JENKINS

— 475 — [1681. Février.

LETTRE MCCCL.XXXIV.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. La dissolution étoit nécessaire pour le salut de la monarchie.

Edenburgh, Feb. 1.

I wonder very much to find, by y ours of the 31 of tlie last, that, where y ou are, any could be surprised with the newse of the prorogation , lett their désirs or inclinations be what they will; for how could it be expected that his Ma. would lett those sitt any longer that had used him so insolently, and was it not high tyme to disolve them that had made such vots the day they were prorogued? No body désirs more then I that there should be a good understanding bettwene the King and his people; tis my interest, more then any bodys it should be; but no good subject, nor no body that wishes well to the monarky or our family, can désire that his Ma. should be a duke of Venice or unking him self; which they, I meane the house of Commons, would hâve him; for never were such things attempted or gone about before, as by them, till they were in open rébellion, and tis visible to ail the world that their cheefe aime was to destroy the monarky ; but , God be thanked , there is an end of that Parliament, and, if his Ma. dos but continu as he has begun , since hè broke them, and purge his Court of ill men, as he has done his Councell, tis to be hoped his affairs may go well , and now you see how he has been betrayd by Lord Sunderland and others; do you hâve a care of him, for he that could use his King and a freind as he has clone, can never be relyd on ; I could say much more on this subject, but it is so late; I hâve not tyme and therfore must end, and that with nssuring you you shall always find me very kind to you.

1681 Février.] — 476 —

LETTRE MCCCLXXXV.

Le Duc et York au Prince oV Orange. Il n'attend rien de bon du nouveau Parlement.

Edenburgh • Feb.

I intended to hâve answerd yours of the 12 by the last post, but was hindred from doing it then by the coming to me of the Lords-Commissioners of the treasury, just as I was agoing to write, who stayd so long with me, that, when they went away , it was tyme to go and dance country-dances, the Dutchesse stayng for me. I see by your letter you were much surprised with disolution of the last Parliament, and feare this which is called will not be much better. I thinke you hâve great reason to feare it; I am sure I do, and that they will begin where the other left; what past in the Citty , when they chose their members, give reason enough to thinke so , besids that generally the same members are chosen in other places. Ail things are quiat hère , but how long they will continu so in England, the Lord knows. Which is ail I hâve to say now, but that you shall ever find me to be as kind to you as you can désire. For niy Sonne the Prince of Orange.

LETTRE MCCCLXXXVI.

Le Prince d'Orange au Prince Henri- Casimir de Nassau- Dietz. Plaintes contre un député de la Frise aux Etats- Généraux.

A la Haye, ce 14 de février 1681.

Monsieur! Comme vous partite d'icy, vous m'avez témoigné d'estre en mes sentiments au reguard des affaires publiques, et vous m'avez asseuré que c'estoit des faus bruits que l'on faisoit coure que vous aviés des autres sentiments, et que vous vouliés à l'avenir corespondre

1 Le chiffre manque.

— 477 — • [1081. Février.

avec moy en tout ce qui concerneroit les intérests et le bien général de la République et où le particulier n'estoit point meslé des Provinces dont vous estes Gouverneur; ainsi je ne croi pas que vous trouvères estrange que je vous dise que la conduite de M1' Zevenaer est insuportable, qui ce mesle à dire et à faire le plus de mal qu'il peut et raporte tout ce qui passe à l'assemblée des Etats-généraux et ce qu'il peut apprendre de l'Ambassadeur de France. J'advoue qu'il seroit difficile à luy le prouver, puisque, quoique l'on sache seurement ces sortes de choses, à le prouver il est tousjours fort difficile, et si l'on le pouvoit, peut-estre il faudroit agir contre luy d'un autre manière que l'on ne peut faire présentement, mais je vous puis asseurer, Monsieur, que la chose est véritable et que ce n'est pas un simple soubson. Il débite par tout que moy et ceus qui sont de mes amis ne cherchent qu'à porter les affaires à une guerre, et ne voulons point la continuation de la paix. Vous pouvez juger si ce sont là des faussetés que l'on puisse souffrir qu'un homme qui est en l'Estat dise. Il y a mille chose de cette nature dont je vous pourois informé, qu'il dit tout les jours, mais ce ne seroit que vous ennuyer, et, comme il est député de la part des villes dont la commission est à vostre disposition, je vous prie de vouloir retirer d'icy un homme qui est si pernicieus et qui vous fait à vous-mesme tant de tord, puisque, dépendant de vous, tout le monde sera enclin à croire que c'est par vos ordres ce qu'il dit et qu'il fait. Ainsi j'espère que vous m'accorderez la prière que je vous faits, vous asseurant que je ne souhaite rien plus que de vivre en bonne intelligence avec vous et à vous témoigner en tous occasions que je suis véritablement, Monsieur,

