tlemen; I do thank you with all my heart for it; and I will not enlarge those thanks further, than by telling you, that I do not come more willingly this day to pass this Bill, than I will do to pass any other bills which you shall provide for the ease, benefit, and security of my people; and I do verily believe that you and I shall never be deceived or disappointed in the expectation we have of each other." The parliament was then adjourned to the 7th of January.

Message from the King to the Commons relative to the Money Bill.] Feb. 18. Mr. Secretary Morrice informed the commons, "That he had directions from his majesty to desire the house, that they would put a Supersedeas to any further debate upon the Bill for permission to such persons as should advance Money for his majesty's present occasions, to take interest at 10 per cent. That his majesty, finding the Bill might have some ungrateful relish in it, resolved to put himself upon the greatest streights, rather than adventure upon any course that might in the least seem to disgust this house, or prejudice his good subjects; and therefore would endeavour to find some other means to supply his present urgent occa sions, and desired the Bill might be laid aside." This Message affected them so much, that' they immediately returned their humble Thanks to the king for his tenderness to his people, and ordered, "That his majesty be made acquainted, that this house would leave no means unattempted to advance his majesty's Revenue, and supply his present urgent occasions."

by this experiment. Before your majesty's words were all fallen from your lips, you might have seen us blush: all our blood came into our faces; from thence it hasted down without obstruction to every part of the body; and, after a due consulting of the several parts, it was found necessary to breathe a vein.-We cannot forget how much our treasure hath been exhausted; but we remember also it was by usurping and tyrannical powers; and therefore we are easily persuaded to be at some more expence to keep them out. The merchant tells us, it is good policy, in a troubled sea, to lose some part of our cargo, thereby to save the rest.—With your majesty's leave, we have been bold to look into the present state of affairs; and find those great sums that have been heretofore advanced upon us were raised most of them in bad times, and for ill purposes, to keep your majesty out of this your native kingdom; and when your majesty returned home from your long banishment, you found the naval storehouse unfurnished, which will not easily be supplied. The unsettled humours, and unquiet spirits, that are amongst us, do necessitate a costly guard for your royal person: the honourable accessions of Dunkirk, Tangier, and Jamaica, do at present require a great Supply; but, we have reason to believe, in time to come, will repay this nation their principal with good interest.-Your majesty hath sent a royal fleet upon a happy errand, to bring your royal consort hither: and is there any Englishman will stick to pay the wages of those mariners, whose ships do bring so good a freight?-Upon all these considerations, your loyal commons were in pain, until, like prudent and good husbands, they had redeemed the nation from all its public Debts. And that your majesty may at once have a full measure of their duty and affection to yourself, and that your neighbours abroad, as well as the discontented Commonwealth's men with all their complicated interests here at home, may see "Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the House the happy correspondence that is between our of Commons; Finding it necessary to say head and all the members of this body politic; somewhat to you, I thought once of doing it we have chearfully and unanimously given your by a Message, which hath been the most usual majesty twelve hundred and three score thou-way; but when I considered, that speaking to sand pounds; which sum we desire may be levied in 18 months, by six quarterly payments, after the rate of 70,000l. per mensem, to begin the 25th of this present Dec.; in order whereunto, we humbly pray your majesty's royal assent unto this bill."

The King's Speech thereon.] After passing the said Bills, his majesty was pleased to make this short Speech:

The King's Speech to the Commons in the Banquetting House, concerning his Necessities.] March 1. The King finding his necessities to increase, ordered the commons to attend him at Whitehall, in a body by themselves: which was accordingly done this day; when his majesty addressed them as follows:

you myself with that plainness and freedom I use to do, hath more of kindness in it; and with what affection you use to receive what I say to you, I resolved to deliver my Message to you myself; and have therefore sent for you hither, which hath been frequently done heretofore, though it be the first time I have done so.-I do speak my heart to you, when I tell you, that I do believe, that, from the first "Mr. Speaker, and you Gentlemen of institutions of parliaments to this hour, there the House of Commons; You have made was never a house of commons fuller of affecme this day a very great and a very noble tion and duty to their king, than you are to present; a present that I have received be- me; never any that was more desirous and nefit from already, before you presented it: solicitous to gratify their king, than you are to for, trust me, the benefit is not small, which oblige me; never a house of commons in which I and you both have already, from the re- there were fewer persons without a full meaputation of this present, from the alacrity sure of zeal for the honour and welfare of the and affection you have so unanimously ex-king and country, than there are in this.pressed in this affair.-My Lords and Gen- The wonderful alacrity that you shewed at your

