of Peace, the States General agreed always to maintain in their Pay ; but to be at the King's Command when he should have occafion. Accordingly when Monmouth was here, they, upon the King's Order, were fent over to England, and upon the fuppreffing that Disorder, returned again to Holland. But the King now requiring them without any Reafon given, the States refused to let them go. Upon which, the Marquifs Abbeville gave in a Memorial to let them know, That the King was much furprized at their Refolution of detaining his Subjects, and I did hereby require that they let them return. After fome Difpute, the States did at last agree to permit those that were willing to return, which prov'd to be but very few, the reft entring themselves anew in the States Service.

On the 27th of April, the King renewed his Declaration for Liberty of Confcience with fome Addi-· tions, and a Promise to get it eftablished by Act of Parliament. And on the 4th of May, it was order'd in Council, that this Declaration be publickly read in all the Churches and Chapels throughout the Kingdom. This was a Thing that gave great Offence both to Clergy and Laity of the Church of England, it feeming very hard that the Minifters fhould be obliged to publifh to their Congregations, That they need not any longer come to Church; to fay nothing of the Illegality of it.

On the 10th of June, being Sunday, between Nine and Ten a Clock in the Forenoon, the Queen was faid to be brought to Bed of a Son at St. James's, to the great Satisfaction of the King, who now efteemed himself perfectly happy. About Noon the Council was af fembled, when a Day of publick Thanksgiving throughout the Nati

on was ordered, and the News fent 1688. to the Lord Mayor, with order, that Bonfires and publick Rejoycings be made, which was done accordingly.

The King, as you have heard, repeated his Declaration of Liberty of Confcience, and added to it a Command of reading it in Churches. And the Bishops were ordered to diftribute it to all Parishes in their refpective Diocefes. Upon which, the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, together with the Bishops of St. Asaph, Ely, Chichefter, Bath and Wells, Peterborough, and Briftol, drew up a Petition in the following Words:

To the King's most excellent
Majefty.

The humble Petition of William
Archbishop of Canterbury, and of
divers of the Suffragan Bifhops of
that Province (now prefent with
him) in behalf of Themselves
and others of their abfent Bre-
thren, and of the Clergy of their
respective Dioceses,

Humbly Sheweth,

TH

Shall

1688. fhall be confider'd and fettled in Parliament and Convocation. But among many other Confiderations, from this efpecially, because that Declaration is founded upon fuch a difpenfing Power as hath been often declared illegal in Parliament: and particularly in the Years 1662, and 1672, and in the beginning of your Majefty's Reign; and it is a Matter of fo great Mo ment and Confequence to the whole Nation, both in Church and State, that your Petitioners cannot in Prudence, Honour, or Confcience, fo far make themfelves Parties to it, as the Diftribution of it all over the Nation, and the folemn Publication of it once and again, even in God's Houfe, and in the Time of his divine Service, muft amount to, in common and reasonable Conftruction.

Your Petitioners therefore moft bumbly and earnestly beseech your Majefty, that you would be graciously pleafed not to infift upon their Diftributing and Reading your Majefty's faid Declaration, And your Petitioners (as in Duty bound) fhall ever pray, &c.

Which they all fign'd; and the Bithops of St. Asaph and Chichester went with it to the Lord Sunderland, whom they inform'd, that they came in the Name of the Archbishop and four of their Brethren, hnmbly to prefent a Petition to the King; and defired to know of him which would be the molt proper Way to do it. He told them, he would know his Pleasure: And going to the King, returned with an Anfwer, that they might come when they pleafed. Upon which they fent for their other four Brethren (the Archbishop being confin'd at home by Indifpofition) and they were all together introduced, and delivered

their Petition to his Majefty; to which he returned a cold Anfwer; That he had heard of their Designs, but did not believe it, nor expect fuch Ufage from the Church of England, especially from fome of them: How ever, if he chang'd his Mind, they should hear further from him; if not, he expected his Commands fhould be obey'd; with which they were dif miffed. And now one would think it impoffible, that this modeft fubmiffive Manner of delivering an humble Petition to the King, by Perfons of fuch Character and Dignity, fhould be deem'd a tumultuary Publication of a feditious Libel: Yet fo it was, and as fuch all thele Reverend Prelates were fummoned to answer for it at the Counci Board; where they appeared and having acknowledged the Petition to be theirs, the Council were plealed to order them to put in Bail, to anfwer the King's Suit the first Day of the next Term; which they refufed to do, and pleaded, that be ing Peers, they were not obliged, but ought to be ferved with the u al Procefs of Subpoena only, and not imprisoned: Which Plea was overrul'd, and they were by Warrant of Council, all feven committed to the Tower, an Information of High Mi demeanour being ordered to be brought against them next Term.

