low, but were found guilty, as was alfo one Langborn (a Popish Counsellor at Law;) all these perfons fuffered according their fentence, with the strongest proteftations of their innocence. So that when Sir

George Wakeman, with others, came to be tried, the Jury paid fo little regard to the above evidence, that they were all acquitted *.

July the 10th, the King, contrary to the advice of his new Council, diffolved his Parliament, and fummoned a new one, which he hoped would prove more complaisant then the foregoing, in which, however, he was greatly mistaken.

As the subject we are now upon is fo very interefting, it may not be amifs to make fome reflections on these ftrange proceedings, which greatly alarmed fuch as knew their meaning, and feemed wholly unaccountable to thofe who had not penetration enough to discover the defign. When a refolution had been taken not only to prorogue but dif

*The famous Dryden, a time-ferving Court-Poet, gives us the following character of Oates's witneffes and the Plot, in a piece published about that time, ftiled ABSALOM and ACHI

TOPHEL.

Whoever afked the witnesses high race,

Whofe oath with martyrdom did Stephen grace.
Ours was a Levite, and as times went then,
His tribe were God Almighty's Gentlemen.
Sunk were his eyes, his voice was harsh and loud,
Sure figns he neither cholerick was, nor proud:
His long chin proved his wit; his faint-like grace
A church vermillion, and a Mofes's face.
From hence began that Plot, the Nation's curfe,
Bad in itself, but reprefented worse.
Rais'd in extremes, and in'extremes decry'd ;
With oaths affirmed, with dying vows denied.
Not weigh'd, or winnow'd by the multitude;
But fwallow'd in the mafs, unchew'd and crude.
Some truth there was, but dafht and brew'd with lies,
To please the fools, and puzzle all the wife.

Succeeding times did equal folly call,

Believing nothing, or believing all.

folve the Parliament, it was faid the King defigned to have procured the fanction of the Privy Council for fo bold a ftep, which it was thought might, fome way or other, be obtained, feeing one half depended on the King by their offices, and many of the reft were under the influence of fome of the chief Minifters; but it unluckily happened, juft as this was endeavouring to be obtained, the Court was alarmed with a piece of fudden news of fome remonftrances, which the Houfe of Commons had ready prepared to inflame the City and the Nation, with regard to the Plot and Popery; and according to others, with the rumour of an Addrefs actually framing in the City, figned by an hundred thoufand men, giving Thanks to the Parliament for their vigorous proceedings against Popery, and promifing to affift them in fo doing with their lives and fortunes. This news ftruck fuch a panic into the King, that he would not trust that very Council with the fecret, till he had got rid of the danger by proroguing the Parliament, which he did in fuch a hurry, that he went poft to the House of Peers, almost without attendants, as well as without advice, the Lords having fcarce time to robe, or the Commons to make their appearance; and in a Speech, more brief than accurate, prorogued them.

This measure caufed no lefs aftonishment then indignation, efpecially in thofe who were for the Bill of Exclufion, (who expreffed their resentment without referve,) and at the fame time afforded infinite matter of triumph to the Duke's partifans, and fuch as dealt in fatyrical writings and lampoons, which flew plentifully about on the occafion. The City took fo great offence at what had been transacted, that it was feared they would have rifen; but all, with much ado, was hufhed and kept quiet. Indeed, every thinking man was greatly amazed, that the King, after having fo publickly declared, that

he

he would in all things follow the advice of his new Privy Council next to that of the Great Council of the Nation, fhould now fo fuddenly prorogue that Great Council, without fo much as mentioning it to the other. But it cannot be wondered at, that a Prince, who had fhewn fo little regard to his Royal word in this instance, should ftick at any thing. Upon the whole, as he had too much reason to believe, that this prorogation would only ferve to raise the ferment higher when the Parliament met, he took, as he apprehended, the best and shortest expedient to prevent their giving him any farther umbrage, that is, by diffolving them; and, as he had taken the former step without his Council's knowledge, fo he took this without their concurrence, declaring in his Proclamation, that it was wholly by his own authority. In fact, he could not have taken a more effectual method to alienate the hearts of his people.