2

hear you are very zealous for the Church, and very solicious, and even jealous that there is not expedition enough used in that affair: I thank you for it, since, I presume, it proceeds from a good root of piety and devotion: but I must tell you, I have the worst luck in the world, if, after all the reproaches of being a papist, whilst I was abroad, I am suspected of being a Presbyterian now I am come home.

first coming together, in giving me so liberal a Supply, was an unquestionable instance of this; and, I assure you, made our neighbours abroad look upon ine, and you with much the more respect and esteem; and I am persuaded, even broke the heart of some desperate and seditious designs at home: in a word, I know most of your faces and names, and can never hope to find better men in your places.-You will wonder now, after I have willingly made-I know you will not take it unkindly, if I tell this just acknowledgment to you, that I should lament, and even complain, that I, and you, and the kingdom, are yet without that present fruit and advantage which we might reasonably promise ourselves from such a harmony of affections, and a unity in resolutions, to advance the public service, and to provide for the Peace and Security of the kingdom; that you do not expedite those good counsels which are necessary for both. I know not how it comes to pass, but for these many weeks past, even since your last adjournment, private and particular business have almost thrust the consideration of the public out of doors; and, in truth, I do not know, that you are nearer settling my Revenue, than you were at Christinas: I am sure I have communicated my condition to you, without reserve; what I have coming in, and what my necessary disbursements are: and I am exceedingly deceived, if whatsoever you give me, be any otherwise given to me, than to be issued out for your own use and benefit. Trust me, it shall be so; and, if you consider it well, you will find, that you are the richer by what you give; since it is all to be laid out, that you may enjoy the rest in Peace and Security.-Gentlemen, I need not put you in mind of the miserable effects which have attended the Wants and Necessities of the crown: I need not tell you that there is a Republican party still in the kingdom, which have the courage to promise themselves another Revolution and, methinks, I should as little need to tell you, that the only way, with God's blessing, to disappoint their hopes, and indeed to reduce them from those extravagant hopes and desires, is, to let them see, that you have so provided for the crown, that it hath wherewithal to support itself, and to secure you; which, I am sure, is all I desire, and desire only for your preservation.-Therefore I do conjure you, by all the professions of affection you have made to me, by all the kindness I know you have for me, after all your deliberations, betake yourselves to some speedy resolutions; and settle such a real and substantial Revenue upon me, as may hold some proportion with the necessary expences I am at, for the peace, and benefit, and honour of the kingdom; that they who look for troubles at home, may despair of their wishes; and that our neighbours abroad, by seeing that all is well at home, may have that esteem and value of us, as may secure the interest and honour of the nation, and make the happiness of this kingdom, and of this city, once more the admiration and envy of the world.-Gentlemen, I

:

you, that I am as zealous for the Church of England, as any of you can be; and am enough acquainted with the enemies of it, on all sides; that I am as much in love with the Book of Common Prayer as you can wish, and have prejudice enough to those that do not love it; who, I hope, in time will be better informed, and change their minds: and you may be confident, I do as much desire to see a Uniformity settled, as any amongst you: I pray, trust me, in that affair I promise you to hasten the dispatch of it, with all convenient speed; you may rely upon me in it.-I have transmitted the Book of Common Prayer, with those Alterations and Additions which have been presented to me by the Convocation, to the house of peers, with my approbation, that the Act of Uniformity may relate to it: so that I presume it will be shortly dispatched there; and when we have done all we can, the well settling that affair will require great prudence and discretion, and the absence of all passion and precipitation.-I will conclude with putting you in mind, that the season of the year; the convenience of your being in the country, in many respects for the good and welfare of it (for you will find much tares have been sowed there, in your absence); the arrival of my Wife, who I expect some time this month; and the necessity of my own being out of town to meet her, and to stay some time before she comes hither; makes it very necessary, that the parliament be adjourned before Easter, to meet again in the winter: and that it may do so, I pray lay aside private business, that you may, in that time, dispatch the publick: and there are few things I reckon more public, than your providing for the security of the Fen-Lauds, which I have so often recommended to you; and do it now, very earnestly. I pray let no private animosities or contests endanger a work of so great a benefit and honour to the nation; but first provide for the support of the work, and then let justice be done for determination of particular interests.-The mention of my Wife's arrival puts me in mind to desire you to put that compliment upon her, that her entrance into the town may be with more decency than the ways will now suffer it to be: and, to that purpose, I pray you would quickly pass such laws as are before you, in order to the mending those ways; and that she may not find Whitehall surrounded with water.-I will detain you no longer, but do promise myself great fruits of this conversation with you; and that you will justify the confidence I have in your affec

tion, by letting the world see, that you take my concernments to heart, and are ready to do whatsoever I desire for the peace and welfare of the kingdom."

