2 66 ઃઃ pulofity than out of Neceffity, most of the faid A. C. Acts having, in a great meafure, had their Effects 1683. "before the fubfequent Parliament began. There"fore, that if upon the Prince of Orange's being "declar'd and proclaim'd King, he came to the "Convention of Lords and Commons affembled "at Westminster; if the fame number of Lords was "fummon'd, that of right ought to be fummon'd 66 to Parliament, and the fame number of Knights, "Citizens and Burgefles duly chofen, as ought to 66 be chofen to reprefent the Commons in Parlia66 ment, than confequently there were all the Sub"ftantial and Effential Parts of a Parliament met "together, and being fo, where was the Neceffity, Advantage or Prudence to diffolve these, and "thereby give new trouble of new Summons and new Elections, lofe a great deal of Time, fuffer "irrecoverable Lofs and Damage to Ireland, and "the Allies abroad; and after all, at the next meeting, be but where they now were, as to the "Effential Parts of a Parliament, there being nothing more to be had at any other time, but what they had already. Upon thefe Reasons the Queftion was carried in the Affirmative, and two Days after the Commons acquainted the Peers, that they had agreed to their Bill with fome Alterations and Amendments relating to the Oaths, which, by the faid Bill, were appointed to be taken by both Houfes; which Amendments being confirm'd by TheConventhe Lords the whole Bill receiv'd the Royal Affent vention on the 23d of February. However we must take no- chang'd intice that the paffing of this Act rather increas'd, ment, Feb. than remov'd the Difcontents of feveral Members 23. 1688. of the House of Commons, who had before protefted, that they neither would fummit to the Decifions of fuch a Parliament, nor fit in it: And indeed fome of them kept their Word as to this laft Point, retiring into the Country upon frivolous Pretences, which occafion'd the dilatory Proceedings of this Seffion, and gave King James an opportunity to get confiderable Footing in Ireland, and the hopes of reafcending his Throne. to a Parlia A. C. It foon appear'd how strong the Discontented 168. Party were in the lower Houfe, for on the 26th of February the Queftion being put, whether the Revenue was expir'd by the Vacancy of the Throne, or whe ther it was devolv'd on their Majesties? The first part of the Queftion was carried in the Affirmative, notwithstanding the vigorous oppofition of those who were for the Devolution, alledging that the Revenue was granted for Life to the late King. Thereupon a Committee was appointed to regulate their prefent Majesties Revenue, and fome of that Committee enclin'd to have it fettled on them for three Years only. A Bill for Whilft the Commons difputed about the Revebe regula-nue, a Bill was prefented to the Lords, for the betting of the ter regulating of the Trials of the Peers of England, Peers Tri which occalion'd great Debates, and which being als, Feb. read the third time in that Houfe, Fifteen Lords enter'd their Diffents for the Reafons following; 16. 66 66 1. Because nothing ever was or could be put into "an Act of Parliament that could reflect fo much "upon the Honour of the Peerage as this would. 66 2. Because it fet the Honour of the Peers and "Commons upon an equal Foot. 3. Becaufe fuch "Perfons as might have Caufes to be heard at the "Bar of the Houfe of Lords. would not be fo con"fident of the Juftice of the Peers, and confequently be jealous of the Rights that might be expect"ed from Impeachmeuts. Because it ftruck at the Root of all the Privileges of the Peers, most of "which they claim'd by reafon of the great regard "the Law has to the Integrity and Honour of the "Peers above that of the Commons: the Statute "De Scandalis Magnatum being Enacted for that "reafon only. 5. Because it would be in fome fort "a Mark of Reproach upon every Peer who "fhould be challenged, unless there be very great 66 66 and apparent caufe for it. 6. Becaufe it would "tend to maintain Feuds and Animofities among "the Peers. 7. Because at this time it was unfeafonable, confidering the late Difputes and Divifi(૯ ons that had been in this Houfe. 8. Because the "Honour of every Man, much more of a Peer, 66° is " is more Valuable than his Life. Notwithstand- A. C. ing thefe Proteftations the Bill was fent down to 1689. "the Houfe of Commons, where after tedious delays it dropt at laft. through the Influence of the Peers that were against it. The King finding by feveral Inftances that the Houfe of Peers acted with more Unanimity than the Commons, 'twas in that Houfe where his Majefty caus'd fuch Acts to be fet on Foot, as tended to the Confirmation of the prefent Settlement; and because the Diffenters had very much contributed to the Revolution, a Bill for exempting them from the Penalties of certain Laws was read the first time by the Peers on the 28th of February. Upon this occafion the Earl of Nottingham mov'd that a Bill of Comprehenfion, and another of Toleration fhould be prefented to the Houfe, whereby all moderate Presbyterians might be reconcil'd to the Church of England, and admitted to Ecclefiaftical Benefices; which was Univerfally applauded, even by the Lords Spiritual then prefent, infomuch that the Earl of Nottingham receiv'd the Thanks of the Houfe for this Motion; pursuant to which a Bill