L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

TO

CONTRIBUTION

OF

HISTORY
THE

THE

THE
IN

PRESS
CENTURY

SEVENTEENTH

BY

KITCHIN

GEORGE
M.A.
LECTURER

(EDIN.),
IN

OF

1 1

(OXON.)

LITERATURE

ENGLISH

UNIVERSITY

With

B.LITT.

AT

THE

EDINBURGH

full-fiagePlates

r,

LONDON
KEGAN

PAUL,
BROADWAY

TRUBNER

TRENCH,
HOUSE,

68-74
1913

CARTER

"

LANE,

CO.,

LTD.

E.C.

INTRODUCTION

has

L'Estrange
that

notice

late

of

is

of

the

small

seventeenth

the

by

life

separate
Williams'

the

its

devoting

and

L'Estrange

out

in

the

of
at

not

popular,

length

him,
have
and

he

is

entered

the

the

of

tale

which

that

in

force.
and

L'Estrange

need

one

full

As

the

chiefly

classic

No

Blinde

Holy

Cheat

The

valued.
in

the

Even

the

Goth
and

age

man

who

his

titles

of

over

for

Milton,

dressed

Presbyterians,

Goths,
as

preceded

element

The

even

this,

which

have

of

are

the

if

that

however,

pored

native

for

Guides
for

the

learned,

they

be

is

sense,

of

fluency

strong

homespun.

he

writer

tradition

of

as

ever

merest

"

expect,

will

non-Attic,

all

to

least

at

the

that

according

occupies

truly

So

pamphlets,

learned

intensely

pointed

Earle

Professor

penumbra

and

in

be

late

type

No

class.

the

to

Cicero

Apostate

to

side

literature.

vicious

"

decidedly

to

been

other

place

English

uncultured

corrective

the

scholarly

almost

the

On

important

folios

salt

by the

journalism

in

largely

1912

September

more

had

have

we

B.

figure

"

curiosity.

cumbrous

certain

10th

pointed

central

the

J.

Mr.

Then

recently

Ptestoration

prose

of

type

has

his

of

art

history

shadow

of

works.

his

extremely

the

quite

Biography

Press,

as

Lee's

"

the

concerns

And

of

story

the

cavalier

Supplement

Printing

of

vided
pro-

Sidney

later.

or

history

piece.

Sir

National

of

sooner

distressed

journalistic

Times

the

on

the

to

Dictionary

the

those

than

After

public

approach

can

means

novelist.

inevitable

was

work

precisely

the

in

direct

more

popular

article

great

by

century

which

public

"

into

somewhat

emerged

years

must

Seneca
an

ordinary
extra-

Belaps'd
have

INTRODUCTION

vi
which

terseness

think

to

apt

too

are

we

of

late

as

acquisition of journalism.
But

few

distinction

seventeenth

virile.

have

minor

in

"the

that

the

of the

his

had

the

gotten.
for-

are

all

save

with

of

the
office

every

and

rapidly than
of

his

of

life!
It

has

fallacious

L'

in

and

historian

that
than

as

the

wit

He

In

he

sense

is

plan

The
some

deadly

became

his
causes

own.

As

so

longer discoverable.

the

mind

the

relations

of

this

book

to

is

generally a
history is unfriendly
stifles the imagination.
the victim

as

In

his

fit of

weight

often

happens, and

minds, the truth

historian

can

scribe,
and

his

pessimism

more

The

more

all

carry

excite men's

life.

and

further

hence, busy with

their lies would

"

one

public

imagines the

Bodley's library.

day
the

at

of

his fate

somewhere

fiftyyears
in

footnote

foretold

way
He

modern

the

intrigue,imprisonment,

went

the

been

sobriety of

in

pamphlets

lie assumed

no

The

research.

hundred

and

song

picturesque light, which

colour.

modern

of

picturesque figure

one.

interest

of

have

men

bitternesses

not.

was

however,

Estrange

enemies'

he

not,

romantic

thousand

his masters.

him

present

be

the

party.

some

scale,at the other, war,

instrument

mere

historically-minded.

which

misfortune

gift or

social

to

Ireland,"

of

lost to

are

the

still attract

story may

end

one

sophist.
popular sense.

corner

least

at

are

the

they championed

causes

Royal Society,cavalier

of

one

is virile.

"

of

the

north-east

music, the

to

kind

tricks
in

rhetoric

characters

entangling themselves

great quality is
the

of

products

special student.
But

He

these

of

staple

lacking in

said

The

the

"

late events

might

the

incult

rude

politicalworks.

his

are

Their

none
finesse,

almost

for

we

verbal

no

are

But

abuse

Their
is

They

wasted,

strife.

century

read

to

the

and

generallylacking in present-daywriting,they

is

There

patience

bitter, black, and

Gnarled,
which

the

relishingthe

of

capable

are

classical work

fine

have

who

those

between

will

native

of

even

with
in

the
portion
pro-

is found

generally

vii

INTRODUCTION

leave the matter

only present their contradictory stories and

to

But

conjecture.

modern

something

arises

there

motives,

which

on

mixed

lies and

of

medley

the

of

out

give

can

we

judgment.

That

traditional

half

than

more

indeed

It may

one.

of

history affords

if

of

reversal

genuine

the

the whole

on

doubted

be

examples

dozen

confessed, is

be

it must

judgment,

that verdict has been

long enough
popular verdict,when
the judgment
of
left unquestioned. In L'Estrange's case
what
is rare
in political
posteritywas singularlyclear, and
When
a
jury consisting of
cases
singularlyunanimous.
the

"

"

and

Macaulay

doubt
has

love

than

evidence,

attempts

or

facts, it will

the

region

regarded
of

as

crises

dozen

daring

and

of

his fate

the

critical
the

solitary skulker,

or

King's Lynn,

after

before

so

Council

the

flightonly

to

sauvc-qui-pcut. If
to

head

before

and

gave

deserting

Whiggish jeers,be

it

in
so

suffers,if that

life

entirelyin

he

too

the

lover
half-

often

vaunting,

much

his

this

mingling

flight. So

Perhaps

ever

was

and
in

But

after

known

was

of
to
a

it at

examination

precipitancy in

intelligentanticipation of the

an

can

his
the

foremost

1680.

hitherto

misfortune
after

and

documentary

curious

moment,

Kent,

in

amounts

the

had

He

more

facts and

the

fashion,

of

man

displayed a

he

L'Estrange's

course,

amenities.

and

in

rather

private

In

doubt

new

is,of

Tory

no

the

of

fame

That

friend, a

timidity.

at

appear

his

recovers.

pleasures

presents

reading

new

that

staunch

Life

It

verdict.

extreme

of

discussion

politicallife.

of

social

the

found

be

possible,than

were

this

as

are

judgment

of

broader

and
far

So

documents.

trend

this

new

literature

historical

in

the

of

revival

the

and

guilt.
the

question

to

present age

paradox

of

point of view
responsible for
favour

the

left for

been

verdict, little

its

on

defendant's

the

of

Fox, Hallam,

side,and

one

agreed

is

remain

to

seem

the

on

other

the

on

would

But

Johnson

and

Swift, Hume,

be

party

shown
a

field,his

affirmed.

On

that

reasonable

he

brought things

chance

of

success

still,despite
may
courage
the fuller story
the whole

INTRODUCTION

viii

tend

will

here

given

and

his courage

that

his

when

party

vigour

Oates, and

of Titus

noticeable

in the final prosecution

as

persecution

saying that

than

more

no

remark

we

more

earlier Restoration

the

is

printers,it

of obscure

if

always

were

ascendant,

in the

was

And

this.

establish

to

he

was

human.
his

It is not

here.

would

for

scarcely grant

character.
After

is the

of

the

of

nephew

John

lesser

of

His

public service.

perhaps

'

misery

in

blot

the worst

Care, Hunt,

the

Plotter
of

mere

intrigue

prison ought
his

on

to

Milton's

malice

personal
with

His

',Hickeringill,

young

have

no

in it

Tonge,

him,

moved

Having

name.

The

emotion.

generous
of

instruments,

Stationers,had

whose

creature

no

party

pitiable enough.

plotterswas

Phillips,Fergusson

the factious

than

and

cruel.

show.

history can

our

L'Estrange, however,

the

pursuit

meanly

habitually was,

any

scribes

Whig
in

as

of his

feature

Conspiracy, he participated in

complete

as

observable

most

be, and

House

Rye

It aroused

is

"

could

He

the

triumph

and

"

petty vengeance

fate

Tory
granting the whole
later Tories
reigns a positionwhich
and unappeasable thirst
his vindictive

Stuart

position in the

questioned

Even

humanity.

is his

It

that will be

his courage

loyaltyor

intention

of

relievingTonge's condition, he set himself with hints of

for party and personal purposes
the King's mercy,
to extort
an
that wretched
true or false,of the Whig leaders from
exposure,
youth.
But
of
there is no need to multiply instances in the case
who

one

wrote

No

Blinde

Guides

Richard

Baxter, pursued

Delaune

with

their

abuse

prison, and
printerswhich

poor

by Stuart tyranny.
Delaune
were

"

may

contumacious

of that age
As

have

to

can

his

we

Bagshawe, Jenkins, Crofton,

and

hardship

conducted

within

even

those

far

went

harried

who

against Milton,

the walls

pitifulharryings

beyond

the

even

limits

of

and
of
the

observed

Baxter, Bagshawe, Jenkins, Crofton, and

been

"

Bagshawe

firebrands,but
the

excuse

honesty

and

not

and

Crofton

even

rigours of

certainly

by the standards

his malice.

sinceritythere is

not

much

doubt.

ix

INTRODUCTION
in

generally charged against him

non-conformist
licensingthat he allowed
It

was

to

money's

sake.

modified

dissent

the ruin
is

venality

weigh

the

part of

the

of

fraud
with

associated

Burton

and

that

It

be

may

material
The
the

in the

given

Times

in

those

present writer

suggestion of

Oxford.
merits

the

To

the work

interest

the

of
of

his

unrivalled
author,

are

the

Raleigh and

Professor

Edinburgh, the author's

path, and his present chief,
somewhat

Mr

suggestions of
English

task.

laborious

literature

Nicol

D.

of

first
has

done

The

Smith,

at

Oxford, has

of

the

to

be

the

literary

inspire

ever

in

helpful

Reader

Goldsmiths'

also

to

as

Saintsbury
to

and

close

sympathetic

in

much

kind

his

period

Professor

guide

at

Whatever
to

and

constant

at

Raleigh

owing
of the

knowledge

while

L'Estrange

great.

much

as

where.

life of

is very

the

from

Sir Walter

and

debt

of

the

Firth

have

may

supervision and

industry

undertook

L'Estrange.

able

determine

to

portraitand

true

be

their

from

black

will

the notorious

free

lies the

reader

Times

the

fanciful.

and

Macaulay's

pages

former

then

English gentleman,

scarcely be

the

Professor

mere

not

in

somewhat

supplement

that

But

would

given

Hanse

Chas.

between

hoped

given

of

could

Graham

quality. Somewhere
that

him

of

disloyalty is

or

him.

high-minded

as

of
ing
follow-

years

in office.

gentleman

poor

picture

Printing Supplement,

incapable

for the

the whole, there

on

behaviour

'libels'

works

that

his

of

Librarius

And

ministry.

heavily against

very

or

catalogue in the

of his extortionate

on

books

is true,

charge

in that

appear

Altogether

name

the

far

of the Cabal

doubt

no

So

days

catalogue Mercurius

in the official

appear

the

in

gratefully

most

acknowledged.
Lastly

for

aid

his indebtedness
of

Scotland,

during

the

to
one

years

the

of
1909

more

material

Carnegie

whose
and

Trust

Research
1910.

kind
for

he
the

must

express

Universities

Scholarships he

held

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

EARLY

(introductory)

CAVALIER

DAYS

PAOE

Family

education

Early

"

and

the

Civil

War
for

the

into

Kent

The

"

fiasco

King's

of

Lynn

cavalier

A
"

Kentish

is followed

He
"

of

recapture

by Court-martial

Rising
into

hostilities

of

Importance

"

Proposals

"

Outbreak

"

L'Estrange

in

Visits
Act

Oblivion

of

Garden

of

rumours

doubtful

in

L'Estrange
numerous

Addresses

demand

and
and

the

first

III

CHAPTER

of

Situation

parties

"

Cavalier
Cheat

parties
clamour

"

He

is

Conference
Worcester

L'Estrange

L'Estrange's

"

for

the

Apology

Cavaliers
to

accused

Memento
"

The

of

the

attacks

Bagshawe
famous

"

Restoration

cavaliers
Vlctis

Vac

Act

Bagshawe
Crofton

33

offend

L'Estrange's

"

of

Oblivion

and
and

all

discouraged

"

Savoy

Bishop

the
the

"

Holy
of

Baxterians

"

Cordial

Howell's
"

Caveat

"

"

FRINTING

England

of

violating

"

Blinde

(1660-2)

Principle

Apologies

No

Stationers

the

'Ranting'

"

Interest
of

Presbyterian

"

"

Apology"
Corbet's

"

in

L'Estrange

of

SEDITIOUS

AND

Restoration

the

at

L'Estrange's

with

brush

Booth

G.

