of it, and the obliga- ; tion they were under to make good their former aflurances, but nobody venturing to name the pro-, portion that fliould be given. When the houfe was in a deep filence, expefting that motion, iir , Robert Prefton, who was no frequent fpeaker, flood: up; and, after mentioning coricifeby their former, vote, the charge of the war/ and that. the prefent . fupply ought to be fuch as might-terrify the enemy.,.-'"' as well as affift the king, he propofed to grant his majefty five and twenty hundred tlioufand.ppunds for carrying on the war againft the Dutch. hThe filence of the houfe was not broken : diey fate.in f ' amazement, until a gentleman, who was believedu;, to wifii well to the king, without taking notice of what had been propofed, ftood up and moved, that7 they might give his majefty a much lefs propor tion. rThen die two others, as had-been previouflyTt: concerted, 5 renewed and fupported by their beft ' arguments fir Robert's^ motion, which feemed to THE REIGN OF CHARLES II, IO.J be entertained with the confent of many, and was CHAP. contradicted by none ; fo that, after a fhort paufe, > j ...» no man i who had any relation to the court, faying 1665. a word, the fpeaker put it to the queftion, arid the affirmative - made a good found : ii few ,- gave their negative aloud, and many fate filent. The vote was prefently drawn into an order ; and the lioufe refolved the next day to be iri a committee, to agree upon the way that fhould be taken for. raif ing this money, the proportion whereof could no more be brought into debate. ,uOt: li! > . ¦ . ,'3rlj This brave vote put the king in high fpirits, and renewed, at leaft for a time, his efteem, for, and confidence in the two lords, through whofe advice and management it was obtained. It was above what he had expefted, or, indeed, wilhed to be propofed ; and diofe favourites of his* who. had been at the firft conference, reprefented the refolu tion of the chancellor and treafurer as impoffible to be compaffed, not. without infinuating, that it was affefted only to indifpofe the houfe to the war. Yet they did not .think fit to vary from the fum, till they faw the fuccefs of the motion, which the lords were engaged to procurer fit perfon to make. When' they found the conclufion to be fuch as could be wifhed, they fell into the oppofite ex treme, commending the counfel, and magnifying fir Robert Preftbn?s merit, for having done his ma jefty fo fignal and defirable a fervice in fuch a con- .. junfture. JOtS SECRET" HISTORY OF " CHAP. junfture. They invited Sir Robert to court ; in- ,_._ ^_f troduced- him to the king, by whom he. was very 3665. gracioufly received; amufed- the poor man with the 'hope'.- pf a baronage; and afterwards, endea voured to make him believe, .that if he had not what he defired, he might impute it to the chan' cellor. There appeared not more joy in the court at ob taining this vote, than upon the exchange, moft of the merchants being,. from prejudice, and from the narrow jealoufies of trade,, unfkilfully inclined to a war with the Dutch, above what theit: true intereft could invite them to, as in a fhort time afterwards they had caufe to confefs. The king fent- to the lord mayor to call a common council, where fome of his majefty's minifters attended, and prevailed v/ith the city prefently to furnifh the king, with the loan of two hundred thoufand pounds, upon the credit of the vote of the houfe of commons. That money being in a few days paid into the hands, of the treafurer of the navy, all preparations were for* warded with wonderful alacrity ; and the parlia ment alfo made: what hafte was poffible to. difpatch the bill, by which the fupply they had: granted might be collefted from the people *. Iri * At the king's defire, the old and popular method of levying the grants- of parliament by fubfidies was laid afide $ and that of affeflments, which firft took its rife from the exigencies of the civil THE^REIGN OF CHARLES II. IO? In the mean time, the king neglefted not to apply what endeavours he could to difpofe foreign powers as much in his favour as any offers of in- 1665. tereft might reafonably invite them ; to. , From Various em- France he expefted only neutrality, by reafoli he ba.ffies to f°- 1 J , . . reign courts. knew that court had renewed ah alliance with the States; but he. never ' fufpefted it was in fuch a manner as would hinder the neutrality. Spain could at this time do little good, or harm; yet no thing neceffary was left undone towards a1 good correfpondence with it : fir Richard Fanfhaw was fent to Madrid ; but refentment of the affiftance given to Portugal,' and of the partiality and pre ference fhewn to France in the fale of Dunkirk, prevented his meeting there with any very cordial reception. Embaffadors were alfo fent to the north ern courts, Mr. Henry Coventry ofthe bedchamber to Sweden, and fir Gilbert Talbot to Denmark, in hopes to unite them both to the king in this con junction againft the Dutch ; or, at leaft, to engage them to remain good friends to his majefty, and to furnifli him with all thofe naval ftores, without which his fleets could not be fupported; and, as far as 'was poffible, to reftrain the Dutch from the like fiipplies, by obtaining fuch large contrafts on account of the Englifh, that there woukinot be civil war, was adopted. During this feffion alfo, the clerical body gave up the expenfive privilege of. taxing themfelves, and fubmitted tp the affeflments of parliament in common with the 'laity, lut'ti'ij 'i. ;! ,."->: iirA ¦= enough JS?B SECRET HISTORY OF '' enough left for the others. How far the objefts of thefe two. embafiies were aceomplifhed will be feen iri their proper place. " ¦ • , 3n9T -,, Dno i ,•¦¦-¦ • °°*r Treaty enter- .,< While the king was thus endeavouring to fecure the'biftop'of ^0VeiEn alliances, a voluntary offer of fervice came Munfter. from a very unexpected quarter. A Benediftine monk; who belonged to the Englifh abbey at Lan- fpring in Weftphalia, and who was well, known to both the king and chancellor, during their refidence at Cologne, called upon the latter with a letter from the bifliop of Munfter', the purport of which was, that, if the war againft Holland was to be re- folutely profecuted by the king of England, he (the bifliop) conceived, that the affiftance qf an ally -who could infeft the Dutch" by land, while his majefty. did the fame .by fea, might not be unac ceptable to his majefty ; and in that cafe, upon the anfwer to diis -letter, he would fend a fit perfon to make propofals to the king on the fubjeft. The matter was: by the king's defire immediately laid before the feleft committee of his privy council. They all knew that the bifliop was a Warlike prince, having had command in armies before- he dedicated himfelf to the church ; and that he had a great animofity againft the Dutch for having -In terfered in a difpute between him and his fubjefts about two years before, and compelled him to ac cept of fuch conditions as did not pleafe him ; but he' was poor, and therefore unable to make ahy 'ef feftual THE REIGN iOF CHARLES II. IO9 fe&ual attack upon the United Provinces, without CHRP. a powerful fupport. tcFIowever, every man was of > J _j opinion, that the propofal ought to/be very kindly 1665. received, and the bifliop invited to fend his agent ; and to that purpofe the chancellor wrote to him, <--,\v,-.-i\i.' and the monkvwas diipatched the next day.ngi^'oi ^fdlxvlr&j- ..Mifiibtn--)H A .iv *.. p be-rnqx?* . v.rsv js rnoit fin f. In a much fborter time than could well be ex pefted, the imonk returned, accompanied by a Ger man baron, One of the bifhop's fubjefts, who had a letter of credit to the king,; and full authority to treat and conclude according to his inftruftions, which he likewife prefented to his majefty. He had alfo a recommendatory letter to the chancellor from the eleftor of Mentz, who declared that he believed the .bifhop would be able to perform what foever he fliould undertake. The baron's inftruc- tions were to propofe that his majefty would caufe one hundred thoufand pounds to be immediately paid at Hamburgh, ^Cologne, or Frankfort, and fhould promife to pay fifty thoufand pounds a mondi for three months; after which it was hoped the army would provide for its own fupport. This , being undertaken on his majefty's part, the bifhop wrould be engaged, within one month after the firft bills of exchange for the one hundred thoufand pounds fhould be' delivered into the baron's hands, that he, would be. -in the dominions of the r States General with an army of fixteen thoufand foot, and four thoufand horfe, with which he was very con- , o -. fident surrA - Up SECRET HISTORY OF 'M' CHAP. fident he fhould in a few days be poffefled of t *L , Arnheim, and fhortly after of Utrecht ; and if the l66s, • king's fleet came before Amfterdam, that army of the bifhop fliould march to what quarter or place his majefty fliould direft. After the king had, by particular inquiries of the baron, fatisfied himfelf of the reafonablenef$; of the bifhop's hopes refpefting the practicability of the propofed attempt, the next thing to be confi dered was the fum of money demanded* which far exceeded what the king either could, or ought to comply with. It was not an auxiliary army that was to be raifed for the king's fervice, rioi were its conquefts to be applied to "his benefit i but it was an army raifed to revenge the humilia- jsfnuM tions to which the bifhop himfelf had been fob- jefted, and what he fliould get muft be on his own account, and his majefty's hoftilityat fea -would as much facilitate the bifhop's enterprize againft the Dutch by land, as the marching of his army might probably difturb and diftraft their naval prepare tions. Yet, it could not be expefted, that the bifhop could collect fuch a body of forces without a good fupply of money, nor keep them together1 without pay ; and as the- advantages, which his ma jefty was likely to derive from fo inviting an offers- extended themfelves to a very i large profpeft, he refolved to undertake any thing to promote it which was in his power to perform. He therefore /gave his THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. HI his anfwer ip writing, what fum of money-he would caufe to: be paid at once for the firft advance, that the bifhop might begin his march, and what he would afterwards caufe to be paid by the month. This being lefs than the baron's inftrufti.ons -would admit him to accept, he fent an exprefs with the king's anfwer to the bifliop, the violence of whofe enmity to thejDutch made him affent to the terms. The fuccefs of this defign, though profecuted for fome time with vigour, was defeated by the infidi- ous policy and oppofition of France, though the bifhop, before, the treaty with the king of England was concluded, had received a pofitive affurance from the French minifter, that his Chriftian ma jefty would do nothing to his prejudice. -rai, , ¦ , The. ftate of his majefty's affairs abroad being Mifmanage- putinto fuch a train, it may be proper to confider nav^finc? what preparations were made at home towards car- the kings rying on;this war, for which the parliament had fo bountifully provided. It is very certain, that, if ordinary prudence had been exerted in the manage ment and proper application of fuch liberal fup plies; i the ; fuccefs would , have been anfwerable } and, at leaft, any inconvenience from the fudden want of money would have been prevented. But every roan, /who, was either privy himfelf to. the fe- eifet, guidance of thofe > affairs, or who may be able to, procure, from others a ifincere, information of the intrigues ;by which every meafure was at tbat tune regulated, "Hi SECRET HISTORY OF regulated, muft confefs that the perfons, who con trived the war, had the entire conducting of it, and were the fole caufe of all the ill effefts of it. They began it from motives of jealoufy, avarice, and ambition ; and, in carrying it on, they con ftantly facrificed the honour and intereft of the na tion to the fame felfifh and pernicious paffions. This Is a truth too fully illuftrated in almoft every part of the conduft of adminiftration at this me» lancholy period. From the hour of the king's returri, arid of his being poffefled ofthe entire government, the naval affairs were never put into any order. That pro vince being committed to the duke of York as lord. high admiral of England, was entirely engroffed by his fervants, efpecially by his fecretary Mr. Coven try, who infufed into his highnefs the opinion, that whoever prefumed to meddle in any thing that related to the navy or admiralty, invaded his jurif diftion, and would leffen him in the eyes of the people ; and that as he was fuperior to all men by being the king's brother, fo being high admiral, Ite was to render an. account to none but his' ma jefty : whereas, in truth, there is no officer of the crown more fubjeft to the councihboard, than the admiral of England, whq is tq give an account of all his actions, and of every branch of his office, conftantly to the board, and to receive their orders. But there was no retrieving this authority, not only from THB REIGN OP; CHARLgS II. .I'l^ from the influence Mr, Coventry and others had CHAP. -upon the duke, but from the king's own inclina- v „_.'.„^ tion, who thought that thofe .officers who irrime- 1665. diately depended upon himfelf, and only upon himfelf, were more at his devotion, than they who were obliged to give ari account to any other fupe rior. His majefty had alfo, from the time of his rfirft going to France, been- accuftomed to no dif courfe more, than to. the under-valuing of the privy council, as if it fhaddwed the king too much, .and ufurped too much of his authority, and too •often fuperfeded his commands. ¦> In converfatioris of this kind, the queen his mother had always fome .fatal inftances to give of the,, authority, which in ¦particular cafes the , council had- aflumed againft the late king's judgment ; all which, being the -fubjeft of every day, made fo deep an impreffion astould never be effaced, and rendered the choice and nomination of privy councillors lefs regarded, fince they were, to be nq more advifed- with after wards than before. Another argument that ufed J f ' : . to be as frequently infifted upon by the queen, and with more heat and indignation, was the little re fpeft that by the law or cuftom of England wis '* paid to the younger fons of the crown ; and though ' there was no body prefent at thofe convexfations, who knew any thing of the law or cuftom in fuch , cafes, yet all that the queen faid was taken for granted ; and not only the duke but the king himfelf conceived a manifeft prejudice to the nation, .vol. 11. I ia H4 i66s- SECRET HISTORY OF in that refpeft : it was eafily agreed that the model of Fiance was in thofe and other cafes much pre ferable; and that model was afterwards obferved upon too many occafions* All offices and commif fions fold to the higheft bidder. This being the ftate and temper ofthe royal fa mily, when the king was recalled, the very next morning after the fleet came to Scheveling, the duke' went ori board, and took poffeffion of it as lord high-admiral ; and his fecretary provided new commiffions for all the officers then in command, for which it is probable they paid him very libe* rally, as with him the cuftom began of demanding five pounds for eveiy warrant figned by the duke, though the fee to former fecretaries had never ex ceeded twenty fhillings. Mr. Coventry, who war utterly Unacquainted with all the rules and cuftoms or" the fea, and knew none of the officers, but was much courted by all on account of the place he filled, made choice of captain Penn, whom the king knighted as foon as he came on board, arid with whom the fecretary made a faft friendfhip, being guided by him in every thing. Penn had rifen from the rank of a common failor to the higheft command under Cromwell, with whom he was in great favour, till he failed in the enterprize againft St. Domingo, when he was admiral at fea, and Venables had the command of the land forces. At their return to England, they were both im- iprifoned in the Tower, and never after employed by THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 1*5 by the protector *V- Upon Cromwell's death, Penn ' CHAP. had an appointment again at fea, and was at this ^ /time under Montague, wheri he went to attend the 1665. king. By the prefent change of the government, the places of all the officers belonging to the navy, the dOck-yards, and the whole admiralty c became void, arid werealU except thofe of the three fupe rior officers of the navy, to be? fupplied by the duke, that is; by Mr. Coventry, who by the ad vice of Penn, his only confidant inthebrbkage, .' i«'flioji,i mdl ria-:ti<; ':rh !'s "¦•:, zrolr nvn1--. * CromweU, hotwitbitariding the' fuccefs of his intrigues to cfotaini-the fiipremfi. power, was far from pplTeffing any depth, .or fxtenf of political knowledge. He was si^f-ys- the dupe of French artifice, and was eafily perfuaded by the fubtle Mazarin to make war upon Spain, foon after his advancement to the pro- te&orfhip. ' Towards the clofe of the year r6^4, he fent out a fleet of thirty dtiipsunder Penn, with about five thoufand foldiecs commanded by Venables. Their orders, which were fealed, ",-and to he opened at a certain latitude, cpntained very circumftantial directions for the attack of St. Domingo, the capital of the Spa nifh fettlement in Hifpaniola. At the approach ofthe Englifh fleet, the Spaniards abandoned the town ; but Venables, inftead pf landing, his' troops, according to his MifJtru.#ions, within a mile of the place, difembarked them ten leagues more to the weftward. This gave the inhabitants time to recoverfrom their firft confternation. They returned to the town, and put it in a pofture of defence. The Englifh Ifbops, when they approached Domingo, were fo fatigued- by a long march, and by the excef five heat, befides the want of all neceflary refrefhments, that they were eafily repulfed, and forced with confiderable lofs to retreat to tlieir fhips. But before their return home, they took the ifland of Jamaica, which probably foftened in fome fmall degree the violence of Cromwell's indignation and refentment. I a conferred. 1 1 6 " SECR'ET HISTORY OF conferred them upon thofe who would give rnoft money, without the leaft regard to any other pre tenfions. While Coventry purfued this fyftem ^ of the moft bare -faced venality, he took care to fecure a proper number of friends near the duke's perfon; and to leffen the odium that he would incur by' engroffing to himfelf the whole of thofe immenfe .profits, or rather bribes. As the fums paid for their appointments by many of the principal officers in the dock-yards were confiderable, and muft attract notice, fome being obliged to give eight hundred, and- others a thoufand pounds for their places, -he had the fkill to move the duke to beftow the fees arifing from one of thofe lucrative appointments on fome perfon of his houfehold, fir Charles Berkeley. for inftance, and the money paid for another place upon another of his fervants, and fome to be di vided between two or three ; by which means all the duke's family were laid under obligations, and retained to juftify him, and even the duke looked upon it as a generofity in Mr. Coventry to accom modate his fellow-fervants with what he might have afked, or kept for himfelf. But it was the beft hufbandry he could have ufed ; for by this means all men's mouths were ftopt, While., the fmaller fums for -a multitude of offices of all kinds were referved for himfelf with lefs notice, and jealoufy, though they amounted to much .more than any officer under tlie, king could get by all the perquifites of his place for many years.fj;jfdi;Qg /uximhr. 'i---i-' -: li Among THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. * I ', Among the many irreparable inconveniences and mifchiefs which refulted from this corrupt manner of felling commiffions to the higheft bidder, and of filling up all the vacant offices in the navy with- stores em- out the fmalleft confideration of an/ man's cha- bezzled ivfh / impunity. rafter or merit, one grew quickly vifible and no torious in the flealing and embezzling all forts of things out of the fhips, even when they were in aftual fervice : but when they returned from any voyages, it was much worfe ; for then great quan tities of various ftores, which ought to have been delivered back into the proper offices appointed to receive them, were embezzled and fold, and very often fold to the king himfelf for the fitting out of other fhips. When this was difcovered, as fome times happened, and the criminal perfon appre hended, it was alledged by him, as a defence or excufe, that he had paid fodear for his place, that he could not maintain himfelf and his, family with out praftifing fuch fliifts : yet none of thofe fellows were ever brought to exemplary juftice ; and moft ofthem were reftored to their employments. Thus was the public fervice injured, and the ftate' plun-. dered with impunity, through the corruption of one individual, unhappily placed at the head of fo great a department. The fame motives prompted "Mr. Coventry to New model- recommend and bring about a change in the lord navy-board. high admiral's eftablithed council, to the detri- I ^ ment Il8 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP, ment of the fervice, arid the increafe of the public i d • expence. The three fuperior- officers of -the navy 1665. were poffefled of their places- by patents under the great feal of England' before the* *kingY return : they Were the natural1 council of the lordihigh ad miral, and ufe&bf :eOUrfe tb attend him regularly once a week to -render ah account of all the ftate of the office; tO'give their attvice upmany occafion, arid to receive 'Iris orders1.? 'Now becaufe thofe ¦. three depended not on the fecretary, lie wifhed, as much as poflible/ to leffen their confequence. He had alfo a particular animofitfy to one of them,' fir George Carteret, who, befides being treafurer of the navy, Was vice-chamberlain of the kingVhoufe- hold, arid a member ofthe privy council. Mr. Coventry, therefore, fuggdfted to the duke, that, - in regard of the multiplicity of bufinefs, much more than in former times, when thofe -officers and that mOdel for the government of the navy had been eftablilhedjf his royal highnefs would propofe to the king to make an addition by commiffioners of fome other perfons always to fit with thofe three officers with equal authority, and to fign all bills with them. ? He farther obferved that no new ex- pence need be incurred by < fuch a meafure, as the perquifites of the treafurer of the navy were now fo greatly increafed, that he might very well afford out of his fees a handfome falary for the commif fioners. The duke liked the propofal, and men tioning it to the king at the council-board, where nobody THE REIGN OF CHARLES It. t?9 nobody thought fit to make any objections, his CHAP. , majefty gave hi? confent, and appointed to the pro- » v > pofed -office four perfons recommended ; by the 1665. duke, namely, the lord Berkley, fir John ^Lawfon, fir William Penn, and fir George Afkew, to whom Mr. Coventry himfelf was afterwards added, with , a penfion of five hundred pounds a year to each. But thefe penfions, which were fo inconfiderately granted on the prefumption, of having them paid OUt of the treafurer of the navy's fees, became di rectly an additional charge on the revenue, for it was found that thofe fees had been fecured under the .great feal to the treafurer of the navy, and could not be taken from him with decency, or juf tice. To fhew how little the public fervice was confidered in this bufinefs, it will be fufiicient to fay, that three of the new commiffioners were likely to be engaged at fea in cafe of a war, and therefore incapable of any duty at. the navy-board : Mr. Co ventry had bufineis. enough in his, own office, if properly attended to ; and -the, only one who had leifure, that was lord Berkeley, neither underftood any thing that related to the employment, nor gave himfelf any trouble about it ; but after he had en joyed the penfion about a year, he procured leave to fell the place to Mr. Thomas Hervey for three thoufand pounds. '-i$f ¦: ibi. vjlf.r. naThis was. the ftate , of the nuvyobefore die war Silly blufter- with Holland was j entered .into.,rfj JLiet us next ^°u (hoc J 4 fee ,-V f '''..tf'. , \ 1 20 SECRET HISTORY OF' fee what alterations took place, or what ^otlier pregai»ations were made, and ¦ what counfels were moft adhered to for the better conduft of this wan It is. certain, that a clear and impartial view and refleftion upon what was then faid and done, gave difcerning men an unhappy prefage of what would follow. There was no difcourfe in the court, after the" two millions and a half had been voted, but of giving the law to the whole trade of Chriften-s dom, and of making all fhips, that fliould pafs by or through the narrow feas, to pay an impofition to the king, like the tolls paid to Denmark by all veffels paffing through the Sound into the Baltic. , The king and duke took no trouble to difcounte- nance and fupprefs this impertinent talk, which was fo likely to be reported abroad, and to increafe the nurhber of their enemies. But this bad effeft was ftill more promoted by fome new regulations^; Unjuft rules Commiffioners were appointed to refiderinthe foi-^the adju- principal port-towns for the fale of all prize-goods ; prizes. and thofe commiffioners were chofen out of fuch members of the lioufe of commons as had given proofs of their readinefs to oblige the king, or who promifed to do fo, and" to whom liberal fala- ries were affigned. There were other commiffioners named to decide all appeals from the fentences _ . given by the judge of the admiralty, or his depu ties ; and thefe were privy councillors, the earl of ' .Lauderdale, lord Ath ley, 'and • fecretary • Bennet', whom THE REIGN OF CHARLESiII. 