allo feveral Diverfions, as Bull-baiting, Fox-hunting, Ninepin-playing, &c. and even an Ox was realted whole upon the Ice, over against Whitehall. The Death of the Earl of Effex before-mentioned had been malicioufly mifreprefented, and a fcurrilous Libel was published, wherein it was infinuated, that the Earl was murdered by fome Perfons about him; and one Laurence Braddon, and Hugh Speke had been bufy in pretending to detect the fame; for which an Information of High Mifdemeanour was exhibited against them, and on Feb. 7, 1683-4, try ed at the King's Bench Bar, where a little Boy was produced, who had reported that he faw a bloody Hand throw a Rafor out of the Window, where the Earl of Effex lodged in the Tower, that Morning that the faid Lord was killed; which Report Braddon had taken from the Boy's own Mouth, and written down, and made him fign it; which however he now in Court declared to be falfe. And further, another Boy who was with him at Play in the Tower, at the firft Rumour of the Earl of Effex's Death, and flood before the houfe where my Lord was, for an Hour together, did fwear he was fure there was no fuch thing as a Rafor thrown out of the Window. Mr. Braddon, in his Defence, produced a little Girl, who fwore fhe allo faw a Rafor thrown out, but contradicted the Boy in one Particular; for, whereas he faid the Rafor fell without the Pales, fhe faid it fell within them; and alfo Contradicted herself in another; for at one Time the faid a Soldier food there, and call'd to have the Rafor taken up, and now in Court The faid, he did not know any Soldier was there, and that he did not hear any Body fpeak. Befides 1683. which, he produced feveral Country People to witnefs, that they heard the Report of the Earl of Effex's Death 50, 60, and 100 Miles off, the very fame Day that it happened. Then on the other fide, all the Perfons were fworn that attended about his Lordfhip, to give a particular Account of what they knew concerning his Death: And firft, my Lord's Servant declared, That his Lord did often ask for a Penknife, which he faid was to pair his Nails; the Footman had several times Order, when he went Home, to bring one, but neglected; fo that at laft his Lord bid him give him one of his Rafors, which he did, and then went away and left him; that a little while after, the Footman came and brought fome Things from Home, and a Note for his Lord; which he coming up to deliver, found no body in the Chamber; but thinking he might be retired into the Clofet, and bufy. he came down again, and stayed fome time, and then went up again. And not yet feeing any body in the Chamber, and the Clofet Door ftill fhut, he knock'd at the Door, and call'd, but no body answering, he peep'd through a Chink, and faw Blood and Part of the Rafor, upon which he call'd to the Warder and the People of the Houfe, who forcing open the Door found his Lord kill'd, and the Rafor lying by his Side. Next the Warder depofed, That he heard my Lord ask for the Rafor, and that none came into the Chamber till the Warder return'd. That upon his calling out, he came in and open'd the Door, and found my Lord lying in his Blood, and the Rafor by him. And further, That the Window open'd to a back Yard, and that there was no Window to the Street at all. Then the Soldier 1683. Soldier that flood Centinel at the Door, fwore, That he faw no Rafor, nor did call out to any Body, nor no Maid in a white Hood came out; and that there was no Centinel there but himself. Capt. Hawley, at whofe Houfe my Lord lodged, depofed, that the Cafement would not open far, and is fo low, and the Pales nine or ten Feet high, that it is impoffible for any thing to be feen that is thrown out at the Window, and that it was the most unlikely thing that could be heard. So that upon the whole, the Report was adjudged falfe and malicious; and Mr. Braddon fined 2000 l. and Mr. Speke 1000 l. for being the Spreaders of it. But becaufe Braddon pretended he had Injuftice done him, the Matter has been brought upon the Carpet, at a Time when he had full Liberty of bringing all the Witneffes he was able, before an Honourable Affembly, viz. A Committee of the House of Lords, who in the Year 1689, fat several Days, and examin'd all the Circumftance; but did not find Mr. Braddon had Reafon to make this Bustle; for when they had heard all that could be faid, they let the Matter drop. A. D. 1684, The Earl of Danby, and the Lords accused of the Popish Plot, who for fix Years time had been detained Prifoners in the Tower; and the Earl of Tyrone, who had lain very near as long in the Gatehoufe, and often, but in vain, moved that they might be bailed out, were now, in Hilary Term, 1683-4, upon bringing their Habeas Corpus, admitted to Bail by the Lord Chief Justice Jefferies: The Names of the Lords were, the Earl of Danby, the Earl of Powis, the Lord Arundel of Warder, the Lord Bellafis, and the Earl of Tyrone, the Lord Peters being