Sir

of

"

His

incendiary"

Milton

Attacks

suspicion

DIVINES

character

activity

"

Renewed

"

his

of

and

Rising

Monk

and

Chapman

Covent

Scandalous

"

Presbyterian

pamphleteer
"

Restoration

PURITAN

and

addresses
to

in

"

the

"

Royalist

as

Life
Hamon
View

Protector

under

"

Sir

of

Kent

to

England

to

Cromwell

with

the

Vindication

"

Death

"

of

the

PASSAGES

Returns

"

Royalist

Parliament

Livewell

"

of

Death

"

'manifestoes'
to

(inkles
Eve

request

Renewed

"

in

part

(1648-60)

calumny

Hesse

relations
in

L'Estrange

unfavourable

not

by
van

powers

ambiguous

demned
Con-

"

freedom

of

step

INTERREGNUM

followed

Cardinal

"

Musical

"

Is

"

of

court

Oxford

at

betrayed

First

"

Anglia

.....

II

AND

exile

the

L'Estrange

"

L'Estrange

prison

East

"

detraction

by

CHAPTER

PROTECTORATE

Lynn
"

in

north

the

L'Estrange's

"

exile

in

"

and

Brash

L'Estrange's
with

Birkenhead

Caveat
"

67

Clarendon

xi

CONTENTS

xii

CHAPTER

IV
THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

PRESS
PAGE

Press

The

A
Crown
views
of its functions
monopoly
Contemporary
of the
Rise
the
patentees Brief
imprimatur in England
wealth
of Press
period Commonlegislation Rigour of the Laudian
of

survey

"

"

"

"

The

'

Press

very

Fate

of

'

feminine

"

"

'

Confederates

'

the

PRESS

severities

Other

"

Stationers

the

news-mongering
Newsletter

the

the

Post

Office
"

"

"

rival

"

STATE

Mirabilis the

VI

War

Marvell's

"

tracts

Their

"

on

veiled

the

Advice

to

"

List

1669

of

lull"

libels and

his

Monopolists

"

and

L'Estrange and

King

Painter

The

Quo
1672-5

prosed

AND

Warranto,
"

Mearne

libels

on

the

Nlwre's

Church
of

Popish

"

the

Petition

fire

Catholic

Trade
"

Orucern

ad

Trap

"

"

and

Dutch

renewed

Persecution

"

fears

of the

conduct

"

"

"

in the

"

"

"

THE

"

Stationers

157

VII

(1672-7)

STATIONERS

1670"

Survey

Frank

of

LORDS'

"

the

Smith"

LIBEL

printing houses

Mearne

and

the

COMMITTEE

1672"

Inaction

Rehearsal

Trans-

L'Estrange's authority disappears with the fall of Arlington

Williamson
of his licensers,6th February 1674-75"
appoints him one
Oldenburg introduced, February 1675-6, as 'one
of my
deputies for
"

"

'"His
licensing
Misdemeanours

failure"
of

L'Estrange called

the

stationers

Renewed
attempted negotiations
history and honours
Accusation
"

"

126

Scotch
apologies The
plotters,
city L'Estrange recalled April 166S
comments
Inquest of the printers 1668 and
the Universities
King intervenes
Temporary

the

and

of

Poor

"

the

on

CHAPTER

L'ESTRANGE

HOUSES

Satires

"

Narratives

Fergusson, Forbes, Nesbit,

"

of

(1666-70)

growth

new

attacks

Contempt of the clergy

L'Estrange inactive 1666-8

The

"

Hickes

relinquished by
during the Plague

PRINTING

THE

signal for

"

Jas.

OF

jealousies Lampoons

with

Neivsbook

"

Conventicles

the

and

Dutch

Newsbook

the

Williamson

of

Intrigue
Plague and the

Press

with

dissatisfaction

CHAPTER

Annus

"

"

"

"

The

The

L'Estrange

Act

General

"

"

NEWSBOOK

"

"

serious

THE

AND

the
Act
Their
far-reaching effect
L'Estrange's (and other) criticisms
and
it
Considerations
Proposals Atkyn's attack
His view
of
of the Newsbook
L'Estrange's conduct

futility of
Attempts to modify
General

on

95

in

Novelties

"

of

Methods

"

propaganda

widespread

LEGISLATION

Act

"

"

CHAPTER

Press

"

and

"

"

New

views

Presbyterian

"

'

"

publication

secret

libels

of

"

The

narrative

"

"

Nature

"

Restoration

Areopagitica

"

Petition for Peace

part of revolt
The
federates'
'ConNedham,
Tytan, etc.
Chapman,
and
The
Smith
Year
Plaaux"Y.
of Prodigies
Trial
of the ' Confederates
Twynn's case
tional
excep'

"

and

'

foul

The
Republican
Regicide speeches

Smith's

Ordinances

and

Statutes

The

"

"

"

Origin

"

The

in

by

Williamson

surveyor

quarrel with

against

tho

in

frustrated
Mearne

Stationers

1676"
in

his

Mcarne's

"

"

Counter-

CONTENTS

xiii
PACE

against L'Estrange

complaints

His

"

and

tyranny

exactions

"

Thompson's
Prorogation libels and discovery by L'Estrange of Nat.
determined
brief
('onmiitteo
a
on
history
midnight printing Lords'
of its investigation" (Juan-elbetween
Stationers
and L'Estrange comes
"

to

190

height

VI11

CHAPTER
THE

The

POPISH

PLOT

'

'

Popish Plot by
frenzy Immediate

no

literature

of the

novel

means

effects

"

Plot

Press

L'Estrange

"

workings of the No-Popery

The
Popular manifestations

Previous

"

the

on

L'ESTKANGE

OF

FLIGHT

"

"

"

field

the

enters

His

"

veiled

attacks

His
Mrs
Cellier
and
Glamour
confederates
Castlemaine
Parliament
L'Estrange on 'Petitioning' Freeborn Englishman,
Further
Discovery, and Discovery upon
Discovery Harry Care and
on

Oates

for

"

"

"

"

"

"

Ben

Harris

the

Church

The

"

L'Estrange

and

Citt

"

Journals

Whig
by

accused

Trial

"

Bumpkin
Oates

Castlemaine

of

Tonge's

Young

"

before

Council

the

Position

"

Sham

Attacks

"

of

Plot

"

ment"Flight
Parlia-

in

222

CHAPTER
OBSERVATOR

THE
Exile

in

IX

AND

JOURNALS

WHIG

THE

by reviling Counterfeit
January 1681 for relief of tin'
Reaction
in favour
L' 'Est range's Sayings
Dissenters
of the
Church
The
ment"King's
ParliaOxford
provokes the first part of Dissenters'
Sayings
Observator
started
Declaration
(21st April 1681) to
Riclens
The
Whig
Comparison with Heraclitus
support Declaration"
Robert
Ben
Harris
and
F. Smith
journalists
Stephens, Messenger
of the
Press
and
addresses
Observator
Petitions
presented, August
1681
Death
of Stephen Colledge Trial of Shaftesbury
Loyal prentice
letter

Edinburgh, and
from
Edinburgh

the

Hague

Votes

"

Followed

"

"

10th

of

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

260

feasts

CHAPTER
PRESS

THE

HOUSE

RYE

THE

AND

(1682-4)
PLOT

Young Tonge
refugees
again
Trial
Habin
the
Informer
L'Estrange's Apology for the Protestants
'
Plot
Sheriffs'
for ridiculing the
and
Nat.
of Farwell
Thompson
The
and
Hunt
Rye House
Potyt
Conspiracy
elections, 1682
Plot
and
the
Forbes,
Fergusson, Collins, and
Dissenting Clergy
As
Ambitions
of the plotters L'Estrange's services
writer,
Nesbit
Bench
Charles
Hanse
and
the
His
and
allies
on
Magistrate
spy,
Katherino
Men/.ies
Aaron
Burton
Sam
and
Graham
Starkey and
from
communications
Various
Smith
L'Estrange to Jenkins
of Harry
and
Eastwood
Hartshorn
L'Estrange and the submission
The Newsletter
writers
Care
Dejection of the Whigs
Spies'letters

Effect

severities

of

Trials

"

Prance

"

"

Shaftesbury

and

Colledge

of

Dissenters

of

Persecution

"

French

"

"

"

"

'

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

289

examined

XI

CHAPTER
WHIG

THE

L'Estrange
"Seizure

in three
of

characters

Holloway"

"

Government

Last

(1684-9)

DEBACLE
spy

politicaltrials

on

the

of the

city" Some
reign" Their

letters

effect

CONTENTS

xiv

opinion

public

on
'

Plot

'

Plot

'

victims

Death

"

Charles

of

and

Oates

L'Estrange

"

since

Prance

1681

"

'

libel, 1684

for

Times

replies

"

Conformists

new

Hughes

Elections

attacks

for

"

Winchester

Church"

The

March
the

in

Revolution

family

1685

party

'

of

master

and

commitments

translation

of
'

tongue

Facetise

His

"

Seneca,

"

"

Educational

in

view

Tacitus

"

his

of

^Esop

his

Tributes

of
the

importance

Other

"

editions

and

of

"

the

"

etc.

Continued

"

Professor

style

'
"

of

war

declared

Post

"

Intruding

"

L'Estrange's

works

Erasmus

politics

performance

critics

His

"

L'Estrange

Eighteenth-century

Blair, Tytler,

Modern
"

The

views"

contemporaries

Johnson,

Thompson,

translations

his

of

"

years

Earlier

"

and

wretched

most

vogue

fellows

Cicero,

"

Plautus

"

Felton,

"

for

of

L'Estrange

"

closing

of

"

Josephus

elected

favour

life

Private
"

Unhappiness

Theory

"

English

the

Bona

and

-Terence

"

Trimmer

REVOLUTION

"

works

Revolution

"

XII

booksellers

the

translations

His

Quevedo

the
the

Symthies

L'Estrange
the

of

and

Proved

loses

and

History

Church

"

He

"

Oates

331

Various

"

on

"

the

the
their

Revolution

THE

dependent

King

L'Estrange

"

Observator

"

CHAPTER

The

of

the

"

position

"

in

Trimmers

Observator

Parliament,

new

His

the

the

on

Refugees

of

Trial

to

L'Estrange's

"

French

the

attacks

He

"

More

"

and

Church

The
"

credit
"

attacks

of

avenger

disillusionment

L'Estrange's
Observator

the

to

the

in
of

complains

He

"

Prance

Sancroft

share

Observator's

The

"

the

Failing

"

The

"

reaction

popularity
Earle

and
'

barbarism

"

end

367

APPENDICES

I.

LIST

OF

L'ESTRANGE'S

POLITICAL

WORKS

.411
.

II.

III.

CHIEF

THE

SOURCES

TIMES

AND

ENGLISH

INDEX

THE

OF

THE

PRINTING

IXTH

LITERA

TURE

419

LIFE

SUPPLEMENT,
VOL.