vostre très-humble serviteur et cousin,

G. PRINCE D'ORANGE

lt)81. Février.] — 478

LETTRE MCCCLXXXVII.

Sir L. Jenkins au Prince d'Orange. Nouvelles.

Whitehall, 4 feb. °%u

Tho his Ma. is graciously pleas'd to comand that I remove to the province of the South, upon the entring of mylord Conway upon the province I was in, yet I shall take leave to continue my duty to your Highnesse in the same manner that I hâve presumed to do it ail this while, unlesse you will command me to forbear. The Citty of London hath chosen the same persons to serve them in the Parliament in Oxford , as had serv'd them hère. The Comraon hatt beeing assembled, put up two pétitions to the sheriffs, the one that thanke might given to their burgesses, for their care and zeal against popery and for the excluding of the Duke; the other pétition was that the 16 petitioning Lords might hâve their thanks. Other news we hâve none but what is untrue, and most pernicious. His Highnesse.

LETTRE MCCCL.XXXVIII.

Sir L. Jenkins au Prince d'Orange. Le Roi bien disposé envers le Parlement.

Whitehall, 11 febr. %.

May it please your Highnesse, I most humbly acknowledge the honour of your gracious letter to me, of the 11. current n. st. I shewd it his Ma., as soon as I received it; he , upon that occasion, did déclare lie was througly resolv'd to hâve his Parliament .meete and sitt at the time and place appointed, and that it shall not be his fault, if it do not prove a very happy session. For the proposition that he intends to open the Assembly with, he hath not (he saith) yet digested it to the full , nor communicated it to any other. When I know of any thing and shall be at libertie to impart it, your

— 479 — [1681. Février.

Highnesse shall hâve the first part of it. I ara, with perfect respect, may it please your Highnesse,

your Highnesses most humble and most obedient servant , His Highnesse. L. jenkins.

LETTRE ÏKCCCLXXXIX.

Lord Hyde au Prince d'Orange. Dangers du MU d'exclusion.

St. James-street, feb. the 19. 1681.

Upon what Sr Gabriell Sylvius hath said to me, as he tells me, by command from your Highnesse, I thinke it my duty to give your Highnesse this trouble, desiring you, in the first place, to believe that, when I write and when I doe not, both are designed with the greatst duty and submission to your Highnesse. I must ingenuously confesse to you, that, from the time of the différences between mylord Sunderland and me, and that by degrees we gave over communicating with one another in the Kings businesse, I thought it impertinent in me, while we could not agrée in the advices we were to give your Highnesse, that I should présume to give you any contrary to those I knew you would receive from him; for both his place and the creditt he had with the King, did justlv deserve that your Highnesse should place greater confidence in him then in me. I must needs owne that I thought he mistooke the Kings interest, and even his mind too, tho I was ail along told by great men hère that I was mistaken myselfe. God knows which it is, but I onely know that I can not be upon any considération in the world of a mind that ill is to be donc that good may corne of it; such I take the act of Exclusion to be, and can never give my poor advice to it; neither can I be of opinion that, either hère to fore, now or hère after, that bill by itselfe will give any manner of