Hearth-Money Bill.] These assurances of his majesty, had their desired effect. A Bill to lay a duty upon every Chimney Hearth, in each house of above two shillings a year, for ever, was forthwith agreed upon; and his majesty was moreover enabled to raise, for the 3 next ensuing months, one month's tax in each year, after the rate of 70,000l. a month, if necessity should so require.

The Press put into the hands of a Licenser.] Nor, says Ralph, did they rest here: the Press had offended as well as the pulpit; the parliament had been treated with the same freedom as the king, and both seemed more disposed to silence clamours, than remove the cause. As therefore the pulpit was to be purged by the Uniformity Act, care was taken to bridle the Press, and put the reins into the hands of a Licenser; who was generally so careful to seal the lips of falshood and abuse, that even truth and justice could rarely obtain a hearing.

To convince his majesty yet farther, how extremely desirous they were, that the republican spirit should be entirely subdued, they took the affair of the Militia again into consideration, and prepared that Bill, which has put the power of the sword in the king's hand.

Petition of the distressed Royalists.] During this session, the distressed Royalists set forth their miserable case in the following remarkable Paper; which drew an Aid in their favour of 60,000l.

"An humble Representation of the sad condition of many of the King's Party; who, since his majesty's happy Restoration, have no Relief, and but languishing hopes. Together with Proposals how some of them may be speedily relieved, and others assured thereof, within a reasonable time.

"What miseries and persecutions we Roya

cut off her child's head, and alledged this Scripture. Others have shut themselves up with a Bible, and resolved to eat nothing, because it is written, that Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.' Some have killed their cat, because she had taken a mouse on Sunday, but deferred the execution till Monday. Evach ap Evan, near Shrewsbury, killed his own mother and brother in cold blood; having no other quarrel against them but that they loved the Liturgy," &c. Hist. of the, English and Scotch Presbyterians.

On the other hand, to discountenance these strange stories, we find the following affecting Petition in G. Fox's Journal: "There being very many Friends in prison in the nation, Richard Hubberthorn, and I George Fox, drew up a paper concerning them, and got it delivered to the King, that he might understand how we were dealt with by his officers. It was thus directed: "For the KING.

The Quakers' Bill passed.] There was yet another Bill, continues the above writer, which had hung in the house of Lords ever since last session, and which was now to be passed into a law: and this was the Bill to oblige the Quakers to take the Oaths. Favour- "Friend, who art the chief ruler of these doable as the crisis was to every rigorous and minions, here is a list of some of the Sufferings penal measure, the lords, as we have already of the people of God, in scorn called Quakers, remarked, had not stomachs strong enough to that have suffered under the changeable powers digest quite so fast, as the commons furnished before thee, by whom there have been imprithem with this sort of food. Thus, with regard | soned, and under whom there have suffered for to the Bill now before us, finding the Title bad good conscience sake, and for bearing testirelation only to the Quakers, and that in the mony to the truth as it is in Jesus, 3173 perbody of it, a provision was made for extending sons and there lye yet in prison in the name the penalties to others,' they started excep- of the Commonwealth 73 persons that we know tions, treated it as an inconsistency at least, of. And there have died in prison in the time and ordered, That it should be limited to the of the Commonwealth, and of Oliver and Quakers only. A free conference ensued Richard the Protectors, through cruel and hard between the two houses, the commons adhered imprisonments upon nasty straw and in dunto the letter of their Bill, and upon the report geons, 32 persons. There have been also thereof, their lordships so qualified their Alter-imprisoned in thy name, since thy arrival, by ations, that all objections were removed, and the bill was passed by commission on the 2d of May.* (Ralph, vol. i. p. 62.)

"In the late Debates upon the Quakers Bill, &c. reference was made to the horrid impulses of what they called the Spirit,' not only dictating the most extravagant opinions, but driving to the most abominable practices. Many of that party had their brains dislocated and displaced. Some whereof have taken their children, and gone and sacrificed them, pretending a particular command, like that God gave to Abraham: as a woman of Dover

such as thought to ingratiate themselves thereby to thee, 3068 persous. Besides this, our meetings are daily broken up by men with clubs and arms (though we meet peaceably, according to the practice of God's people in the primitive times) and our friends are thrown into waters, and trod upon, until the very blood gusheth out of them: the number of which abuses can hardly be uttered. Now this we would have of thee, to set them at liberty, that lye in prison in the names of the Commonwealth, and of the two Protectors, and them that lye in thy own name, for speaking the truth, and for a good conscience, &c." G. Fox's Journal, p. 582.