OF

THE

10TH

CAMBRIDGE

SEPTEMBER

HISTORY

1912,
OF

431

433

LIST

ILLUSTRATIONS

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

OF

Frontispiece

TITLE-PAGE

FACSIMILE,

Kneli.kr

by

Portrait

the

From

OF

NO

GUIDES

BLINDE

To
.

face

p.

64

FACSIMILE,

TITLE-PAGE

AND

OF

PROPOSALS

CONSIDERATIONS

IN

REGULATION

ORDER

THE

OF

TO

THE

130

PRESS
.

L'ESTRANGE

140

PASQUIL
....

OLD

180

HALL

STATIONERS'

....

ST

OLD

SELLING

HAUNT

OF

THE

192

BOOK

198

IN

OF

JUDGE

1G79

224

256

1679

MASQUERADE,

CARTOON,

NOVEMBER

17TH

PROCESSION,

POLITICAL

SEIZURE

BOOKSELLERS

THE

FRATERNITY

POPE-BURNING

POPERY

OF

HAUNT

BRIDGE,

LONDON

OLD

PAUL'S,

1680-1

258
....

368

JEFFRIES
....

XV

SIR

LESTRANGE

ROGER

CHAPTER

INTRODUCTORY

CAVALIER

EARLY

Sir

Roger

in

these

life
in

this

some

value.

large

person

the

in
to

the

affairs
of

his

He

time

is,

which

seventeenth
of

more

of

the

their

As

the

finds
a

cavalier

he
with

specially
his

large

editors,
field

of

has

is

the

and

fact

clung

to

movement

with

eighty.
interest

an

the

in

Press

career

we

separate

from

the

tracking

', he

touches

of
for

provides

down

the

learn

may

history

the

Gates

Titus

which

subject
English

modern
his

As

interest.
of

the

on

to

translator
he

historic

certain

recommended

famous

most

importance,

Company.

Evidenceships

Acton

anything

"

his

than

enough

well-nigh

stage

every

following

subject

with

every

to

of

sufficiently

sole

almost

in

from

actually

stubbornly

biography

this

By

difficult

posterity

twenty-three
at

of

occasion

part

of

age

century.
this

took

rank

Far

undertaking,

lived

men

second

interesting

His

present

identified

entrusted

man

the

Stationers'

As

'

when

moreover,

the

the

His

is

private
of

history.

neither

was

troubling

trace

the

circumstance

in

nor

to

affairs.

public

by

biography.

for

last, he

from

is

life,

of

man

any

this

intimate

pretext

the

of

proposed

private

any

L'Estrange

the

century

to

public

an

sole

in

Roger

warrant

approaching

that

historian,

For

in himself

scarcely

is

it

career

monopolised

was

age

left

than

more

discomfiting

that,

has

pages,

almost

and

whose

L'Estrakge,

DAYS

day,

and

student

one

of

and
Lord

historians.
who

still

literature

enquiry.
1

the

SIR

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

Roger L'Estrange was

L'Estrange of Hunstanton
as

and

know,

we

where

he

which

he

usual

the

at

age
Sussex

entered

Sir

of

son

He

Hall, Norfolk.

1616, educated

June

25th

the

on

third

Hamon
born

was

far
so
privately at home
proceeded to Cambridge,
College l. The learning

Sidney
display in his later years affords traces
of a less regular schooling,and in some
liberal,
respects more
obtained
the
be
at
than
was
ordinary grammar
perhaps to
have
nourished
As
schools
of the day2.
men
ness
greatmany
loved

Plutarch,

on

and

Bacon

to

so

L'Estrange drew

young

wisdom

from

/Esop.

Music

have

to

seems

studies3, and

entered

early
life passion an
to
become
a
life singularlygiven to faction

destined

was

"

in

agreeablecircumstance

his

largely into

violence.

and

We

have

his

of

home

daughter

life

and

his

of

trace

no

know

we

Anglia,

exactions

of

Nicholas

son

with

anecdotes
The
the

indebted

also

was

tales
the

in

some

which

popular derivation

for

in

appear

woman

the

relates

to

notes

eldest

Her

several

his

the

on

of

collection

the
of

MSS.6.

Harleian

boasted

family

her

to

provided

which

piquant if pathetic
Parliamentary Commissioners5.

innocent

more

has

pen
War

and

mother,

Stubbes, Esq.,was

Her
whimsical
and
wit.
of courage
historian
of that part of the Civil
East

His

scarcely more.

of Richard

co-heir

Cambridge4,

at

career

respectable antiquity,for though

of the

name

Extraneus

"

"

applied

as

in the year
born.
Besides
in which
the
Cromwell
Protector
Opened
was
Thomas
L'Estrange, other
distinguished graduates of this College were
and
Several
See
Fuller, Bishop Wilson, of Sodor
etc.
Man,
weighty Quaeries
'whether
in Dialogue
concerning aeraclitus and the Observator
Quaerie 9
Coll.
Camb.
Sed.
have
into
the
world
by sending the Observator
yet fully
for 0. Cromwell, who
atoned
his education
Seth
had
there'.
Dr
Ward, born
after
the year
also
Wood
of
this
was
L'Estrange, 1617,
College.
(Clarke, Lifr
and
26) notices that he had been a student
at Cambridge.
Times,iii.,
'
He
is a great scholar,being taught
by his father'.
L'Estrange a Papist,
February 1682.
3
At Hunstanton
of Roger le Strange, son
have been the teacher
Jenkins must
Hamon'.
of Sir
Autobiog. of Eon, Roger North, ed. Jessopp (1890), p. 78,
editor's note.
Amusician
eminent
a
Jenkins
is described
'that
as
by North
i

and

"

"

'

of his time

master
4

Beyond

Cambridge
he

''

Mr

,;

Several

only

that

two

Alfred

""r

'

story
to

to the

from

W.

East
brother

my
are

to

be

J. Thomas

Observator,i.,

"

receive

Church

Kingston,

three

ed.
Traditions,

Ibid,

refused

reconciled

was

'.

absurd

an

the

13

'a

of

"

because

Sacrament

young
told

(as he

fellow
his

of

master)

of Rome'.

Anglia
Roger

found

in

(1839).

and
'

are

the

the Civil
also

Camden

to

War
be

(1897), pp. 293-5.

found

there, but

selection, q.v.,

of these

Anecdotes

and

gift of

the

disappear

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

houses

numerous

before

London

in

seventeenth

the

all

"

which

of

century.

Elizabeth's

so
reign,when
many
honour
in
the
European wars, a Roger
Englishmen sought
and
the
of the Emperor
esteem
friendship
L'Estrange won
Maximilian
II.,and the family preserved with natural pride

the

In

earlier

the

patent which

and

conferred

virum

part

pension of

300

nobilitate

et

to the favour

crowns

Bogerium Strangium

on

clarum

of Elizabeth,

vehcmcnter

quern

amamus

Jiabemus.

charumque

Irish

the

When

though

we

do

reward

of

Irish

of

in

out

in 1586

knighted

was

read

not

broke

troubles

L'Estrange

Nicholas

him

recommended

genere

of

for
of

grants

any

the

signal service,

land, the

usual

service.

Thus, despite

bad

start, the

L'Estrangesappear

whole, and increasinglyin later times, a family much

established

to the

reign

same

their

and

Anglia,Cheshire,

gentry of East

with

intermarrying

powers,

on

the

attached

the

numerous

of

kinsmen

own

similar

for arms,
principles,eminent
or
scholarship,or merely for antiquity,and continuing that
local service which, despite detraction
strain of loyalty and
and suspicion,
undoubtedly signalisedtheir conduct throughout

Shropshire,families

of

England's greatest crisis

the

Hunstanton,
a

point

aroused

for

the

which
is

sea

have

into the German

The

oblong

square
rivulet,walled

each

Over

as

'.

an

this

house

front

side

to preserve

is

of enthusiasm.

of time

the

ornament,

as

considerable

looks

itself is

runs

but

Sea, which

'

builders, it

of various

before

on

serving not only

the house.

Ocean

work

touch

headland

miles, the
The

North

at

high (where still

of St Edmund)
against
force and
fury that it

gained by length
two

situation

feet

such

with

comes

of land, about

situated.

lofty cliff,100
the ancient chapel

of

the

to

its

raging

supposed to

tract
out

the

ruins

family, has
in

Wash

merges
the phlegmatic Blomefield

Remarkable
stand

of this

home

the

where

Civil Wars.

the

"

'

consists

pretty

it clean
a

bridge leading

or

the

of

stream

and

moat
to

straight
pleasantly
an
or

regular,

guard to
gatehouse,

each
side, were
wings and buildings on
erected by Sir Roger L'Estrangein the reign of Henry VII.
l.
The L'Estranges had reason
to be gratefulto the Stuarts.
bestowed
I. went
One
of the earliest baronetcies
to
by James
a
L'Estrange of Hunstanton, while again in 1629 Charles I.

which, with

the

'

Memento,

1662.

CAVALIER

EARLY

father of Nicholas
of

Sheriff

Norfolk,

activity in the
Knight service.
It was
as
High
his

Roger was
capacity in which
of

Sheriff

his

of

of

fines

for

author.

our

for many
have
we

and

collection

brother

Nicholas, elder

similarly honoured
The

DAYS

High
glimpses of
years

Composition

county that

Sir

of

Hamon

levy against the Scots in 1639.

Roger
then
three, had
probably just finished at
was
twenty
ating
accompanied his father in that humiliCambridge, and now
of the Bishops
by the name
expedition which
goes
the Norfolk

attended

War

1.

but

the

know

We

the

nothing of

of father

movements

which

bitterness

or

son,

tinges the remarks

extraordinary
the subject of the Scots and this little war,
on
he saw
this occasion.
for by what
be accounted
on
may
Mr
Kingston, in the work
alreadyreferred to, talking of
three
the younger
at King's Lynn
L'Estrange'sappearance
2. Beyond
an
career
already romantic
years later,hints at
of the latter

'

'

the

of enemies

rumours

we

the

solitaryexpedition to
romantic, was
probably as

find

nothing of this,except
Scotland, which, far from beingcavalier
outing as ever
sorry an
can

experienced.
The

of the house

fortunes

is bound
This

those of the

with

up

lies

town

L'Estrangein the Civil Wars

royal borough of King's Lynn.

of

fourteen

some

miles

from

Hunstanton.

will explain the imporposition on the Wash

tance
attached
to it by the Parliamentaryleaders.
Carlyle's
its

glance at

of
description
is not

and

from

gangrene

the

Humble

aid

Apology

in the

strong language

of
Co

of the

the state

to

the

to

across

to

cavaliers

Clarendon,3rd

December

heart

of the

describe
its walls.

within

fomented

the land, it looked

invited
1

were

owing

"

'

as

too

which

troubles
sea

it

Fens
Boston
of

"

the

tion'4,
Associa-

Open

difficult of
and

to

the

access

Skegness, and

Lincolnshire
1661, p.

of

series

and

the

4.

Anglia, p. 184.
s
1680 {Ear. Misc., vol. vi.)" E. 1962-5.
See The Loyal Observator,
he vapours
of his forty years' service
to the Crown, what
Nbbbs.
You see how
he
what
thousand
he had, how
of honour
scars
commands
pounds
expended,
many
the gentleman
must
brother
scandal
note
he received.
was
a
You
(the
younger
have
far from
of him), and
of a worthy family who
so
long been ashamed
being
that
able to contribute
to the royal cause,
during his youth Phil. Porter's plough
2

East

"

his best

was
"

maintenance.

Ralph." Thia
at

wounded

whole

"

nothing

armies

to

his
towns

the
personal gallantry; perhaps he rescued
as
mountebanks, drew teeth with a touch,

of rebels like Almanzor.

is none
of his talents.
He
No, no.
'.
sword, but it is only for ornament
Letters and Speechesof Cromwell
(1850),i.,227.

y,,/,hs.

"

with

is

Edgehill,stormed

standard

Valour

marches

indeed

equipped

SIR

attention

of

divided

by

capable

of

from

Newcastle

the Ouse

strong

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

the

from

defence.

north.