1681. Février.] — 480 —

satisfaction, and that, when ever any such bill can be gained from the King, tbe Crowne is mortally wounded by it, and no man that hath right to the succession, but his title is weakned by it. This is my poor opinion , and after this what is to be done, will be the next question, and which I confesse I cannot answer. I know the King is desirous to give ail manner of satisfaction and, if any thing could be found ont, that would quiett mens minds and not change the government, by associations and ail the other things mentioned in the late addresses, that his Ma. would consent to it, and I am confident your Highnesse would not wish he should comply with thera upon those termes. It is hard, I believe, for your Highnesse to thinke but that the conditions mio;ht be more easy, but you will find, I am afFraid, that I am in the right; and, if things be soe , endeavours ought to be used on the other side to bring sober people to accept of the next best, since they cannot hâve their owne point. No man can say but that, if some of this time that hath been quite lost , had been employed in makeing some more practicable laws for the conviction of popish récusants and for removing from amongst us the most considérable men of that religion , and takeing care to hâve their children bred up in the protestant religion, this could hâve done no harme, and there would be lesse appréhensions of a popish successor, if there were fewer of his party in England, and, if men would apply themselves to gett ail the good they can , at least it would looke as if they meant very well. I am afFraid I trouble your Highnesse too much, but being commanded, as I take myselfe to be, from your Highnesse, to renew a correspondence with you, I thinke it best allwaies to speake very plainly, and I would most humbly beg of your Highnesse to consider what it is possible for the King to doe; if it be true, which I doe assure you I take to be soe, that nothing but takeing the power of ail the militia, seaport-towns and navy out of the Kings

— 481 — [1681. Février.

hands, can make them believe the bill of Exclusion can be maintained; and your Highnesse is so much tbe more oblidged to see what is to be done in this matter, because it is most certaine the King had not called this Parliament so soon but in regard to his neighbours and Allys abroad. I beg your pardon for this freedome and hope you will thinke it proceeds from a heart full of duty both to your Highnesse and his Majesty.

LETTRK UICCCXC.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. Un bill, soit d'exclusion, soit de limitation des droits de la couronne, sera la perte de la Monarchie.

Febr. 22.

I see, by yours of the 21, that you are in the same feares that we are hère that this session of Parliament, which is to be at Oxford, will not be happyer then the last; for, by what I heare, this House of Commons is not like to be better composed then the last, and if the inteligence I had this day from London be true, they hâve already resolved , at some of their cabals , to begin with the bill of Exclusion the first thinge they do , and then I am sure there can come no good that sessions l ; for I hope that neither his Ma. nor the House of Lords will ever passe that bill, nor a bill of limitation, either of which would be the distruction of the monarky. I say this the rather to you , because , by what T heare Sr Gab. Silvius and some others hâve sayd, as if, by a letter I had writen to you some tvme since, I should seeme not to be so very avers to the passing of a bill of exclution. I remember I sayd, in one of my letters, that I looked on the bill of limitations as bad, nay may be worse then the exclution; but, if I did say that, I never ment2 by it that I could be content the bill of exclution should passe;

1 session. 2 meaned.

1681. Février.] — 482 —

if there was any thinge in my letters that might beare such an interprétation, I am sure I never intended it; for I looke on either of them, should they passe, as the ruine of the monarky and our family , as well as of myself; for the Parliaments meddling with the succession with which they hâve nothing to do, would in ail apearance prove as fatale to the Crowne and the lawfull heirs of it, as his Ma. calling for the help of his Parliament to destroy the late E * of Clarendon has proved to the ministers; for you see they hâve still fallen on inost of them since, and clame it as a right so to do, and, could they gett such a précèdent for them as once to passe a bill of exclution or limitation, they would then clame it, as a right, to take cognisence of and déclare who aught to succède and to make this monarky an élective one , that is an hereditary one, and it amazes me to heare that any who wish well to the monarky or me, can thinke the bill of exclusion a tolerable expédient, or fitt to be passed , and tis the most mistaken argument to say it would signify nothing, when certainly it would not only destroy me, but the Crowne also; for even that would not content them, without their getting other things done, by which they would make any King no more then a Duke of Yenice. I thought it necessary to say ail this to you, because of what I heare has been sayd, that you might see the sence I hâve of it, and, as I hâve done already ail I could to hinder the passing of any such bill, I will continu my endeavors that nothing of that kind be done; which is ail I hâve to say now, but to assure you that I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

1 Earl.

LETTRE MCCCXCI.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. Recommandation.