On the 15th of June, the Archbifhop and the other Six abovementioned Bifhops, appeared at the King's Bench Bar, where after fore Debate concerning the Irregularity of the Commitment, in which they were over-rul'd by the Court, the Information against them was read, fetting forth, That the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bifhops of St. Alaph, Ely, Chichester, Bath and Wells, Peterborough, and Brifel, di unlawfully, malicioufly, feditiou ly, and fcandaloufly, compoie

write a certain falfe, pernicious and feditious Libel; and being fo compofed and written, by Force and Arms did publish the fame in the Prefence of the King; which feditious Libel was the above mentioned Petition.

The Information being read, the Bishops Council moved to have a Copy of it, and that they might be allowed Time to plead to it. Which was oppofed, and they obliged immediately to plead, which they feverally did, Not Guilty. After which, the Day for a Trial at the Bar was appointed to be on the 29th, and their Lordships entred into Recognizance to appear on that Day. Accordingly,

On the 29th of June, the Bishops made their Appearance at the King'sBench Bar, where were prefent a great Number of the Nobility as Spectators. And the Jury being fworn, the Information was again read, and the King's Declaration was produced and fworn to. After which the Bifhops Petition was produc'd, and divers Witneffes brought to prove their Hands, as having figned it, &c. And laftly, the King's Council endeavour'd to make it a Libel, in which they were op pofed by the Bishops Council, who very learnedly and ingeniously defended their Clients. The Brevity of this Abridgement will not admit us to fet down their Arguments, the Reader is referred for them to the Trial itfelf, which was afterwards printed; we have only room to fay, That the Difpenfing Power was the Subject of molt Part of them, in which the Bifhops Council did fufficiently baffle the King's; which Difpute when the Chief Justice Wright, and Judge Allibone, who was a Papift, endeavoured to fupprefs, they were oppofed by Judge Holloway, and Judge Powel, who did both appear much on the Bishops

fide all the Day. In fine, the Judges fummed up the Evidences, wherein the Lord Chief Justice Wright gave his Opinion, That it was a Libel, as did Mr. Juftice Allibone, but Mr. Juftice Pozvel the contrary. And it being by this time Night, the Jury were ordered to be lock'd up, after fome Repaft allow'd them, till the next Morning; at which time they gave in their Verdict Not Guilty; which caufed very great Acclamations in the Hall, and even in the very Court itself, to the great Regret of the Profecutors.

A Week after this Trial, the King removed Sir Richard Holloway and Sir James Powel, from their Places of Juftices of the King'sBench.

On the 21st of July, his Grace the Duke of Ormond departed this Life, in the Seventy Ninth Year of his Age; a Perfon of great Honour and Merit, who had faithfully ferved three Kings in the higheft Pofts of Honour and Truft, having been feveral Times Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and was now, and had been for feveral Years Lord High Steward of his Majefty's Houthold, one of the moft Honourable Privy Council, and Knight of the moft Noble Order of the Garter. To him fucceeded in his Honour and Eftate, his Grandfon the Earl of Oory, a worthy Son of that eminent Example of true Honour and Nobility, the late Earl of Offory.

Though the Seven Bishops had efcaped, the Clergy were not to come off fo; the Lords Commiffioners for Ecclefiaftical Affairs were ftill right (except the Bishop of Rochester, who now quitted it) and went on as the King pleafed to command. The Order for reading the Declaration in Churches had met with but cold Entertainment among the Clergy, few having paid Obedience to it. The Commiflion

ers

1688. ers thererefore, in Order to the fevere punishing thofe that had neglected it, fent forth their Mandate to the Chancellors, Archdeacons, &c. of every Diocese in England, to make Enquiry, and fend them an Account where, and by whom the King's Order had been obeyed, and where not. But the approaching Revolution put a Stop to this.

On the 24th of August, the King declared in Council, That in purfuance to his late Declaration, he was refolved to call a Parliament, to meet on the 27th of November next, and the Chancellor was directed to iffue out Writs accordingly.

On the 21st of September, came out a Declaration to remove Prejudices and Mistakes, in the Choice of Members to ferve in the enfuing Parliament; affuring the People of his Majefty's Intentions to establifh by Law the univerfal Liberty of Confcience; and for the Security of the Establish'd Church, he was willing that the Romanifts ftill remain incapable of being chofen Members

of the House of Commons.