But to proceed: The next act of the King was, to declare his intention in Council, of fending for his brother, affuring them, at the fame time, that his return should have no ill influence on the public. But this ftep was fo difpleafing to fome of his moft faithful Counsellors, that, defpairing of any fuccefs in giving their judgments freely, and defiring to be more at liberty to exprefs their minds in the Great Council of the Nation, the Lord Cavendish, Lord Russel, and others, defired leave to withdraw from the Council Board; to which the King coldly answered, "With all my heart," as a frank intimation, that, fince they oppofed his new scheme of administration, he had rather be without them.

The Duke of York was accordingly fent for, who, upon his arrival, was received by his brother with great marks of affection; but it soon appeared, notwithstanding the King's affurance to the contrary, that he had great influence at the Council Board; in fhort, he fo managed it, that few or none attended there,

there, but fuch as were his own creatures and dependents: Among those who remained, and were not in his intereft, none was looked upon with fo evil an eye as Shaftesbury.

Soon after this it alfo appeared the Duke had fo far gained an afcendant over the King himself, as even to prevail on him to prorogue his new Parliament, from time to time, as he pleased; for as to his rival the Duke of Monmouth, he had been already deprived of all his places, and ordered to depart the Kingdom *.

The Parliament having affembled on the 7th of October, and the Members just taken the qualifying

* Dryden, the Court-Poet, fpeaks of the Duke of Monmouth, under the character of Abfalom, after he had drawn a picture of fome of the King's foibles, thus:

Of all his numerous progeny was none
So beautiful, fo brave as Abfalom:
Whether, infpir'd by fome diviner luft,
His father got him with a greater guft;
Or that his conscious destiny made way,
By manly beauty to imperial fway.
Early in foreign fields he won renown,
With Kings and States ally'd to Ifrael's Crown:
In peace the thoughts of war he cou'd remove,
And feem'd as he were only born for love.
Whate'er he did, was done with so much ease,
In him alone, 'twas natural to please:
His motions all accompany'd with grace;
And Paradife was open'd in his face.
With fecret joy, indulgent David view'd
His youthful image in his fon renew'd;
To all his wishes nothing he deny'd;
And made the charming Annabel his bride.
What faults he had (for who from faults is free?)
His father cou'd not, or he wou'd not fee.

Some warm exceffes, which the law forbore,

Were conftru'd youth that purg'd by boiling o'er:
And Amnon's mother by a fpecious name,

Was call'd a juft revenge for injur'd fame.

Thus prais'd, and lov'd, the noble youth remain'd,
While David, undisturb'd in Sion reign'd.

oaths,

Oaths, it was, at the Duke's request, prorogued to the 30th of the fame month.

Tnat he might be nearer the scene of action, and put it out of all doubt, that, whether present or abfent, he ftill retained the fame influence over his brother, notice was given in the London Gazette, that the King had confented to his retiring into Scotland, on his having reprefented, it would be more convenient to be in his Majesty's Dominions, than in those of any foreign Prince; but before his departure, he obtained a promise from the King to remove Shaftesbury*.

On

*Dryden next fpeaks of my Lord Shaftesbury, and others who were not in the Court intereft, in very fatyrical terms. What he fays of my Lord, under the character of ACHITOPHEL, follows:

Some, by their Monarch's fatal mercy grown
From pardon'd rebels kinsmen to the Throne,
Were rais'd in pow'r and public office high:
Strong bands, if bands ungrateful men cou'd tye.
Of these the falfe Achitophel was first :

A name to all fucceeding ages curft.
For clofe defigns, and crooked Counfels fit;
Sagacious, bold, and turbulent of wit:
Reftlefs, unfixt in principles and place;
In pow'r unpleas'd, impatient of difgrace.
A fiery foul, which working out its way,
Fretted the pigmy-body to decay;

And o'er inform'd the tenement of clay.
A daring pilot in extremity;

Pleas'd with the danger, when the waves went high

He fought the ftorms: but for a calm unfit,

Would fteer too nigh the fands, to boat his wit.
Great wits are fure to madness near ally'd;

And thin partitions do their bounds divide;

Elfe, why should he, with wealth and honour blest,
Refuse his age the needful hours of reft?
Punish a body which he cou'd not please ;
Bankrupt of life, yet prodigal of eafe?
And all to leave, what with his toil he won,
To that unfeather'd, two legg'd thing, a fon:
Got, while his foul did huddled notions try;
And born a fhapelefs lump, like anarchy.

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