Providence; for we reckon our martyrdom so honourable, and our cause so dear, that none but extreme exigents would be sensible on that behalf, such poverty being (we are sure) without reproach; had we complied with any of the late usurpers, otherwise than as prisoners must comply with goalers, we should not have dared to look backward, nor presumed to look forward: but innocency and extremity together

others by their ill success discouraged) hereafter, in the like exigent, which God prevent, our liberties should find neither champions, nor martyrs.-It grieves us, in all serious com panies, to meet with these and the like reflections; how will it discourage our tender

lists have suffered, for 19 years past, no one, | we presume, is a stranger to, that could see, or hear. The war began with the plunder of our goods and seizure of our rents, and it ended with the sale of our estates, or, at best, a composition, which engaged us in debts; the burthen whereof, where the parties were either indebted before, or had families to provide for, could not but be ruinous to them: such of us as had no lands, but lived by their ho-imbolden, or rather compel us to utter our nest endeavours, were not only thrust out of complaints, where we think we may challenge, their proper employments, but made incapable at least, a favourable audience.--For, since of any other that could afford them a toler- the cause, we so carnestly contended for, was able subsistance, so as many, the most de- indeed least of all, our own (who might casily serving of their country, have been forced to have saved our stakes, as many others of the part with their inheritances to buy them same persuasion did) and but in part the bread: others, of free and generous minds, king's; principally our countries, whose liberty, have languished in tedious imprisonments: and even its being was at stake; it may seem few, in comparison of the rest, by singular a hard piece of justice, that the price of pubprovidence and frugality, have preserved them- lic freedom (when restored) should be the selves. With what courage and constancy of ruin only of such, as with their utmost perils affection we have owned our cause, and party, chiefly asserted it; and the nation will appear even then, when but to name them civilly (at least equally with his majesty) concerned was treason, and worse, if worse could be; in an expedient, lest if the martyrs and chamwith what faith and perseverance we have pions of their country be, now by it forsaken, expected our King's return; with what in-(they being disabled by their sufferings, and visible comforts we have supported our feeble hopes, at their lowest ebbs of outward possibility, whilst all the politicians derided us as fond and credulous persons, who, with the purgatory of wise men, purchased only the Paradise of Fools; a kind of Alchymists, or Jews, who looked for a Mes-plants of loyalty, to be the spectators of its siah that would come; and this confidence ruin? How will it multiply neuters, to observe (grounded chiefly on our integrity) how it en- noble families extirpated, and their estates gaged us in attempts, which, perhaps, were possessed, as many will be apt enough to colmore honest than prudent, by opposing Plots lect, by wiser men? viz. such as took the to Councils, and tumults to the best armies; strongest side. And may not the next generawill not, I trust, be forgotten by English men in tion, from such premises, draw this concluour days.-Let it not be once objected, that sion, He loves danger too well, that loves it our endeavours were not successful; rather, for its own sake?'-Certainly, it were too much let it be construed to our advantage, that ignorance in us to suppose, that his majesty is though our valour was at first unfortunate, yet able to contribute, in any proportion, to our (through God's blessing) our chearful patience relief; rather, we are sensible, that, should be hath at length, fulfilled our hopes, by degrees impoverish himself, to gratify us, he would inclining the hearts of the most obstinate to a soon be in a condition, neither to support us relenting; wherein as our trials were, so our nor himself; besides, we are satisfied of his triumphs are now the greater; for to prevail by kindness towards us: but our recourse is (proloyal sufferings, is the prerogative of true desert. perly) to the parliament, who (being equally We joyfully, indeed, partake in the glory of concerned) can relieve us more powerfully, his majesty's Restitution, the peace of our and with less exception, wherein, we doubt country, the security of laws, and the prospect not of his majesty's gracious concurrence, and of future Settlements, which are most pleasant furtherance.-Wherefore, not to importune his to us: but, alas, we are still exposed to the same majesty, (who, no doubt, hath a real and tennecessities, nay, many of us are in worse con- der sympathy for us) we do (with much freedition, as to livelihood, than ever, partly by dom, but with all submission) declare to our exhausting ourselves with unusual expences, representatives, as to good Englishmen, That that we might appear (like ourselves) con- as we on our part, shall for public good, as cerned in his majesty's welcome, and corona- chearfully subscribe to the general Indemnity tion; partly, by prosecuting honest, but fruit-(when by their wisdoms confirmed) as any that less, pretences, chiefly by the fate of poverty, which seldom continues without increasing, and, for the accomplishment of our misery, hope, which hitherto alone befriended and supported, hath now forsaken us.-Were our pressures moderate, or common, we should never mention them, but wait yet further upon

have benefit thereby; so it they, on their part, shall by confirming it, intercept those Remedies which the law, our great birth-right, would afford us; we conceive, they oblige themselves to study somewhat of recompence, lest they give us subject of complaint, That, in such an Oblivion, they did but too well re