The

families

Town,

Old

exposed

more

The

New

Lynn, was
hood,
neighbourpredominantly

in the

bound

together by social ties, were

Crowland
in
loyal. In its vacillatingfortunes it resembled
Lincoln
Puritan
surrounded
town
a
by a cavalier gentry.
While
its ordinarymagistrates were
enflamed
with
zeal for
overawed
Parliament, they were
by the zealous royalism of
"

the

neighbouring landed

not

few

At

staunch

whom

families,among

there

were

Catholics.

the

held for Parliament.

beginning of the war
Lynn was
To provide for its defence
brass cannons
were
brought
from London, its walls were
strengthened,and the services of
Christian, an engineer of some
skill,requisitionedto direct

the work.
At

the

example of
Cromwell
far
not
distant, Capt. Slaney exercised
in the market-place, much
to
Parliamentary volunteers
aided
disgust of the gentry alluded to. In this he was
the

two

Toll

stout

and

time,

same

Puritan

following

for

members

Percival, who,

the

by

the

the

Col.
the
the

by

Messrs

borough,

general example

of

the

down
to assist the
Commons, came
magistrates in holding
the stronghold for Parliament.
The
two
godly ministers of
the place,Arrowsmith
and
Thoroughgood whose quality is
vouched
for by the fact that they both
found
a
place in the
Westminster
leant their by no means
Assembly of Divines
do their duty.
to
despicable aid in incitingthe townsfolk
a
was
Mayor Gurlin
strong anti-Parliamentarian, in which
persuasion he was
opposed by his fellow-counsellors,among
whom
most
May and Hudson
were
prominent.
It is not to be supposed that the neighbouring loyalists
looked on these preparations with
indifference,or that they
within
were
powerless to raise up a party for the King, even
the
walls
of
Dame
Alice's
Lynn and in the Council.
book
shows
a
perfect correspondence between
Lynn and
of the
and
the
Hunstanton,
frequent expenses
disguises
adopted by the knight in entering the town
are
carefully
"

"

noted,

besides
Sir

more

Hanion

ominous

storing of

and

his

three

This
What
is for July 1643, a month
before
the coup.
and
for
Mr
service,munitions,
disguises
L'Estrange to
spy
considerable
have been expended before
amount
must
Lynn

barrels
sons,

with

'

p. 274.

avoid
was

of
Sir

powder1.
gun-

Chas.

and
messenger
the troopers ',a

seized.

Kingston,

OAVALIEB

EARLY

Catholic

the

without

should

This

make

turn

with

came

of

south

which

Lincoln

into

spread

the northern
tenure
as
uneasy
described
by Vicars as ' a
"

both

land

by

and

country

The

movement

much

on

the

Dunkirk

too

water

was

"

the

to

taken, and

'

of

the

Association,
and

advance

to

and

Norfolk

drain

thus

despite
elements

relief of the

the

to

hold,
strong-

of

Cambridge

it

with

the

of

extension

an

ment
Parlia-

Lincoln

King's party in South

became
possibleas made it imperative for Cromwell
the local and
shortsighted obstinacy of the other
such

same

Crowland

parts of Norfolk.
scurvy

the

eastern

whole

the

held

was

the

on

London.

even

affairs

when

1643

Camden

terrorised

and

Wash

the

of

in

turn

of

spring

Viscount

powerful party

the

and

Wark,

possibleand profitable.

attack

the

Association

the

of

only

de

Grey

llobt.

awaited

successful

magnificent forays
border

and

within,

Pastons, formed

of the

family

and

which

Allington,Sir

Lord

Mordaunt,

DAYS

mentary
Parlia-

forces.

opportunity which they

taken
slow to seize.
or
not
betrayed by a
were
Lynn was
and
clergy at least
party within her walls, her magistrates
the more
refractory imprisoned by order of Sir Hamon
the
command
for
assumed
the
who
King1. This
now
almost
followed
immediately
happened in August and was
the
and
at Crowland
of Cromwell's
success
by the news
in the affair at Gainsborough
of the Cavaliers
brilliant rout
This gave

the

faction

Lynn

the

"

"

which

historians

war.

Three

Sir

paid

take

weeks

the

recapture

Hamon

to

of the

one

the

own

purse

"

the

could

interval

with

town

critical in the

most

Parliament

passed before
of Lynn, and

store

of his

out

be

to

take
underused

by
largely
already

was

ammunition,
drain

serious

treasury 2.
ships in the harbour, mounted

on

an

embarrassed
The

regarded as
that
to

Warwick

the

important

an

with
of

scene

But

the

Old
The

scarcely held seriously.

of the
the centre
Square became
was

alms-houses

against

"

the

defence.
i

the

afterwards
old

knight

Besides

the

Barrington

MSS.

See the

accounts

"

were

ship

culverins, were

despite the

defence

of

fleet

Parliamentary

the

war.

item

with

Town

was

on

beyond
Hall

Town

and

of much

pulled

Sir

cannon,

{Egertm, 2647,
already referred

vexatious

down

to

action

assist

Hamon

f. 1!
to ;

Market
Certain

royalist defence.

cause

news

his way
the Ouse

Kingston, p. 294.

the

boasted,

according

and

muskets,

one

account1, 40

500

barrels

Lynn

That

election

to

sea-town

it

was

Vicars,

Earl

army

in those

for

the

in

impregnable

most

months

in these

West

being

'

the

came

up,
be

can

sea

of the

the dread

besieged and
from
might come

Manchester
from

'

besiegers
Capt.
by sea.

Newcastle
with

skirmishing around

was

parts 3.

of the

relief

Poe, who

wrote

Essex

some

troops
that

Parliament,

to

prevented they

'if

hold

can't

out

days although they have 40 pieces of ordnance

from their ships 4.
get more
with
of August, Manchester
third
week
the
3,000

than

more

indeed
Its recovery
importance as a critical bye-

adventure.

'

northern

hope

that

relief

an

noble

before

in

pages

by natural situation and a maritime

brave shipharbour
which
having in it a most
that time
a
mighty and only interruption of the
of Manchester's
opposing of Newcastle's Popish

at

The

several

consumed

lost,and

been

the

on

following, Rush-

December

in

much

as

had

place ',writes
or

that

Government,

several towns

was

of

account

Parliament

for

'

siege,while

weeks'

six

Whitlocke

worth, Vicars, and

had

these

in

weeks

length capitulatedafter a
of Roger's attempt
failure
exhaustive

its recovery,
months
of August

'

raised

for

loyal
passed, the Oxford
defence.
the
Aulicus, anxiously praised
at
the
town
brave
of delight when
song
the

As

September.
journal,Mercurius

and

Vicars

it attracted

the attention

by

both

importance by

of first

as

dispositionsmade

the

by

ordnance, 1,200

of

pieces

gunpowder.

of

regarded

was

is shown

sides
and

to

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

'

and

can

In

and

horse

levies

bad

Essex

the

place, while

the

sea.

the

earlier

of

many
Cromwell

"

"

share

in

quoted
('apt. Poe" Barrington MS.
much
'marvels
1643
August
very
the
Town
is, and
people that are
"

that

recusants

all these

in

Association
God

losses

Not

in ike Mount,

to its

the

down

sat

parts',

that

by

Mr

are

'no

of

how

the
forces

from

confined

was

great
chief
more

to

storming
of

matter

Kingston {Egerton,2647,

considering
in it being

there

before

blockade

the

action

the

of

f.

138),

consequence

malignants
raised by

and
the

'.

irning Bush
'"'

Hobart

completed

Warwick

Cromwell's

and

however

them

stages, and after taking part in the

the
Old
rest
Town6,
being merely a

of the

19th

foot

1,500

strength.

Consumed.
p. 413.
See

p.

Barrington MS., quoted

Mercurius
; 15th

Aulicus

September,

Mercurius

Aulicus

476, Tuesday, 29th

has

similar

confident

ences
refer-

August.

above.

3rd
September,
Old Lynn
p. 514
"

48S
p.
is taken.

"

Manchester

sustains

many

EARLY

waiting, he
his

hurried

the

drain

Crowland

taken

had

King's party

their

off to

anxious

more

9
scene

victories in Lincolnshire, where

recent

and

DAYS

CAVALIER

Parliament

the

on

South

and

Lincoln,

much

hands,

of the

advantage

the

distraction
seize

to

west,

in

wholly

more

Mercwrius

of

satisfaction

the

to

of

more

Lynn

once

now

once

the

in

that

"

Aulicus.
'

Shortly after, also nearly

] 643

', says Vicars

the

about

14th

September

of

Norfolk, which

intelligenceto London
of Lynn-Regis, in the county
strong town
had
been
besieged for about the space of

month

noble

and

having

been

the

that

brave

and
of

and

the

by

Manchester,
by land, and

1,

'

and
much

infested

utterly hopeless
Newcastle, and

and

on),

then

every
way
of the Town

Vicar's

both

by

from

ordnance

our

valiant

as

surrounded

by

and

sea

old

of

E.

Lynn

by
impious Popish Earl
at last brought into much
danger
last
terrible
and
at
a
fearing now
(which, indeed, was
firmly resolved

they therefore

and

quarter

virtuous

as

of relief

distress

storming

certain

came

that

resolved

surrender

to

fair

upon

satisfaction'.
50

piece

taken, is

ordnance

of

rather

and

issue

20

barrels

of

with

gunpowder
500

Capt. Poe's
take
it that
we
an
barrels, etc., unless
extraordinary
had
used
been
amount
which
seems
unlikely, for there
The
been
storm.
have
no
was
excess
destroyed,all or
may
most
coming out of the pocket of the Squire of Hunstanton.
at

"

The
means

on
a

of

terms

surrender, which

Vicars

hints at, and

the

ing
interestby which they were
are
vexatiously evaded
and typical of what
like cases
happened in a hundred
both
sides.
They also explain the impoverishment of

noble

than

house

pitched

Manchester
march

and
battles

had

illustrate
are

the

local

feuds

special scourge
Sir

permitted

Vicars

the

Hamon
fair

and

which
of
his

and

more

civil

war.

forces

to

disperse
self
they saw
Young Roger reported himwith many
others at Newark-,
and ultimately drifted to
Oxford
the delusive
scheme
on
we
are
presently to describe.
The old knight retired to Hunstanton
and in Mr
Kingston's
out,

themselves

words

1
a

map
-

p. 4.

'

God
of

as

where

in the

Mount,

Lynn

and

June
Observator,

on

terms,

to

fit.

tried hard

says,

not

to offend

Parliament

See Charles
p. 412.
list of mayors.

1684,

vol. ii. No.

Parkin's

80, and

'.

We

shall find

History of Lynn

Humble

Apology

to

(1762), for

Clarendon,

he

that

modest
that

did

Lady

of

entertainment

late

so

some

as

the

meanwhile

in the

1648

by a very
escaped loyalistprisonersin

Parliament

offend

But
year \
Alice show

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

10

of
process
how
hard it

when

was

Parliament

so

himself

his estate

1643

and

and

openly
others

among

"

for

warrant

the

'

to

for

'

purge
of 2nd May

order

Association

sufficient

was

book

Alice's

other
on

find

we

heavy

Thos.

'

paid

Hamon

Sir

for his estates

but

Hunstanton,

',which

Skotts

for the

money

to

Association,
Fairfax, for the Eastern
for all garrisons', for the reducing of Newark
',

Sir

the rate

'

against
'

chattels

Dame

In

and

seizinghouses, goods, and

Eastern

'

levies

done,

The

the

on,

spoliation,but there were

any
which
came
particularlysevere

almost

irregular assessments
unpurged cavaliers.
'

had

offence.

went

offended

once

Hamon

of that
for

had

man

Sir

as

"

in

malignants

rich

wealth

also how

maintaining the war, but

impoverishment of royalistestates
for

of the Association

the

only the regular draining of

not

of the

books

account

Kingstead,and

Heacham,

at

for

only

not

Sedgeford.
When

added

magistrates
been

obliged

understand
And

House

came

enemies

when

appeared
solemn

up
the

of

has

it

repudiate
generals in the
to

Collections

~,

Sir
1648.
Report, p. 103, 9th October
chief
(whom he has not made
Toby Pedder
cerning
conand
ingratitude) has given information
soldiers
of the King's
shown
by him to some

that

him
with malice
to repay
clandestine
favours

at Heacham
party lately landed
Historical
Collections, p.
-

the

claimed,

they

her

by

and

11th

to

some

to

claimants

preserved in Husband's

been

'

satisfaction

into

son's
of the

order

scruple

not

can

his

and

an

very

damages

the

siege, we

his

1643

the

did

entered

7 th Appendix
H.M.C.,
L'Estrange understands

constable

December

Parliament

order

the

worthy

from

Sir Hamon

whom

"

invades

setting

engagements

field. The

that

9th

on

assessors

that

their wives

imprison during

to

down

as

and

"

the

special damages

for

bitterness

the

mind.