Edenburgh, March 1.

I see, by the last letters from the Hage, that y ou intended to go to Deren , to make use of the good weather , of which it seems you hâve had but little ail this winter, and by a former letter of yours I remember you sayd you were to go this spring to meet the Dukes of Zell and Hanover, with the first of which I heare there is an old acquaihtance of myne, the Marq. de Boisdavid, who is realy a very worthey man, and a man of as much honnor as any I know, which he lias shewd to the world; when you know him, you will find I give a true caracter of him, and I hope, for my sake as well as lus, you will be favorable to him and further his concerns when it coms in your way. As for newse, hère is none worth writing to you, but from London you will seldome want some that is considérable; T shall now say no more but to assure you that I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE MCCCXCII.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. Décès de sa fille.

Edenburgh, Mar. 8.

I am sure you hâve so much kindnesse for me and so much concerne for our Family as to hâve been troubled, when you hard of the losse I hâve made of my daughter Isabella, which you will hâve knowne as sone I beleve as I; for I heard not of it till yesterday, and the lose is so much the more sensible to me , for the great affliction the Dutchesse is in, for, as for myself I hâve been so used to such and so many other troubles and mortifications , that I can , I thanke God , beare them well enough

and submitt with pacience to his divine will in ail things. This is so unpleasing a subject that I shall say no more to you upon it, and assure you that, in what so ever condition I am in , I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

For ray Sonne the Prince of Orange.

LETTRE MCCCXCIII.

Lord Hyde au Prince d'Orange. Le Prince ne doit pas songer à un bill d'exclusion.

St. James, March the 11.

I most humbly thanke your Highnesse for the honour of your letter of the 10 of thés moneth from Dieren, by which you will make me believe the liberty I tooke of writing to your Highnesse was not disagreable to you, but you will give me leave to tell your Highnesse too that I find , by one part of your letter , where you say you hâve so many reasons to hinder you from speaking of the meanes that might help to accommodate our affaires hère , that your thoughts are still upon one expédient onely , which , believe me , will never accommodate any thing. God knowes whether the King will ever thinke fitt to try itt. I hope he will not , but , if he should , then your Highnesse will be satisfyed that I informe you right in this matter. I thought it best for me to acquaint his Ma. with your Highnesses letter, which I did, and his answer was, there never can be a good accommodation , without bringing both the partys to some tolerabîe abatement of their demandes, but this that is hinted at by that part of your letter and hath been so long insisted on hère , is entirely yeilding ' on one side , and is therefore, not an accommodation, but a submission.

And therefore, for Gods sake, if there be any meanes for you to worke on the otherside to bring them to ac-

1 yielding.

— 485 — [1681. Mars.

cept of any thing but the altération of the government, lett that be tryed and, if that cannot be effected , doe not lay ail the blâme upon one side, that hath, first in particular condescentions offered to the Parliament before the last, and since in generaîl leaving ail things to them but onely the point of exclusion , shewed suffîciently that they hâve been and are willing to comply with any thing that is reasonable. I know not what I can say more to your Highnesse; a little time will shew at Oxford what will be the event of this meeting, and I can easily conclude with your Highnesse that , if it end not well , the King and the monarky and ail his Allys will be in a very ill condition , but I thinke too , if the agreement must be got upon those terms onely that hath been hitherto demanded, it will be as bad for ail; for that cannot last and préserve the royall family, which I pray God for ever to blesse.

LETTRE MCCCXCIV.

Lord Sunderland au Prince oV Oranae. Lenteur et inertie des Alliés.