121 -Whom the king could truft to take care, of his profit. CHAP. But then the rules, which were prescribed to judge i J * by, were foch as were neither agreeable to former 1665- precedents, nor .acknowledged to be juft by the praftice of any neighbouring nation, and fuch as would make all fhips, which traded for Holland, from what country foever, lawful prize ; which, it was forefeen, would bring complaints from all places, as it did as foon as the war began. One of thofe rules was, that if above three Dutch mariners -were found aboard any fhip that was taken, no farther proof fhould be required for condemning if. Thus Dutchmen, who ran from their own country to avoid fighting, and put themfelves on board merchant -fhips. of any other country, made thofe fillips, in which they ferved, lawful prize, by a rule which no Other nation knew, nor would fubmit to. However, French and Spaniard, Swede and Dane were in this refpeft treated alike, wffilft their em- "baffadors, made loud complaints every day to the king and the council, againft. fuch injuftice and rapine, without any odier remedy than references to the admiralty, and then to the lords commif fioners of appeal, which always increafed the charge, and fometimes the indignity.. Above aft the Hanfe towns, (which, had large exemptions and privileges granted to them by j former kings, and confirmed by his prefent majefty) had the worft luck. Their f h ips as well as their language were fo like the Dutch, as not to be eafily diftinguilhed ; fo that ' not J22 SECRET HISTORY OJ* CHAP." not one of their veffels was met with, from what II v, j part of the, world foever it came, or whither foever 1665. it was bound, but it was feized ; and if the evi dence, that any of the fhips fo .taken belonged to the Hanfe towns, was fuch that there could be no colour to retain them as prizes-, but that they muft be releafed, they always carried with them fad re membrances of the company they had been. in. Bad efFe£b of This fpirit of injuftice and rapacity was gready encouraging promoted by a refolution taken almoft as foon as privateers. x J , the war was thought of, that all poffible encourager matt fhould be given to privateers ; that is, to as many as would take commiffions from the admiral, to fet out veffels of war, as -they call them, to take prizes from the enemy. Now the perfons, who fo- licit fuch a licenfe, are always a people whom no articles or obligations can reftrain from all the vil lainy they can aft ; and who never fail to bring great fcandal, and, it is to be feared, a great curfe upon the jufteft war. A fail, a fail is the word with them : friend, or foe is the fame : they feize all they can mafter, and run with it to any obfcure place where they can fell it, and never wait for the ceremony of an adjudication. But befides the re proach and difgrace brought by this clafs of men upon the whole government for defeft of juftice, the prejudice, which refulted thence to the public, and to the carrying- on the fervice, is unfpeakable. All . feamen ran to theirii; for though fuch* as belonged '¦ '' fo THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. I&3 to the king's fhips were allowed prize-money, over and above their wages, yet there was great diffe rence between the condition of the one and the other. In the king's fleet they might gain well; but they were fure of blows : nothing could be got there without -fighting : with the privateers there was rarely fighting : they took all who could make litde refiftance, and fled from all who were too ftrong for them. The privateers were of courfe al ways welimanned, when the king's fhips were com pelled to ftay many days for want of men, who were raifed by preffing and with great difficulty. But notwithftanding fo many obvious injuries and mifchiefs occafioned by thofe privateers, whoever ventured to fpeak againft them, upon any cafe whatfoever, was thought.to have no regard for the clnkeViprofit, nor any defire to weaken the enemy. In1 all former wars at fea, as there was great care Commiffion, taken to appoint commiffioners for the fale of prize 1°^ money* goods, who underftood the value of the commodi- from being ties they had to fell, fo there was equal ftriftnefs pUblie-ac- ufed in bringing the receivers to as punftual an count- account, as any other of the king's receivers are bound to make ; and in compelling them to pay all the niohey they had received into the exche quer, that it might .be iffued out to the treafurer of the navy,, or to other offices for the expence of the war., ..One great argument in the firft conful- tatiops uporfcthis War was, that it would fupport itfelf; 124 ' "SECRET" HISTORY OF ?: ' CHAF. itfelf; and that, after, one good fleet fhould be fet <., y. j out to beat the Dutch, (for that was never thought j66$, worthy of a doubt) the prizes, which would every day, after be taken, would plentifully, do all the reft, ".befides the. great fum that the Dutch would - give to purchafe their peace, and the yearly rent they would give for the liberty of fifhing ; with all which it was not thought fit to allow them to keep above a certain number of fhips of war, h% *• mited to fo many tons,, and to fo many guns, with many particulars of that nature, carefully digefted by the promoters of the quarrel. But now, after the noble fupply voted by parliament, there was no more danger of want of money ; and many dif courfes there were, that the prize-money might be better difpofed of in rebuilding the king's houfes; and feveral other good ufes, which would occur. The king forbore to fpeak any more of appointing receivers and treafurers for that purpofe, when all ether officers, who were judged neceffary for die fervice, were already named; and the lord trea furer, who by his office fhould have the recom mendation of fuch perfons to the king, had made out a lift of men, who, in his judgment, were wor- - thy of the truft. But private intrigue had fettled the matter otherwife. A commiffion was made cut by his majefty's order, to conftitute the lord Afhley treafurer of all the money, that fliould be ' raifed by the fale of all prizes, which were or fliould be taken in tbe prefent war, with power to appoint all THE" REIGN OF CHARLES Jl. all fuch officers as fho'uld be neceffary for the fer vice'; and that he fhould account for all monie* fo received to the king himfelf and to no other per fon whatfoever, and pay and iffue out all thofe monies, which he fliould receive, in fuch manner as his majefty fhould appoint by warrant under his fign manual, and by no other warrant; and that he fhould be free and exempt from accompting to the ? exchequer. When this commiffion was fent to the chancellor to be paffed under the great feal, he delayed, figning it, till lie remonftrated with .the. king on the dangerous confequences of fuch an in novation, which, he faid, was not only without a precedent, and highly derogatory to the lord trea furer, but muft be deftruftive to his majefty's fer vice, by throwing open a door to fraud and coze nage, without any means of prevention, or remedy. He alfo expoftulated with the lord Afhley himfelf on the fubjeft; but- to no purpofe. The king in a fhort time fent a pofitive order to feal the com- riiiffion, which the chancellor could no longer re fufe, though he did it with the rhore trouble, be caufe he knew that few men could have before en tertained a worfe opinion of lord Afhley's integrity than the king himfelf. But that lord was now got into friendilups, which could remove, or recon cile all prejudices, : he, .was faft linked to fir Harry Bennet and Mr. Coventry, in a league offenfive and defenfive, the, fame friends, and the fame enemies ; he had alfo gained ^n entire truft with lady Caftle- sfj,. . maine, jaS SECRET HISTORY OF raaine, who very well underftood the benefit fuch an officer would' be to her j nor was it difficult to perfuadethe king (who thought himfelf more rich in having one thoufand pounds in his clofet, -than fifty thoufand pounds in his exchequer) how many conveniences he would find in having fo much money at his own immediate difpofal, without the formality of privy feals, and other men's warrants, arid the indecency and raifchief that, he thought, would attend a formal account of his gifts and- ex-? pences, which fhould be known only to himfelf. Nightly meetings at lady Caftle- maine's. The chancellor's oppofition in this affair ferved only to inflame lord Afhley with the moft impla cable animofity towards him, and to give his other enemies, an opportunity of leffening him in tlie king's efteem by putting the worft conftruction on his motives. The nighdy meetings at lady Caflie» maine's had of late made him more the fubjeft of difcourfe ; and fince the appointment of ihe new fecretary, as I have noticed elfewhere*, they had taken more liberty than before to talk of -what was done in council. The duke of Buckinghampleafed himfelf and the company by mimicking die looks and aftions of all the perfons who fpoke there ; and in this ridiculous exhibition the. chancellor was fure to have a full part. In the height of mirth, if the -king faid he would go fuch a journey, or do Seepage 45. fuch THE REIGJT OP CHARLES 11. l2f fuch a trivial thing on the morrow, fome of the party would lay a wager, that he would not do it ; and when he afked why, it was anfvyered,' " that the chancellor would not;let him." Then another would proteft, " that he thought there was no ground for that imputation; though he could not deny, that it was generally believed abroad, that his majefty was entirely and implicitly governed by the chancellor." This was touching his majefty upon the tendereft firing; for though his uncon querable indolence and his eafinefs of belief made him the conftant dupe of defigning and prefump- tuous men, yet he was extremely jealous of the fuppofed independency of his own will, and could not endure the leaft fufpicion of his being governed by the diftates or counfels of another. When fuch things were infinuated, he never failed to declare in a great paffion, that the chancellor had no more credit with him than any other man ; and certainly, •his majefty was afterwards more upon his guard againft fhewing even any outward marks of parti cular refpect for the chancellor's advice. Befides the unwillingnefs, manifefted by the Extraordi- chancellor to coriiply with his majefty's defires "r^^* Upon this late occafion, there was another inftance defeated, ofhis oppofition, which having defeated a. favourite project, in parliament, fank very deeply into the king's mind, and almoft cancelled the remem brance * .. '" ¦128 . ,." ¦, ;. SECRET, _,H.ISTORV, OF . .fcraiiCGjc/.an -old, fervant's fidelity and zeal iri fo ,,_ ijianyquier, inftances. -In the former feffion ,;.lqrd Afliley out of his indifference in matters, of reli gion, and fir Harry Bennet out of his good will to ,, the 'Roman cathoUcs,tiad .drawn in the lqrdsprivy fea|, whofe inter, eft was mqft.:-in the prefbyterian&,to propofe to the king a particular: fcheme of tolera tion, for which -tfiey offered two motives. jTh,effitft was the probability of, a. war. with the Pu£ch,,jjin : which cafe the perfecution -of people at . home pn .the fcore of religion would be very inconvenient -and mighty prove mifchievous. The othe£,argu- ment was, that the. fright men were thrown, into ;, by the bill againft conventicles,, and the warmth expreffed by- parliament with reference to the church, had fo prepared all forts of non-eonfqrr ", mitts, that they would compound for liberty, pf confcience at any reafonable rates ; and that byjthis means a good yearly revenue might be raifed -Jo the king, and a firm concord and- tranquility, efta blifhed in the kingdom, if power were - granted^ by the parliament f to his majefty to difpenfe with. the penalty of the laws in favour of fuch perfons as he knew to be peaceably affected, and defirous only.-pf liberty to follow the religion moft agreeable to -their confcience. The recommenders of this new fcheme had prepared a fchedule, in which they computed what .every Roman catholic „would be willing to pay yearly for fuch a difpenfation, and fo of every -* "f »2 " other THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. I2a Other feft ; which, upon the eftimate they made, CHAP. would indeed have amounted to a very confider- v_ able fum* The exercife of the difpehfirtg power had long been one of the fond objefts of the king's withes. I have before fhewn the failure of an attempt which he made td obtain it by the advice of the Roinan catholic junto at- the queen-mother's ; but parliament at that time proved refraftory*. He was riow flattered With the .hope of their acqui- efcence : he liked the arguments in favour of this new projeft very well ; and expreffed his eagernefs to fee it thrown into the form of a bill. This was quickly done, and the bill prepared in a very con- eife manner, without any mentibn of other advan tage to grow from it than the peace and quiet of the kingdom, and an entire reference to the king's own judgment and difcretion in difpenfihg fuch indulgences. The whole being fully approved of by hiS rriajefty, he refolved to impart it to the chancellor and treafurer, from whom it had beeri hitherto kept A profound fecret. As the chancellor was theri afflifted with the gout, the king com manded* the feleft committee to meet at Woreefter- houfe ; and thither likewife went the lord privy- feal, and lord Afhley, who had never before been prefent at thofe meetings. The king briefly ex- * Seepage^ vol. ii. K Pained II. 1665-. 'WW *39 >Jl fi«e.R€T:>Hi|TORY OF plsinf d the ©ocffion of the conference, and caufed' the draught of the bill to be read, which was done, and fuch reafons given by thofe who promoted- it asthey thought fit. The chancellor and treafurer ufed many arguments to diffuade the king from profecuting it, but what the others faid prevailed m„Q. becaufe nobody- knew better than they the king's urifkakenfirmnefs in his'vr'eligionT, that had '.refitted arid vanquifhed fo many great temptations, and that has majefty there fore could not be„ thought unworthy of a greater truft with reference to it, than he wrould have by this bill." '/i3.?,; f,7 asbfbd jvnism-'3£-ig' £.rfgii<.')Si t;bscnSJ';.->G'.V J! ilhd.3i"il 03: hityfaoi "j'SZil hliSQVi " This ' laft :reftectioht calfed -tap>the! chancellor, who declared^ " that no man: fhould fay more, if it it were neceffary or pertinent, of the king's con stancy in his religion, than he was difpofed to do ; and that, if the queftion were, how far his majefty might betrufted in that point, he would make, no fcruple in averring, that he thought him more worthy to be trufted than any man alive. -iButj" he faid, " the degree of confidence juftly due to the king was not the point of debate in a bill, which, confounded r all notions of Teligion, and erefted a chaos pf policy to undermine both reli- \giori and- government ; -fo that the queftion was Mot, whether dieting were worthy of that truft,, but whether that truft were worthy of the king/'u He added; '" that it had been no new thing for kings to divefbahenifolves of -man^ particular' rights and r.,„u.i.M k.< powers, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. IJJ powers, which they found expofed them to great CHAP. trouble and vexation; and he thought it a very unreafonable thing to commit a truft to the king, 1665 Which he could not be fuppofed to execute him felf, and yetmuft fubjeft him to daily and hourly importunities, rthe uneafinefs of which would be the more fenfibly felt by his m!rjefiby,jto. whom, fuch way die great bounty, and generofity of his nature, nothing was fo painful as^te be obliged- to c deny." r. As the chancellor's arguments feemed to have moft weight with the majority of rthe houfe, though a great many, befides the catholic lords:, would have confented to the bill, it was agreed, that there fliould be^.no queftion put for the toom- mitment,. which .was the moft civil way of ,re* jefting it. A a.rix "b -unsisM-JO' 'jo vjsD.uwO/rew' ?,, ,-ob c-t b:/loq.hb.'2-t"" sct-afi .f.Qigihitid at 'fjvuf^ i The king was infinitely troubled' at the ill fuc^ eefs of this bill, which he had been affured would pafs, notwithftanding the oppofition that was exr pefted. ,aHe even expreffed in very fretful terms . his diffatisfaction at rhe chancellor's and treafurer's . behaviour in particular, after they had been made acquainted, with his fentiments on the fubjeft ; and there were not .wanting perfons to infinuate, that pride alone had prompted thofe two lords to fhew their power and credit in diverting the houfe from gratifying the king in a matter which, was not, of their contrivance. The chancellor alfo having, ; in the vehemence of debate,, let fall fome unwary ...-.rvvi K3 expreffions, '34 chap: ii. 1665. - Religion turned into ridicule. fexpreflioriSi arid-faiff:iriliis'r«fiHatks: onthe wildnefis of the -bill,;i ¦ *)L-,fd ^..z-jiV udi fnhql y.r, ¦> ^ngotj~:Kr -••tfff'lhs fUrrfw 'Kr4 ..j.KiM-1 Hi n* z& u |# 136 t "^'¦i S5fiSMXilJSXJr>iEX.'.#FH,. CH^i j laft, gre_at,> ptegue,;!«al^v4t//lfog;y years- before, firft v v"-!i ^.brokeMQUt, ^ndVthe Jjfegrejs it. afterwards,. rnade, -, 1665, forej^^j j^rribleifwm«ier,l; and many -of them s.-. .bsb aif^S&ffAAfW.- famfe.©UtuQf die city -.to country %'%abitatiqns, when their neighbours laughed at their fears, arid thought 1 they; might have ftaid without danger. But it foon appeared that they hadjjdone wifely. In March the peftilenoe fpread fo much ¦•- that the parliament , was very willing .to pant, which Was likewife the,mor|te*^£efiary,-as:fq manypf the members of the houjftg(Q^comm<>ns . were appointed to different employments; relating to the war, iwhich required their immediate attendanG.-e> For though the fleet was not;yetgoneout,.yet|Sheijeiv^e,3irjany prizes-daily brought in, befides. the fitftfeiaure of the wine fleet, valued at above -an hundred thou- ,*. fand pounds, in all which, great lofe wusfuilained ¦ throqgh the abfence of thofe who fliould punifh the delinquency and rapine of the officers asuwell as common -men. As foon therefore as the 'bill was paffed both houfes for the good aid [they had, voted, his majefty gave it his affent, and pro- .... rbgued the parliament till the September 'following, declaring that, if it pleafed Qod to extinguifh, ot allay. the fiercenefs of the plague, he fliould be glad 0 ," to rneet riiem.then, by ^ which time they fhould have notice by proclamation, that they might not ,„. hazard themfelves. -.•ir.ri >,'vT }c . Incfi-^ntrvn .vi.' bsirsb ?s. no \. rJ <- - r ' n ) UH.-VL lo x-aorSi adi ii ; - The s THE REK51J ^OF-CHARXES il. I37 The parliament treirig -thus prorogued, ' and war r CHAP. having been formally declared % every .exertibh - 1 -_...' , was ufed^to haften out the fleet, notonly iri order Ti. 1665. to be before -the en«riy,1bufc becaufe'wthite' the fhips ^War declared were in port,- it Was impoffible to keep the failors 'ff1!^ from going on fhore, by which they might bring '•' ^the plague onboard withtbarri. Had the plan of :- equipment, which was at firft propofed, been ad--vV herediffioi .tlie:fleet..wOuld haV6; been ready to failr"n- longJbefore; but Mr.. Coventry-,- who by his;ebn'- ,; trivance of eommiffionerW 'Wafeeri&bled td direct/alt the refohi tions of the navy-boardv feemed folicltdus only to enlarge the preparations, - Arid to increafe die .expence by all the ways poffible.111, The efti- mates were always made out iri oonfuhation%ith l the fea-captains before named, fir Johri Lawfon, fir George jAfkew, arid fir William Penn, all men of proffcffional experience. Lawfon was greatly fupe rior' to the reft in fkill and judgment :J he always fpoke- clearly, and pertinently, but riot pertihaci- ,t puflyi enough,, when he was contradifted. Afkew Bi was aigefitleman, but had kept ill company too longj: which had hlUrited his underftanding, if it •- had:ever been -fliarp : he was of few words, yet fpoke; to the-^purpofe, and to be eafily underftood.'3 '¦"" Pennj though poffefled bf lefs abilities than either,' had. a. great mind to appear better bred, and to f * The declaration was dated the twenty-fecond of February, but not published till the fecond of March. fpeak 13.8 SECRET HtStdR-V 6T P ' fpeak like.; a geritlernan rhe' had "get? many good words, which he ufediat* adve'riMre^ he waVvery forirfcfl, -and fpoke teifu'itelvybut much, and leftrthe matter more intricate and perplext than he fotlM it. He was entirely governed by Mr. Coventry, who conftantly attended at thefe confultationsi And -who learned enough from Perm to enter himfelf into the debate-, and to crofs what was not agree*- able to liis own fancy. It alfo belonged to> Mr. -Coventry's province to reduce into Writing What ever was refolved upon in order tb be laid .before tha king; and as his majefty defired, merely forthe fake of form, to confer with the lord treafurer Upon every riew demand for the iffuing" of money,! the duke always brought withhim tofuch conferences the fea-officers, and Mr.' Coventry, who fpoke much more than any of the reft, and often>what the others never thought of, though they dared.1 not contradict him. If fir John Lawfon at any time ventured^ to fay, that Mr. Coventry muft have mif underftood them, and put that into writing which had not been propofed; the latter infrftedtrpoft his own exaftnefs, and would continue difputing it, till the ether yielded. Every conference rai&4 the charge very much; and what they prropo&tt yefterday as enough, was to-day made twice as much ; fo that there could be no poffible eompd^ tation of the expence. The number of fhips. in the firft eftimate was doubled before they were ( ready to put to fea ; and the king was vsrf, ml* , "ng, tions. THE^REIGN OFyCHARJ.ES It. !39 ling, upon the reafons ftated to him by- the duke, cha?. refpefting the danger of the plague from a longer t IL ., -continuance in hatboUr, that they ilipuld fail as 1665. ¦ foon as poifible. , . Before "'the" duke's final departure for the fleet, Newcrea- there Were two perfons whom he and the king deT fired to: make remarkable by fome extraordinary inftance of their klndriefs, fir Charles Berkeley, equally the favourite- of both, and fir Harry Bennet, for whom the duke had, indeed, no great regard, but who enjoyed a confiderable fhare of his ma jefty's, affeftiori and Confidence. Sir Charles had been lately created ari Iafh vifcount ; but this was riot enough, without ari, ; Englifh title ; and fecre- - tary Bennet muft alfo be made a lord. > The king had defened thefe creatibns till the parliament ^fhould be prorogued, left tlie conferring of thefe titles fhould raife the appetites of others' to make application, from which his majefty had hitherto defended himfelf by declaring that he would make no more lords. But the parliament was; no fooner prorogued, than he refolvedito execute his pur pofe ; and fo lord Fitzharding was created earl of Falmouth, before , he had one foot of land in the world ; and Bennet, who hadr no more eftate than the other? Was created! lord Arlington, taking' his title from a little farm that formerly belonged to his father, at -a village called Harlington between London-'and Uxbridge. The king could not avoid conferring -rJ- I40 StCREf -HI-STO-RY SSx= 3H : cha?. conferring at the fame time die like ^honours m, k '. , two' otherSj'Mti -Frechville, a gentleman of Derby-t 1665. fhire, and Mr, Arundel of Trerife in Cornwall, to whom his majefty was bound by mahyroMigattionS , and repeated promifes; but he declared _at the fame time, that no "importunity fhould prevail With him to make any more. lords, till the prefe-rjs number, which was becam*ea:.grieYance, fhowldhs leffened. i,)tTj.f -in? ::ii.:iU.T,Rq-)iq y.jfloxf Stom Ife gnnoGL , Thefe creations were no'„fboner 6Ve'r,orMh%he new earl of Falmouth, being' a man of fearlefs courage, and diinking. himfelf obliged not torqitiff the duke, when expofed to. fo^imuch danger, fet out with his royal highnefs to join the fleet. Manyi other 'noblemen and perfons of quality went-as-syria luiiteers, and were diftributed into the federal iflriipq with much countenance by the duke, aftBi?jtak*B|| . as many on board his own . fhip . as could be dank with corivenience.ii The duke of Baekoiigla^ia^ * from the^firft mention of the war, which he proe moted all he could, had declared thathe>WQii$eji make one in it; and now defired the command ®§ a fhip, though he had never been at fea. 3 On being refufed this, he entered -as volunteer .sitt board a flag fhip, the captain whereof was in his favour; and then defired that. in refpeft of hfe . quality, and being a privy, councillor, he might .bii prefent iri all councils of waajp.i As none were, ads mitted to- thefe cbundlsbuti^ag..afficer-si..,;hisvjcgral highncfV court. THE -REIGStCF CHARLES II. 141 higbsefe r^fitively refufed , to- gratify him in- this point' alfo, which the duke of Buckingham thought to ,\He fuch a perfonal difobligation as. might well excufe himyfor declining the eritearprize. Pre tending therefore that he appealedt to the king in poinitcf rights heleft the fleet, and returned to the fhore to-ji complain : and we uetura back to the view of other particulars., vj ,-ajiw n artw -fiM-,: During all thofe hoftile preparations the French Duplicity of embafedorr Monfieur Cominges remained in Eng- th' l'rencVl Srafci^o pretending to be ready to finifh the treaty of commerce ; hut -formalized fo much upon every article^ though- nothing was demanded but what httd!been?grantedr to Cromwell) that it was con cluded ; he wanted'power, though much was im puted to -the capricicfufnefs of his own nature. As foon ;as the war* was. evidently determined upon, die king of France; :fent two other embaffadors to be domed in commiffion with the former. The one was the duke of Verneuil, and the other mon fieur Counine,: a mafter of requefts, and much the quicker man of the three, and upon whofe parts aril addrefs moft. of the bufinefs depended. At their firft audience: they faid, "that the purport of theiri:embafly was to. mediate a peace, of which the toitbeb Provinces ¦ having profeffed a very great defire,: their mafter hoped he fhould find die fame gbod: inclinations "here; and if he might be in formed what would fatisfy- his Britannic majefty, he 142 SECRET HISTORY OF if CHAP1. h,i. did riot doubt but that he fhould perfuade the ^ ff_ ¦__, States to fubmit to it." With thefe general decla* |6%. rations, and without delivering any memorial in writings the embaffadors contented themfelves fo? many months, as if their bufinefs was only that die Dutch embaffador, who ftttl continued in Lon don?, might know1 and fend word to his matters* that they had begun their mediation* But irt their private difcourfes they feemed to make foine kirid of apology for being fent, implying as if the ex traordinary importunity of the Dutch had prevailed with the king their mafter to undertake this media* tion, and which he. did the rather upon their pro mife to yield to: any thing he fhould *tbvife ; ha\ he was far from defiling that his majseftymight no* leceive ample fatisfadtion in whatfoever he required. They totfk- care at the fame time to petefo&de the -Dutch embaffador, as appeared by his fetter to the Hague, that they were very intent upon, and had much advanced the treaty *. ,». T'» <--¦?