Hamon

Lynn,

of

claims

the

came

and

for the borough

members
had

of

these

to

'.

396,

well -affected

9th

of

1643.

December

King's

Lynn:

order

An

'Forasmuch

for
the

as

giving
E.

of

King's Lynn remitted

the town,
their offence in reference
while
he lay before
and
bis array
to himself
well-affected
to
but touched
the
done
the
no
by
Malignants
private injuries
upon
it is ordered
that
Col.
of K.
Percivall,and
Walton, Governor
L., Master
and
done
have
Master
been
hath
what
Toll, M.P.'s, shall examine
damage
that
have
it
to
those
to
and
much
their
of
estates
assign
sequestrate so
power
been
damnified
'It
'. Worse
1651.
still is the direct
repudiation of November
Manchester

in his articles

of

agreement

with

the

town

of

...

does
were

not
ever

after
in
search
appear
confirmed
'. H.M.C.,

the

7th

Parlt.

Records

of

App.

to 11th

1643-9

Rept.,

that

p. 101.

these

articles

had

Crowland

fallen

King's party, and

the

to

left

having

Manchester,

later

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

12

discontented

Lynn with some

joined Cromwell

four

Col.

Walton

in

and

ill

Essex

paid

days

charge

of

levies,

sharp engagements which

desperately obdurate
regained Lincoln, but left Crowland
in Lincoln
The
hands.
were
in cavalier
prisoners taken
certain
taken
to Lynn, thus
Capt.
a
creating a hope which
communicated
Thos.
Leoman
to
L'Estrange at
young
in that

in

had

he

Oxford, where

series of

drifted

approached

taken

the

Covenant,

which

did

little credit

suggested by Vicars,
from
the beginning 3.
Besides

have

various
left to

was

the

by

half

fact

make

his

that

have

we

his

after,is shown

and

then

against

set

to

story

own

we

singularlyRoger

How

affair.

only

Court-Martial,

the

in at

defence

own

hostile

dozen

handed
of this

accounts

project

cunning of either, unless, as

traitor
covenanting captain was

the

evidence

the

with

the

to

is

hero

our

previously

had

who

Leoman,

circumstances

these

volunteer

as

l.

Major Cartwright'stroop
In

Newark

from

accounts.

which
incapable of being
was
piece of evidence
4
his precious commission
contorted
was
signed by apostate
result
of
L'Estrange'simportunacy
Digby ',for the King, the
The

one

'

at Oxford.

As

his

Leoman,

to

Lords'

The

other

the

to

especiallythose

circumstances,

enemies

divided

were

relating

the

between

desire

Journals, vii.,119".
'

Court-Martial

certificate

'

demanded

by
and

approaching L'Estrange at Oxford,

an
Roger's affair at Lynn
important point.
8 Hardly
likely in the absence of personal
he did not
know
of Leoman's
own
explanation
Leoman

the

Lords
the

makes

says

nothing of
entirely

seduction

"

malice

fall of Crowland

the
of

in the

commission,

his

first week

determined

of December

Leoman

and

play

to

far

so

taken

having

"

the

week

as

or

Roger's

know.

we

Covenant

the

so

traitor, seems

after
far

"

the

that
date

likelier.

is but too evident.

gulled by a dull roundhead
J E. 21
(31),quoted in full ; Kingston's East Anglia, p. 184 ; Rushworth, 1692
the
28th
Rex"
After
November
preamble
Dated
lb'44, Charles
ed., vi.,804.
'
Suffolk
Norfolk
and
well-affected
of
of
to
our
our
subjects
referring
country
Town
and particularlyof our
of
Roger
our
Lynn ',and
trusty and well-beloved
That

the

'

'

cavalier

was

'

L'Estrange

'

the

of the

terms

Commission

run

"

through withal, he, the said

place.
L'Estrange, shall have the government
shall be made
of the said place
unto
the inhabitants
what engagement
i[2) That
of
to
that
other
of
or
contributing
service,by
capable
effectually
any
person
way
in His
not
reward, either in employment
Majesty's Navy or Forts, or money
service
of "5,000, the
exceeding the sum
being performed shall be punctually
made
unto
them.
good
be
receive what
assistance
(3) That they shall in this work
given them
may
(1)

That

in

case

that

attempt

ir

from

any

of

our

nearest

garrisons.

should

be

gone
of the

EARLY
to make

and

render

to

from

the

'

him

base,
'

good King
gull of

the veriest

was

figure in

chief

the

as

the

fiasco

one

who

false

by
'

November

'About

DAYS

CAVALIER

brace

13

ridiculous

extorted

meddler,

commission

In

pretences.

1644', says

he

case

any
of blackguards '.

hostile account1, 'the

one

Lynn being in the rebels' hands, the gentleman you

of interest there (when indeed
of, pretending abundance
from His Majesty
had none
at all),
procured a commission
reduce
of
it, graciously promising him the government

Town
wot

he
to

of

the Town,
he

if he

should

could

promise

not

brained

undertaker

it, but

by sending

that

had

taken

payment of all rewards

The
hairexceeding "5,000, "c.
it,and

affect

think

could
for

of

and

Covenant

the

way
of

Leoman

Capt.

one

other

no

reduce

to

Lynn

(one

zealot

known

for

3 miles
2 or
off
cause), to a papist'shouse
him
the business, shows
and
out
discreetlyblunders
very
his commission, promises him
"1,000 and other preferments
the King did
if he would
betray the Town 2, adding that
half his crown
at
value the surprising of that town
", a
tool he
likely tale. Leoman, perceiving what a weak
very
had
to
to deal with
seems
comply ; but the same
night
Col.
Walton
and
to
meets
promise)
(according
acquaints
with
him
carried
but
town-taker
next
our
skulking
day,
he
also frankly
a
habit, to whom
corporal in seaman's
the

rebels'

"

showed

his

the meantime

In

'

commission.

habited

like

seamen

'

the

promises

the

Town

relieve

made

that

was

L'Estrange's
shall forthwith

to

house, and

the

gallant undertaker,

our

person

his

and

mission
com-

stantially
additions, subgiven in Rushworth4, adds to

that

as

within

certain

days after certain

Majesty would send

reduced, his

that

notice

10

sufficient

1683 [Har. Mi$c, vol. vi.).

Tlie Loyal Obsercator,printed by W.
Hammond,
Burning Bush Not Consumed, pp. 78-80. Probably a gloss on the last promise

in

on

same
'

is, with

which

account,
the

taken

five soldiers

and

3.

Vicars'

:'

Lynn

the

who

from

came

disguisedcorporal seizes
his
both
tamely surrenders

then

Stubbing

Lieutenant

commission
send

'

thither

When

such

said

considerable

shall

Town
power

as

be

reduced

shall

bo

we

sufficient to

and

We

'.
them
preserve
need
scarcely refer to

our
a

in Lynn

whilst

on

Harry

Care's

visit to his mistress.

slander

to the

etl'ect that

Roger

was

Ohsn-vatur, i.,61.

taken
to London
that
The
latter adds
Roger was
Rushworth, vi., 804-8.
and
House
of
the
the
door
of
mitted
comto
Commons,
December, 'brought
this Ordinance
to the Provost-Marshall, and
(reference to Court-Martial)
concerning him '.

19th

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

14

that those
to their relief,and
power
the command
of Lord
Goring '.

his defence

In

of

not

was

Roger

the

brace

of villains

himself

as, if we

'

in

the

"40

was

There

of the
the other
Hagar
though one of the garrison,represented
trust Vicars
living
here, a poor man
he
that
and
alehouse,
kept an
Lynn

for

worse

the

Roundheads'.
details

circumstantial

other

are

"

'

may
in

End

Fisher's

"

under

be

strong point that Leoman

that

and

enemy;
'

it

made

should

forces

and

Vicars

in

of
lonely house
the
five disguised soldiers1
'apparelled like ship -broken
boldly getting
who, banging to the door, and somewhat
men,
said house, being so ordered
within
the courtyard of the
as
they were
by the Governor, who, as soon
up to the door
of the house
of the house, the gentlewoman
came
running
7 poor
6 or
there
to Mr
were
Strange and told him
up
S. presently sent
soldiers
from
come
Lynn begging. Mr
and
be gone,
to
them
down
them
a
shillingand wished
the
bar
down
to
Mrs
Paston
went
door, which
Capt.
the said corporal then
Leoman
present
seeing winked
upon
he
done
which
Mr
a
hold
to lay
S.,
instantly
stamp
on
gave
he had
what
knew
the lieutenant
with
his foot by which
Mr
S. seeing he was
betrayed, conveyed
to do, whereupon
Leoman
his commission
to
(out of the frying-pan
Capt.
the lieutenant, not
then
into the fire),
taking notice of the
set
known
to
of the Capt. as
him, or on
purpose
person

Rushworth,

to

that

as

tell ; then
he
have
any, etc. '.

to

arrival

demanded

and

Commonwealth

the

first attack

S. did

ensnare

of

required

at

Mr

S.

his

the

as

an

enemy
which
he

name,

he

business, but

his

to

the

refused

denied

to

points in dispute in the various stories are so trilling

the case
so
complete, that the judge-advocate at the
the
on
produced no witnesses, relying for a conviction

The
and
trial

cavalier's
This
and

whilst

of such
which
which

by Court-Martial

the

Court

had,

no

opened
So
was

the

doubt,

met

by

the

the

of

by Parliament,

ordinary
by certain

defined

spies
"

powers
articles

circumstance

loop hole to the distressed

for the authority of the Court
to
production of the Parliamentary

smallest

his demand

ordered

was

was
courts, its commission
direct
mention
made
no

cavalier.

try him

story.

own

trial

Vicars, ibid.

EARLY
order

His

l.

contention

Some

The

he

of

gallant but

in

the

the

starred
been

the

28th

hated

his
the

later narratives.

own

26th
to

because

it

the

John

date

Corbet, who

the

Court

of

was

been

having

his

ill-

meanwhile

having

"

Mills, and

that

friendly.

was

Sir

perceived

was

from
exactly a month
the Judge-Advocate

"

when

December,

his defence.
prepare
complains that the trial was

day

Court

from

Dr

in

time

some

he

same

commission

changed

the

for

breath

of the

majority
On

the

same

futile defence.

appear
trial was

asked

he

concluded

not
a

of

day

declares

Yet

15

precedents, his absurd

within
the enemy's lines,

taken

not

was

DAYS

honourable

to

contradictions

first

he

appeal

that

items

were

CAVALIER

friendly,to
augmented
a
hearing,
in guilty.

refused
packed '-,Roger's elaborate defence was
and at 11 o'clock
at night the Court
brought him
He
death
condemned
to
the date
fixed
was
by hanging
the Hothams
suffered
being 2nd January, the day on which
and the authority of the Court
expired.
In regard to this trial it should
that the
be observed
Court
not
Martial
an
was
ordinary Court
3, but specially
with
fixed articles
deal
to
with
appointed by Parliament
batch
of exceptional treasons
which
a
were
symptomatic
or

"

of

the

doubts
of

outstanding

Orrler

21st

and

King

the

to

the

to

of

of the

Town

of

the

Law

Lynn

father

Hothams,

and

to

taken

with

King

Mr

'that

to

the

most

the
Court
Martial,
Roger L'Estrauge be
be speedilyproceeded with according

107".:

being

for

The

year.

communicated

Martial

Law,

this

commission

from

the

and

endeavouring accordingly
that the commission
for haste was
to do it '. The
reason
expired on 2nd January.
See his Appeal from the ' tort-Martial
to ParUamt
nt, 7th April 1647, E. 385 (21).
We
proceed only upon his own
confession, and there being
Jvdgi -Advocat
witnesses
he hath
as
set it forth.
The
no
against him, we take the ease
man
gentleof the Court, for they
might have saved a labour and not limited the power
betwixt
the enemy
and
us'.
proceed upon a Law common
and
Committee
sentenced
1 was
(in effect)tried by one
'. Truth
by another
and
to ParKamu
nt.
Loi/a/ty,
p. 38, and Appeal from tht Court-Martial
3
Husband's
after
conferences
between
Collections,p. 29.
Appointed
many
for

delivery

for

Martial

of
of

December,

Journals, vii.,

Commission

course

that

was

19th

Lords'

December,

referred

these

House,

of

uncertainties

to

'

"

'

the

of this year,
16th
August
therefore, expired, as Mills

Houses

Tts powers,
was

of

when

wrong
second

The

whom

L'Kst

be

must

in his

enemy,

As

in

the

to
one

Court

Apology (1660) he

trial),and
and

of

none

and
officers,

friends

Court-Martial
my

said

certainly did.

range's

(to whom

he

so

I leave

articles

of

Court,

twelve

Sir

their
of

for

run

January.

commission
the

Nat.

four

months.