The King was moft zealoufly in tent upon his Refolution of eftablifhing Toleration of Religion by Act of Parliament; and that he might be fure to effect it, he caused a Regulation to be made in all the Corporations in the Kingdom; to which Purpose, certain Perfons, of mean Character enough, were fent up and down to examine Mens Opinions; and on thole that would promife to affift in taking off the Penal Laws and Tefts, the Honours of Mayors, Aldermen, &c. were conferred, which generally happen'd very prepofterous; for the wifer and better Sort of Men refufing it, the meanest and most ignorant Members were commonly advanced to the higheft Dignities in Corporations, and the molt confiderable ones quite turned out. In London parti

cularly, all the old Aldermen, except two or three, were removed, and others put in their Rooms. Alfo the Companies of London were reformed, in order to the obtain ing a Majority in the Livery. And not only in Corporations, but in all Offices throughout the Kingdom, the like Alterations were made; all Lieutenants, Deputy-Lieutenants of the Militia, and Juftices of the Peace, all Officers in the Cuftoms, Excife, Hearth-Money, Treasury, &c. were all clofetted and interrogated upon this Point; and upon Refufal, removed. This made a ftrange Alteration in the Kingdom, which was fo far from pleafing, that even the Diffenters, for whole Sake all this was faid to be done, did not take it very cordially, many refu fed to be concerned in it, or to take Offices offered to them.

This Matter had been the Bufnefs of all this Year, and was hotly profecuted, but now abated. For à Rumour began to fpread, That great Preparations of War were making in Holland, which 'twas feared were defigned against Eng land. This diverted the King's Mind, and in a little Time be thought it more advisable to restore every body to their former Pofts, than to displace more. Accordingly,

About the latter End of Septem ber, the Lords Lieutenants were impowered to grant Deputations to fuch Gentlemen as had been removed, from being Deputy-Lieutenants; and Directions were given to the Chancellor, to put into Commiffion of the Peace fuch Gentlemen as had been laid afide, and fhould now be recommended by the Lords Lieutenants.

September the 28th, the Bishops of Winchester, Ely, Chichefer, and Rochester, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Day following, P

on the King's defiring their Advice, waited upon his Majesty, when there paffed nothing but general Expreffion of Favour on one fide, and Duty on the other; wherefore they defired a fecond Admiffion, which was granted, and appointed to be the 3d of October.

The next Day a Declaration was published by the King, to inform the Nation, That he had received ' certain Advice, that the Preparations in Holland were defigned a'gainst England, the Greatness of which intimated the Defign of a Conqueft: And, that though his Majefty had Notice of this intended Invafion of Strangers, he had yet refufed to make Ufe of Foreign Affiftance that had been offered him, depending wholly upon the Loyalty of his own Subjects, &c. That his Majefty did 'intend to have met a Parliament in November, Writs having already been iflued to that Purpofe; but this Attempt of his Enemies had obliged him to recall them, which by thefe Prefents he did. And concluded with Commands to all his Subjects to oppose them, and not to give them any Affiftance, or hold any Correfpondence, upon pain of High-Treafon.

6

Upon the 30th, the Duke of Newraftle, the Earl of Derby, the Lord Jermyn, offer'd their Service, and had Commiffions given them to raise Men for his Majelty's Service.

And now the Sufpenfion of the Bishop of London was taken off.

On the 2d of October, the King declared in Council, That he would restore the Charter of the City of London; and the fame Evening the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs waited upon his Majefty, who told them of his Refolution, and that he would put them in the fame State they were in before the Judgment was given against thein on the Que War

ranto. And the Chancellor and Attorney-General were ordered to C prepare the Inftrument of Reftoration and Confirmation; which was done accordingly, and on the 6th was brought into the City by the Lord Chancellor, and deliver'd in the Guildhall.

At the fame Time a General Par don was publifh'd, with Exception of Treafon committed beyond the Seas, and of Eighteen Pertons by Name.

On the 3d of October, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of London, Winchester, St. Asaph, Ely, Chichester, Rochester, Bath and Wells, and Peterborough, waited on the King; to whom the Archbishop spoke to this Purpose:

That he gather'd from the Ac'count his Majefty and his Bre thren the orher Bishops had given him of their Conference with his Majefty, That only general Expreffions had paffed betwixt them : That the Bishops were grieved to have come fo far, and done fo lit tle: His Grace had then defir'd, that they might wait upon his Majefly all together, as at this Time they did; where they humbly begg'd Permiflion to offer their Advice, and leave it to his Princely Confideration.

Which was drawn up in Writing, and contained in Subftance,

1. To put the Administration of Affairs through England into the Hands of fuch Perfons as are qualified according to Law.

2. To diffolve the Ecclefiaftical Commiffion, and to erect no fuch Court for the future.

3. To put none into Offices not qualified by Law, especially inta Benefices that have the Cure of Souls, and to withdraw his Dif penfations for not taking the Oaths; and to reflore the Master of Magdalene College in Cambridge, and Y

1688.