- It * France was at this time playing a double game with Hol land and England ; and under the fhew of friendly mediation, only aimed at widening tlie breach between both, that they might fo far exhauft themfelves ^n a war, as to render them in capable ofany oppofition to the ambitious defigns of Lewis. Iri appears from the count d'Efh-ade's hegjatiattoiis, that the French monarch was now preparing for the feizurCof Flanders, " that lafting .beauty," to ufe fir William Temple's metaphor, " for which he had an incurable paffion j hiit as ffie was not Eindf' enough to confent to. his defires, he meditated to commit a rape / §*'• 1 '¦" upon THE REIGS- -0?. CHARLES if. H3 <•-,, It was in April that the Duke went to fea; and CHAP. from'- the day of his departure till the day of battle, ^ Jetters and orders continually came from him for 1665. an addition of more ftiips, upon intelligence re* Ceived of the increafed ftrength of the enemy, la thefe difpatches, Mr. Coventry took care to add from himfelf, that whilft the. king's brother ven* tured his own perfon, nobody, who^ wifhed him well, would, for the fake of faving money, hinder any thing from being fent, that his highnefs thought neceffary for his defence. This caufed, an imme diate compliance with every demand, though pro cured with the utmoft difficulty ; as the king's mi nifters would f have been j otherwife liable^to Mr. Coventry's reproaches of want of ability, or want of affeftiqn. But though he was difappointed in this refpeft, he found fomething tq exercife his fl 0: tojJ?! zhi -tq -Jtois^qqs •¦¦('..'*¦ .. jo:>ifte ¦'•,-. J'.vLtf \, upon her." In this defign he was for fome time" checked by the fear, as fir William fays, " that England and Holland might . agree ta refeue her, whenever they fliould hear her cry out for help." It was therefore his immediate intereft to fee them bothrconfidejahh/ weakened, before he declared himfelf on either fide. Even .when he pretended to aflift the Dutch, he made mem fiibfervient to his. own purpofes : he got fhips of war built %ilWJfM'JfoUand at a cheap rate : he ikoplied himfelf from -tfi|^a«B^fcsruljtery ftores and ammunirjgjjpfoin a word, he lawi trig Jpundation ofjthat naval force, with which he hoped foon to. gh^tftrs JfejMf ia^bpjari(ime ft^gsno' Of his treachery to both na- t^o^.m-A^^c^fe,^ the wai,;;aiid-his particular bafenefs to ^ng\an^,.tQwards,tl^e clojje of it, we fhall foon meet with re- "^^^.-^^^i^Kiif^M -,'^rf f rfri ¦¦bJ in*«<: ' -'. "' wu intriguing 144 SECRET HISTOSY OF* CHAP. intriguing fpirit on board. There was a rivalfhip ». ,¦ t ' j between him and the earl of Falmouth, who fliould 1665. , have moft intereft with the duke, who loVed the earl beft, but thought the other the wifer mam Coventry had procured his great friend Penn to be made captain of the lord high admiral's own fhip • and encouraged him in his haughty radeaefs to all the courtiers, and even to the1 earl himfelf, who contemned Penn, as a fellow unworthy of the charge and truft repofed in him. Thefe Tactions, and the unpleafantnefs of the fea, gave many of the duke's family and ofthe volunteers a great dif- relifh for the war, which they had before been fo eager to promote. Viftoryat After the fleet had been out for about a month, fea. the Dutch remaining clofe in their harbours, the duke returned to our own coaft, where he refolved to attend the motions ofthe enemy *. As foon as he received intelligence of their being at fea, he fet fail to meet them ; and on the firft of June the fleets, which were nearly equal -j-, came within fight of each other. Some fkirmifhes took place * By this refolution he gave the Holland and Zealand fqua- drons an opportunity of joining ; and afterwards of intercepting the Englifh Hamburgh fleet. f The Englifh fleet confifted of one hundred and fourteen fail, befides fire-fhips and ketches ; and the two Dutch fquadrons were compofed of one hundred and twenty-one fail, but with a fmaller number of fire-fhips and ketches than the Englifh. on THE RE1GST OF, CHARLES II. I45 On the fe*aondf>'but the wind : favouring neither " CHAP. fr pafty prevented a1 general engagement. -Otvithe. l , •>r> third it fervsM both. their: turns, ^and brought them ;d.i665. >-,»as near each other astlrey could defire to be.* The «> Englifii were animated by the remembrance of , f~. their,-, fuperiority in former wars ; . nor did the 5f*f)uteh feem to. advance with lefs- confidence and "/intrepidity. Opdam,' the Dutch cofnmander in *f. chief was a. brave man, but of no 'experience. He •aborejdowri with his. fquadrori upon the duke, with t-> a re&luti-qn to board, him ; but before he came -1 near ¦ enough, : either by" fome accident in his own f fhip, or. from a grenado or, other fhot out of the duke's, his gun-room took fire, and in a moment the fhip funk, without a man being favedi Cor-^ ' tenaer, ,the vice-admiral, who fucceeded him iri " command, purfued the fame refolution, arid would have :boarded the duke, if Jeremy Smith, a cap tain of the duke's fquadron, had not put jhimfelf u, between, and boarded the vice-admiralj^jwhofe .wifhip, (being now equally attacked by the duke, was ", taken, after moft of the men were killed ; and the » vice-admiral himfelf was fo wounded, that he only lived to be brought on board the duke's fhip, and ,v, to complain- of his not- having been properly fe- . cpnded. There was, in truth, but little unanimity among the officers of the Dutch fleet: the two " fufviving vice-admirals Evertzen," and Cornelius t Ttomp, fon of the famous Martin Tromp, befides their being of oppofite .political factions, now dif- ,-.:-., vol. 11. « L agreed Jfi rft. 146 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. agreed ort the right of fucceffion to the chief com- . mand. They continued the fight, however, though ; 1665-.- with evident difadvantage, till night ;. and then hoifting all their fails, fled with the utmoft jpreci-;,'r pitation. The duke, after giving orders to the mafter ofhis fhip to bear after, the enemy: as clofely. I as- poffible, that no ground, might be. loft during.: the night, went to repofe himfelf. The reft of tlie fleet had no guide but the lanthorn of the admiral^-. and were not to outfail him of courfe, and behaved;, themfelves accordingly. But when the; duke arofe, and the day appeared, the Dutch were out of view ; ,0 and before he could reach them, they were gotw into their ports, or under the fhelter of them flats, where it was not advifable to purfue them ; fo thate! the duke finding his. own fhip and many others)) much damaged, thought it; neceffary, to retire tor port, in .Order to refit. ¦ .,, \o) :-: The victory and triumph of the day were now confpicuous. Eighteen fhips of war belonging to: . , the enemy, whereof half were, of the; beft they had, were, funk, burnt, or taken; and but one, fmall fhip of the duke's whole fleet was miffing. 0 It is true the number of our killed and wounded men was great, and appeared much greater on ac-. j count „of there being many perfons of quality,] among them ; whereas in the prodigious flaughter. of the enemy, none fell: of any particular namej or diftinction, except the admiral and vice-admirak ¦ The THE REIGN OF CHARLES; II. 147 The duke loft a great many on, boardhisiown fhip. CHAP. The: earl of Falmouth, and lord Mafkerry, eldeft 1 ,' 1 fon to the earl of Claneartyvwere; killed fo near his 1665. royal 'highnefs, that he was fpattered with, their blood. There fell, likewife in the fame fhip Mr. Richard Boyle, younger fon ofthe earl of, Burling ton, and many, other gentlemen volunteers, befides above two hundred fnen of inferior rank., In prince Ruperts j fhip, and in that of the earl of Sandwich, there were alfo many perfons of family flain. The earl of Marlborough, who had the command of one of the beft fhips, and the earl of Portland, who= was 1 a volunteer on board with him, fell fide by fide. ->, Among many others, who fhared, the , fame fate, and whofe memories ought to be pre ferved, one deferves particular notice, as his fkill and bravery were equally confpicuous. This was fir John Lawfon. In the middle of the fight, he received a fhot with a mufket-ball upon the knee ; arid, finding that he could no longer ftand and was in great torment, he fent to the duke to defire that another might be appointed- to the command of the fhip, which was done prefently. He, was fent on fhore, and for fome days there was hope of hia recovery ; but his wound fhortly gangrened, , and he died. He had rifen in the fervice of the parliament, during the troubles, from the rank of a common tailor to the command of their beft" fhips. He had been in all die adtions performed by Blake, fome' df which were very flupendous ; and after- f L 2 wards I48 SECRET HISTORY OF wards fignalized , himfelf in many .oth^, battles fought vyith th Nobody prefumed THE REIGN. OF CHARXES II. 1 5,1 prefumed to teU, the duke of this, wliich made CHAP. many fofpect that it was , done with the privity of i ' j Mr. Coventry,.^, that Penn arid the mafter would " 1665. not have} .remained filent, when the duke expreffed ,fo much diffatisfaction the next morning. Nor was this rnatter publicly knovyn for fome years af ter, when Brpun^er's ifi courfe °f life made him fp odious, that among other cenfurable actions of his, the giving foch an order to the mafter of the duke's, fhip was, taken notice of in parliament, and was found upon examination to be as is here re- la£pdfr; Hereupon he was expelled the houfe of , commons, whereof he was a member, as an infa- , moqs. perfon, though his friend Coventry ufed many indirect arts to protect him, and afterwards engaged the king to countenance him. The only recommendation he had, to counterbalance a whole' life,Tof infamy .was his, playing very well at chefs, .which preferred him more than the moft, virtuous qualities- cpuld, have done*, - r .,'/- '.-' ., ^h . > * Aceprding to the above relation of Brounker's. behaviour during the firff day's fight, and the daring artifice of his direc tions to the mafter ofthe fhip at night, the efcape ofthe enemy 'iajipdars to be chiefly owing to his; cowardice ; but this ftigma is fixed-upon the duke himfelf in bifhop Burnet's account of th*. .f^rne.tranfacliQn,.. .yfe fhall give it in his own words, that the reader may be enabled to compare, both narratives, and then form his opinion of their refpeAive degrees of evidence, or pro bability. " After the fight," fays the bifliop, " a council of war was called to- concert the method of action, when they fhould L 4 come SECRET HISTORY OF With this victory a new experice-i befides repairs and additional equipments, appeared, that was not 1665. forefeen,' or brought into any computation, which Lr-nii- " ' wa3 come up with them. In that council, Penn, who commanded ' .• "f 1 . ' ; 1( ¦' ' ' . , ' • ', ,1 . . ¦ • -~ ;hi " under the diike, happened to fay, that they muft prepare for hot; ter work in the next engagement : be knew well the 'courage of the Dutch was never fo high as when they -were defperate. The earl of Montague, i\Vho was then, a volunteer,,, and one of the duke's court, faid to me, it was very vjfible that, made an impref- fion : and ^11 the duke's domeftics faid, he had got honour -- enough :' why fhould .he venture a fecond time ? The duchefs had alfo given a ftri6r charge to all' the duke's fervants to do all they, could to hinder him to engage too far. When matters- were fettled,, they went, to fleep,; and, the fluke ordered; a call to be given him when they fhould get up to the Dutch fleet. It is not knqwn what pafied between the duke and Brounker, wfha was of his bedchamber, and was then ih waiting ; but1 he "came ta Penn, as from the duke, and faid, the duke ordered the fail to be fifckened.. Penn was ftruck with the order, but did not go to argue the matter with the duke- himfelf, as. he ought to hay? . done, but obeyed it. When the duke had flept, he, upon his waking, wenf out upon the quarter-deck, and feemed amazed to fee the fails ilackened, and that thereby all hope of overtaking the Dutch Was loft. He queftioned P.enn upon it. Penn put it upon Brounker, who faid .nothing. The duke denied he had given any fuch order ; but he neither punifhed Brounker for carrying it, nor Penn for obeying it. He indeed put Brounker out of his fervice ; an'd it was faid, that he durft do no more, becaufe Brounker was fo much in the king's favour, and in the mrftrefs's. Perm was more in the duke's favour after that, than ever before," which he continued to his fon after 'him, though a quaker ; and it was thought, that all that favour was to oblige him to keep the fecret. Lord Montague did believe, that the duke wa* ftruck, feeing the earl of Falmouth, the king's, favou rite, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 133 V was a provifion for the fick and wounded, and the CHAP. charge of keeping the Dutch prifoners, who were i [ * above two thoufand, and increafed daily. The 1665. duke- was very impatient to have the fleet refitted for fea, and feemed intent upon , going again to command it. But the queen-mother had prevailed with the king at parting to promife her that the duke .fhould not expofe himfelf any more in that expedition. This was as yet concealed as well from die duke, as from every body elfe, his majefty be lieving that- the confidence of his royal highnefs' s going not only encouraged others, and occafioned. greater difpatch, but contributed, as it certainly did, to the procuring of money for fo many new and' unexpected 'demands. This laft object was alfo ftrangely facilitated even by public calamity ; for the increafe of the plague made all people that hadi money, and could not venture to leave it in their houfes, where they durft not ftay themfelves* put it into the hands ofthe bankers, who fupplied ¦ the king up°n foch aflignments as the late act of parliament and other branches of his majefty's re venue would yet bear. Thus a temporary conve- rite, and. two other perfons of quality killed very near him ; and that he had no mind to engage again? j and that Penn was pri vately with him. If Brounker. was fo much in'fault as he feemed ' to be, it was thought the duke, in the paffion that this muft have raifed in him, would have proceeded to greater extremities, and not have afted with fo much phlegm." , : ... - ; , , ,, ' nience l'S4 SECRET HISTORY OF - nience feemed to flow from a fountain of extreme mifery- .,<¦ _ 0„ -^rn ' •<'*d!,:\;t,. -, - rj' «j;-, ' [,/.-,.; If af this time' the French embaffadors had pur fued their office of mediation, it is very probable that it might have been with fuccefs. Befides the great lofs, which the Dutch had received in; the battle, and in being deprived of fo many of their merchant fhips, the factions were. irreconcilable in\ the fleet. There were many officers, who had be haved themfelves very bafely and cowardly in the action, but whom it was. dangerous to call to ac count. 'Evertzen and Tromp, who were die beft feamen, would not fubmit to be commanded by each other. The people were ready to rife uppn De Witt, Whom- they unjuftly looked, upon as the author of the war; and cried aloud for peace. The States themfelves were torn by the rage of party; and as all the other provinces blamed that of Hol land for involving them in the quarrel, it is likely that they would have forced that ftate to accept of any reafonable conditions that fhould be offered. The people of England in general were not pleafed' with the beginning of the war, nor had even this late victory reconciled them to it. The court grew alfo weary of it; and the king would have been willing to receive any good overtures for compofing it. But the embaffadors : preffed no fuch matter. On the contrary, they congratulated the victory with THE 1BLEIGN OF CHARLES II. 1.55 wWi'-'the fame joy they found in the court, and feemed to think that any misfortune, that- could befal the Dutch, would be but a juft punifhment for their pride and infolence towards all their neigh bour princes. The two nations had not yet worried themfelves enough, entirely to fubmit to the arbitra tion of France, which it refolved they fhould- do. In lefs than a month the fleet was again prepared Command of for fea ; and the king going to fee it with the duke, toethe^aflVof informed him of the promife hehad made to the Sandwich. queeri their mother, and of his intention to give the joint command to prince Rupert and the , earl '-of Sandwich. The duke complied, though with much feeming reluctance ; but by the intrigues of Mr. Coventry,-1 who did not think himfelf fuffi ciently efteemed and refpected by prince Rupert, the fole command was given to the earl of Sand wich. In a few days after the earl of Sandwich fet fail, with directions firft to vifit the eoafts of Hol- - larid;, and if he found that the, Dutch fleet was not ready to come out, that he fhould go northward to -watch their Eaft-India fleet, which had orders to come home that way, in hopes of efcaping the vi gilance of the Englifh. Upon the king and duke's return to : town, it The court being now the beginning of July, the plague ' in- sahftury.0 creafed fo faft that there died above two thoufand in a week ; and it became highly advifeable for his majefty 156 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. majefty to withdraw from the danger. He firft re- 1 J j moved to Hampton ; butas it Was foon found that 16*65. the ficknefs had fpread to fome of the adjacent vil lages, the king refolved to make choice of Salif- bury for his fummer refidence. Thither the duke and his family propofed to accompany his majefty; but he was diverted, from1 this purpofe by Mr. Coventry, who thought that his own 'confequence would be. loft in the crowded union of 'the two courts. He fuggefted to the duke, that on ac count' of the general difcontents, then fpread throughout the. kingdom, it would be better for the king and his highnefs to feparate,' that they might by their prefence in different parts reftrain the fpirit of turbulence and fedition ; and,, as the king meant to fperid the fummer in the weft, his highnefs could not make choice of a properer place to refide at than York, in the neighbourhood of which an infurredtion was moft to be dreaded, and where he could alfo receive by the way of Hull frequent intelligence from the fleet, which would probably be all the fommer on the northern coaft •iri expectation of the Dutch Eaft-India fhips. The advice was no fooner given than embraced by the duke and his Wife, who Were well content to enjoy themfelves iri their oWri family!, apart from the court, where the prevalence of the ladies, and the queen's humour thereupon deftroyed all peace and rational' pleafure. 'The duke then propofed it to tire king, who, upon hearing the reafons affigned , by THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. tiff by Mr. Coventry, gave his confent ; fo that on the fame day the duke and his family departed for Ifork, and the king with the court fet out for Sa- i66r. lifbury. - ' A, few days after his majefty's arrival there, he Faint avowal was waited upon by the French and the Spanifh fc;*^.1^01* embaffadors ; and the former faid, for the firft time, with Hoi- - " that their mafter was fo far engaged by treaty with the Dutch, that he muft, however unwil lingly declare himfelf on their behalf, if the king would not accept of a juft and an honourable peace." His majefty anfwered, " that if there was any fuch engagement, he had not been well dealt with ; for that the French king had given his word to him, that, he would not enter into any treaty with the Dutch, but. pari paffu with his majefty; and when .his majefty had been informed that there was fome treaty concluded with them, he was af fured from France that it. was only a treaty of commerce, in which there was nothing that could be to his.majefty's prejudice." He added, "that he -had been always ready to embrace peace, which ha4 never yet been offered by the Dutch, nor did he. know., what conditions they expected." The embaffadors, artfully evaded any further difcourfe on. th^ treaty, .which .their mafter, indirect viola tion- of bis word, had concludecl with the, Dutch ; but they threw out hints, as if fthey were, much of fended with the infoler^behayipur of the ,D,utch, " who," 158 SECRET- tffl STORY OF ¦ '- '' CHAP. ' « who," they faid, " were not in reality felicitous x f ' for peace* tnif -. only defired to engage their matter: c 1665. , in the war; nor did the; embaffadors prefs the mat ter any farther whilei the court remained at Sa- 1 lifbury. -: ,f De Witt's It was afterwards very well known that this- faint eaei-tioifs! e ^o^al °f the French -king's engagement to: affift the Dutch Was at the preffing importunities of De Witt, who urged the performance of that, treaty- as the only means to filence the. murmurs of the Orange party, and to make the States recover from theconlternation and confufion, into which they had been thrown by the late defeat. The pen- fionary was now in a fituation which required the: full exertion of all his great talents and 1 induftry. The enemies he had to ftruggle with at home were-- much more formidable than thofe whom he was ^to provide againft abroad^ He faw how fuccefsfully the oppofite faction worked -upon the fears of the people; q,nd that moft ofthe provinces were led to regard him as the fomenter of the war. ' This pre judice 'he. removed widi wonderful addrefs. He affured the States, " that he defired nothing more earneftly than a fafe and honourable peace, and that France was very fincere in her endeavours to obtain it ; but that the enemy were fo infolent upon their late -fuccefs, that they rejected all overtures, and feemed full of confidence that the factions and divifions among the States-would hinder them from l?eing THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. being able to fet out. another fleet. That," he faidi, " ought therefore to be rthein. firft care, and if their fleet were ready to fail, (he doubted not but a peace would quickly follow j for thatFrance was folemnly engaged, in cafe the king of England; fhould not confent to what was juft and reafonable, to declare war againft him, and, to, affift them with meriiimoney, and -ali her naval power, which the duke of Beaufort was then preparing with the, ut moft difpatch." He obferved, however, "¦ that it could not be expected that the king of France would fend out his fleets, which were much inferior to the Englifh, except he faw a Dutch fleet at fea ready. to join them." He concluded with remindr ing, them of the great value and imminent danger of their Eaft-India fhips, which were foon expected home, and." which," he faid, "muft inevitably falljinto the hands of the Englifh, if a proper fleet wasinot fent out to protect them." Thefe reafons, of weignt in themfelves, and en forced by De Witt with great ability, prevailed upon the States to purfue the plan which he recom mended-. , They fent very ftrict and fevere orders to their feveral admiralties, for the proceeding, againft all, without.