When the King went to Newmarket, I asked his leave to be at my owne house during his stay there, which he was pleased to grant, but yesterday I receaved his Ma. command to attend him in that place, which I intend to obey to morrow. I acquaint your H. with thèse perticularitys, that you may know why I hâve been so long without writing; I should still hâve forborne, till I had been with the King, but that I receaved heere your letter of the 19 of March. I am very glad to find by it that your Highnesse is pleased with the choice the King made of G. Sylvius. I tooke the liberty to recommend him, hoping you would doe so , and beleeving him very fit to serve the King in such an imployment. I hope every thing will goe on heere for the Kings advantage and the pu-

1681. Mars.] — 486 —

blicke quiet. The Imperialists and the Spaniards are so slow it would almost make one dispaire of ever doing any goocl with them ; if they will not awake out of theire lethargy, its impossible any thing can be done of what is necessary for the securing the peace of the world. Vigilance must be to maintaine the peace, as well as to make warre, but they seeme not to be alive. When I waite upon the King, I shall give your Highnesse a better account of the condition of our affaires. I am with ail respect, Sir,

your Highnesses most faithfull etc.

SUNDERLAND

Altrope », Mardi the 24.

LETTRE MCCCXCV.

Le Prince d'Orange au Prince de Nassau- Dietz. Il désire lui donner un régiment.

A Dieren, ce 6 d'avril 1681.

Monsieur! En arrivant icy j'ay appris que le Col. Ter Brugge estoit mort, et que ceus de Drenthe vous avoient donné son régiment et sa compagnie; et puisque vous les souhaités, je serés fort aise de vous les donner, et si vous les voulez recevoir de ma main , j'en faires depesche , et aurez bien de la joye de vous pouvoir donner cette marque de mon amitié et l'envie que j'ay de vivre en bonne intelligence avec vous, mais je ne pourez souffrir que ceus de Drenthe disposent de ces charges qui sont à ma disposition. J'attenderez vostre réponse par cest exprès, et vous prie d'estre assuré que je suis, Monsieur,

vostre très-affectionné cousin et serviteur,

G. PRINCE D'ORANGE

i Althorp.

— 487 — [1681. Mars.

LETTRE MCCCXCVI.

Le Duc d'York au Prince d'Orange. Il lui écrira par M. Villattes.

Edenburgh , March 26.

I hâve not now tyme to answer two of yours , which I hâve receved this weeke, the one by the post and the other by M. Villatte, having been abroad this day a hunting, for the first tyme since I came hère; he will sone go back to you , and I beleve straight by sea , and then I shall answer both yours. In the meane tyme be assured you shall always find me to be as kind to you as you can désire.

For ray Sonne the Prince of Orange.

LETTRE MCCCXCVII.

Le Duc d York au Prince d' Orange. Il faudra choisir entre l'autorité du Roi et celle du Parlement.

Edenburgh, March 29.

I wrot to you by the last post, and then lett you know I had receaved yours by M. Villattes , by whom I write this to you; I shall repeat nothing to you upon the subject of your sending him hether, since it would be unpleasing to us both; he gos back straite from hence by sea, in which he dos much better then to returne back by Harwich , since with but a reasonable wind he may be in three days in Holland. On sonday I receved yours of the 25, and do easily beleve what you say, tho I assure you I hâve been very credebly informed that M. van Lewen and others sayd it, as what was your mind, so that I though ' there was ground enough for me to take notice to you of it ; but you hâve satisfyd me , by what you hâve sayd ; by that tyme this getts to you , you will hâve heard whether his Ma. or the Parliament

1 thought.

1681. Mars.] — 488 —

be the masters, for now the tyme is corne that either the one or the other must be the intire masters, and certainly never more pains were taken to ruine a monarky then has been to destroy this. You see that he is chosen speaker to this Parliament that was so to the last; by which choise and other things, one has little reason to hope any good by this meetting at Oxford, which is ail I shall say to you now, but that you shall always h'ncl me as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE MCCCXCVIII.

Sir L. Jenkins au Prince d' Orange. Outrecuidance du Parlement

Whitehall, 29 March 81.