dead in the Tower. Quo Warranto's were now fent out against almost all the Corpora tions in the Kingdom (the feveral Companies of London not excepted) fome of which voluntarily furren dred, others ftood Trial, but were all caft; and new Charters granted them, with fuch Restrictions as the King thought fit. Several Perfons were this Summer punished for feditious Speeches and Libels. And John Dutton Colt, Efq; and Dr. Titus Oates, being fued in Actions of Scandalum Magnatum, by the Duke of York, had 100,000. Damages awarded againft each of them, for which they were committed to the King's Bench Prifon. In Michaelmas Term following, the faid Dr. Oates was indicted for Perjury in the King's-Bench Court, and afterwards in December, a fecond Time at the Seffions houfe in the Old Baily, upon Account of the Evidence he gave in the Popish Plot. Both which Indictments were to have been tried the next Term, but the Death of the King intervening, refpited him till the next Reign. And now I muft mention feme Promotions in Church and State made this Year. On the 14th o April, Sir Lyonel Jenkins refign'd h Place of Secretary of State, which the King gave to Sidney Godolp Efq; Auguft the 25th, the Earl Rochefter was made Lord Prefider: of the Council, in the Place of the Earl of Radnor; and at the fame Time Mr. Secretary Godolphin wa made Firit Commiffioner of the Trea fury, and the Earl of Middleton St. cretary of State. And on the 6 of September, Sidney Godolphin, ER Firft Commiffioner of the Treafury, was created Baron Godolphin of Fr alton in Cornwall. November the 34. Dr. Sprat, Dean of Westminster, was made Bishop of Rochefter, Dr. Tar ner made Bishop of Ely, which was vacant by the Death of Dr. Gunning, and November the 24th, Dr. Mew, Bishop of Bath and Wells, was tranflated to the Bishoprick of Winchester, on the Death of Dr. Morley; and Dr. Kenn fucceeded in the See of Bath and Wells. And now we are come to the Period of the King's Reign, for on Monday Morning, February the 2d, 1684-5, the King was fuddenly taken with a Fit of an Apoplexy, but upon Blood-letting, and the Ufe of other proper Remedies, he came to 7 his Senfes, and continued fo, but 1684. He left no lawful Iffue by his JAMES II. AMES Duke of York, fecond Son of King Charles the First, was born on the 14th of October 1638, and fucceeded his Brother King Charles the Second on Friday the 6th of February, 1684-5, on which Day he was with great Solemnity proclaimed in the ufual Places of the City of London, and afterwards through all England and all the English Dominions. All Offices and Places, both Military and Civil, in England and Ireland being void by the Death of the late King; a Proclamation was iffued to confirm the prefent Poffeffors in them till the King's farther Order. And the Orders and Directions of the Privy-Council of the late King were commanded to be of the fame Validity as in his Life. Which Order was alfo fent to all the Foreign Plantations belonging to the English Crown. The fift Time the King fat in the Privy Council, he made a Speech to them to this Effect : That fince it had pleafed God to place him in that Station, he thought fit to declare, That he would follow the Example of his Brother, in Ten derness and Clemency to his People. And, at the Request of the Lords The Act of Parliament that im- 1684 in the Life of the late King, to maintain the Fleet for the Defence of the Nation and Security of Trade, till the Parliament that was foon to meet should take Care of a fufficient Settlement on the Crown for the Support of the Government. Which although a manifeft Violation of the People's Rights, and an Affumption of arbitrary Power, was at this time taken little Notice of. On the 14th of February, in the Evening, the Corpfe of his late Majelly King Charles the Second was privately interred in the Chapel of King Henry the Seventh in Westminfter Abbey, in a Vault under the Eaft-End of the South Ifle. The Prince of Denmark being the chief Mourner, attended by many Lords and Gentlemen of both the late and prefent King's Servants. The next Day, the Duke of Ormond, the Earl of Arlington, the Lord Viscount Newport, the Lord Maynard, and Henry Savil, Efq: were confirmed in their Places of Lord Steward, Lord Chamberlain, Treasurer, Comptroller, and ViceChamberlain, which they enjoyed in the late King's Time. On the 16th, Laurence, Earl of Rochefter, Lord Prefident of the Council, was made Lord High Treasurer of England; on the 18th the Lord Marquifs of Hallifax was declared Lord Prefident of the Council; the Lord Clarendon Lord Privy Seal; the Duke of Beaufort Prefident of Wales, and the Lord Godolphin Lord Chamberlain to the Queen. Several other Perfons were at the fame time confirmed in the Places they enjoyed in the late King's Reign. The News of the King's Death being arrived at Edinburgh, the Lords of the Privy-Council were immediately called together by the Earl of Perth, Lord High