-diftinction of perfons, who had mifbeliaved themfelves in the late battle; and to provide newi fhips, and every other neceffary for the compleajttequipment of .a fleet by a.certain day. This grew the.more eafy to. them, by the return of" De l6o SECRET HISTORY OF De Ruyter with his fleet, which brought a prefent 'addition of good ftrength. Befides he was the beft .1665. fiea-officer they had, and having, exercifed, the higheft command, no other could refufe to obey -him. That there might be no delay in carrying on thefe preparations, they made, according- to' their ufual cuftoriu upon extraordinary occafions, - committees of the States to affift in the. different admiralties ; and to that purpofe De Witt,5 and foch others as he thought fitteft at this time to join with him, were appointed. They went firft to the fleet to reform the diforders there : they q&* fhiered mr,ny captains and officers : they put one or two to death : they fet particular marks of dif grace upon others : and though they did not think it fafe or politic to proceed to the utmoft rigour again ft 'all who deferved it, yet they ftruck a terror into the factious, .and eftablifhed due fubordina- tion throughout the fleet. There foon appeared a general concurrence in promoting the public fer vice, arid in repairing the damages fuftained by the late difafter. Reception of '. While the indefatigable De Witt was thus jn- Mr.Gpven- citing his countrymen to the moft vigorous efforts. trv in Swe- "j , . .. , - . . defl, and employing all the arts of negociation to. keep the French king to his promife of affiftance, the En glifh embaffadors fent to the northern courts Were not inattentive to the objects of their commiffion., «. ...':. "Mr. THE kEIGN OF CHARLES II. l6l Mr. Coventry found a very frank and bpehrecep- CHAP. ¦ tiqn in Sweden. That court did not differrible its j ""/ ? refentmerit of former injuries from the Dutch, rior i66j. its jealoufy ofthe ambitious defigns of France ; and was; prevented from immediately declaring in fa vour of England only by two things/ firft, the dread that Denmark might, by a junction with the Dutch, endeavour to deprive the Swedes of all the conquefts confirmed lo them by the treaty of Co penhagen ; and fecondly, a with to fee the bifhop of Munfter fully engaged, which would give Swe den an opportunity of profecuting its long che* tifhed defign upon Bremen. The firft difpatches that were received from fir Gilbert Talbot, the embaffador at Copenhagen, were far from affording any profpect of effential affiftance from that quarter. He faid, that he had been very politely received, With all imaginable profeffions of affection foirthe Englifh, and of de- ! teftation of the Dutch ; but that the king of Den- . mark was weak, timid, and wavering, and having chofen his own barber, an illiterate man, for his chief minifter, had thereby given fuch offence to all the perfons of quality in the kingdom, that they confpired tp crofs all his purpofes, fo that what Was concluded one day, wasf everfed, "or not pur fued the next. Sir Gilbert was therefore of opi nion that little good could be expected from a poor vol.. n. M nation, 1 62 SECRET HISTORY OF 1665. Difreputabfeagreementwith Den mark. nation, an irrefolute king, an ignorant miniftefV . arid & factious nobility.- ' ' ' : - >-' In confequence of thefe accounts, which were repeated, his majefty was on the point of recalling fir Gilbert, when he received an exprefs ftating, that the Dutch- Eaft-India fleet were juft arrived in the port of Berghen, there to wait for a convoy from Holland ; arid that the king of Denmark had agreed to abandon them to the Englifh fleet, on condition of being allowed to have the value of the Whole ; but that in order to remove any fufpicion of treachery, he Would proteft againft the act as a violence which he was incapable of refitting. Let ters to ratify the bargain were immediately fent back to Copenhagen, arid inftructions forwarded to. the earl of Sandwich, who loft no time in fail- irig towards Berghen, and detaching a fquadron of fifteen or fixteen' ftout fhips to make "the propofed feieurei But after two days* delay in waiting for the arrival of the vice-roy of Norway with particu lar inftructions, the patience of the Englifh was exhaufted, and they refolved to fall upon the Dutch without farther ceremony. In this attempt* how- , ever; they were difappointed ; for the Dutch hav ing in the interval drawn their ordnance on fhore, and the inhabitants having thrown up a breaft- work, behind which they Were pofted, the En- • grlifti- were not only expofed to thofe fires, but to '---¦¦'¦'¦ -that; THE 'REIGN OF CHARLES II. 163 that of the cattle ; and after having le-ff a great CHAP. number of private men, and feveral, officer^, and <¦ „' * volunteers of diftinction, were forced to retire and 1665, join the reft of the fleet. , , .( , , - . . rt , Sodn after the .action the , vice-roy arrived ;, and, many meflkges paffed land repaffed, j between, him and the admiral. Complaints .were, -made of -the precipitancy of the Englifh fquadron, and new propofals were offered. The earl of Sandwich did not think fit to run. any more hazards : he, had rea fon to doubt the fincerity of the Danes, and having alfo received intelligence that De Ruyter was out with' the fleet, he was unwilling to be found in- tangled in rocks, and upon a coaft, where the,feas. now towards the beginning of September began to run very high and boifterous. He therefore re folved to.be mafter of more fea-room, that he, might fight. the Dutch admiral, if he came; and if he did not, the earl might then meet thofe Eaft-India fhips more fecurely in their way to Holland, than by making another attempt in the harbour. This whole affair of Berghen was. fo, dark and, in- _ TheDanifh tricate that lit could ,. never be clearly underftood, {ef^rEd^6" Mr. Clifford, who was prefent, being afterwards, fent to 'Copenhagen to expoftulate with his Danifh: majefty- ion the fubject, was , affored by that king, 'f that the difappointment was entirely owing to bad weather, which had hindered the pofitive of- M 2 ders SECRET HISTORY OF ders from arriving at the precife time :" he added, " that lie was ftill iefolved to detain the Dutch fhips there, and only feared the conjunction of Sweden with Holland. Upon this Mr. Clifford went to Stockholm with the project of fuch a treaty1 to be ratified there as Would quiet all the Danifh king's feeming apprehenfions. But in the mean time this faithlefs monarch made* another bargain, or alliance with the oppofite party, in which he ftipulated to aflift the Dutch with thirty men of war, for which he was to receive a' fubfidy of fifteeri hundred thoufand florins, befides the remiffion of a. large debt he Owed the States, and the releafe of the en gagements they had upon the Sound. ' He then difav'owed his having made any offer or promife refpecting the Dutch fleet at Berghen ; complained that the Englifh adriiiral had broken the law of nations in violating the peace of his ports, and en deavouring to fire his town, wheri he was hofpi- tably received and treated there under the protec tion of his caftle ; and as if to aggravate his public perfidy by the bafeft acts of private injuftice, he iffued Orders for immediately feizing all Englifh fhips in Denmark, or Norway, and the perfons of all merchants and others who were fubjedts of England ; arid even many of thofe merchants, to . whom he Owed great fums of money, which they had lent him, were imprifoned, and all their effects confifcated. Such a timid prince, whatever -his depravity of fentiment was, wouldhneVef have pro ceeded THE REIGN OF, CHARLES II. 165 ceeded to fuch daring outrages, if he had not been encouraged and, .urged on by France, who befides warranting the performance of whatever was.pro- mifed by the Dutch, and engaging to pay a part of the fubfidy*, .undertook alfo; to protect the Dane againft the juftly .dreaded, refentment, of the Englifh. y , , - _ - The king ftaid not altogether fo, long at Salif- Theparlia- bury, as. he had intended,1 for befides, a little acci- ^g1/011" dental indifpofition, which made him diflike the Oxford. air, fome inferior fervants and their wives came from London, and brought the plague with them ; fo that the court removed to Qxfprd before the end of September. The great likelihood . that it would rbe dangerous for the parliament to meet at Weftminfter at the time to which they were pro rogued, and the neceffity there was that they fhould meet fomewhere to grant another /upply, had de termined, the king before he left Hampton, to iffue a proclamation for requiring the parliament to meet at Oxford on the tenth of October ; and proper directions were given to the fpeaker of. the c6m- mons and to other members of both houfes for die obfervance of the,,f©rms.ufual on. fuch, occafions. The duke, having bee,n fent for by exprefs, came to Oxford the/ day after his majefty; and the firft i* France way to pay three hundred thoufand florins annually, while the wa-rjafijed. .„ ;, , . d6 SECRiT^RTSf'oRY OF object of confultation with refpect td public bufi nefs was what anfwer fhould be made to the French embaffadors, who how' defired frequdnt audiences, and pofitively declared l" that their mafter was en gaged by his "' treaty, with the Dutch, that in cafe they were invaded or. affaulted by any prince,' he would affift them with men, money, and fhips, which he had hitherto deferred, in hopes that his mediation might be accepted:" But though they affirmed a more peremptory tone upon thefe occa fions, [tiiey left room to fuppofe that it was rather fo keep up appeararices with the Dutch, whofe em baffador was likewife cOftie to town, rather to treat concerning rlie-prifoners, and td obferve what the French embaffadors' did, than for the avdwed pur pofe of making any fpecific propofals towards a peace. The French even irifinuated that the Dutch, firice the refitting and enlargement of' their 'fleet, expreffed much confidence iri' their own fnpe- riority, arid looked upon the great plagUe in Lon don, which ftill raged with unabated fury', carry ing off above fix thoufand every week, as of fuch infupportable damage to the king, that he would not be able to fit out another fleet the year follow ing ; and that when they had been preffed by the French king to'niake fome offers, he could geL-np pther anfwer from them than that they expected the ifland of Poleron fliould be releafed to them, and that the fort at Cabo Corfo iri' Guinea1 fhould be thrown down "arid flighted, which the embaffadors thought THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 167 thought infolent propofals. They only wifoed CHAP. therefore .that his majefty w;ou.ld confent to fome ,- -.", < reafonable overture ,;s-and engaged that their mafter t66j. would, then; conduct himfelf in fuch a manner as to give no, caufe to complain of his partiality to the Dutch. . The king, the duke, and thofe perfons whom his majefty ufed to confolt in his moft fecret affairs, were all willing to believe that France would not. take a .decifive part againft him, nor infift upon his making the ,firft: overtures, which his majefty not only regarded as a very humiliating condefcenfion on his part, but an implied acknowledgment of his being the aggreflbr. It; was therefore refolved, that in reply to .the; declarations of the French embaffa dors, his-majefty fhould complain of their mailer's proceedings . in having entered into any engage ment with the Dutch, exprefsly againft his own .word ; that they had begun the war, and ought to rn^ke the firft approach towards peace; that, the conditions with, . refpect to Cabo Corfo, and the ifland of Poleron, could not even be thought of without giying up the principal objects, for which die war had .been, undertaken ; and that the pride i,a$d.prefumption of the enemy on account of the ca lamity, with which the nation was at, prefent afflict- ideferved,, no other notice than that his majefty hoped God almighty had not fent that heavy judg- rpentf of the plague upon him and his people, on the? ....... M| behalf l68, .• SECRETT, HISTORY OF , CHAP, behalf of , the . Hollanders and to expofe him to i / > their infoleriee. dbiI- ¦:-; .'. ,. ¦ ]".- 1665. ~>b'' "^3n ,'ojI'bK'i -noffl -•' '331j'3- The parliament convened : at. Oxford in greater numbers than could reafonably have been expected,, the ficknefs ftill continuing to fpread. in feveral parts ofthe country, which made travelling very dangerous. Upon the tenth of October the king- commanded both; houfes to attend him in Chrift- Church Hall, and told them, f< that he was confi dent they did all believe, that if it had not been abfolutely neceflary to confult with them, he would not have, called them together at that time, when the contagion had fpread itfelf oyer fo many parts of the kingdom; and that [he? thanked them!: for their compliance fo far with his defires." : He re minded them of his having entered upon the war by their advice and encouragement; which made, him more defirous of giving them as frequently as poffible information of the effects and conduct of it, that; he might have the continuance of their chearful fupply for carrying it on. He then men-" tioned- the caufes of its, having bfeen much more chargeable than was at firft imagined. The ex traordinary addition made to their fleets by the enemy rendered proportionable preparations on his part unavoidably requifite^-and God had hitherto bleffed his efforts with fuccefs. Their intrigues alfo with foreign powers obliged him to encourage princes, whom they had wronged, to recover their own THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 169 own by force; and ihe particularly; initanced 'the CHAP. bifhop of Munfter, whom he had affifted with t " , large fums of ready money, and who, he believed, 1665. was at that time in the bowels of their, country with a powerful army. In the profecution of fuchi meafures the ¦ former fupply, however bountiful, and managed with great hufbandry,' was already fpent; and as no offers towards a peace had yet been made worthy of his acceptance,' but, on the contrary the enemy grew infolent from the continu- . ance of the plague, he hoped for fuch affiftance as would enable him to carry on the war, and to defend himfelf againft any new acceffion of enemies. The chancellor, at the fame time, by the king's; command, entered into a more circumftantial nar rative of the progrefs of die war, the victory ob tained by the duke, the vaft number of prifoners, and of fick and wounded men, a charge that had not been computed, the unreafonable coneeffions expected by the Dutch, and the menacing inter- ppfitioh of France. After thus endeavouring to inflame their zeal for the honour of the king and nation, he next gave ari account of many treafon- able defigns, which, he faid, would have : been latelycarried into execution, had it not befen for the vigilance of government, and the general's un wearied induftry. -With 17® SECRET HISTORY OF * ' V CHAB, With refpect tb this latter 'part of the chancel- j v' i lor's fpeech, though he was too liable to be im-? 1665. pofed upon in fuch matters, yet it is certain, that at this time there were jufter grounds of alarm, and ftronger motives for circumfpection than at any former period. . The emiffaries of the Dutch had been very active in fomenting the national difcon tents, and in urging the republicans and fectaries to an infurrection*. Some went abroad, and en gaged in their fervice, and it is likely that others who ftaid at home, were not better affected to the prefent government. But the projects of a few defperate individuals were not to be checked, nor the peace and fecurity of the ftate provided for by increafing the rigours of perfecution. This was a fundamental error, whjch the chancellor did- not , * Soon after the commencement of the, rupture, the, Dutch fent an invitation to general Ludlow to repair tp Holland, with the offer of being put at the head -of a body of troops, which, with the concurrence of the party in England, might be! fuffi cient to reftore the Commonwealth : but this truly great man refufed to enter into any treaty of the kind, unlefs the Dutch wouldsgive fatisfa&ion for the treachery they had been guilty of, in delivering up Okey, Corbet, and Barkftead at the folicitation of the perfidious' Downing. The Englifh coiirt, about the fame time, fufpefting that this general would enter into meafures with the Dutch, fent four perfons into Switzerland to affaffinate him ; but the intent was defeated by his withdrawing from Vevey, the ufual place pf his, refidence, and keeping hirnfelf for fpnie time concealed. ,,,,, ,iim-3vM -" THE REIGN OF -CHARLES II. I? I difcover till it Was too late; and in which, as I have repeatedly obferved, his fears and prejudices made him the conftant dupe of the duke pf York's artful infinuations. >'¦ ."' The king could not expect or with a fuller con^ Vote of frefh currence from a ¦ parliament than he now found. ' With very little hefitation they voted the fum of twelve hundred and fifty thoufand pounds to be raifed by monthly afreffments for his majefty's prer fent fupply; and upon a hint given them, that a teftimony of their gratitude for the victory ob tained by the duke of York at the imminent ha zard of his life, would pleafe the king very much, they added to their firft vote of fupply another month's affeflment, about fifty thoufand pounds, which they defired his- majefty to confer as a free- gift upon his royal highnefs. After this a bill was Five-mile carried through both houfes, though not without fome oppofition in the lords, for prohibiting all non-conforming preachers, or teachers, under "a pe nalty of forty pounds for each offence, from dwel ling or coming, unlefs upon the road, within five tmiles qf any city, town corporate, or borough, or anyplace, where they , had before officiated *. It is ' * After the Arft of Uniformity, and the Ard Afhley,. the one his flncereft ~- friend, and the other his, determined enemy; the 1 one averfe to perfecution from the ftrongeft motives ',><\; !'-:-' ;"¦'!, fj c, \.i :,i>v/-. : ; .. ."-¦-,-; •.,> -.--'A. ' does not excite fo much horror as fire and faggots. By this aB? " all perfons in holy orders, or pretended holy orders, who had not declared their affent and confent to the Book of Common Prayer, according to the Aft of Uniformity, and did nftttakfe and fubfcribe .the oath of non-refiftance therein contained,;. tPr gether with all fuch as fhould take upon them to preach in any conventicle, or meeting for exercife of religion contrary to law, were not (tfnlefs only in paffing the road) to come, or be within five miles of any' city, town corporate, or borough that fends burgefles to parliament ; npr within .five miks ;of any plaqe where they had officiated, or taken upon them to preach; upon thp pain of forfeiting forty pounds for fuch offence ; Noir was any perfon fo reftrained, or who fhould not take the faid oath, and frequent divine fervice, to teach any fchool, or take any boarders or tablers that were taught by any other, on pain< like- wife of forfeiting forty pounds: And two juftices, upon oatb. maple pf any offence againft die aft, were to commit the offender for fix months, without bail or mainpfife." Is it not aftonifh- ing that fo infamous an aft, framed and paffed by about brie hundred of Charles the fecond's menial fervants, for of fuch the houfe of commons at Oxford was almoft wholly compofed, fhould be ftij.1 fufjfered to difgrace our ftatute-bpok 1 A party of ,;- r; diofe ignorant and corrupt creatures had even-formed the pro-, jeftof impofing upon the whole nation the neceffity of perjuring themfelves, by making every fubjeft fweaf," " that it was not lawful, upon any pretence lubatfoe-ver , to take xirms ^gainftj the i^irig, or againft thofe, that were commiffioned by him;" and they were, fo near carrying this point, that upon the queftion, tne bill they had brought in for the purpofe was only rejefted by three voices. :-"" ' u-"-v -' , i; Of THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 1 73. of confcience as well as • policy, and the other very CHAP. indifferent to all religious confiderations, but deeply >--- f > refenting the rejection of his own fcheme to raife 1665. money by tolerating papifts. As the courts of law had likewife adjourned the term to Oxford, which brought thither a great concourfe of perfons from all places, even from London itfelf, whence the communication of the plague was fo much to be dreaded, the parliament confined themfelves to the difpatch of neceflary bufinefs, that they, might be difmiffed, as foon, as poffible, to their refpective habitations. , But fome ' time had been unavoidably loft upon the bill of fupply, not from any reluctance to grant fo large a fum, which, as I faid before, was voted with the utmoft readinefs, but from the infertion of a new claufe to alter the mode of iffuing money from the exchequer, which gave rife to much debate, and proved in its confequences fo mifchievous, that it will not be unfit to fet down a particular account of it. Lord Arlington and fir William Coventry, the Innovations latter of whom, had been lately knighted, and ad- dJq^^ mitted a member ,of the privy council and of the feledt committee, were ftill unfatisfied with the ex- traordiriary degree of influence and elevation they . had attained, unlefs they 'could make a total change in the courfe and method of the king's councils, which 174 SECRET' HISTORY CfF :-::"" Which was not to be done without the removal of the chancellor and treafurer. Their malice was 1665. moft againft the chancellor; but they did not as, yet think it fafe to throw off the difguife of a pre tended efteem for. him. They began therefore with the treafurer, often infinuating to the king how ill all the bufinefs of the exchequer was managed, by reafon of the treafurer's continual infirmities, which obliged him to leave the whole to the care of his fecretary. As the king was too eafy in making aflignments upon his revenue, which .the treafurer often found himfelf obliged to op'pofe,- . they faid that it was a high arrogance and prefumption in any fubject to ftop the king's fignature ; and diat the want of money, which the treafurer. alledged to juftify fuch refufals, proceeded from his Own un- fkilfulnefs and inactivity. Lord Afhley had for fome time engaged with them in the fame in trigue, in the hope of getting the treafurer's place? but when he found that they intended nothing of advantage to him, he ceafed to pufh that, matter; though in all Other particulars he tided with thera^ The two aflbciates, however, foon found another perfon much more ufeful, to them in promoting their immediate defigns againft the treafurer.. This., was fir George Downing, who having for: fome years held the office of a teller of the exchequer, and being of a reftlefs brain, learned enough ofthe nature of the revenue, and ofthe courfe ofthe re ceipts THE REIGN OF CHARLES li. 17£ eeipts, to make others, who underftood lefs of it, CHAP. , imagine that he knew the bottom of it, and that <¦ v* • the expedients, which fhould be propofed by him 1665. towards a reformation, would be readily adopted. He was much diffatisfied with the treafurer's giving aflignments upon the receipts of the revenue to the bankers, who fupplied government with money ; by which means, though the tellers of the exche quer received their juft fees, diey had not what they would have taken, if the fums fo affigned for the repayment of the bankers had paffed through their hands. Motives therefore of immediate inte reft in his own office, as well as the defire of in creafing his confequence with fuchmen as fir Wil liam Coventry and lord Arlington, made him very Teady to inftruct them in all the pretended mifcar- riages and overfights of the treafury, and to pro pofe fome plaufible innovations. " The root of all evil," he faid, " was the unlimited power of the lord treafurer, without whofe warrant no mo ney could be iffued even at the king's defire, which feemed a very great incongruity." He added, " that the bankers had fecured the treafurer's fa vour, and. thereby engroffed all the money of the ftate ; but: that by- inferring a claufe into the bill of fupply, for confining the payments at the ex chequer to thofe perfons only, and for thofe pur-: pofes to which his majefty himfelf fliould affign them, ah inconveniences would be prevented, the inordinate power of the treafurer diminifhed, the . credit a\j6 secret hist6ry of credit of the exchequer raifed, and the king re lieved from the humiliating formalities of warrants and privy 'foals." Sir William Coventry and lord Arlington were highly delighted with thefe remarks, fo favourable to their withes, and fo likely to be approved; by the king. They took Downing to : his' majefty j and made him enlarge on the many mifchiefs that would be; remedied, arid the vaft convenience and advantage that would accrue to his majefty's fer vice by the new method that he had devifed. He even made the king believe, that 'this project of appropriating all the branches of the revenue to particular purpofes, without the treafurer's con troul, would quickly raife the reputation > of his his majefty's exchequer fo high, thatall men would depofit their money there, and it Would become the beft and greateft bank in Europe. The king was fo intoxicated with thefe notions that no arguments on the other fide of the queftion were even thought of. He never cohferred with any body elfe on the fubje,^ ; but defired that when the. bill for fupply fhould be read a fecond time and committed, Downing fhould offer his provifo ; and becaufe it was forefeen , that it mighf.be oppofed even by many of the court-party, Downing and the other two were authorized privately to affure fuch per fons, tbat it was offered with the king'st, approba tion. His majefty refolved alfo to new model the whole the reign of charles ir. 177 whole government of his treafury, and riot to have CHAP. a fuperior officer much longer ; hut this laft interi- > ' j tion he communicated to thofe only who devifed 1665. the project. -. In order to -give the intended claufe the moft . plaufible and popular fhape, they contrived it fo artfully, as if all the money, to be raifed by the bill for fupply was to be applied to thofe ends only for which it was granted, and to no other purpofe ^whatfoever, by what authority foever. When this ftrange provifo was .moved for by Downing, upon the fecond reading of the bill, the folicitor- general and many others were fo ftartled at the feeming reftriction it impofed . even upon the king himfelf, that they would never have fuffered it to be com mitted, if they had not been affured by Mr. Co ventry, that it was brought in by the king's oWn direction, and for purpofes well underftood by his majefty ^ In the afternoon of the fame day the kirig fent for the folicitor, and forbad him any more to bppofe that provifo. He alfo fpoke to fome other members of the houfe upon the fubject ; and all oppofition being now removed, it paffed the com mons, witih the correction only of a few abfurdi- ¦ ties, ¦ riot forefeen by the framers of it; Money-bills feldom ftay long with the fords. The houfe of commons being the immediate repre- fentative ofthe' people, it- is prefumed, that they vol. 11. N beft 178 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. beft fcjpow what the people can bear, or are willing v ^ ' ; to fubrhit to. . Whatever therefore the right -or pri- - f , icfj'J3^--": '¦'--¦- "' .' ' - " -'rexr r. 1665. yil§ge °f the iords may be, it would, be^very un gracious in them, to put any flop to the paffage of fuch bills; fo that when they are once adjufted by i me, commons, they pafs through the houfe of peers with the reading; twice and formal commitments, Jiorn nopnsTnTm . in which aey alterations are fo rarely made, that ' theengroffmen^feritjUpby the commons is ufually "tne, bill itfelf that is prefented to the king for his ¦D-fsfs o;F i:-ofn7jiPf'. 