His Ma. hath been forced to dissolve the Parliament at Oxford. He did it yesterday, having no hopes from the matters they took in hand, nor from the manner of their proceedings, that the Commons would doe otherwise then grow into greater heats and disorders. One of the first things they did, was to bring in the old Bill of Exclusion against the Duke; the opposers of that Bill offer'd to their considérations severall expédients, or rather an expédient, consisting of severall parts, as that the Princesse of Orange should hâve the whole administration and exécution of the regall power, under the name of a Régent during the Duke's life; they would not so far hearken to it , as to turn the House into a committee of the whole house , which was necessary in order to a free debate (as committees-men hâve the libertie to speak often, at the House but once to the same busines); the Régent was to take a présent oath out of hand; and so were ail persons in places of truth to observe and exécute the act for a régence; the Duke was not to be in England, and the parliament the last sate was to meet again, as soon as was possible after the Kings decease, whom

— 489 — [1681. Mars.

I beseech Allm. God to blesse and prosper in a long and happy reigne over us, and this Parliament was to sitt some short but sett time, to settle things after that the Régent was enter'd upon her office. But nothing of this would be hearken'd to , the exclusion must be had or nothing, and not onely that, but (as one of the cabal said it openly in the house) they must hâve the militia, the fleet, the strong places, etc. at their command, and an Association to boot. There was, besides the Bill of exclusion , another incident that began to be a matter of anger between the two Houses; it was att one Fitzharris whom his Ma. had committed to the Tower for high treason. The King had directed his Atturney-generall to prosecute him at the Kings-Bench (our ordinary criminall Court) aecording to the course of the common law; this was done some weeks agoe. The Commons at Oxford impeach the same man , whereby the prosecution would hâve been at their pleasures, not at the Kings-atturney his direction; the Lords hère upon threw out their impeachment, and left the prisoner in the course he was allready in, to be prosecuted at the common law; this the commons prétend can not be done without breach of their privilèges, which are to impeach any body living, and consequently a flatt denyall of justice to them. Hère his Ma. was necessitated to part them , before their heatt grew too great; his Ma., having dissolv'd them, left Oxford and came to Windsor last night, he arriv'd hère at half an houre passt 9 this inorning, and was |receiv'd] with the usuall démonstrations of joy, ringing of bells, etc.; the Queen arriv'd at six this evening. Ail things, God be prays'd , are in ail the calme and quiett that were to be wisht, onely the restlesse party do their uttmost to excite tumullt.

1681. Mars.] — 490 —

LETTRE MCCCXCIX.

Lord Hyde au Prince oV Orange. Motifs de la dissolution du Parlement.

St. James, March the 29. 1681.

The King hath commanded mylord Conway to give your Highnesse an account of this suddaine dissolution of the Parliament, which no doubt will surprize you, and this gentleman , the Dutch ambassadors secretary , having lett me know he was goeing over, I hâve presumed to add something to your Highnesse upon the same subject, which I know is not a very agréable one to you, neither indeed is it to any that wish well to the generall peace or our owne; but what can be done, if one side be to yeild ail and the other nothing? The King, besides that clause in his speech which gave faire invitation to any expédients in the matter of the succession, on saturday last commanded ail his servants in the house of Commons, to promote them the most that was in their power, and particularly one that was to provide, in case the Crowne should descend to the Duke; your Highnesse and the Princesse were to hâve been Régents, and particularly S1' Thomas Littleton, the Chancelor of the Exchequer and severall others of the Counsell and in the Kings service laboured to hâve made this proposall to be accepted, but ail in vaine, nothing would be hearkned to but the bill of Exclusion, which the King had once more so lately declared he could not agrée to. This was but an ill beginning, but then the impeachment of Fitzharris of treason, (which doubtlesse he is guilty off for contriving and writing the most villanous libell that ever was made against the King) which was allready before the examination of the law, and it being done in such a manner as made it but too suspicious that the impeachment was rather designed to save him then bring him to justice, and the Lords haveing resolved not to admitt the impeachment,

— 491 — [1681. Mars.