Chancellor, and the Duke of Queensbury, Lord Treasurer, who being affembled, and all fworn a-new, gave Orders for the proclaiming Kirg James; which was accordingly done on the 10th of February with all ufual Ceremonies, their Lordfhips affifting at it. After which, by his Majesty's Command, a Proclamation was published to conti nue all Officers, Judges, and Magiftrates, in their respective Places, till further Order. This being done, the Lords of the Council fent a Let ter to the King, containing an Ac count of their Proceedings, with Affurances of hazarding their Lives and Fortunes in Defence of his Perfon and Dignity. And at the fame time, the Archbishops and Bifheps of that Kingdom fent a Letter to the King, expreffing both their Sorrow for the Death of his late Majefty, and their Duty and Affection to himself. On the 11th of the fame Month, the King was proclaimed in Ireland alfo, with no lefs Solemnity and Expreffions of Joy, by his Grace the Duke of Ormond, affifted by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, the Lord-Mayor and Aldermen of Dablin, &c. In the mean Time Addreffes daily arrived from all Parts of the Kingdom, congratulating his Ma jefty's Acceffion to the Throne, and to thank him for his Promife ct maintaining their Religion and Laws: Which were all kindly received by the King; and the Alarances repeated. Nor were foreign States wanting in their Respect, each fending the Ambaffadours to congratulate br Majefty's Acceffion to the Throne. The firft of which, that arrived, was the Count Serclais de Tir, who was fent from the Marquis Grana, Governor of the Spa Netherlands, with Compliments et Condoleance and Congratulation, ard and was followed by the reft of the Princes of Europe. In Scotland, on the 20th of February, a Proclamation was published to fummon a Parliament to meet at Edinburgh, on the 9th of April following. And an Addrefs of Congratulation was fent to the King from the Magiftrates and Council of that City, as were likewife others from feveral Corporations in that Kingdom. The King's Coronation being now under Confideration, in order to it, a Proclamation was published on the 6th of March, commanding all those who by Tenure of Lands, &c. are obliged to claim or affift thereat, to put in their Claims before the Lords thereby authorized to receive them. But before we fpeak of that Solemnity, the Order of Time requires us to look over into Ireland, where on the 21st of March, the Duke of Ormond, Lord-Lieutenant, delivered up the Sword of State to the Lord Archbishop of Armagh, Chancellor of Ireland, and the Lord Granard, whom the King conftituted Lords Juftices for the Government of that Kingdom. And the next Morning the Council being called together, were diffolved, and a new one appointed; the Members of which, that were in or near the City of Dublin, were immediately fworn. 4. D. 1685. On the 23d of April was folemnized the Coronation of the King and Queen. Their Majefties proceeding from WestminsterHall to the Abby Church, attended by the great Officers of State, No. bility, Archbishops, Bifhops, Judges, Matters in Chancery, Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, Choir of Westminster, &c. in their refpective Robes, where the Sermon being over, which was preached by Dr. Turner, Bishop of Ely, their Maje flies were crowned with the ufual Ceremonies and then returned with the whole Affembly in the fame Order into Westminster Hall to Dinner; at which Time Sir Charles Dymock, the King's Champion, in compleat Armour, accompanied by the Lord High Steward and the Earl-Marfhal, rode into the Hall, and performed the ufual Ceremony of the Challenge. On the fame Day that the King was crowned at Westminster, the Parliament met in Scotland: At the opening of which, a Letter was read, which the King had fent to them; wherein he was pleased to intimate, That their Zeal and Loyalty, which he had experienced in his Brother's Reign, engaged him to fummon them at the Beginning of his, to give them an Opportunity of demonftrating their own Duty, and to be exemplary to others in their Affections to his Perfon and Service. That what he had now to propose, was for the Security of their Liberties and Properties, more than the Aggrandizing of his Power; though the Prefervation of that would the bettet enable him to preferve them in the quiet Poffeffion of their Rights and Religion, against the Endeavours of the Fanaticks, the restless Enemies of both. That the Importance of the Matters now to be propofed, would have obliged him to have come himself to them had it been poffible at this Juncture of Time; he had therefore inftructed the Duke of Queensbury in all Things relating to his Service and their Happiness; rot doubting of their Compliance and Af fiftance. After the reading of the Letter, a the Speech; wherein, after an Eulogium upon the King, and affuring them of his Majefty's Protection of the U 2 Established 1685. |