1 r~m e,nr , _ » affent. _t A^foori, therefore, as^the bill of fupply w^s fent to the lords, all other, acts, which were forur, ¦ f laiought neceffary for the prefent feffion, having parfed both, houfes while this was preparing, many members of the commons left the town, conceiving that^ nothing more remained^ for them to do, and djat,. thejcifig, on paffing that act with the others which were ready, would prorogue the parliament out of fear of the ficknefs. But the novelty of Downing's claufe fo furprifed the lords, that they thought it worthy of a very ferious confideration. It.happenejd tp be in ari ill conjuncture, when the terrible cold weather kept the lord treafurer from. going, out of his chamber for fear of the gout, of which die chancellor had, at < the fame time, fo fevere an attack as to be obliged to re- main in his bed; and neither ofthem had received information of this affair. But many of the lords now fpoke to them upon tlie fubject j and fome ,- ' went the Reign of charles ii. 179 Went to the king to let him know the prejudice CHAP. that the new provifo would' certainly b/ifig 'upon > / • him. Even lord Afhley,' Who had been privy to 1665. the beginning of the fcheme, finding himfelf left out in the moft fecret part of it, paffionately in veighed againft it both in public and private, and finding in the fertility of his wit and invention more objections to it than any body elfe hact inade, he fo alarrhed the king with remarks on ; its deftfuctiVe confequerices; that his majefty confented to" have the matter debated in his prefehce. He thereupon ordered a meeting at the chancellor's chamber, where his majefty and his brbthef Were' preterit, as alfo the chancellor in his bed, the Ibrd treafurer, lords Afhley and Arlington, fir William Coventry, the attorney and folicitoi-g^erieral and fir George Downing, who the kirig ftill beiieve'd' would be able to anfwer all objections. The firft argument Urged againft the claufe was -its novelty, which might lead to Uriforefeen eVils, befides immediately transferring the authority of. the treafurer, and of the chancellor of the exche quer to the tellers, who were fubordinate officers, arid confining the Various fupplies to fuch particu lar purpofes, that his majefty would never be ma fter of his owri money, nor the minifters of his revenue ever able to make aflignments for defray ing any cafual expences of what nature foever. The king had fo little reverence for old forms and N 2 orders, l8o SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. orders, that: the objection of >ricfeeky> rather aeU -> v , vanced than. obftructed -any propofal. He was a 166;. great lover of new inventions, and thought them the effects of wit and fpirit, and fit to controul the fuperftitious obfervance of the dictates of1 our an- ceftors. That argument therefore made dittie im- preffion; and as to the want of power in the dif- pofal of hit* own money, he faid, it would be am ply recomperifed by the eftablifliment of his bank, all difcourfe againft which was fuppofed to proceed from pure ignorance. One of the lords having afferted that the imagination of a bank was a mere chimera, fir George was let loofe to iriftruct them how- eafy it was to be eftablifhed. He talked in an imperious ftile "of the banks of Amfterdam, Genoa, arid Venice ; faid. they had been fetded by the in duftry of very few perfons, when the greateft men, thought fuch attempts impracticable;, and afferted, that his majefty's exchequeis would by means of the propofed reform quickly > furpafs any of thofe % banks in credit, and make England the feat of all the trade in Chviftendom. Then afluming all he faid to be demonftration, he wrapped himfelf up, according to his cuftom, in" a mift of words, that nobody could fee light in, but: they, who by often hearing the fame chat thought they underftood it. He never feemed to confider that theifecu'rity for the money depofited in any of the banks he men tioned was the republic itfelf, which muft expire beford that fecurity could fail ;. but that no fuch confidence '* THE-REIGN OF CHARLES 11. l8l confidence could be placed in a king's exchequer, CHAP. where the fole word of the monarch might cancel v ^ every formal provifion. 1&65. •;' ' '"*>& The next objection was againft the injuftice of the claufe,' and the iff confequences of that -injuf tice.. Money had been borrowed from the bankers upon the credit of this bill, as foon as the firft Vote had' paffed in the houfe of commons for fo confi derable a fupply ; and the treafurer had alfo made aflignments upon feveral branohes-of the revenue, which had been referved for the army arid the im mediate expences of the king and queen's- houfe - hold,'Upon prefumption that enough would come in from this new act of parliament to replace the foms, which had been thus anticipated. But by the new provifo efpecial care was taken; that none ofthe money to be- raifed fhould:;be applied to the payment of any' debt contracted before the royal affent was given to the bill ; fo that both the mo ney lent by the bankers upon the promife made to them muft be unpaid and unfecured ; and the fums alfo, which had been anticipated upon parti cular branches of the revenue, and diverted from their original ufe, not being replaced, would leave the army and houfehold' unprdvided- for. Befides the bankers had, the king's word,- and the engage ment of the minifters 'of. the ,revenue, that all new bills of fupply fliould ftill make good what former fecurities were not fufiicient to do ; for by the N 3 ¦ ' heavy i8a . SECRET HISTORY of CHAP. heavy yifitationrof the plague/tthe aflignments, i * i which had been made on: -the- excife and chimney - 1 66c. money, proved very. deficient'; and in confequence . pf the decay of ' trade occafioned by die" war and ficknef^: the,, aflignments: on the cuftoms brought in fo little money, that' the debt to the bankers re- mainedalmoft as high as it was a year before, not withftanding the. liberal grant of the two millions and a half.. £When it fhould be known therefore, that die aie w. fupply was exempt fE0rni the payment of any of thofe and the like debts, it would be a great- heart-breaking to the bankers, who had not only lent. the king' all their own property ^ but the property, of many j thoufands of other men, who would now be deprived of all profpect, -pr'likelt- hood oi. bBmgevex 'repaid. It was. farther isigedi, that- befidels the difhonour and mjufticeof fuch -f-- bnsach) of faith, nothing could be more:eviden& than -that, let, theiature neceffitiei^p£ the.'CE©wnifc£» ever fo jgreatt, -there could be rto higiej of borrow*- ing,, moneys fince: it would be no longer iin: the. power of the kirig;hirrifelf -. to make any - aflignment UpOtt'|^teim.pOf5t|0ffllS. ,.; 9j£'J3b SlOffi. Oi O.O-.ii JJO 3V1,1; -mr.o V fluod orh fo aiadmarn bsf>#,a ffs-d arb % The king feemrf much : trdbbled at any lofs the bankers might:feftain;;*ibui?i|fwa'srivery plairi that°3 thecontriversacifftiiieiprojeirit didlnot»care what: ruin befei thofe , publi&.ereditaijs^. a^/' that e his- ; majefty himfelf was :int this iiinftajriifce pa»».'^fgardilefs''bf his1 owm credit and chaiadtOT)iscI>svming,;/teoktBkiat into THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 183 into many indecent and bitter invectives' againft the bankers-: he called them cheats,,blojodfixckers, extortioners ; and afferted that they were the caarfes. of all the king's neceffities, andlof the want of mo ney throughout the kingdom.m He flighted what was paft as fufficiently provided for; and under took that for the future the king fhould never more want fuch dearly; purchafed affiftance; for that this act* he faid, would be ho fooner paft, than moneys upon the credit of * it, would be poured; into? the exchequer fatter than it could: be told. His ma4 jetty could not pretend that he was perfectly fiatisv fied with fuch vague anfwers to fo weighty an oh? > je£tion: he affected'* to with: that the matter had; been.- better confulted, or that fome ametftdniefoEs^ could be mad© in the bilL: without eafting out the" provifo, the foundation and end of which ftill pleafed him for thofe reafons, which he would not communicate, and for which, perhaps, more than any other, it ought to have: been rejected. '3"It ever*' appeared chat there was no real defire for ai^y ma^ teriaf alterations. Iff was fuggefted that they might give occafion to more debate ; and that, as feveraL of the beft affected members of the houfe of corar mons were gone ©pt of town, when the bilLfo al tered fhould tjsr font d©8Ka thither again, it might be longer detained there Jhap would he convenient for the public, or agpeeable to the general impa tience for a prorpgatioq. f Uppn the whole, his ma^ jeftjy faidyiihat it was better hot to rim the: hazards o?id: N 4 - pf 184' SECRET^ HISTORY OF of delay, but.. t^make.,fuch amendments only as would he^cphfented to in bpth houfes as., foon as 1665. they were read. The bill accordingly met with no farther interruption ; and the king having given his affent to it, and to , the. other. .acts that had, been fome days in readinefs *, the parliament was pro rogued tp April following. : . ... In the courfe ofthe debate at the private jCpnful-r,; tation, the chancellor was prompted by Downing's . iiifolence, and perhaps in fonie degree by thje,,pain which he then fuffered from the gout, to-b.re^k, out into fome unufual afperities of language : he fharply reprehended\Downing for his; arrogance in under taking to fet fuch a defign on foot, that concerned , the whole fabric of the exchequer, in which hefilled an inferior place, without firft communicating^ it . to his fuperior officers, and receiving their advice; and told him, "(that it was impoffible for, die king to be well ferved, whilft fellows, of. his, condition- were admitted to fpeak as much as they had^ a mind * Befides' thofe ibove-mentioned, and the continuation of the former aft for reftraining tlie liberty ofthe prefsvthe barliament had ahQ.prepared a bill for attainting fuch ofhis majefty^ fub- jecls as wei:e engaged in t;he Dutch fervice, if they did not appear^ upon a day prefixed, after notice by, the king's proclamation} but even in this they ihewed a; greater define to oblige the king, than' to promote the public fervice 5 for they left entirely to his majefty the. nomination of any perfons who might be obnoxious to him,, and who, indeed,, were particularly aimed at in this h-ilj of attainder, . ,-,. ''^n3„; '¦',,.! to; THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. l8_J to; and that in the beft times fuch prefumption CHAP. would' have been punifhed with imprifonment by the lords of the council." * , * 1665. There was rib notice taken at the time^ nor any reply made to the chancellor's unguarded yehe- mence. But thofe who felt that the Afting was aimed at them as well as at the teller of the exche quer, found quickly :opporturiity to incenfe the king,-' and fo ttiakdhim believe, that the chancel lor's hehaviour was a greater affront 'to his majefty, than to Downing ; that a gentleman fliould undergo fuchteproach in the king's own prefence, for np other reafon but haying With all humility prefented to his' majefty ari information, which he was led into by the very nature of his office ; and having after wards followed the directions given by the king himfelf ;- arid that, if this were overlooked,, if muft\ terrify all men from giving his majefty any light in hisbwn affairs, fo that he would know nothing of his" neareft concerns but what his' chief minifters fhould think fit to impart to him. Feeling them felves upon advantageous, ground, they made the moft of it ; and whatever their wit, fharpenedby' malice, could fuggeft, they iriforced with warmth, which now ''appeared the effects of zeal for the king's dignity. ' All this could not fail -of making impreffiori ; and though the chancellor, fome time after, on the king's expreffing a great refentment of his behaviour at the conference, made the beft apology l86 SECRET tflSTORY OF apology he cogld, ^yet he had; reafon to think that the infinuations of his^ enemies; were not wholly forgotten. The purpofe of making the alteration in the go vernment ofthe treafury was purfued very induftri oufly. The framers of the provifo in the money hill had flattered themfelves, that the indignity of the affront thereby put upon the treafurer would have, prompted him to give up his ftaff ; and it is probable that he would have done fo, if he had, not been diffuaded by his friends from gratifying thofe who wifhed him out of the way. ; That^plot: there fore not fucceeding, they perfuaded the king to try another expedient ; and as they, heard that ife was the chancellor alone who had prevented thetreafur rer from refigning, they laid, that if his majefty Would clearly tell the chancellor how agreeable it would be to him to have the ftaff given uj», there was no doubt but that fuch an intimation-; would have the defired effect. The king pgirfned their inftructions with great delicacy; and artifice; but the chancellor pleaded fo ftrongly in favour of bjs, old friend, and engaged the duke pfj York to-beT: come fo warm an advocate for his continuance, that the king gave up the point, and the contriver^ of the fcheme did not chufe to prefs him any fiuv, ther at prefent. They took care, however, to place his majefty's irrefolutenefs (which they faid ftill en abled" the chancellor to impofe upon him) in fuch a point THE REIGN OF CHARXES II. 1$J point of view,' that' the king did riot shirifc the CHAP. better of the chancellor or the treafurer, for his re- i ceding at that time from profecuting what he had 1665. fo pofitively refolved to have done ; and he pro- mifed his favourite advifers to be firmer to his next determination, bauhuq a«w yiuhjWfriifo monuA '--jfiocn sdi ni olh-yio -cs/Ia 1 3 dfamjjTi e-riT vJtL Thbfe'priVafe" intrigues and contentions unhap- Difgrace ia- pily prevailed too much in all his majefty's eoun- earfofSaud-6* cils, and at a time when the ftate of public affairs wich. required the utmoft unanimity and vigour.3''' The retUrri' of the earl pf Sandwich from the unfuccefs- fui expedition to Berghen furnifhed new matter for a different traifl-oif cabals. He had beeri obliged, fof the ! reaforts before explained, to remove out of thofe nbrtherh feas to the coafts of Holland,' where there'Were- harbours enough for his whole fleet to ride liafo.^^rh the interval receiving intelligence* thatTDe Ruyter was paffed by foi" NPrway, to con voy hbrhe "the" rich' mercharit fhips, the earl took all theL cate he- could -to put himfelf in the -way of their rethrh ; but the darkriefs and length ofthe nights fo favoured them,' that they efcaped his vigilance, with the lofs; however, ofa few of their ftragglers, and tWo; of their moft valuable Eaft-Indiamen, whicr/^erje furprized and boarded at break of day, when' tilef SfoughB tteilfelVes^&^tl^ -middle of thdr^ri?ffe'et.;;'",-;;^ t31B;> ^^0? yvdd .in-f-iqlf-is. .na list ff yfh rbirlw) eijiYrtulois-iii s\ffe(sm f» - & ffaixl ai (miri noqn ff-s. oj iQlbisxri? This l88 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. This booty came vety opportunely to fupply the »- - v' ' prefent neceffities of the riavy ; but it being much 1665. ^fs tjian was eXpe•-. The igo SECRET H1S-T0RY OF The king Was juftly difpleafed with the earl's pre cipitancy. Why had his mijeftyV approbation been defired, -when the earl refolved to do the thing, before he could- receive an anfwer ? The king! was now glad, that the earl had not waited for the anfwer; becaufe he would then have been more excufable. But the duke,' who had been conftantly kind to the earl, was offended in the higheft degree, arid thought himfelf. injured and affronted beyond any precedent. His advice, as the fuperior officer, Ought to have beeaafked^and for the earl to affume the rewarding of officers, by his own authority, Was to defraud and: rob him of his proper: right and juxifdiction. : ~ Mr: ' ' '-':- "'~~ ' '.'¦'" Sir William Coventry had now full fea-room td give vent to all his paffions, and to incenfe the - dukey Who wanted no farther incitement. Hints were thf own- out, that if the earl's conduct pro ceeded from covetoufhefs, it wak not likely that it could be fatisfied with fo little, and therefore it might be fairly prefumed, that, though the officers perhaps received no more than the value of one thoufand pounds each, yet the- earl himfelf would riot be contented with fo little as two thoufand, but Would have' taken much more, which ought to be inquired into^with thegreateft ftrictnefs. Every thing which had been faid before of his having neglected many occafions of advantage over the enemy, and of not purfuing them far enough,. were THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 19I were now renewed ; and there were great under hand-endeavours that the: houfe of commons might be inflamed withthis late mifdemeanor, and pre fent it to the houfe of lords, as fit to be examined and brought to judgment before that tribunal. They, who with all the malice ihiaginable endea- • vouretL to kindle this fire, perfuadedi the king and the duke,- that fay their fole activity and intereft it was prevented for that time, becaufe the > feffion was too fhort, and all neceflary evidence could not be foon produced at Oxford; but that as foon as the plague fliould ceafe to fuch a degree in Lon don, that the parliament might affemble there, it would be impoffible to reftrain the houfe of com mons from purfuing that inquiry. The earl, who was not without information of the efforts and defigns of his enemies at Oxford, repaired thither, as foon as his abfence from the fleet could be difpenfed with; and gave fo clear and full an account of his conduct while at fea, that both the king and duke thought him unde- ferving of any imputation of negligence or inad vertency ; but they expreffed at the fame time their ftrong rdifapprobation of his breaking bulk, and of all the circumftances that attended it. He made an ingenuous acknowledgment of his fault ; ex preffed his hearty forroW for it ; and humbly beg ged pardon. As he was permitted to return to the fleet, it is probable that the matter might havebeen 1Q2 SECREJ HISTORY OF been overlooked, if he had not fuch powerful ene mies. Sir WUliam Coventry perfuaded the duke, and lord. Arlington made the king believe, that the houfe of commons was determined to fall feverely upon the earl at the next meeting,, which, if he were at that time in the command of the •fleet, would be. a very great diflionour to the king ; and that. there was no way to preferve him but by dif- "miffing , him from that charge, fince it would be interpreted as inflicted on him by the king for his crime; and fo might flop any farther profecution for the' fame offence. The general alfo was not remifs in promoting as far as poffible by all his in terest the earl's difgrace. The warrants he had iffued for feizing all goods that were brought from the- fleet- occafioned a direct ftruggle for authority between him and the earl, as the latter wanted to have an officer of the cuftoms at Lynn punifhed for attempting to ftop afhallopfull of his goods, with circumftances of peculiar infult; while the former juftified the officer for obeying and execut ing his warrant. ' In fhort the combination againft the earl was fo irrefiftible, that the king refolved to remove him from the command of the fleet ; but endeavoured to leflen the uneafinefs he might feel on that account by giving him another honourable appointment as his majefty's embaflador extraor dinary to the court of Spain. "Sir Richard Fan- Ihaw was to be recalled from that court for havino- figned a treaty which his majefoy did hot approve ofj THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. I.93 of; and as foon as the matter was fettled with re- CHAP. fpect to the •earivtbe'king declared his refolution in t , council to fend him in quality of embaflador extra- 166?, ordinary to Madrid;, as well; to correct and amend the.miftakes and errors in the late treaty, as to me diate a peace between Spain. and Portugal, which upon /|ibfis death of the king of Spain would be in fomerirefpects more practicable. Sir Robert JSouth- welli, one of the clerks of the council, was afLoSent envoy intO: Portugal, that the earl might the better kTOWnthe^nclinationst of - that court; and the in ftructions, ©eceflary to, both thofe ends were to be prepared -with all,,,ppfilbl&;djfpatch. After the de- fignatipntei-the earl [of Sandwich was publifhed, prince- :,Rupert and, the. duke of Albemarle were appointed joint commanders in chief of the fleet for thq next expedition. „_,,_, ,, , , .jjAiii- .; 1. iff f,cs -j .: . f;,The.late;^am^e,fuftainedby the Dutch, parti- 'Menaces and Cuiariy! in the lofs of thethij[ own credit with the States de pended qpoiji; the ^immediate declaration of France in.diej^favpjjr, withput. which tlie Orange faction wpukl foon give the law, and the king of England become in reality mafter in Holland. De Witt's vol. n. O remonftrahces f04 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. remonftrances were not without effect. The French j embaffadors received inftructions once more to V. !66j. make a lively inftance to his majefty, that he would declare what he- meant to infift upon in order. to a peace, which if he refufed to do, they fhould take their leaves and return home immediately. In this- audience they fpoke with unufual earrieftnefs : they complained of the intolerable injuries done to the fubjects of France by the king's fhips, and priva teers acting under his authority, which, without any diftinction, feized upon all that came in their .way ; and that, when application was made to the admiralty, or to the lords cormniflioners, the fuf- ferers could procure no juftice, and were obliged to fuch an attendance and expence, that what they fued for did not prove of value to- fatisfy the charge; and if after a long folicitation, they did at laft procure a fentence for the re-delivery of what had been taken from them, when they hoped to enjoy the benefit of this juft fentence by the execu tion, they found their goods embezzled in the port, or plundered by the feamen, fo that the owners had -rarely a third part of their property reftored to them. By fuch violence and unjuft [proceeding, the embaffadors laid, the French merchants had loft near five hundred thoufand piftoles, which their mafter refented, and looked upon as a great indignity to himfelf, but which he had hitherto borne, in hope that the grievance would have been removed. by. putting, an endj:o the war. They urged .THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 195 iirged it as an argument of their mafter's friendfhip for the king, that notwithftanding a defenfive treaty fo long fince entered into with the Dutch, by which he was obliged to affift them when attacked, he had as yet avoided taking an active part in their favour ; but that after theft defeat in the fummer, and another blow lately fuftained, it was not pof fible for him to defer it any longer, They con cluded with very earneft perfualiohs that his ma jefty would confent to fuch a peace as fhould ap pear reafonable to their mafter, who could not but be very juft to his majefty, and wifhed it might be confidered, hoW impoffible it was for England, be fides the dreadful ravages of the plague, to fuftain the arms of France in conjunction with thofe of Holland, and when poffibly fome other prince might alfo join them. The charge of the depredations made upon the French merchants was the only article in this re prefentation, which had the leaft truth in it ; and even in that refpect the conduct of the Englifh ad mitted of fome excufe ; for at the beginning of the war it was a common practice with the French to undertake -to convey in their Own fhips into Hol land wine and other goods bought arid paid. for in France by the Dutch ; and when that was once dif covered, it is no wonder that our feamen fliould often feize on veffels, which were not liable to the fame reproach. A> to the treaty, which the emv O 2 baffadors SECRET HISTORY OF baffadors called .a, defenfive one, but was in truth offenfive alfo, the French king's perfidy was very manifeft, and correfponded exactly with the cha racter given of his nation fourteen hundred years fince, " Galli fidenti fidem fregerunt." His fecret endeavours to unite Denmark again to the Dutch', and to diffuade the bifhop of Munfter from profe cuting his enterprize againft the States (in both which he at length fucceeded) were well known -y as alfo that he had contributed to the compofing of the late detractions in Holland, and to the fup port ofthe power and credit of De Witt, who was" the foul ofthe war; and that he had fent him one