L'Estrange
touched

him.

commissioners, three
a
Among
quorum.

Brent, formed
Sir Edward
Northumberland,
Baynton
of tho
appealed as to the truth of his account
Corbet.

his

as

name

in

to
2nd

on

were

Sir John

Sir John
Evelyn
Martial).
Lords' Journals, vi.,1 1 9"
.

the
the

its commission

explained,

the

fair

House

'I

never

as

I found

it'

to

have

seems

believed

Sir John

(Appeal from
been

Corbet
Court-

friendly

SIR

16

who

sou,

in

party
the

had

ROGER

L'Estrange'sfortune

not

House

the

intervene

between

L'Estrange to

make

to

find

to

strong
judgment and
a

scaffold.
It

of Robt.
of

natural

was

but

case,

he

for

Martial

in mind

executed

in the

too, had

scattered

around,
in

the

and

George Teage

attempts

There

later

and

the
the

of

to

had

seduce

men

Guildhall

at

from

that

as

the

been

of

in

part of

lurking

other

party.

Alexander
The

1643

August

Digby

same

the

Sir

Bristol.

on

the

played

that

sentence

which

betray Plymouth.

to

by

commissions

There

examples

attempt

Court

those

1643

attempt

an

of

about, and
were

for

of his

most

parallel in

spring of

one

piece.

the

exact

an

Gloucester

at

Yeoman,
Leoman

had

probably

Yeoman,

Court

of

L'ESTRANGE

Carew

setting up
the

was

the

result

in
Parliament
feeling aroused
angry
which
frequency of these Royal Commissions

we

admit

bribes

with

the

Judge-Advocate

be

to

the

by

wholesale

must
to

treachery \
There

besides

were,

establishingthe
the

House,

one

special
recent

as

that

'

whatsover

of the

to

army

the

of

18th

Martial, several
18th
October, and

as

clearest

the

London

Oxford

from

come

the

or

Lord-General

the

apprehended

and

spies

as

the

or

of

of

Earl

Houses

to

reason

no

much

was

who

doubt

resented

happened

wholesale

his word

of

to

by
be

in

Town,'

resignations. Their

"

of

be

proceeded

war'.

his summary
of Parliament

members

to

ment,
Parlia-

shall

Essex,

that

"

part

Earl

of

able
we

"

'

the

any

the

intelligencers,and

rules

of

one

against according to
The
extraordinary thing is that L'Estrange was
raise any
He says
and
sympathy with his case.
the

of

parts adjacent, or

the command
under
part of the army
the warrant
of both
Essex, etc.,without
of

orders

possiblemanner

any

or

August

in

shall

person

King's

order

Court

laid down

April which

10th

the

that

action

the
was

to

have

treatment

and

officers

latter threatened
doubtless

dictated

Vicars, ibid.,p. 78

'

About
the ISth of this month
:
(December) we received
of divers
for the
knowledge
plots and treacherous
designs of the enemy
and
are
strongholds.' The places enumerated
betraying of several towns
Stafford,
most
Dover
Castle, Abington ('wherein Major-General Brown
bravely befooled
base
of Oxonian
wit and
that furious
spark and glittering glow-worm
treachery
these
about
the
'all
Aylesbury,
Plymouth,
Digby'),
Reading,
same
apostate
and
time'.
For
the
of Abington
case
from
Digby's attempt to seduce Brown
his loyalty, see
side
in Mercurius
Anlieus
vi., 808, and the other
Rushworth,
No
mention
for 30th December
of L'Estrange's case
is made
in
1644, p. 1322.
i

certain

Mercurial

Au/icus.

CAVALIER

EARLY
case

part of the

which

his

the hour

as

retired

his

to

hopes
the

to

death

who

article which

betraya

to

he

threw

he

too

Lords

the

are

his

many

This

Lynn.

on

was

judges when

they

Rupert

final

last

the

on

The

night

same

similar

appeal

day

which

he

of December.

of Essex.

to the Earl

Oxon,

1st

January

1644.

of my

occasion

sendingunto you at this

Mr
Roger L'Estrange,his being
Report of one
London
at
to death
a
charge of havinw
upon
for
the
somewhat
to
Ins
reducing Lynn

Lord,

is the

condemned
undertaken

"

If the

Majesty'sobedience.
treachery as having

been

found

engaged anywise

bloody examples

I should

if not

But

interfere.

not

be

person

be

should

begun

guilty of
on

"

very
this

at

of Lords

of J/""
H.M.C., App. to 6th Kept. Calendar
ii.,80, for L'Estrange's version.
Observator,

your

be

"

any

side,
sorry
season

38c/,39a.

pp.

also
-

The

Hothams

despatch could
then

there

Oxon, 1st January, must

'

any

to

to the enemy
;
who
refer to him

that

"

the

sent

which, dated
for
late 2, but

Prince

My

condemns

town

can

among

to

to

demned
con-

'.

is in brief

at Oxford

answer

come

is

'He

him.

King

addressed

budget

intercession1,he

of his commission.

paper

hear

the

shall

In his

that

states

precedents for his attempt

not

time

letters.

remarkable

letter of

King's party

defence, which

of the

plea,the

8a

pleaded

sentence, he

King.

this article

how

printed copy

honourable

have

the

which

attempts

of the

been

3. His

To

and

the

under

death
understand

2. A

copy
would

certain

accompanying

one

any

received

Roger

Essex

petitionto Essex

ever

that

possiblyalso

"

cannot

ail'air,
by local
himself

condemned

write

to

lay with

now

to

'

in the

the

on

1. A

has

reprisalsand

family,and

the

when

was

prison

former

enclosed

he

17

youth.

Late

His

of

moved

ancient

an

that circumstance

by
"

respect for

and

ties

dread

by a natural
high persons who

in the first

DAYS

no

time

not

for

reach
the

at 9

executed

were

Essex

which

conference

scarcely likelyto act alone

(vi.,808).however, mentions

in

the

the

the

on

till late
known

timely

on

the

must

morning of 2nd January. Rupert's

night of 1st January."There was
taken
have
place, and Essex was

temper
appearance

ot

the
of

Commons.

Rushworth

trumpeter from
B

Oxford.

SIR

18

hath
hitherto
been
quarter which
l. For
his Majesty's part in this unhappy war

observed

fair

that

to

contrary

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

on

particular conclusion

heartily

than

man

no

'

hung
and

December2,

31st

the

life

his

Meanwhile

more

prays

Lordship'sservant,

Your

"

which

of

the

on

here

RUPERT

'.

petitionto the Lords

see
something of

we

of
the

in
the
the
of
Hothams3
case
struggle which
Hill
2nd
on
terminated
fatally at Tower
January and in
at last successful.
was
L'Estrange's case
natural
the more
The
Commons
was
as
were
rigorous,
of
the
31st
the
their
usual
had
and
morning
adopted
on
plan of deferring all private business for ten days.
Upon my Appeal \ says L'Estrange4, the Lords ordered
a
reprieve and that the judge-advocate (Dr Mills) should
bring up my charge to that House ; Mills appeared, but
himself
of time
to the charge of want
excused
to draw
as
be ready in two
it should
But
it up.
days. What
(says
of the Lords) is the gentleman condemned
to die and
one
You
don't intend
his charge not yet drawn
to execute
up ?
?
him
in the interim
My Lord
(says Mills) the warrant

violent

'

'

(says

noble

till further

of both

Houses.

with

and

How

to-morrow.

when

Lord)

this

House

obtained

for 10
the

First

Lords

would

Commons

join

not

no

reprieved
order

an

without
a

him

from

consent

conference

that

not

with

private business should

was
hampered both ways
and secondly the
save
me,

them

; but

reprieved

was

this

the first mention

upon
had
interposed that the House

could

alone

struggle),I

violent

So

days.

do

you

it ; but

the Commons
of my
name,
that morning passed a vote, that

"

has

ado

much

be moved

dare

My Lord (says he) I have

that no reprieveshall be allowed
Hereupon the Lords demanded

order

Commons

the

execution

for his

is out

for

14

however

days

(after a
and

from

Rupert', says Sir Sidney Lee (art. L'Estrange, Diet, of Nat. Biog.)
Essex
informed
that he
templated
conquoting Boyer, Annals, iii.,242, 'is said to have
if
executed
'.
No
doubt
the
in
were
L'Estrange
reprisals
passage
'

Prince

Rupert's letter quoted above

responsible for the rumour.

excused
by his condition, at 27 ' adjudged to
death
the
most
die
Lordships' feet (he) most
ignominious
; prostrating at their
he
be cut off in the prime
that
not
their
Lordships'
humbly implores
mercy
may
Lords' Journals,
of his youth, but live to do God and his country service hereafter'.
vii.,188a.
2

:l

The

There

of the
4

The

terms

elder

had

of

been

Hotham.

the

Petition

trouble
See

was

are

between

the. Houses

over

Oldmixon, i.,270.
Court-Martial (1647), and

See Appeal from the

Appeal was reprintedin Truth

and

Loyalty

the

reprievefor

Humble

Vindicated

Apology

(1662),p.

fourteen

days

to Clarendon.

38.

ROGER

SIR

20

the

On
that
he

he

whole

to die

he

disparagement
the

view

devoted

embittered

that

was

already
being passed

had

taken

was

his

would
as

traitor,and

the

life 1.

long

This

that
whose

to

party

be

to

seem

clearly

was

Clarendon2.

of

What

judgment
spy if not
treated
by

as

leniently

rather

was

modern

deserved

L'ESTRANGE

the

L'Estrange
that

perhaps rightly
he lay in Newgate, the
hint
false '. He
L'Estrange was

and

the

when

even

round

and

Covenant

"

"

'

of the

pay

The

enemy.

Rising brought this to a head, and his subsequent

lent much
circumstance
to
history during the Protectorate
how
the story, but
anybody, except from
malice, could
libel in the four
of his sojourn in
invent
such
a
years
Newgate passes comprehension.
he
Four
its dreariness
lay in Newgate. From
years
the truest
Cavalier
chains
and
to
arose
strain, the Hymn
would
one
on
naturally and
even
Confinement, which
into
admit
collection
of
Cavalier
severe
literarygrounds
any
excite
flames
3.
which
can
loyal
songs
Howell
after
advised
when
the disappointed
Years
with
themselves
Cavaliers to content
a
good conscience ',
that
they had enjoyed that
Roger rather sadly remarked
Kentish

'

'

'

boon

for
So

the

twenty

years.
13th February 1644-5

earlyas
for

Lords

petition

the

on

fatal

of
for

security of

the

stand
with
may
result.
Again

'

affords', and

the

24th

benefits

Julv

of

for

He

had

'

person
1645

better

parole

of

Lords, but

the

sympathetically by

his

irrecoverable

and

desire

of health.

score

'an

and much
him
streightenedin
upon
'
the Lords
for such accommodation
as

indispositionof health
prison '. An order of

symptoms

the

liberty on

prisoner petitioned

our

the

was

'having

only

all

the

consumption ', his

air than
Newgate
the city were
met

the

Commons

were

obdurate.
1

from

escape

England

the

gallows

a
:;

speech
hanged, etc.'.