was brought in on the 11th of March following, for Uniting their Majefties Proteftant Subjects. However fome of the Diffenters put a finifter Construction upon the Earl's Motion, giving it out that 'twas made with no other defign than to try how they ftood affected towards the Church of England. The fame Day (February the 28th) "upon Information "that feveral Papifts continued in the Cities of "London and Westminster, the Lords order'd Sir "William Waller to fecure, or caufe to be fecur'd, "all fuch Papifts or reputed Papifts, and return their "Names to the Committee appointed to bring in "a Bill for removing all fuch from the City of "London; which Bill was accordingly prefented to the Houfe on the first Day of March. The Death of the late Earl of Effex was attended with fo many fufpicious Circumftances, that nothing but Sovereign Power could stop the Inquiries that ought to have been made after it. That Earl had fhewn himself eminently industri A. C. ous in promoting the Bill of Exclufion, which made 1683. the Popish Party refolv'd to be rid of him at any rate. On the 13th of July 1683. while the Lord Ruffel was upon his Trial, on account of the Presbyterian or Rye-Houfe Plot, News was brought into the Court at the Old Baily, that the Earl of Efex, being at that time a Prifoner in the Tower, for the fame pretended Confpiracy, had Murther'd himself, by cutting his Throat with a Razor to prevent the Hand of Publick Justice; which Fact was urg'd by fome of the Council against the Lord Ruffel, as a Confirmation of the Plot. It was highly improbable, that a Perfon of the Earl of Effex's Compofednefs and Piety fhould offer Violence to himself; and the endeavours the (then) Court us'd to ftifle the thing, and to prevent the Publication of a Book Printed in Holland upon this Subject, occafion'd no fmall Murmurings; which now reviving afresh, the Enquiries Houfe of Lords thought fit to enquire into that made by Affair. Captain Holland was by their Order comthe Lords mitted to Newgate, upon fufpicion of the Earl's Murther; and feveral Perfons, particularly Sir Chriftopher Mufgrave, and Mr. Baker, were examin'd as Witneffes concerning the fame; but notwithstanding all thefe Enquiries no fufficient difcovery could be made of that fatal Accident, about which History must therefore be filent, and forbear all inju rious Reflections on the Memory of Princes. into the Earl of On the first Day of March, the King fent two remarkable Meffages to the Parliament, the first was to the Houfe of Lords by Viscount Mordant, who acquainted their Lordships, "That in this "Conjuncture of Affairs, and for the Publick Safety, his Majefty had fecur'd fome Perfons as dan 66 gerous to the Government, and thought it might "be convenient to fecure more; and being extreme "tender of doing any thing that the Law did not fully warrant, had given order that the Lords might "be acquainted with what he had thought himself oblig'd to do for the publick Peace and Security "of the Government. Therefore a Committee was immediately appointed to prepare an Addrefs to be prefented to the King upon this occafion from both 66 Houses; Houfes;" exprefliing their most humble Thanks for A. C. "his Majefties great care of their Liberties, and for 1683. "his gracious Communication of this Matter; "and humbly to advise and defire his Majefty to "take fuch extraordinary care of the Government "in this Conjuncture, by fecuring all difaffected "Perfons as might prevent any difturbance of the publick Peace, and that fuch Perfons as were, or "fhould be fo committed, might be retain'd till the "firft Day of the next Term, if his Majefty fhould fee caufe for it.TheCommons made fome difficulty to give their Concurrence to this Addrefs, which feem'd to allow the King a Power of Difpencing with the Habeas Corpus Act; and therefore thought it more Legal to bring in a Bill to empower his Majefty to apprehend and detain fuch Perfons, as he should find just caufe to fufpect were confpiring against the Government; which went in few Days thro' both Houses, and afterwards paft into an Act by the Royal Affent. This Meffage was occafion'd by the fecuring the Earl of Arran, Sir Robert Hamilton and two other Scotchmen, who by fome intercepted Letters from France had been fufpected to endeavour the Restoration of King James, and were thereupon committed to the Tower. 'Twas alfo added, that the faid Earl had reflected on the King, as if his Lordship being, fome Days before, fet upon by four Ruffians that attack'd him in his Chair, and out of whofe Hands he narrowly efcap'd, had been occafion'd by his being unfhaken in his Fidelity to his former Sovereign. The other Meffage was fent to the Commons by HearthMr. Wharton, who acquainted the Houfe, that the Money reKing being fenfible what a grievous Burden the Duty mitted by arifing from Fire-Hearts was to his People, especially to the King. the poorer fort, his Majefty was pleas'd to agree either March 1. to the Regulation of it, or to the taking of it wholly away, not doubting but the Commons would take care of his Revenue another way. This politick Prefent work'd its Effects; the Commons voted Addreffes of Thanks to the King, " acknowledging themfelves oblig'd to declare, that his Majefty had fill'd their March 5. "Hearts with an entire Satisfaction and Gratitude 66 "by |