hundred thoufand piftoles, which greatly facili tated the equipment, of the, laft fleet under De Ruyter. The unufual efforts lately made by the French to eftablifh a foreign trade excited in like manner much jealoufy ; and befides the indignity of contenting to make thofe arbitrators, who bad already fhewn themfelves to be parties in the dif pute, it was juftly to be feared, that where the de cision was left to them, they would imitate the in famous Roman, precedent of adjudging that to themfelves, which was in difference between their. neighbours. Thefe confiderations determined the, king to difmifs the embaffadors with juft com- plaints of their mafter's want of friendfliip and, fince rity. CHAP. THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. l97 CHAP. III. Gloomy pro/pet! at the opening of the new year — De feat of the bifhop of Munfter' s enterprize — Cor- ' refpondence entered into with the Orange faHion in Holland — Difcovery of the confpiracy againft De Wilt — Decreafe of the plague — Profligacy and ex travagance of the court — Lady Caftlemaine's in fluence — The king wholly governed by an, unprin cipled junto — Separation of the fleet — Defperate conflicts at fea — Another naval engagement — De Ruyter' s well-conducled retreat — Fatal blow given %o the Dutch commerce — The fleets parted by a ft orm - — Fire of London— Tranftent hope of reform at court — Defign lo fupprefs coffee-houfes — State of the public exigencies at the re-meeting of parliament — Refolutions againft the papifts — Delay of the bill of fupply — Alarm excited at court by a bill for the ap pointment of commiffioners of accounts — Chancellor' s fatal indifcrelion — Difpute occafioned by a claufe in the poll-bill — Duke of Buckingham' s cabal — Violent - debates on the bill againfi the importation of Irifh cattle — Curious, circumftances of a challenge — Far- . ther ails of indecency and outrage — Charitable dona tion of 30,000 Irifh beeves rejetled — Lord Mor daunt' s impeachment — The chancellor renders himfelf. O 3 very SECRET HISTORY OF very obnoxious to the commons — The bill of fupply paffed at length— Impoffibility of providing a fleet to- face the enemy — Humiliating and dangerous fituation of England — Various efforts to bring about, a peace — Alternative propofed by France — Embaffadors Jent by all parties to Breda— Death of the for d 'treafurer **-His office put into < c-ommiffion- —Dutch fleet enters fhe Thames — Debates in council— Peace concluded. CHAP. III. 1666. Gloomy pro- fpeft at the opening of the new year. THE profpect of national affairs, at the com mencement ofthe new year, was very gloomy; and as the year advanced, the clouds feemed to grow thicker and heavier. The king of France, whofe - friendfhip his majefty had endeavoured to cultivate with the utmoft affiduity, publifhed, on the; nineteenth of January, a declaration of war againft England, and feized upon fome Englifh property in his ports with circumftances of unufual injuftice. But neither thofe acts of ingratitude and bafenefs, nor the great naval preparations he was making, nor the vifible affiftance of force which he fent fo the. Dutch, excited fo much alarm, or did fo much in jury, as his fecret and invifible intrigues. I haye already mentioned their pernicious effects in Den mark. Monfieur Pompone had alfo been fent tp Sweden, with a large fum of money, to retain that country in its dependance on France : the emperor of Germany was diverted by the fame influence from attending tp fome very inviting offers made him THE -REIGN OF CHARLES II. 99 him by our court * ; and to crown the whole of CHAP. • • ¦ III thofe pernicious machinations, the bifhop of Mun- t , fter was forced to relinquifli an enterprize, from 1666. which immenfe advantages had been expected. It hath been before obferved, that when the bi- Defeat ofthe fhop firft thought of making war upon Holland, ^u°£e°f he acquainted the king of France with his intenr enterprize. tions, and received fuch an anfwer as made him very confident he fhould meet with no obstruction from thence. That confidence was one of the ftrongeft reafons for the king's concluding die treaty, and advancing great fums of money to the bifhop upon his promife and engagement, that he would fix himfelf with his army within the territo ries of the States General before the end of the winter? and that againft the fpring, when the king's fleet fhould be ready for fea, he would at the fame time march with twenty thoufand foot, and five thoufand horfe, into the heart of their country, to caufe a diverfion of the enemy by land, and fo promote the king's maritime ope rations,. * Powning prpppfed. to Friquet, &e emperor's agent, to ne gotiate a league between, his imperial majefty and the king his mafter, on the exprefs conditions of never coming to an agree ment with the States, till the emperor fhduld obtain full fatisfac- iion for all the injuries and oppreffions ^hich they had commit ted on the neighbouring princes, who were vaffals ofthe empire. O 4 But UOO SECRET HISTORY OF But the French miniftry, from the firft. know ledge they had of his purpofe, and before their.: 1666. declaration on the behalf of the Dutch, fent fe- cre'tly to the neighbouring princes not to. join the bifhop in an undertaking, to which many of them were otherwife very ftrongly inclined; The elector of Brandenburg, who in expectation of re covering Wefel and other towns then poffefled by Holland, had given hopes to the bifhop ofa power ful affiftance, was now perfuaded totally to decline any conjunction with him, upon a promife that he fliould find his own account better from the friend fhip of France. The dukes of Lunenburg, in like manner, who had abundant argument of quar- rei with Holland, and Who had made the bifhop believe that they would join him; and had made levies of foldiers for that purpofe, were prevailed upon by the fame way not only to defift from help ing the bifliop, but to declare that they would op, pofe him, and ferve the Dutch. with all their forces, if he purfued his hoftile defigns. An envoy was even fent to the bifhop himfelf, offering the media tion and interpofition of France between him and the Dutch, with fome menaces in cafe of his re- jeAingdt ; and as the bifhop ftill continued to ga ther troops, and to , give new commiffions for en,: lifting men in different parts of Germany, the princes, who permitted thofe leyies, were told, that if they thus connived, at and affifted, inftead of pre-, - ¦ :* venting THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 201 venting the incurfion of the bifhop of Munfter, CHAP, diey would involve the empire in a war. i f , - «¦ 1666. All diis however did not intimidate the bifhop : he drew his forces together ; and having got per miffion from the marquis of Caftel Rodrigo, then governor of Flanders, to make levies in thofe pro vinces, without -¦ noife or avowing it, he marched with his army into the dominions of the States. Prince. Maurice drew - together as many cf the Dutch troops as could be fpared out of the different garrifons, in order to check the bifhop's progrefs ; but findingin fome light fkirmifhes, that the fiffn- nefs^ of his men was . not to be depended upon, he cautioufly avoided a general engagement. The bi fhop therefore advanced boldly ;" took a place' or two in the 'very fight of: the enemy; arid, having •-- gained an- advantageous fituation, began to fatten himfelf in full affurance of increafing his army," in fpite of all difcouragements, before the fpring: The king of France, perceiving that nothing but fuperior force could make the bifhop defift, de manded of the governor of Flanders a licence for the paflage of fome troops through fuch a part of , the provinces. '¦ The governor dared not deny him, having pofitive orders from his court to be very careful that no difguft, or pretence for a quarrel fhould be given to France. Upon this permiflion the French troops marched into Flanders > and in the 202 SECRET HISTORY OF the firft place, they fell upon the levies made for the bifhop, whether in theif way, or out ,of their 1666. way, killing fome, and difperfing the reft, or taking tliem prifoners. Then joining the army under prince Maurice, by the time die bifhop had notice of the late difafter, they fpeedily advanced upon his quarters and beat fome ofhis troops. The poor bifhop, finding himfelf deferted by the princes, who with great promifes had encouraged his enter prize*, was obliged to fubmit; and even heart broken figned a treaty with the French, who then were careful enough of his honour and intereft in thd conditions with the Dutch, as of an ally, whofe fervices they might want in another conjuncture. -The news of this treaty, which was figned at Cleves on the eighteenth of April, blafted the , king's fondeft hopes, and difconcerted all his mea fures. It was, indeed, the moft fenfible bloW, ex-: cept the plague, that had been folt from the begin ning of the war. Some of his majefty's beft ad- vifers, who never liked his exceffive defire of fecurT, ing the friendlhip of France, availed themfelves of this late event, to infiaine his refentment againft that court, and to urge him to attempt the effecting of a feparate peace with Holland, which they had * The bifliop was not properly fupported even by England; and on the failure ofthe prornifed fubfidies four thoufand ofhis men revolted; fo that at this time he was literally in a ftate of univerfal defertion. reafon THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 2.63 reafon to believe would not be found impoffible, CHAP. It was well known that the States were far from 1 -» being fatisfied with the conduct of the French, who 1666. had amufed them with the pofitive promife of im mediate affiftance at the beginning ofthe war; and yet, under the pretence of mediating a' peace, looked on very unconcernedly, or rather well pleafed to fee them beaten, and their own people ready to rife againft the government. The defigns ¦ of the French upon Flanders were fo eafily pene trated as muft have given the States another juft occafion of jealoufy. That country could not de fend itfelf with its own forces ; and it was natural to fuppofe that the king of France depended upon this war between England and Holland, as what muft hinder both thefe nations from giving it any affiftance. Then the Dutch might well judge what their own portion .muft be, when that fcreen was removed, which was their beft fecurity againft fo formidable a neighbour. Thefe rational prefump- tions of the facility ofa feparate peace were farther confirmed by fecret intelligence through a channel lately opened, ofewhich it is neceffary to take fome farther notice. There was one Buat, a native of France, who by Correfpond^ his military fervices in Holland had fo far gained fn^ with, the the efteem of the late prince of Orange, as to be Orange fac- appointed captain of his horfe-guards. Having ]and. married a Dutch lady of fortune and confiderable intereft, 204 SECRET HISTORY OF^ 1 ~ CHAP. intereft, he was continued, after the prjrice's death, > » f _ , in the command of the, fame troop, which was ftill 1666. preferved for a guard to the States. Notwithftand ing the divifion of parties, and his known attach ment to the houfe of Orange, he was generally be loved as a brave, honeft, and fenfible man ; and though immoderately given to wine, yet that being the difeafe, or rather the health of the country, it made him not the worfe thought of. He was well known to the king, and much efteemed by him ; and, after his majefty's return, made a journey into England to congratulate him on his reftoration, and to renew thofe profeffions of affection and duty, which he had often made to his majefty when- abroad. As foon as the war broke out, Buat was very unreferved in his invectives againft the promoters of it ; and after the confternation pccafioned by the firft battle, he cultivated as much as he could the ill humours of all, how mutinous foever, who were moft clamorous for peace. But fo far from blaming De Witt upon thofe occafions, lie warmly defended. the penlionary, whom he believed to have been re luctantly engaged in the war, and who, in frequent converfations with, Buat, had_ declared his readinefs' to concur in any thing which might lead to an ac commodation. De Witt had. his fpies every where: he knew welj Buat's intimacy with all the. Orange" faction, and that in every company he vehemently declaimed THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 205 declaimed againft the continuance ofthe war ; but CHAP. . III. that he alfo did conftantly and confidently vindi- 1 v* * cate the penfionary from many imputations in the 1666. prefence of thofe who were leaft pleafed with fuch language. De Witt dierefore looked upon him as his friend, and one that might by his intereft and credit divert fome of that popular odium and ma lice, which are not to be defpifed in a republic. He renewed to Buat his former profeffions of his defire of peace, and among other reafons for it, mentioned his jealoufy of the French, who, he faid, though they had at laft declared in favour of the Dutch, yet did fo with a view only of drawing England into fome conditions, which might facili tate their own enterprize upon Flanders. This, he added, both nations were concerned to prevent by all the ways poffible, and none was fo likely as a peace, which would immediately make each of them felicitous for their own intereft : but he could not openly_ declare thefe fentiments, as that would flacken all the preparations for war, the expediting of which would moft advance an honourable treaty. Buat then pointing out his intimacy with feveral perfons of credit in the Englifh court, and with lord Arlington, the fecretary, in particular, offered to write in his own name to that lord, barely to teftify his good wifhes for a peace between the two nations, without making any other mention of De Witt, than that he had reafon to believe the grand penfionary (in whofe good opinion he had the ho nour 206 SECRET HlSTbRY OF CHAP. nour to be known to have fome place) would riot t j be unwilling to promote any good overture that 1666. fhould be made. De Witt acquiefced im the pro- pbfal,on cPndipon of firft feeing all the letters that fhould be ferit, and of naving the anfwers cori- - ftantly brought to him. Upon this encouragement Buat began his corre fpondence with lord Arlington ; but what He wrote" was With fo much Warinefs, being in fact dictated by the penfionary, that it could draw no other an fwers from* the fecretary but in the fame ftile, With expreffions of his majefty's defire of peace and efteem of De Witt, and as if he expected fome overtures to arife from thence. This intelligence had not been long on foot, before Buat began tb fufpedt De Witt's fincerity, and that he was not fo well inclined to peace as he pretended to be. The perifipnary's cpuntenance was not fo open as ufual : he grew lefs jealous of the French, and lefs appre- henfive of the mutinous fpirit of his own country* men, as lie found them more cornpofed, and a greater concurrence in making all things ready for - the fleet. Thefe obfervations Buat imparted to his bofom friends of the Orange party, with whom he was now ready to concur in fiercer courifels, how to compafs a peace iri fpite of the penfionary, by a majority of votes in fhe States, and by inflariiirig the difcontents of the people, and raifing tumults, for the accidental fuppreflion whereof there were no THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 207 no other forces in view than thofe horfe-euards CHAP. '» D jjj commanded by Buat himfelf. He began to concert , * meafures accordingly. Defirous, however, of ftill ,666. retaining the advantage he had by De Witt's knowledge of his correfpondence with England, he fliewed him a letter received from lord Arlington, who preffed to be informed of the particulars that would difpofe the States to a feparate peace, and who had alfo fent a cypher for the more free and fafe communication ; which cypher was depofited with all feeming confidence in De Witt's hands. But the penfionary was not fo eafily impofed upon r he heard that Buat difplayed lefs zeal in his defence than formerly : he grew jealous of him ; and there fore dictated fuch an anfwer to lord Arlington's laft letter as he hoped would put an end to the correfpondence. It required no very great fagacity in Buat to perceive fo manifeft a difpofition in the penfionary to break off all farther advances towards a treaty. He therefore difpatched a trufty friend, one Sil- vius, a fervant to the late princefs royal, and well known to the king, with a full account of the ftate of the councils at the Hague, and his difcovery that De Witt did not defire a peace, nor would confent to it, but upon very unreafonable terms. He then expreffed the utmoft confidence from his intimacy with many perfons of the greateft power, that if his majefty would fend to the States General, at 208 SECRET HISTORY OF at their next meeting, a meflage, the fubftance of which he offered, blending fome overtures for a 1666. peace with the .intereft of the young prince pf Orange, it would be fupported by fo powerful a party,* and fo few would adhere to De Witt, that a treaty could not be prevented, even though France fhould proteft againft it. He fent likewife at the fame time, and by the fame perfon, another cypher to lord Arlington, with direction that in fuchtet- ters as were intended for the view of the penfionary the former cypher fhould be -ufed; and in the other letters, which were -to be concealed from him, and ' which were for the moft part to contain intelligence and advice againft him, the latter cypher was to be employed. Tn addition, to thofe firft aflurances, Silvius after his arrival in England, received by every poft far-- ther accounts of the progrefs made by Buat and his friends, who 'thought- their party fo much to increafe, that they did not feem to dread an open ftruggle. As the king had no minifter at the Hague, to prefent fuch a meflage to the States; the way propofed by Buat was, that he himfelf fhould * at the proper time deliver it -to De Witt, who durft riot conceal it ; and if he fhould, there would-be ways enough found to publifh it to his reproach, ; nor could he take any advantage of Buat -for his correfpondence with their enemies, becaufe it had been entered into -with his approbation. But for -" " *'j, tlie THE REIGN OF CHARLES II; 209 the better fecurity in fending the propofed meflage, and the better information of all the perfons en gaged; it was refolved by his majefty, at a meeting 1666. of the feledt committee, that Silvius fhould re turn ; and, if Buat thought fit to decline the deli very of the king's letter, and no better way could be found for diat purpofe, that Silvius might pre fent it in the manner his friends there fhould direct, and avow his having been at London to folicit his own pretences fince the death of the princefs his miftrefs, and that he had received the letter from the king's own hand. This plan, though laid with fuch prefumptions of fuccefs, was defeated by a fatal overfight of Buat's in one of his drunken fits* After Silvius's departure, letters paffed as ufual Difcoyery of between Buat and lord Arlington for two or three ™ again^ r/e pofts ; and one day Buat, after having made too Witt- • free with the bottle in the company of his jovial friends, happened to meet De Witt, and being afked, when he had any letter from England, and how affairs went there, he fuddenly anfwered, that he had juft received one, which he had not yet de- . cyphered. He thereupon took a letter out of his pocket, and cafting his eyes (which were never good, and now worfe by the effect of drinking) ,upon the fuperfeription, he gave' it to the pen fionary, and faid he would go with him, that they might decypher. it together, according to cuftom* iBut he had, delivered- the- wrong letter; and De vol. ii* P Witt, 2 tO l&ECTt'ET HISTORY OS1 CHAP. Witt, perceiving by a -fingle glance that it Was ridt t- . f , the ufual cypher, defired Buat to Walk before, a'rid r666. -he would prefently over-take him, after he had fpoken a few -Words at a houfe in his 'way. The penfionary ftopt juft to give an -brdef for immedi ately arrefting Buat, and fearching his houfe, to fecure his cabinet rand all his papers. Theother cypher. was .quickly-found, and .many letters which 'difcovered the whole plot. A court of juftice Wa& fpeedily erected ; and in three days, according to the expedition ufed in fuch cafes, Buat loft his '*" %ead upon a fcaffbld. : Silvius, -who was-thenupon his journey, hearing that Buat was arretted, did riot wait tp learn farther particulars, but made his efcape- back. The reft of the knot, thus broken, difperfed themfelves : the burgomafter of Rotter dam, and two or three, others of note made all the hafte they could into .England : feme thought themfelves fecure in. Antwerp and other parts of Flanders : fome were feized upon within the do minions of the States, and imprifoned; but for want of clear proofs, few of them were put to death. The troop of horfe-guards, of which Buat had the command, were reformed. They had be fore been permitted to wear the. livery and to bear the name of the prince of Orange's guard, • though their duty was to attend the States. But ' their name and uniform \yere now; changed; nor were they permitted to fhew the fmalleft outward reve rence; for the young prince, whofe hopes by this ¦¦.:': accident THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 211 accident were almoft extinguiflied. De Witt flood CHAP. ifirmer upon his feet than ever, and directed ali pre- i • parations for the war without controul. All pre- 1666. fent expectations in England vanifhed, while the -penfionary informed France pf the dangers to which he had been expofed on account of his attachment to that court, and of the great offers which had been made him, if he would have deferted its in- From this view of our difappointments abroad, Decreafeof it is time to turn our attention to the ftate of p s things at home. After Chriftmas the extreme ma lignity of the plague began to abate. During the month of February the weather was as it could be wifhed, deep fnow and fevere froft, which probably ftopt the fpreading of the contagion, though it put an end to -thofe that were already infected, the number of the dead being for a week or two very little diminifhed. Rut in March this dreadful ca lamity gradually difappeared, after having fwept away above a hundred thoufand perfons. For though the bills of mortality did not make the number amount to fourfcore thoufand, yet thofe who could compute very well, did not think that it would be an extravagant calculation to fuppofe that almoft double that number had been carried off. The frequent death of the clerks and fextons of pariflies hindered the exact account of every week ; and what made it ftill more uncertain was ;¦:-'!., P 2 the 212 CHAP. in. 1 66(5. Secret history of the vaft number of perfons, who were, buried iri fields and gardens, > whereof no church-warden, or othetofficers had notice.,*,!. Such'dreadful ravages neceffarily obftructed dif patch in every part ofthe public fervice, but were more particularly felt in fitting out the fleet. So many feamen had died of the plague, Stepney and the places adjacent, which were their common ha bitations, being almoft depopulated, that after other difficulties were removed, it feemed almoft impoffible to procure failors and mariners enough. Warrants were: iffued for preffing' watermen, and ftripping all merchant- fhips; which, turned notfo much to benefit one way, as it did to lofs another way. Yet, notwithftanding every effort that could be ufed, it was near the middle of May, before the " fleet was manned and completely equipt for fea. Profligacy and extrava gance of the court. When the parliament at Oxford was prorogued, it was to a day in April; but the king had reafon to believe that they would not fo foon be in good humour enough to give more money, which was the principal end of calling them together. His niajefty therefore thought fit to difpenfe with their attendarsce at that time, and caufed them to be prorogued to the twentieth of September follow-; ing. In the mean time the court abounded in all, forts of exceffes. There had been fome hope dur ing the abode at Oxford that the queen was with child i THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 213 child; and whilft that hope lafted, the, king feemed, CHAP. to impofe fome reftraint on his inordinate appetites 1 j and pleafures. Several perfons wefethen inclined 1666. to believe, that if he had a child by his lawful Wife, it might have contributed to break oltLmariy fatal connections, and to put an end to thofe ejMra-' vagant expences of money and time, which dif- turbed and corrupted his- nature, and which ex pofed him to the temptations of thofe, who had all the traps and fnares to catch and detain him. The imagination of the queen's breeding was one caufe of her* ftay at Oxford, and her ftay there was the longer, becaufe flie mifcarried, when flie intended to begin her journey. The doctors de clared, that it was a real mifcarriage ripe enough to make a judgment ofthe fex. Yet fome of the women, who had more credit with the king, aflured him that it was only a falfe conception, and that flie had not been at all with child ; and though his majefty had, upon a former occafion, declared to the queen his mother and others, that upon his own knowledge her majefty had mifcar- ried of a fon, yet he fuffered himfelf now to be fo far hripofed upon by thofe ladies, that he pofitively believed that fhe never had been, and never could be with child. From that time he took little plear fure in her converfation, and indulged himfelf with out the leaft reftraint in fuch diffolute company, as drove every thing ferious out of his thoughts. P 3 Lady 214 CHAP. III. 1666. Lady Caftle- maine's in fluence. SECRET HISTORY OF Lady Caftlemaine, who had never declined in favPur, was now greater in power than ever. She was with child again, and well enough contented that his majefty fhould eritertain an amour with another*lady, whofe friendfhip fhe even courted, perhaps out of confidence, that the king Would never prevail upon the other lady, who was known to be a perfon of great modefty and difcretion *. Her own great object was to fecure the king's efteem by fuch feerhing compliance, and to get a good provifion for herfelf and children. In feli citations of this kind fhe was never backward : fhe procured rourid fums of money out of the privy purfe, where* the had placed Mr. May," and other aflignmerits in Other names, fo as to be lefs taken notice; of, , though in great proportions.