See p. 21.
A
Hymn

to

in the

viii.

he

had

Confinement

(o
.

which

the

names

Appendix.

of

The

Pa-collections

of

Imprisoned
a

Cavalier

'

is added

i,

Mitford's

'

and

LiteraryLife (1859),p.

All

poem

in

men

i., 270.

deserved

He

man's

any

honest

Oldmixon,

{Ibid.,i.,612)

Sir Roger L'Estrange when

sidijcii Lit /In- fa ma*
Oliver's usurpation, London, printed in the year
also

possiblywas

afterwards.

executed'.

been

of Lords

House

Never

2SL

sec.

deplored

often

so

afterwards

wished

Lucas'

Lord
to bo

bk.

Macray's Clarendon,

See

of all

on

tJie

So
men

same

Newgate in the days of

it bears
1705, price 6V.
Loyalty Confined. See Miss
276.
For its authenticitysee
m

EARLY

Thirty long
sheets

some

Martini

lay

for next

and

the

This

"

the

so-called

Newgate,

with

'

made
Clarendon

L'Estrange

Second

when

more

rebuke
remembered

they

had
'

done

the

cruel

proceeded

not

end

in

he

and

affections

received

had

war

was

the

remark2

cruelly as

as

there

whom

this

the

of

that

no

wise
more

than

they might

that
have

3.

This

rather

correct,

version

tame

it took

as

reaction

to

place

the

in

Royalist

of

Roger'sliberation

the

of

moment

of

the

of

the

side, when

weakness

Government,

Cavalier

plots5,

and

expecting

Presbyterians and
and

very

of

moment

to
permitted almost
monopolise the
apprentices to demonstrate
against
was

cruelly said

till the

old

his

usuage

Eanke

'

privityof his
straightfor the scene
writing long after rather

retained

which

risings

War,

the

'he

ripening

Roger slippedout of
istically
keeper and characterof the greatest danger.

Civil

'was

that

Corbet

things were

of local

Court-

had
have
may
of his captivity,

conditions

kept in prison
then
set
at
liberty as one
and
danger',
mingles with

and

of

finding
printed

ing
contain-

pages,
Sir John

document

"

then

of ten

replies

mollify the

to

and

put togetherand
Appeal from the

tract

"

21

Newgate

An

that is in 1648
year
for that futile series

all round

in

entitled

Parliament1

effect

DAYS

liberation,he

prisoner's protests.

sufficient

names

he

he

Commission

the

to

which
the

to

his

months

for his

movement

no

CAVALIER

of

loyal
Press,

the

the

little

probably

strong popular
were
pens
bands
of

and

It

Government.

vacillation

and

is

dreading
City4,

the

on

part

defection

the

embarrassed

assured

of

their

by
own

policy.
7th

April 1647, E. 385 (21). 'After

thirty months'
patience,at least one
petitions (but for breathing room) not so few letters of thanks
to your
members
(only for saying 'tis hard). After all this and more
I am
told my
is
case
different
from
other
men's.
Am
I then
becalmed
in Newgate
.'
Since
that I
have
awaited
promised hearing and can
now
my
expect no longer, being at this
instant
almost
reduced
to my
first principles by a consumptive, hectic
temper '.
also a (printed) letter
to a member
of Parliament
to
1646, praying him
S. Sh. 669 f. 9 (64).
Roger L'Estrange for release.
present a petition from
'-' Clarendon
would
not remember
hero very kindly as the man
who
stirred
our
his
Restoration
by
writingsall that was
np
embarrassing to the Government, in
i

hundred

the

attitude
;;

of the disappointed Cavaliers.

ffistoryofiheRebellion (1826),vi.,26.
'The
Houses
fear
if the Army
them,

Papt rs,
1

25tb

Ibid,
Kentish

May

'The

against
the

1648.

great

Cavaliers
men.

No.

bug-beanwhich

should

be

away*.

Clarendon

2790.
sent

Plol
thorn

lati i

di covered'.

swarming

into

Hence

Kent,

to

the
the

tion
Proclama-

annoyance

of

SIR

22

The

obvious

simultaneous

revolts

as

popular will.
organised and their
Cavalier

of

make

to

London

altered

had

leaders

leadership

solitaryand
But
though they

bias

when

did

and

the

certainly illloyal interest,

were

suit

to

perforce

they

tumults

represented that and

unorganised outbursts

Clarendon

reasons

the

the

them

helped

minds.

For

of

Kent

in

rising

premature

their

up

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

sort

attempt some
The
story of

to

appear.

Riot

Canterbury

the

leading

up

have
and
been
June
1648
too
May
l
need
historian
to
exhaustively related by the modern
events,
anything here but the barest outline of the main
with
of L'Estrange's eccentric
a
more
particular account
the

to

part in the
And
his

of

events

movement.

conduct

here.
appear
L'Estrange',he says2,'was

'Mr
and

luxuriant, and

very

observed

by

(of Squire

Hales

of all that

large and

the

of

that

company
Tunstall, in

at

been
he

had

need

more

the

of

grandfather's to be heir
certainly nothing would
or

both, and
of

his

him

therefore
when

parts, and

all

the

which

the

might
were

him,
of

almost

Gardiner

his

with
us

his

at

the

arms,

the

have

his
that

father
grandof

instrument

towards

march

should

head

the

led

be

by

Northern
he

might,
London,

Parliament

to

great share

in

King"'.

account

to believe

that

into
in

be

City and

the
he

the

and
us

entered

of
and

willing to

be

that

than

put himself

should

restoring the

Absalom
warns

both

Parliament

the

to be

countrymen

whereby

lead

to

were

kingdom

of

connection

the

than

would

Scots

induce

honour
In

the

body

would

join with

the

carriage had

his

estate

great

King.

grandfather

his

acceptable to

more

him

advised

country, which

; that

with

be

gloriousto him,

more

own

that

to

the

for

favour

King's

house

affections

the

that

Kent)

the

to

came

"

did

wit

good

enterprisingnature.

an

good

of

man

populous country were

tell
Mr
that though
Hales
began to
in his heart
wish
the King well, yet
such
in his conjunction with
the

He

of

account

best

may

fancy

He

portraitureand

first of all Clarendon's

which
that

Hales

and

which

L'Estrange

affair,Professor
L'Estrange-Hales part can

Achitophel
the

follows,and

of

the

Gardiner, History,
xiii.,381-7.
History of Rebellion,vi.,27.

'

to

reading, first

one

is made

mention

though

episodein the full story l. The tendency

was
magnify his share in the adventure

an

that

so

23
'

only have been

of L'Estrange
natural,

DAYS

CAVALIER

EARLY

of

the

description(wherein

his

Earl

Norwich, the whole

of

from
the
collapse with his withdrawal
of Clarendon
scene),and then the not very friendlyaccount
and
which
omits
altogether the Canterbury disturbance
would
the Tale of Kent
Rochester
seem
scarcelymentioned
his rash intrusive
be entirelya tale of L'Estrange and
to
scheme

to

seems

"

action.
On

the later Kentish

hand

the other

pamphlets

teem

so

cernible
unlucky adventurer, that little is diswhich
for the cloud
of suspicion and
contumely
Roger played.
helps also to exaggerate the part which
with

abuse

the

of

"

this

due

when

But

object

of

universal

local leaders.
as

being
In

in

His

first

affair
and
of

penning

body

be

it must

was

confined

that

his

certain

early and
the closest scrutiny

detractions.

declarations

the

his

that

observed

part

earlier

contents,
dis-

him

the

led

vaingloriousrhetoric

in

into

the

of

organising the

to

extreme

was

deserves

that

appear
himself

thrust

did

against many

place

it will

councils

the

in

account

own

singledefence

the

the

execration

position

commanding

is made

deduction

before

to

siderable
con-

any

field.

Roger calls this babel (for it

the riots
not
fined
conproved but a gloriousconfusion)', was
the Christmas
celebrations which
to Canterbury
over
of these
the chief fomentors
offended
the precisians. Whilst
months
disturbances
for over
two
lodged in Maidstone
were
been
to have
an
understanding that no
gaol, there seems
in
take
formal
May,
place. But
prosecutions would
of Oyer and
down
Parliament
sent
a
special Commission
and
Terminer
to Canterbury for the purpose,
special efforts
made
to pack the jury
were
none
pickt but well affected
Nevertheless, the
to Parliament',
says the prolix Carter'2.
with
jury insisted on returning ignoramus, and not content
the
11th
the
help
this, on
May, met together, and with
which
of
the
terms
of others framed
memorable
a
petition,
The

beginning

of

what

'

"

"

'

"

make

it clear

He

Collection
-

is not

even

that

sheriff's choice

the

mentioned

in the

Newsletters of

of

the

well-affected

men

Clarendon

Stale

Papers

(Nos. 2790-2804).

Mathew.

Carter's

Most

Trie

and

Exact

Expedition of Kent, Essex, and

Relation

of

that

as

Colchester,printed in

I
the

as

year

1650.

fortunate
Un-

SIR

21

Parliament

to

either

was

singularlyunanimous
endorsed

with

held

be

at

notice

by the 29th,
It
that

the

the

This

great meeting

of the

the

on

30th

were

petition
shire to

published widely,

was

forwarded

be

to

country

Rochester

to

invited.

after

was,

of masters.

change

of

Blackheath

the

singularlycareless,or

for

which
subscriptions,

and

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

petitionwas

wholly
but

committee-men,

the

explained by

event,

rush

the

of

matter

grievance against

Cavaliers

of

of Kent

men

the

into

appointed
dis-

changed the interest '.

It is now
L'Estrange, fresh from Newgate, enters.
He
made
straight for the village of Tunstall, where he fell
whose
mind
he
the
in with
youthful Squire Hales, over
exercised
was
an
Young as Hales
extraordinary influence.
he had already,with the conhe was
in 1648
nivance
twenty-two
Kentish
of his grandfather,assisted in the abortive
'

area

that

"

"

of

disturbance

1643, and

their share

for

affair both

in that

custody1. The grandfather, although

and
Member
of Parliament
Parliamentary Deputy for Kent,
with such duplicitythat L'Estrange,
behaved
that occasion
on
possibly right in representing
as
reported by Clarendon, was
committed

were

the

to

his

to

that

youth

old

would

man

intervention

successful

effecting

the

to

now,

be

glad as

as

the

secure

of

not

by

estate

Restoration.

Roger's action, beginning at Tunstall as a base of operations,

the
between
limited
the
to
Parliamentary
was
fortnight
the
the
order of
16th May to
deputy-lieutenant'sto suppress
when
Fairfax
the
the
Petition, and
night of 1st June
occupied Maidstone.
he arrived
Kent
When
was
seething with discontent,
that
the
order requiring the
of Parliament
the message
suppression of the Petition should be read in all churches
to a
crisis; but especiallyin the
having brought matters
country parts merely formless, though vehement, agitationwas
of the

gentleman
He

rebellion.