but directed the criminall to be tryed in the ordinary courts (which hath been done severall times) made so ill humour in the House of Commons , that they proceeded to such angry votes, that the King thought it best to putt a speedy end to them, especially since, by those votes, there was ail intercourse between the two Houses prevented. This is the account of this suddaine dissolution; I found , both on the one side and the other , it was not expected there should be a much better issue of this meeting, but no body expected it so very soon. Immediately when the King came from the House, he tooke coach for London and lay at Windsor last night, and this morning arrived hère. I find his Ma. in the same disposition as to his Allys that he hath been of late, and will doe ail he can to support them, but, if peace and quiett be not to be had abroad but by the totall ruine of gouvernement and monarchy hère, he cannot easily résolve to submitt to those termes. In private conservation with some of the most leading men in the Parliament, they being asked what they had to object against the expédient of the Regency, they answered they could not but allow it was very fairly offred and it might goe a great way to quiett mens minds; but, as they were of the Parliament , they had engaged themselves so farr in the Exclusion they could not recède; they should be ruined in their réputations and interests, if they should be guilty of such a change in their resolutions. From such tempers there was not much good to be expected ; God send it some way or other.

LETTRE M(D

Lord Conway au Prince d'Orange. Même sujet.

Whitehall, 29 March 1681.

I should not hâve neglected my duty in giving your Highnesse the utmost assurance of my zeale to your ser-

1681. Mars.] — 492 —

vice and interests, but that I was every post expecting tlie honor to convey a letter of his Ma. to your Highnesse, which he intends to write.

And now that our affaires heere hâve receaved a great altération , by the dissolution of the Parliament yesterday at Oxford, I présume to give your Highnesse the speediest account of it.

It was offred, as an expédient to hinder the Bill of exclusion of the Duke, that your Highnesse and the Princesse of Orange should be declared Régents upon the death of the King and to be vested with ail the royall power and authority, the naine and title only remaining to the Duke, who upon those termes was to be banisht for ever, and ail this secured by a clause of exclusion, if the Duke should attempt to violât this Act.

Had it been offerd that the Duke of Monmouth should be Régent, there were very probable grownds to beleeve they would hâve accepted it. But as it was offred, nothing would satisfie them but a Bill of Exclusion, without naming a successor, which his Ma. having [fewer] times denyed in severall Parliaments , took this following occasion to dissolve them.

A notorious villain, one Fitzharris, having contrived the most treasonable paper that ever was read, not only against the King, but the whole race which his Ma. is of, being orderd to be speedily prosecuted, the Howse of Commons, to take him out of the Kings hands, sent up to the Lords an impeachment of high-treason against Fitzharris. The Lords would not receave it, but orderd he should be tryed at common law; upon which the House of Commons past severall extravagant votes, which I hâve presumed heere to enclose , and made it impossible by such heats to hâve any farther intercourse between the two Howses, and therefore his Ma. thought it best to take that opportunity to dissolve them, and from thence came immediatly to London, which he finds very joyfull for his safe arrivall and in great peace and quietnesse.

493 [1681. Mars.

This will not at ail divert his Ma. from giving ail possible assistance to his Forrein Allyes, especially where your Highnesse and the States of Holland are concerned.

His Ma. knows very well what esteeme his neighbors abroad hâve of him , when he is without the assistance of his Parliament , but however his Ma. thinks it is still in his power to affoord such supplyes , both of ships and men , at the request of , and in conjunction of his Allys , that it shall not be out of his power to support them upon better grownd then the totall subversion of the monarchy, which they who would not be contented with lesse then making the Gouverment élective, would not be pleased with. And your Highnesse will finde, in ail his Ma. proceedings, that he hath a particular regard to the intrest of the United-Provinces , wherewith he knows his owne is so much concerned and your Highnesse in both of them, which he commands me to assure you, shall be always his care, next to his owne. — In the last place, I humbly beg the honor of your Highnesses commands that I may hâve the oppoftunity to shew myselfe

your Highnesses most obedient and most devoted servant