^. Yet all amourited to little more than to pay her debts*. (which fhe had in a few years contracted to an in conceivable greatnefs) and to defray her conftant expences, which were almoft houndlefs, in coaches and horfes, clothes and jewels, without any thing pf generofity, or gratifying any of her family, or fo * It is fuppofed, that the writer here means Mrs. Stewart, the king's near relation, of whom he was fo extravagantly ena moured, that he intended to divorce his queen, in order to marry this new miftrefs. Th? earl of Clarendon, to prevent, this, perfuaded the young duke of Richmond to pay honourable addreffes to that lady, and to efpoufe her privately. The king was fo enraged at the difcovery, that he banifhed the dulte witl\ bis new duchefs from court, and never forgave \he chancellor. much THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 215 much as fatisfying any of her father's creditors, CHAP. fome of whom were very clamorous. Her name > . was not ufed, in any foits. for the grant of lands in i66r5. this country, becaufe fhe thought the chancellpi: ¦ and treafurer might ppppfe fuch grants, and fhe did not with to have any occafion to try the kind- fiefs of either ofthem; and fo all the fuits the made of that kind were with reference to Ireland;, where they had no title to obftrtict, nor any natu ral opportunity of knowing what was granted: in that kingdpm, therefore, the procured the fettle- ment of fome very valuable eftates upon herfelf and, her children.-* put all' the mifchief, however great, was not. con- The king fined to this fhameful wafte of the public refources, velnelby~iin atatime when the exigencies of the ftate fliould unprincipled have fuggefted the ftricteft ceconpmy. The moft faithfuL feryams of the crown, whofe knpwh yi^ tues and propriety of conduct were, a reproach tq the debauchery and riot pf the court, became the, conftant butts of ridicule and fatire af the nightly meetings. Lady Caftlemaine herfelf was, indeed, very wary in her attempts to leffen the credit of thofe minifters whom fhe hated moft; but fhe was ably ferved by the duke of Buckingham, and by the lords Afhley. and Arlington, whp at once gra tified her refentment, and promoted their, own am-> bitious defigns. The' method they took in order to ruin a,ny .perfon, whp was obnoxious to them, P 4 was 2l6 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. was tp begin with raifing a laugh at his expence by t ' y' i the mimicry,,. or rather diftortion of all his words : l666- and geftures.. 4%r,frequently entertaining-the king witfi thefe buffooneries, and placing the foibles of whoever they meant to , depreciate in a ridiculous light, they knew the tranfition would be eafy from laughter to contempt; and then by continual, though almoft imperceptible attacks, they widened .'. the breach in a man's character, which was firft effected under the fhew of mirth, fo as to let in calumny and fcandal enough to deftroy the beft built reputation. By fuch artifice thofe defigning courtiers de ftroy ed the credit of every one, who did not be long to their junto, and obtained a complete afcendancy over the king. All vacancies were filled up, all honours conferred, and all public meafures regulated by their advice. Their requefts became orders to his majefty, without his perceiv ing it; for he could never refufe any favour to thofe, who knew how to profit by his weaknefs, , and to flatter his predominant paffions. It was, indeed, the great infirmity both of the king and his brother to be too fond of the groffeft adulation. They were alfo much inclined .to like men at firft fight, and did not love the converfation of per^ fons many years older than themfelves, for they thought age nbt only troublefome, but imperti nent Through an abfurd defire of fending every body THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 7.1J body away fatisfied, fliey were very unguarded iri their promifes, though not very fcrupulous in the performance of them. They knew not how to i666« deny, and lefs to ftrangers, than to their old and tried friends ; not out of bounty, or generofity, which was a flower that never did grow naturally in the heart of either of the families from which they were defeended, that of Stewart, or the other of Bourbon ; but from a real incapacity of refitting the fubtle approaches of flattery and infinuation. From thefe defects, or unhappy conftitution of mind, feveral of the misfortunes, "which attended either ofthem, or thofe who ferved them honeftly, had their rife and growth, of which there will be frequently occafion to fay much more. Towards the latter end of May, prince Rupert Separation of and the duke of Albemarle- fet fail with the fleet, the fleet" and vifited the coaft of Holland ; but concluding from fome intelligence they met with, that the Dutch fleet would not be ready in a month, they returned with fome prizes to the Downs. Here it was propofed, that prince Rupert fhould be de tached with part of the fleet to oppofe the French admiral, who was reported to be under fail in or der to join the Dutch. An exprefs was fent from the Downs, Hating thefe particulars, and foliciting orders for fuch an enterprize. Lord Arlington about the fame time received accounts from Hol land that the Dutch were not yet manned, and that ZlE SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. the fquadron in particular, which was in the Texel, » y ' . and was to join De Ruyter in the Weelins, was 1666. very unprovided. He had alfo pofitive informa tion from France, that the duke of Beaufort, who commanded the French fleet, had failed from Brett on fuch a day ; and though the wind had not yet been directly favourable for him, it was con cluded that he muft be well advanced in his way ? he had no port to befriend him, till he got round near Calais. But though lord Arlington feemed to rely much on the accuracy of his intelligence, yet as the other fecretary was affured by fome of his . correfpondents in Holland that the Dutch fquadrons were completely equipt, and would join in a few days, the council very juftly apprehending the accidents that might follow from the divifion of our fleet, fent two of the members, fir George Carteret and fir William Coventry, with orders to reprefent to both the admirals the contradictory intelligence tbat was received, and the reflections which naturally occurred thereupon ; but with dif- cretionary powers to the duke of Albemarle tp purfue the former purpofe, if any later advices which he might liave received, or any ftronger ob jections to die feparation of the fleet did riot make it advifeable to relinquifti the project. Sir George and fir William ufed fuch expedi tion, that they returned the next day with an ac^ count, that the ftate of the Dutch fleet was con firmed THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 219 firmed to be the fame as lord Adington had heard ; CHAP. Ill and that they believed the other information re- »¦..'' fpedting the duke of Beaufort to be very probable; f666. Whereupon it had been concluded with a mutual confent and approbation, that prince Rupert fhould take twenty of the fhips, which he had already chofen, to meet the French, though they were fuperior in number, while the duke of Albemarle remained in the Downs with the reft. It foon appeared which of the fecretaries had the better intelligence ; for the very next day after the departure of the prince, advice came from the duke of Albemarle that he had unqueftionable informa tion that the Dutch were come out of their har bours. Upon this, fir William Coventry was di rected to prepare orders to prince Rupert immedi ately to return ; as there could be no doubt of finding him for fome days on the weftern coaft. Sir Williani got the orders figned about twelve o'clock at night, and fei^t them to lord Arlington, whofe duty he thought it was to charge a meffenger with them ; but his lordfhip was gone to bed, and his fervants durft not difquiet him ; a tendernefs not accuftomed to be in the family of a fecretary. But whether they did not awake him, as he pre tended, or whether being awake he deferred it, the order was not fent away till next day, and never reached prince Rupert till he had tacked about of himfelf, upon hearing the diftant thunder of can- • non, 220: SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. III. V 1666. non, which he knew muft proceed from an env, gagement. But the wind, which wafted that found ,to his ears, being directly againft him, lie could make little way that day, or the night following. Whofe fault it was, that thofe important orders were not fent with more difpatch, was difputed with fome warmth between fir William Coventry and lord Arlington, the former infifting onr his having prepared, them in due time, and the latter as pofitively denying that he had the leaft notice of their contents. But though the negligence was very mifchievous in its effect, it was never properly inquired into : the perfons, to whom it was owing, were both too great men to be queftioned in any judicatory. ^Defperate conflicts at fea. The duke of Albemarle, after die notice he had received of the motion of the Dutch, weighed an chor about three o'clock in the morning on the firft of June;, and about four hours after, the fcouts came in with notice, that the Dutch fleet was to the leeward. A council was immediately called of the flag-officers, who refolved, that it was neither fafe, nor honourable to decline the battle; and truly in fuch confultations, where- the duke prefided, as he had conceived ever fince Crom well's time a great contempt of the Dutch, who. ever propofed any wary advice, was fure' to incur his difpleafure, and ran great'hazard of being .re puted a coward. The refolution. Qf fighting the enemy THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. . 221 enemy being taken, they bore up with a full wind ; CHAP. 'and De Ruyter eafily perceiving the inferiority of i ¦> their numbers *, made what fail he could to meet 1666. them. It was about two in the 'afternoon when the en^ gagement began, and the Englifh had got the wind, "which was fo high that they could not carry out their lower tiers. The- admiral, who was amongft the foremoft in the attack, was foon fo fluttered in his rigging and mafts, that he was compelled to get off, and anchor, that he might mend what was amifs. Many of his fquadron alfo had their main-yards fhot off, and received fuch damage in their tackling, (which was the chief aim of the Dutch) that they could hardly govern their fhips. By this means the enemy got the wind, and the battle continued with great fierce- nefs till ten at night, when aU were willing to have fome reft. The fight was renewed at fix o'clock next morn ing ; and the Dutch in the courfe of the day, being re-inforced by the arrival of fixteen new fhips, pufhed their advantage, while the Englifh fuftained * The Dutch fleet confifted of feventy-one fhips of the line, befides feveral frigates, firefhips, and yatchts ; and the Englifh fleet, in confequence of the detachment.urider the command of prince' Rupert, was reduced to fifty-eight fhips ofthe line, with a &w frigates and firefhips. the £22 SEC'RSf , ftJSTORY OF ."¦ CHAP. the unequal conteft for feveral hours with Uftpa- , j ralleled fkill and heroifm. The whole fleet feemed -b666. animated by the example of their commander, who never appeared to fuch advantage as upon this pe rilous occafion, where he difplayed the moft con^ fommate judgment, and the greateft perfonal bravery*. It was, however, happy for the En- glifh that the night again interrupted the fuccefles of an enemy fo fuperior in ftrength and numbers, which no efforts of valour were found fufficient to counterbalance. The duke finding by the reports made to him of the ftate of all parts of the fleet, that many of the fhips were fo difabled, that there was reafon, to fear they would hardly hold out to recover .the fhore, caufed all thofe fhips to be put before the wind, and to make all the fail they could, and he him felf, with fixteen of the ibeft fighting fhips all in a line, clofed the rear, to cover their retreat. A breeze, which fprung up about three in the morn-. ing, favoured the admiral's purpofe, fo that though * Though patriotifm, dignity of mind, and con'fcious reftU rude areundoubtedly the moft invigorating principles of true courage, yet it is very evident from this inftance pf heroifrh in jo fervile, perfidious, and unprincipled a man as Monk, " that an. . idea of military honour, whether true or falfe, ,can .exift in an individual, without >the alTociation of any other principle of ho nour ; and that a character may be adorned with perfonal bra- ; very, without the participation of any moral .virtue.." . .. 1 . . ,: ; .. the THE RE4GN OF CHARLES II. 223 the enemy ufed every exertion in the purfuit, they CHAP. did not come within gun-fhot till four o'clock the 1 * » next afternoon. By 'this time the Englifh defcried i<66&, about twenty fail ftanding towards them, which they concluded to be prince Rupert's fquadron ; and fo being earneft to join, they edged up towards them, but fo unfortunately, that fome of the flag- fhips ran a-ground off the Galloper fands, but all got off, except -the Roya^ Prince, which, till the late war, was looked upon as the beft fhip in the world. It ftuck fo faft, that no art or induftry could move it ; fo that the enemy fet it ori fire, and todk the commander, fir George Afkew arid the whole crew prifoners. After the jundtion-with prince \Rupert, our fleet bore to the northward, ;that "they might get clear Off the fands ; and thereby ""the enemy got the wind again. On the fourth day, the battle began again, •about weight o'clock in the morning, with extraor dinary confidence on -both fides. The Dutch foil!' continued to direct a great part of their fire at the rigging, while the- Englifh ufed every endeavour to board the others, as all tlieir own hopes lay in - clofe --action. ;But the defign of the enemy fue-' ceeded better, infomuch that one of our vice-ad mirals, and feveral of our heft fhips were fo dif- abled,"that they bore .off* from the battle, in order to mend arid repair. The reft fought with un abated fury; nor was it eafy to fay, to^whichilde the 224 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP, -the victory feemed moft to incline. A very heavy «. ¦ ) mift, which came on about fix o'clock in the *666. evening, terminated the encounter ; and both par ries, weary'no doubt of fuch a dreadful ftruggle, in which prodigious numbers were killed, and many fhips funk and burnt, feparated without looking after each other, and haftened to their re- fpedtiVe Coafts, Thus ended that great action, wherein either fide pretended to have advantage, and both were in truth confiderable fufferers "*. Moft of our fhips received fuch damage in their malts, yards, rigging and hulls, that it was with great difficulty they reached the coaft ; and* were then difperfed into different places, where they might be fooneft repaired. As the utmoft dili gence and expedition were ufed to prevent the enemy from enjoying any triumph, the damaged: * According to Rapm, the Englifri loft in tfyeferfour days twenty-three great fhips, befides feveral others of lefs note, fix thoufand men, and .two thoufand fix hundred prifoners ; and the Dutch loft only fix fhips, two thoufand eight hundred foldiers, and fourfcore failors, befides three vice-admirals, with fome other officers. But Echard ftates the account very dif ferently, alTerting that the lofs of the Dutck amounted to fifteen fhips, and that of the Englifh only to nine. The accuracy of 1either is now of little confequence ; but it may with great truth be alTerted, that though the Dutch feemed to keep the poffeffion ofthe fea, the Englifh loft no glory in retiring to their harbouRf, after having for foiir days kept the vidlory undecided, witli ft great a difparity of force. fhips THEREIGN OF CHARLES II. 22$ fhips Were refitted, and brought together again to CHAP. a general rendezvous at the Note in lefs than three i v* j weeks. Reinforcements were alfo fent them every 1666. day of fuch fhips as were finiflied and eorripletely equipt at the feveral dock-yards, and of all that could be fpared from every other ftation ;- fo that before they were ordered put again in queft of the enemy, the fleet was augmented to above a hun* dred fail. De Ruyter was hovering about in expectation of Anothernaval en gagement. being joined by the French fquadron ; and though "ll"" his number was now fomewhat inferior to theJEn- glifh, he feemed to prepare for action with un daunted firmnefs. The battle began at ten in the morning, and was continued till two in the after noon with as much heat and obftinacy as had pre vailed in any former encounter. But the'fquadron commanded by Tromp being either through acci dent or indifcretion feparated from the reft of the Dutch fleet-*, De Ruyter took advantage of the wind, * The vice-admiral's feparation from the commander in chief is by fome afcri bed to treachery, as Tromp was of the prince of Orange's faction, alndr De Ruytef one of the firmeS fupporters' ofthe republican caufe. Btit it is not likely that fo brave a' man as Tromp would have been capable of fuch perfidy from any» oppofition of political fentiments. Were' he even indifferent to fucceffes, which in his opinion might only ferve to givt? ftabi lity to De Witt's power, he eould not forget the gallant manner in which he himfelf had been lately refcued by De Ruyter from vol. ij. Q„ certain :'22;6 , S-ECBET-HIS-TOSy OF : <1HAP. wind, Ind bpr.e. away farther than the Englifh. could i ff , > Tollow. Here,-ho^ever,;,our: fleet took one of their }$$. ; fixty .gunjjhjtps cotrimanded by vice-admiral Bi lker, rand another; fhip of feventy.guns, both which were burnt, radier than undergo tiie poffible incori- ¦yeniepce: of keeping therri,-; jand both our com manders took cafe to bear up a;s clofe as poffible to' ihe enemy, during the night. vh.a. -¦:?•- " . " ' gi. :,,,)."¦ - v. -.. De'RuyteHs The next- morning the moft fpirited efforts were duftedre- -V&d to &°k with "De- Ruyter, but the wind, lef- treat. fening, it could not bp effected. He fought well, "but ftill retreating,^, till he got with his diyifioh pf ¦certain deftruftiop. On-the, fecond day of the former engage- Baent Tromp was furrounded by the Englifh, and muft have been taken, or funk, had he not been brought off by De Ruy- ter's tirrrely arid fpirited interpofition. Would he ! repay fuch Signal affiftance -with the bafeft ingratitude ? Would he, through wilful perverfenefs, fuffer his rival in fame to be^r away from , him the double palm of generofity and glory? The caufe of his feparation from De Ruyter is much more probably accounted for by Rapin. He lays, " that while de Ruyter and young Evertzen engaged the red- and white ftjtiadron, Tfomp, after a .,, j '-f long difpute, routed the blue fquadron, commanded by fir Je remy Smith. But, by an. unpardonable error, inftead of remaining withthe fleet, he amu fed himfelf with purfuing the flying mips of the. enprny." For this'ww-, which was, attended with very fatal confequences, he was, upon his return home, difmiffed the ^rvice. ,,,..-.- , . ,¦, ... ',,",•• - * This brave man was fo aff^te^l with his difappqintrnent^as to exclaim, while retreating before, the enemy, " Amqngft fo many bullets, is. tjiere not one fo put an end to my miferable life." W *'"£"'> ¦'¦¦tgiu " -' ' -,f -fud': , _f the THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 227 fkt fleet into his faftriefs at the Weelines. Ariother CHAP. Ill divifion, that was farther off, and likely to have the . . ' , benefit ofthe night; tacked abPut; which our fleet n%e. perceiving endeavoured to get between them and the coaft; but being fuddenly becalmed, they dropped .anchor about midnight, and in the morning, though they made all the Way .they could with a litde wind, the enemy got fo clofe to their own fhore, and their fhips drawing lefs water than the Englifh, that there could be no farther purfuit. . • The third divifion alfo, which had been fepa? rated from the reft of the Dutch fleet the day be fore, recovered die Texel without lofs. Many of our captains were blamed for a want of ardour in the chaceof this laft fquadron ; but prince Rupert and the duke, though they differed in opinion with refpect to the conduct of fome of thofe officers, very wifely laid afide all, inquiry into the matter, till they fhould be at more leifure with lefs incon venience to determine it. The enemy being thus fcattered, our fleet re- Fatal blow folved to ply upon their coaft, and to annoy their DutcVcom- trade, which they did, and took mariy prizes bpth merce. homeward arid outward-bound pf great value. While this interruption was given, to. the Dutch commerce, another enterprize of ftill greater imj portance was undertaken by the advice of One Hemfkirk, who had the command ofa fhip iri the feryice of the States at the beginning of the w^r, >.:'; Q_? but t 22,8 -SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. but having fided with Tromp againft Evertzen in I t nI' 1 the firft battle, -he would have been hanged, if he ,666. had not made his efcape. From that time he had always been on board with prince Rupert; and now perfuaded the prince and* the duke of Albe marle to fend a detachment under his guidance , , into the road of Ulye, where, as in a place of- thp utmoft fecurity, all fhips laden at Amfterdam for die Streights and other parts ufed to, remain for 5wo Or three days previous to their departure, while final orders were preparing. The execution of this defign was committed to fir Robert Holmes, who, with a number of fmall veffels well manned, befides a body of ftout foot to land upon occafion-, being guided hy Hemikirk, entered the road, which was almoft land-locked, and burnt all the Dutch fhips lying there *, fome of which were worth above one? , hundred thoufand pounds each. Then advancing. to the ifle of Schelling, he .made a defcent, and fet fire to the town of Brandaris, the flames of which, with thofe of the fhips, appearing at the break of day fo. near Amfterdam, put the whole city into fuch cpnfternation, that they thought the day of judgment was at hand. This was not only the greateft lofs, but was greater than all the reft put together, which Holland fuftained during the war ; and as it occafioned great triumph: in Eng- * There were above one hundred merchant fhips, and two men of war defigned for convoys. land, THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. 229 land, fo it filled De Witt with the ftrongeft defire CHAP. . Ill and refolutibn of revenge before any'peace fhould 1 > be confented to; which he effected in a great de- 16G6. gree the next year. As there appeared no more likelihood of the The fleets Dutch coming out again, the prince and duke re- form. y turned with the fleet about the middle of Auguft to SOxithwold Bay, to receive a recruit of men, provifions, and ammunition, having left fome fliipa upon the Dutch coafts to take prizes, and fcouts- to get intelligence. On the twenty-ninth a little pink brought notice, that the enemy confifting of about fourfcore fail were ready to come out from the Weelings ; and the following day advice was re ceived of their being out, and fleering to the weft ward, as if in hope of meeting the French *". At feven , * Immediately after De Ruyter's defeat, the following letter was written by the French king to his embaffador at the Hague, #hich, being communicated td the States, niuft have been a ftrong incitement to their refitting and fending out their fleet again with fo much expedition : :¦*' As foon as I received the fad news of the difgrace which had befallen the arm's of my allies, I refolved to fend this exprefs. toi you for feveral reafons : the firft," that you' may declare to the States, that my'griefo'n this difafter is riot lefs than' they feel themfelves; but we muft, by vigorous refolutions, not only lef- fen all the prejudices of it, but reduce the Englifh to defire peace in eameft : the fecond, that you may alfo aflure them, that I will contribute heartily in every thing which depends on me aha my forces, to procure this defirable end. 0^3 " England zys SECRET HISTORr OF ; CHAP. feven o'clock next morning our fleet bore to tea, m ° . ... v : v" -j and before noon difcovered the Dutch about four 1666. leagues to leeward; but they ftood away for the, cPaft of Flanders, whilft the Englifh were fo en tangled Upon1 the Galloper fands, that they could not follow till late in the afternoon, fo that it was night before they came near each other ; and then feveral guns were fired to little purpofe. ,,.." England is not in a .condition, for the fmall advantages which fhe has gained in the conteft with the United Provinces, to refift the efforts of three fuch powers as are thofe of France, Denmark, and the States in junction. " If th« States have it in their power and their will tQ put' their fleet again to fea, as fopn as it is repaired, to aft as long as the feafon fhall laft, you may, in my name, propofe to them the junction of my fleet, and fince it cannot fail of arriving in a "few days at Rochelle or'Belleifle, if it is not there already-,' you may now confalt with the fieur De Witt, and' tbe pther . commif fioners, of the moft proper and fafe, ways for their junftion, =and give me an account with all convenient fpeed, that jnot a minute of ufeful time may be loft, " You (hall moreover fell the States;1 that I this day write to , the'chevalier De Toulon, whom I have lately fent tb-Copeu. hagen, in the fame quality of my embaffador as he had in.Swe^ den, to ufe his. utmoft endeavours, and moft prefiing inftances, in my name, with tly king of Denmark, to incline him to come toi a refolution to join prefently part of his fleet with mine and wttfi that of the faid States. . - ; :, *,. " I would not clofe this letter without telling you,. that yo.u fhould again recommend from me to the States, to accommodate . . matters with Sweden^ who feeing herfelf defpifed^ or ufed hardly, mayrin this juncture, take refolutions which may be very preju dicial to us; and we. know the Swedes never Vant pretences to do whatever they-think to be for their intereft." .' - :::. f TCi*. ; As THE rREIGN Oil CHA8I.ES II. 2gl. As-fooftas it was light, tfiey foun4!tha,t, the CHA;P. Dutch had got to leeward as far as they could; dif- ¦_ -', ? cover near St. John's Bay beyond -Calais ¦; but the 1G&6. Weather proved fo boifterous,, and the Dutch kept fo clofe in to the fhore, that after, fome unavailing attempts for two days to bring, them to action,.our fleet- W3,s£cpmpelled by the ftorm to come away to ;. St; Helen's, * In this tempeft the French had a very harrow efcape. A gentleman of that nation, who had, iuft returned out of England (whither k l in > ;'. rn - ° ¦ -. . ." -:- -' .