and the Black Rod went to the Commons and acquainted them it was His Majesty's pleasure they should attend him at the Bar of the Lords House. In obedience to which, they with their Speaker accordingly went, where being come, His Majesty was graciously pleased to tell them, He saw so much heat at the beginning of this Session, that he knew no good would come of it, and thereupon ordered the Lord Chancellor [Finch] to do as was commanded. Who told them, "That it was His Majesties. Pleasure that this Parliament be dissolved, and accordingly this Parliament is dissolved." . . It is said His Majesty has been graciously pleased to Declare, that he will make the Law his Rule to act by, and that he will subsist upon his own Revenue, without invading any one's property: And that he himself will . . . endeavour to root out the Popish Plot. ... Which Gracious Resolution will. engage the hearts of all True and loyal subjects endear them to so good a Prince.

53.

. .

and

[Disorder caused by the Whig Party in London, 1681. Roger North, "Examen," 1740, p. 597.]

It hath often been observed that the best and generally most substantial of the citizens whom the author honours with the title of Court Party were much concerned at the Disorder the City was in; whereof almost the whole Authority and Justice was fallen into the hands of a Party and the very exterior countenance of the city was altered for the worse. All the feasting and common good fellowship of the citizens was henceforward laid aside and in Coffee Houses and Corners of the Streets were Continual debates about Party making and Party working and not seldom right down scolding and quarrelling.

54.

[The trial of the Earl of Shaftesbury, leader of the Country Party, occupied the attention of the Court after the dissolution of the Oxford Parliament. A London jury acquitted him and he was released from bail in February, 1682, but as fresh warrants were issued against his life, he escaped to Holland in the ensuing November. (a) The Earl of Longford to Ormonde, 15 September, 1681. H.M.C.R., xiv. App. pt. 7, Ormonde MSS., vi. 154.]

All I have to add to the story I wrote to your Grace last post of my lord Shaftesbury's application to his Majesty is, that in case his Majesty should think fit that Carolina should be the place of his lordship's retreat..

It is said that since the Sheriffs1 of Middlesex or London are so obstinate in their returns of packed juries, it is resolved that before the Grand Jury stirs from the King's Bench bar, the bill of indictment against the Earl of Shaftesbury shall with the witnesses be presented to them in open court that the world may be witnesses of their perjury in case they do not find the bill.

[(b) Acquittal by London jury, Longford to Ormonde, 26 November, ibid., p. 236.]

The loyal Protestant Intelligence gives your Grace so good an account of the proceedings on Thursday last at the Old Bailey, that I shall not trouble your Grace with the transactions at law in that affair. There were present to observe matters, The Duke of Monmouth, my Lord Essex, my lord Russell, . . . and many more of that party, and there were a great rabble who were very rude in hissing when the witnesses were examined and whooping and hollowing after the jury had brought in their ignoramus, and when my Lord Chief Justice would have spoken they whooped and hollowed. . . . The witnesses went back in two coaches attended by a good guard of the

1The grand jury was chosen by the sheriffs from among supporters of Lord Shaftesbury.

sheriffs and it was but necessary, for a rabble of above six hundred men followed them very tumultuously, and with very ill language, as far as the Savoy where they alighted, and would have been in danger of being torn in pieces if the doors had not been shut and well guarded. As coaches passed by the bonfires the rabble about them demanded money to drink my Lord Shaftesbury's health, and where they refused it the coachmen and footmen were lustily mauled, and this happened to Mr Hamilton's servants as he returned that night from dancing in the City. . . . It is believed my Lord Shaftesbury will be bailed on Monday.

[(c) The Duke of York to the Prince of Orange, 18-28 December, 1682. S.P.D., King William's Chest, Bundle III.]

I find by yours of the 22nd that Lord Shaftesbury was at Amsterdame and do beg that you will have nothing to do with such a kind of man as he, that is so very great an enemy to all our family in generall, as well as a particular one to me.

55.

[The attack on the municipal charters was undertaken in order that the King might be able to control the elections to Parliament. A London jury had acquitted Shaftesbury and the city was regarded as the most important Whig stronghold; in spite of the Corporation Acts the Nonconformists formed an extremely powerful body, opposed to the monarchical interest. Petition from the city, "London Gazette," 18-21 June, No. 1835.]

Sheweth that your Petitioners are most heartily and unfeignedly sorry for the misgovernment of this your city of late years, whereby the citizens have fallen under your Majestys Displeasure, which occasioned a Quo Warranto to be brought against them, upon which Judgment hath been pronounced for seizure of their Liberties and Franchises into Your Majesties Hands. And now con

sidering this our distressed condition, we humbly cast ourselves at Your Royal Feet, Imploring Your Princely Compassion and Grace to be extended to this your ancient city.

King's Reply-by the mouth of the Lord Keeper. My Lord Mayor,

I am by the King's Command to tell you that He hath considered the humble Petition of the City of London where so many of the present Magistrates, and other Eminent citizens are of undoubted loyalty, and affection to His Service, That for their Sakes His Majesty will shew the City all the favour they can reasonably desire.

It was very long before His Majesty took Resolutions to question their Charter: It was not the Seditious Discourses of the Coffee Houses, the Treasonable Pamphlets and Libels daily Published and Dispersed thence into all Parts of the Kingdom, the Outrageous Tumults in the Streets nor the Affronts to his Courts of Judicature could provoke Him to it.

His Majesty had Patience till Disorders were grown to that height, That nothing less seemed to be Designed than a Ruine to the Government both of Church and State; For the Factious Party were not content with the Practise of these Violences, but endeavoured to have them Publiquely countenanced by the Magistrates, and for that end in all Elections they stickled to chuse the most disaffected into offices of the greatest Trust in the Government, and carried themselves with that Heat and Violence, that it was a terror to all sober and discreet Citizens; and the City was so unhappily divided into Parties, That there was no likelihood it could return to Good Order, so long as the Factions retained any hopes of procuring the Election of Magistrates of their own Party, for their Impunity.

This made it necessary for his Majesty to enquire into their Abuse of Franchises. . . . And now the King

hath obtained judgment in a Quo Warranto, it is not his Intention to Prejudice them, either in their Properties or Customs. His Majesty hath resolved to make the Alterations as few and as easie, as may be consistent with the Good Government of the City and Peace of the Kingdom. They are these;

His Majesty requires your Submission to these Regulations;

That no Lord Mayor, Sheriff, Recorder, Common Serjeant, Town Clerk, or Coroner of the City of London, or Steward of the Borrough of Southwark, shall be capable of or admitted to the Exercise of their respective Offices, before His Majesty shall have Approved them under His Sign Manual.

That if His Majesty shall Disapprove the Choice of any Person to be Lord Mayor, and signifie the same under His Sign Manual to the Lord Mayor, or in default of a Lord Mayor to the Recorder or Senior Alderman; The Citizens shall within one week proceed to a new choice: And if His Majesty shall in like manner disapprove the Second Choice, His Majesty may, if He so please, Nominate a Person to be Lord Mayor for the ensuing year. His Majesty shall in like manner disapprove the Persons chosen to be Sheriffs, or either of them, His Majesty may appoint Persons to be Sheriffs for the ensuing year by His Commission if He so please.

If

Nevertheless, the Elections of these Offices may be according to the Ancient Usage of the City, with these Restrictions. . . .

My Lord Mayor,

The Term draws toward an end, and MidsummerDay is at hand when some of the Offices use to be chosen, whereof His Majesty will Reserve the Approbation; Therefore it is His Majesties Pleasure that you return to the City, and consult the Common Council, that he may