- they were fuffered to refort with as much liberty as if there was no war, whilft . no Englifhman could be fafe there) hearing upon his arrival at Calais; ' that the duke of Beaufort was every day expected/ difpatched two or three barks after him with infor mation hpw and where the Englifh lay. One of them happened to find him towards the evening,-. whereupon he changed ^ his courfe, artd by the darknefs of the night got into tlie road of Dieppe,- with the lofs only of a feventy gun fhip under the command ofthe vice-admiral, who> knowing no thing of the intelligence," purfued his former di rection, and fell13 into the hands'" of the Englifh. The continuance of the ftbrm prevented any farther" ./ ; y engagement ; but the fame winds, and at the fame time, did much more mifchief at land than at fea. ;• tebofxiflioaaf* ol ^aateJ 2 s > |J oJ srn moi) bai m mo yn siia^sbl . , ' ' ^wafem^'m* FireatLon, -im'ia -~^ ^rr-" - -._", -- . r -<$-, .aiupc ¦ y .s>-- don pr near,.,the morning of Sunday the fiecpnd of the month, that the memorable and terrible fire pf eA 0^4 London Z.$t SECRET HISTORIC: OF C^AJp., London broke out in a baker's houfe, at the end . ' j pf Thames.rftreet. .next the " Tower. As that ftreet t666. contained many timher-IiQufes, and was furrounded; with feveral narrow alleys, the whole neighbourhood was in fo fliort a time reduced to afhes, that few perfons could fave any of their goods, but were as \ heap of people almoft petrified with fudden con- fternation. Buckets were immediately ordered by the city magiftrates ; but the fire was. too ravenous to be extinguifhed with fuch quantities of water as could be conveyed by thofe inftruments. It faf- tened, ftill upon new materials, before it had de- ftroyed the old ; and though it raged furioufly. alt that day, no man knowing what remedy to apply, npr the magiftrates what orders to give, but all ftanding amazed as fpectators only, yet the pro grefs of the flames was fomewhat regular, and the greateft apprehenfion was for the Tower, and all confiderations entered upon for fecuring that place. But in the night the wind changed, and carried thf i danger from thence with fuch great and irre fiftible violence,, that as it kept the Englifh and Dutch fleets from grappling, when they were fo near each other, fo it fcattered the fire from pur.- fuing the line jt was in, and fpread it over the city. Thofe who went late to bed, at a great diftance from any place where the hre prevailed, ' were awakened before morning., with their own hoyfes being in a blaze ; and whilft endeavour was ufing to quench that, Qther houfes were faid: to be burning,, THE REION -CtF CHARLES II. 233 burning, which- were near no place whence the fire CHAP, f. ITI "> could be fuppofed to have reached them. All this" t f , kindled another fire in the breafts of men,^almoft ,6^ as dangerous as that within their houfes. *; ~J:-"~ - Monday morning produced firft a jealoufy,- and then an univerfal belief and perfuafion, that the fire came- not by chance. People faid, that it Was of little confequence where it began ; but that its breaking out in feveral places at fo great a diftance from each other, made it evident that it was the effect of fome horrid confpiracy. This led to an other conclufion, tha-t the incendiaries riiuft be the; Dutch Pt French, with whom we were then at war ;' and all of either nation, who could be met with, or ftrangers of what nation foever, were laid hold of, and after much ill ufage thrown into prifon." The fi*me fufpicion was foon extended to the pa pifts, who were in the fame predicament of guilt and danger; and who. 'quickly found that their only fafety. confifted in keeping within doors'1,' though fome were dragged even thence, and car ried to prifon- When this rage, fpread as far as the fife, and every hour brought reports" of fome bloody effects of it, the king diftributed many of the privy coun cil into feveral jquarters'of the city, to prevent by their authority thofe inhumanities, which he heard were committed* But neither they nor any body elfe 2^4 .SECRET HISTORY OF ' CHAP. elfe thought it fafe to declare, that they believed, «. ' j the fire came by accident, or that it was not a plot 1666; of the Dutch, the French, and the papifts to burn * die city. This was fo generally believed, and in the beft company, that whoever faid the contrary,: , was fufpected to be one ofthe confpirators, orat feaft a favourer > of them. Jt could not be con ceived how a houfe, that was diftant a mile from any part of the fire, could fuddenly be in a flame without fome particular malice* Inftances: of this kind were alledged without number; nor Bid there want the teftimony of witneffes, who faid they faw the villainy committed, and apprehended men,- who, they Were ready to fwear, threw fireballs into houfes, which were prefently burning. • f :¦ Lord .Hollis" and lord Afhley,. who:> had theif quarters affigned about Newgate-market, and :the ftreets adjacent j had many broughr to them in cuftody for pretended crimes of ¦ this nature ; and faw, at a little diftance, the people gathered toge- dier in great diforder. On going nearer, they peri ceived a man hauled about and very ill ufed by the mob, whom they knew to be a fervant to the Por^ tuguefe ambaflador ; and who was prefently brought to them. A fubftantial citizen was ready to make oath, that he faw this man. put his hand in his pocket, and throw a fire-ball into afhop, upon which the houfe immediately took fire; arid that being himfelf on the other fide of the way, he: cried out THE TCEtG'Jf.OF- CHARtES II-. aj5 Put to ftop that gendeman, who "accordingly was CHAP. foon feized, and -his fword; which he was -going ,_ "_. . r to draw, taken away from him, and he not fpeak-1 r666. ing, or underftandirig Englifh, was ufed in the manner before defcribed." : His pockets J had alfo been diligently fearched, but none of thofe corn- buftibles were found upon him. ¦» Lord Hollis told him what he was ace ufed of, at which he flood in great amazement, -r His lordfliip afked him what it was he pulled out ofhis pocket, and threw into the houfe. ii He anfwered, that he did not think he had put his hand in his pocket; but he remem bered very well, that as he walked in the ftreet, he faw a piece of bread upon the ground, which he took up. and laid on a fhelf in the next houfe; which is a cuftom or fuperftition fo natural to a Portuguefe, that if the king of Portugal were walking, and faw a piece of bread on the ground, he would take it up with his own hand, and keep it till, he found a fit place to lay it down; '"• The houfe being in view, the lords with many of the people walked to it, and found the piece of bread juft within the door upon a board, where he faid he.had laid ic. /The lioufe on fire was-t^va doors beyond it, but might in a, time of fuch fright and fufpkion be eafily miftakeri for the fame by the peifon on the other fide :of the way, who feeing the Portuguefe put fomethirig down; and perceiving a fire burft out inffandy, concluded that he was the incendiary.:- Though both the lords were fatisfied Is'O of III. 23-tS SECRET HISTORY. OF CHAP. 0f the poor man's innocence, they -did not fet hirii at liberty, for fear of again expofing him to the 166.6. fury, of the mob ; but as if there remained matter eriough for. farther inquiry, they committed him td the iporiftablei to be kept by him in his own houfe for fome hours, when they pretended they would examine him again. The fame- conduct Was ob ferved With refpect to many others, who were ap prehended in different parts of the town,, upon much weaker -grounds of fufpicion. Norte were difcharged, efpecially if they were foreigners or pa pifts, but all fent to prifon, where they were" ia much more fecurity, than if left at full libertyty after they were: once known to have been fufpected, Moft of them underftood their commitment to be from that motive, and were glad of it. (rt ' The fire and wind continued in. the fame exeef* all- Monday, Tuefclay, and Wednefday till the afc ternoon ; and flung and fcattered burning brands into all quarters, the nights mote terrible than the days, and the glare of the Conflagration fupplying the light of the fun. It is impoffible to defcribe the ravages that were made, or the alarrrt and di- ftractian of the people. Nobody knew where to repofe for one hour's fleep: no diftanoev Was thought fecure from the fire, which fuddenly ftarted up .before it was fufpected: all the fields were full of women and: children, who had -made a fhift tri bring, thithef- fome goods- and conveniences to reft li upon, THE REIGN OF. CHARLES II, 2.3? upon, as fafer than any houfes were r'they yet felt CHAP. fuch intolerable heat and drought as if they had > ' f > been in the midft of the fire. The country fent in j666„ carts to help thofe miferable people, who had faved any goods ; and by thefe means and the help of coaches, the neighbouring villages were filled with niore people than they could well contain, and more goods than they could find: room for, fo that the adjoining fields there became likewife as full as thofe about London and Weftmirifter, . On Wednefday morning, when the king faw, that neither the fire decreafed, nor the wind lef fened, he even defpaired of preferving Whitehall ; but having obferved, while he rode about with his brother from place to place; that, where there were any ' vacancies between the houfes, by, which the progrefs of the fire was interrupted, it changed its courfe, and went to the other fide, he gave orders for- pulling down many houfes about Whitehall, and fent fome of his moft valuable furniture to Hampton Court. Moft perfons of quality in the Strand, who had the benefit of the river, got barges and other veffels for the conveyance of their goods to houfes fome miles out of town ; and a§, the fire was then- in Fleetr-ftreet, feveral other families irt the Strand, who knew not whither to go, and fearce what they did, fled into the ftreets', that^ they might not be within when the fire fliould fall upon their houfes. But contrary to all expectation, about 238 SECRET HISTORY OF CHAP. abou t four Ofk five \ o'clock on Wednefday after* . "L .,, noon, the wind fell, and the fire decreafed, having t666. burnt all on the fide of the Thames to the new buildings of the Inner Temple, next to White Friars. § It was ftopt by that vacancy from pro ceeding farther in that direction ; but laid*hold> on fome old buildings, which joined ito H>-aftgjt, and fwept all thofe into Fleet-ftreet. : a^The' other fide being likewife deftfoyed as far as Fetteriane^ it difcontinued there, leaving- the other part<©f Fleet-ftreet to Temple-bar and-all -"the Strand un hurt ; arid it ceafed in aU pther parts of the town about the fame time. - mf stirs fi ':¦¦ - r 3$* --70i . . il'jih m ?^OHi•.., .It now required the utmoft vigilance to Watch the fire that was on the -ground, left it might break Gut again.1 This was the better performed, be caufe thofe, whofe houfes were yet ftanding, had not the courage to fleep, though their terrors arid diftractiori were greatly abated. Some, indeed, wete ftill reftlefs with fears of a different kind-. "'I -la their exceffive jealoufy of the fuppofed authersof this, dreadful calamity, they were fo fottifh/as to believe the moft abfurd reports, that all the French in town, of whom there- was no doubt a very great number, were collected into a body,: to profecute thofe by the fword, who had efcaped the fire. Wild as fuch an idea was, the inhabitants of a whole ftreet have been known to run in a great tumult one THE-rREIGN OF CHARLES II. 230 oneway, upon the rumour that the French were CHAP. Ill •marching at the other end of it: fo terrified were » ' , nd in four days, fearce a man was to be feen in the fields, which were before covered with thofe, whpfe, habitations were burnt. All found flielter in, .the,, parts .which, remained pf. the city, or in .the fuburbs, and the adjacent vil lages; every body being ready to give all poffible affiftance to thpfe who appeared to be undone., , The 24© SECRET HISTORY OF The king was not more troubled at any parti cular, than at the imagination which poffefled the ^666. minds of fo many, that all this mifchief arofe. from fome wicked confpiracy. He appointed the privy council to fit both morning and evening to receive' informations on that head, and to fend for any per fons who had been committed to- prifon upon fuch evidence as made the greateft noife. • He'alfo fent for the lord chief juftice, who was in the country, to come to town, for the better examination of all fuggeftipns and" allegations of that kind-; there having been a malicious report fcattered about the town, that the court arid council hadfo great a pre judice againft any teftimony of fuch a plot, that they •difcountenanced all witneffes who came before them to declare what they kneW; This was without any colour of truth ; though many who were produced, as if their teftimony would remove all doubts, made fuch fenfelefs delations of what they had been told by perfons, whom they knew nothing about, nor where to find them, that it was a hard matfel* to forbear finding at their evidence, Some Frenchmen's houfes had been feafchecT, iri which were found many of thofe fhells for fquib* and other fireworks frequently ufed on rejokiifg nights. " The men themfelves were well known, having followed that trade many yeafs; in townj and one of them was conftantly employed by the office THE REIGN OF CHARLES II. »4I office of ordnance for making granadoes. Yet CHAP. . i III. thefe men did not efcape fufpicion, but were feized > v* . » with many others of their country, and remained 1666. in prifon tiU their neighbours folicited for their li berty. What moft excites wonder is, diat in this general rage of the people, none of the foreigners was murdered outright, though many were forely beaten and bruifed. , ¦ There was a very odd accident that confirmed many in what, they were before inclined to believe, and ftartled others who thought the confpiracy im poffible. . Amongft, the Frenchmen, who had been fent to Newgate, there was orte Hubert, a young man of five or fix and twenty years of age, the fon of a famous watchmaker in the city of Rouen ; arid this fellow had worked in the fame* profeffion with feveral men . in London, arid had for many years been looked upon as a lunatic both in Rouen and London. This man confeffed, " that he had fet the firft houfe on fire ; that he and three more had been hired in Paris a year before to do it ; that they came over to England together to put their defign in execution at the time of the plague; that, after their arrival in London,, he and two of his companions went into Sweden, but returned in the latter end of Auguft ; and that the other two haying then gone back to France, he refolved to make the attempt himfelf." The whole of his confeffion was fo incoherent, that the chief vol. 11. R juftice, 242 t SECRET HISTORY OF juftice, who was, riot. thought to wanf rigour; did not believe any. thing he faid. He .was- afked, who i'66& \ was- in Paris that fuborned him to this action ? Heaniwered "that he did not. know, having never feen him before j'V arid in enlarging . ori that point he. contradicted hirrifelf in many particulars, j. Being afked, What money he had received to perform a fervice of fo. much hazard,, he replied " one pif tole, hut was promifed five more, when helfhould have dorie his work ;" with marty other fuch un reafonable things, that every body prefent thought him out of his fenfes. However, they durft- not flight the evidence, but put him to ^a particular, iri Which he feemed fo fully to confirm all that he had 1 before afferted, that they were ftruck With aftonifhment, and knew riot afterwards what to fay, "or think. This laft point, upon which Hubert was ques tioned, and which rendered the .whole buflnefs An gularly ftrange arid unaccountable, was, - whether he knew the place, Which he had firft fet on fire ? He anfwered, . " that he knew it very well, and would fhew it to any body/' LIpon this the chief juftice, and many aldetfmert who fat with him, fent a guard of fubftantial citizens with the prifoner, that he might fhew them the houfe ; and they firft led him to. a place at fome diftance from it»rand afked him, if that was . it ?. To which i fee in- ftandy replied,, "no; it was lower,.. nearer -to the ¦¦¦ • Thames." THE REI&N OF CHARLES II. -.243 Thames." The houfe, and all that were near it, CHAP. Were fo covered and buried iri ruins, that the ¦ / ,• bwners themfelves, without fome infallible mark, , 1666. could harnchy tell where their refpective- dwellings ' had ftood. But Hubert led the guard directly to the place; and defcribed the fituation ofthe lioufe, the fhape of the tittle yard, the fafliion of the door and windows, and where he firft put the fire; and all this with fuch exactnefs, that they who had dwelt long hear it, could not have fo perfectly ac counted for half thofe particulars. This filenced all farther doubts ; and though the chief juftice told the king, that all his other dif courfe was-fo disjointed, that he did not believe any thing he faid, npr was there one man to. profecute or accufe him, yet upon his own confeffion, and the relation of all thofe laft particulars, the jury found him guilty; and he was executed accord-~ ingly-. It is farther remarkable, that in all his exa minations; he neither fhewed any fign of forrow for what he faid he had done, nor yet feemed to juf tify or take delight in it ; but being afked, whether ¦' he -Was not forry for the wickedhefs, and whether he intended to do fo much, he gave no anfwer at all,; and With the fame temper died. The judges, and moft perfons who were pfefent at the trial, coriehitkd'that he was a poor diftradted wretch weafty Pf his life, and chofe to part with it this way ; for it was Very evident that he might have- R 2 faved 204 SECRET. HISTORY pt CHAP. f^vedit, even, though he had been, guilty, fince he was only jiccufed upon his own confeffion. ..,,• 1666. ,,LIpon the. whole, after.the moft diligent inquiry by the- privy-council, and, next by a cpmmhtee appointed by parliament to inveftigate the, matter; no fatisfadtory: proof was ever , difcovered .-.--.of, any defign. or combination. Charges were,-, indeed, .brought againft many, but none of them could be fubftantiated ; nor was there any probable evidence (that poor creature Hubert only excepted) of .any other caufe of that woeful. fire, than the firfkapci- ¦dent of its breaking out in a baker' sr houfe, where .there was fo great a.ftock of faggots, and in .the neighbourhood, of much cpmbuftibfe matter, -,fuch m-l as pitch, rofin, and the like, that led, it in ,ari .in ftant from houfe to, hpufe in Thames-ftreet, ivith the agitation of ,fo, terrible a wind to fcatte-r;,^.nd i , Sifperfe it, _ ,,!¦ : : .. - ,- ;-, |,(0.--. Let the caufe be what it would, the effect was very calamitous. Above two-thirds of that great : city, and thofe the wealthieft parts of it,, where the : greateft fhops and warehoufes flood, were reduced to afhes. Tlie 'Royal Exchange, with all the ftreets . aboii t it, aLomhard-ftreet, Cheapfide, Pater-nofter- row, all , St. Paul's church-yard,, as . well as the church itfelf, and almoft all the other churches in the city, Ludgate, the Old Bailey, and the greateft part of Fleet-ftreet, .were all burnt, without one- houfe THE REIGN OF CHARLES II.. 245. houfe remaining*." The eftimate of what that de vouring fire1 confumed, over and above the houfes, could never be computed in any degree. In the x666. firft night it fwept away the vaft wealth of Thames- ftreet, as from its fuddennefs, all people being in their beds, when the flames' reached their houfes, diey could fave nothing but themfelves. The next day, the violence. of the wind increafed the diftrae- tion ; and before thofe who Were' at a' confiderable diftance, could imagine" themfelves to be in any danger, or think it neceflary to remove their goods, the fire came upon them, and rendered it impof fible. • It happened alfo in a feafon of the year, when a' great number ofthe fubftantial citizens and other wealthy men were in the country ; whereof mariy had not left a fervant in their houfes, think ing themfelves upon all ordinary accidents, more fecure in the integrity and kindnefs of their neigh bours, than they could be-in the fidelity- of fervants. Whatever was in fuch houfes was entirely con- fumed^ or foft to the owners. Qf this clafs of ab^ *-. The ravages of: this fire are thus defcnbe'd in one of the infcriptions on the Monument, " It eanfumedj eighty-nine churches, the city gates, Guildhall, many public -ftruftures, hof- pitals, fchools, libraries, a vaft number of ftately edifices, thir teen thoufand two hundred dwelling houfes, four hundred ftreets. Of the fix and twenty wards it utterly deftroyed fifteen, and left; eight others fliattered and half burnt. The ruins of the city were four hundred thirty-fix acres, from the Tower by the Thames fide to the Temple church, and from, the north-eaft gate, along the city wall, to Holborn Bridge." R "3 fent 246 SECRET HISTORY QF CHAP. fent men the lawyers in particular fuftaincd a con- > HL , j fiderable lofs, which affected others ftill more than j666. themfelves. When the Are reached their places of refidence, efpecially Serjeant's-Inn, and the part that was confomed of the Inner Temple, there was , fearce a man, to whom chambers appertained, in town ; fo that whatfoever was there, money, books, and papers, with the evidences pf eftates depolited in their hands, were all burnt or loft. The damage fuftained by the company of ft%- tioners was eftimated at no lefs than two hundred thoufand pounds, in which ;great lofs there was one circumftance very lamentable. All thofe, who dwelt neaT St. Paul's, carried their igttffltfs, hooks, and the like," as others of -greater trades did their commodities, into the large vaults wider St. Paul's church, before the fire, came thither. Thofe vaults, though all the church above groundwas afterwards burnt, ftill flood firm, and preferved all that was « within them, till the impatience -of thofe, who had depolited property there, and* who had loft their houfes and every thing elfe in the fire, prompted them to open the greateft and mo;ft fpacious vault. It was the fourth day after the fire ceafed to flame, though it ftill burned in tlie ruins, and caft ari intolerable heat. The doors of the vault were no fooner opened, than, the air from without fanning the .ftrong heat within, the drieft and moft com- buftibie matters broke into a flame, which con- fumed THE REIGN yOF C HARLES II. 247 fumed all, of what kind foever, that till then had C^AP- been unhurt there, , Thofej, who had -committed v j their goods to fome fealleF vaults at a diftance i.66£. from the greater,- .had better fortune ; and having learned from the ruin of their friends to have more , f. patience, they waited till the rain fell, and extin guiflied the, fire in all places, and cooled the air: then they fecurely opened the doors, and got what they had depofited there. l4 3KVv on r, ¦{.¦¦¦! - If fo vaft a damage as two hundred thoufand pounds befel that .little company of ftationers in books, paper, and -the ftkej what fliall we .conceive ,£he lofs to have been, in other companies, and in articles ofthe greateft -value ? Blaokwell-hall, whi ther the country cokdneirs had ¦ fent their large an nual ^r$frMfiS;j^gsir|rft: -^ichaelmas, was confume4 with ail. jhis valuable -property. Then the lofs in Linen, filk, and. tljpfe Ticker, manufactures, I far ex ceeded all poffible} calculation, not to fpeak ,of . money, plate and jewels, fome of which were reco vered £rut pf theruins of thofe houfes, which the owners took care to .watch, as containing fomewhat worth lopkpigforj .and in this deluge there were many-ready to flfh. ; ifi. y:,E> :inv>-l 3 as .