Hales
1

22nd

2,who

to

Hasted, Historyof

Kent
chosen

or

before

is not

there

Esquire
Longtailes and

was

was

Hales
Essex

some

clear.

at

Tunstall, the

Kent, Roger

aided

was

seems

Hales

Manor

of East

Whether

appearance
upon

the

From

observable.

by

have

the

generalissimo

contest,

win

was
i

generous

organise
of

his manage-

04.
iii.,

meeting
rivalry for

at the

some

should

to

enthusiasm

entirelyunder

been

(1782),ii.,577
There

set himself

rendezvous

lie

goneral

...

at Rochester
the

on

'At

the
first

post.
they pitched

at last

to pluck)'. See
good feathers
(a bird that hath
1648
(Bodleian, Wood, 502, 23).
Calves, 14th June

Kentish

ment, and
the

DAYS

CAVALIER

EARLY

Clarendon,

devoted, says

25

much

as

"80,000

as

to

cause.

irony, little to that

the people prone
to
much
talk of a petition,and
purpose,
of those
inclinations
(for
promote it,but as to the conduct
much
No
of
could
seek.
I
to
discover)
quality
ought
person
it. No correspondence to strengthen it,nor
to avow
(as yet)
of
the
it ; and
for
agreed upon
any commissioners
manage
than
this disorder the deputy-lieutenants understood
more
enough, who fell in immediately with their troops to suppress
and
of violence
it and
bold and
that with
public menaces
were
they far from
severity against the Petitioners, nor
eminent
of them.
seizing the most
but
with
in discourse
a
Opposition they met
none,
1

1 found

Roger 1,with

',says

broad

'

'

universal

execration

redeem

their liberties

another

medium

strike

This

expectation.
invited

into

me

In

other

show

we

strike

to

the

and

'

to

But

for asking.

on

of your

state

should

who

mutual

when
affairs,

you

2.

to

infer

first

blow.

are

resolve

great question and

engagement

words,

L'Estranye

the

was

an

be had

thought

the

was

and

slaves

ever

be

to

now

was

for

if they might

first blow

the

be

to

that

the

choice

on

authorities

other

But

fell

pupil to
take an
open hand, and that the credit of effective persuasion
due to the Earl
'acted heroic gallantry
of Thanet, who
was
and
Holfield
and
at Ashford,
Charing, secured 1,000 men
far
of the Rising to Squire Hales, who
giving an account
he
when
more
gallantly proceeded than he began, so now
had
made
fair and
a
hopeful beginning and had assured
from
his purse, made
a
slovenly exit
very large assistance
he

that

from

the

not

was

of honour,

scene

hanging of apostatism.
for

by

by

his

Earl

lied
'

to

to

them

t'artsr's

the

'he would

that

that

much

bevond
he

when

the

sought

was

of

his

peer

the

E.

of

'

in
not

the
cross

menaces

referred
Sir

by
Anthony
to

statement

of

the

of Rochester

street

(vi.,28-9)give?;a specimen of his oratory" 'Mr

his own,
and
stylo very much
being not very
over
prevailed

more

True

'

public

to

Kent.

In

in

understood] the
"

himself

counsel

is discovered

Ibid.,Clarendon

spoke

take

of

nature

Vindication

so

obscures

his

:;.

L'Estrange

In

persuade

incited
he had
neighbouring gentlemen, whom
forwardness, and invited by persuations, the noble

Pembroke

Weldon

and

first to

his

was

The

the

even

ana

Exact

them'.

Relation.

Seep.

81.

r/Kstrange
clear

to

lie

26

SIR

save

soul

one

of

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

that

the Petition',and

subscribed

the

proposal

of the
gentle
hang
petitionersin every parish1.
been
The signal of revolt seems
to have
given generally
that
the
It
that
21st.
on
so
on
happened
day the Kentish
committee-men
were
sittingat Sittingbourne,two miles from
Tunstall
2. Roger and
his merry
on
men
swooped down
and took the place. Here his lenient treatment
of one
them
of the captured committee-men
first gave rise to the murmurs
that 'L'Estrange was
some
false,'and lost his little company
six or seven
At
the same
time he penned the first of
men.
afterwards
series of rhetorical declarations,which
a
brought
alderman

him

much
A

detraction

move

and

numbered

now

would

look

amateur

which

as

the

answer

previous day

the

Petition

Blackheath,
One

the

and

the

south

Sandwich,

to

where

the

deliveringinvitations
diversion
feature

The
20th

from

invitations

the

Their

Previous

30th

by

to

sea-board,

rising.
of

the

for

assigned

Cols.

They

hundred
:i

horse.

Vindication
Freeholders

and
4

Clarendon

and

como

of

local
in

rendezvous

at

their

tasks4.

and

body

mutinous

Halton

made

for

that

part of these

sailors resulted
the most

proved
bands

Exact

Relation,and

from

Maidstone,

Clarendon
under

Sir

in

the

on

well-timed
the
for

State Papers, No.

Michael

in

dangerous

Rochester

to
"

True

had

strict

apostasy of Capt. Keeme

their

Carter's

mentioned

Hamond

another

and

the

great meeting

on

under

fortunate

return

they

violent

proceedings of

day already

leaders

Dover

the

to

the

"

local

of the

that

'

answer

effected
was
object having been
to hearten
the rebels especiallyin their hold on
of the Medway,
which
L'Estrange'saction had
seriouslythreatened.
"

to

Faversham

to

Rochester, where

at

"

on

large contingent

marched

foot.

rather

finally fixed

was

"

and

of their

third

interpreted by
leadership and co-operation on

22nd

the
entered

was
engagement
gentry, at which

of

the

due

was

"

day

when

23rd

wrecked.

rising was

their

the

was

repudiation of

the

But

themselves'

to

horse

400

despatched
join with them.

Canterbury to

two

on

second

had

Roger

to

Maidstone

on

after the

defection

move

Rochester

3.

made

was

despite the
they
men,
this

of

Livesey,

valley
a

time

2790.
with

one

Ibid.
to

of

Kent.

the

The

Declaration

Count)/ of Kent.

State Papers, 29th

and

Resolution of the Knights, Gentry,

(Wood, 502 (13)).

May 1648, No. 2791.

28

ROGER

SIR

minds

the

of

uncertain

seduced

being

already heard
that

Be

the

on

all sides K
the

that

cry

came

after

just

up

Parliament

were

false

was

reinforcement

of

complaints

L'Estrange

and

encouragement,

which

Rochester

gentry against the

it may,

as

whose

countrymen,

by

tenfold

received

L'ESTRANGE

the

from

agreement

was

for

the discovery
But
repudiating its terms.
still stronger
that the enemy
now
was
posted in Maidstone
hundred
for prudence, and
made
in the event
by one
men,
L'Estrange was justified. For the country rose rapidly,and
on
were
occupied
Friday, 26th May, Deptford and Dartford
the day the truce
for the King, and
on
expired six ships

signed,was

in

the
some

gave

vult

quos

declared

for

recruits,and

East

Downs

Jupiter,hos

the

of

influx

huge

Sandwich3.

couched
with

the

The

in

so

the

fatal

from

epistolary
while

and

27th,

addressed

he

movement,

committee

of

news

Halton

Roger's
the

the

Derby House,
die
grandiloquent language of the
'

hands

our

'.The

the

and

On

eleventh

at

'

of

frothy murmur
sceptical correspondent
1

that

to the

Fairfax

before

day

perdere

neutralised

partly by

Hammond

in

man

most

swords

But

till the

countrymen,

here

declaration

in

our

of

was

great

petition or

leader

again requisitioned.

still

was

the

of

return

It

facilitywas
he

of

insurgents,caused

triumphant

of all.

most

demented.

distrust

and

Rochester

interest.

same

Kent

counsels, the lack

Divided

hour2,

the

had

type 4.

started

Heath,

for Hounslow

'

giddy multitude
29th
May.
early as
the

is the

Clan

description

ndon

State

by

used

Papers,

No.

2792.
2

There

was

no

invaded

was

lack
of military talent, for, on
the news
added
embarrassment.
Loyalist captains an

yet

many
notice
of

of

'

pamphlet,

Lords

Most

Kentish

The

of

art

war

arrived

were

into

expecting to be courted
back
again whence
they

them

returned

2796.

of

the

say

the

Kentish

the

into

the

men

Fayre?"

are

small

no

business

very

well

p. 740).
Sir Robert

State

officered

'"What

'though
numbers,

being

not

Clarendon

came'.

Fayre (Bodleian,Malone,

in

country

Rising,Kent
For,

"

of skill in the

persons

No.

by

'.
men

taken

/'-',
See

the

of note

have
"Sir, we
Tracey, Sir Gemaliel
Sir
.J
Sir Wm.
Hales,
as.
Godfrey,
Dudley,
Many, Sir
Col.
John
Hardresse, Col. Washington,
L'Estrange, Col.
Dorrell, Sir Richard
The
Kentish
'were
men
annoyed at having any
Hacker, Col. Culpepper"'.
which
been
small
hath
no
amongst them
strangers to come
prejudice in their
Clarendon
State
5th
affairs'.
No.
2801.
June,
Papers,
have

at

now

ye

Sir John

Calendar

"*

Quoted

Clarendon
were

them

remember

Sir

Many,

of Clarendon
in

the

there
the

to
was

know
no

Trios.

State

Declaration
that

(vi.,38) says

puzzled
'

the

who
such

prominence

Papers,i., 424.
of

when
he

was,

the

Several

Parliament
and

that

etc.
Proceedings,
saw

the

(p. 27 note).
L'Estrange's warrants, they

members
'

for

Kent

a singular thing
gentleman in that county
his late appeal, etc.
given to his trial,
"

assured
when

we

CAVALIER

EARLY

29

Petitioners

referred the

Commons

the

and

DAYS
to

the

General

l.

midnight of the 29th,

Essex
still planning with
when
the delegates from
were
This
action 2.
leaders for a concerted
the Kochester
grain
turned
the
balance
had
'.
of paper ',says an eye-witness,
quite
ordered
Dartford
to retire
The
of Deptford and
were
men
communication

This

received

was

at

'

'

L'Estrange, who

Eochester.

on

doubtless

was

midnight council, either on his own

more
probably at their invitation as in
penned a letter to Fairfax breathing the
which
exasperated the fury and revenge

at

present

or
responsibility,
the other
petition,
warlike
same
spirit

this

the

of

'

army
upon
could complain
who
the county '. The truth is that the men,
of the wavering type noted
of these defiant letters,were
by

Barkstead
'

The

still continue

enemy
be

to

this

communication

his

in

10,000

day to Fairfax.
selves
They give them-

same

Dartford.

at

strong, but the

that
countrymen

lessen

countrymen

do
home
These
are
come
day.
extremely cry out against the gentlemen that did engage
is
themselves
as
utterly undone, which
them, looking upon
the only cause
to keep
of their coming clown, hoping thus
every

their

necks

Another

House

of

set

he

day

same

he

halter'3.

of the

out

penned

ill-timed,but
the

hating

Kent,
to

13th

revolters.

fact

June

'

Letter

Lord-General's

invitation

not

was

Presbyterians,though
Independents, dared not trust
the merchants

State

Clarendon

and

their

open

the

that

of the

Their

throw

to

The

Derby

at

people of London,

to the

Mayor,

Loyalists,while

to the

Vi,n/

Th*

the

for

domination

themselves

2S00, 3rd

for the

declare

Lord

the

committee

the

to

hot address

very

invitingthem, through
gates and

letter

the

wrote

the

On

enraged L'Estrange.

recreants

answer

in Answer

Papers, 29th May,

receive

they should

was

to

tht

and

Message of

the

bankers

Nos.

it from

2791

and

Fairfax

Kentishmen,

'.

dated

1648.
for irresolution,but all belaboured
the
the gentlemen of Kent
the
wretched
A
See
the
Halesiadot,
Message
from
poem,
countrymen.
poor
Fores
of the Kentish
(Wood, 502 (44)). The hero (Hales)
Norman*
to tht General
30th

Blaekheath,
3

Some

May

blamed

speaks after
flight:"

the

loss

'

'Tis true

By
Who

Lest

See Gardiner's

the

Maidstone, and

of

the

we

would

by

have

remissness

their

lost
of

long

no

absence

History,xiii., 385.

two

poet

of

our

unnianaged
time

Martial

they should

is

apparently

not

towns
clowns
order

lose

keep
sheep '.

aware

of

his

The

conservative

of

of

dread

like

had

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

30

dislocation

the

of

forces

In

earned

and

trade

were

commerce

Commonwealth.

the

of

now

side

the

on

resistingour

credit1.

pamphleteer's

hatred.
life-long

The reprobate
a
eloquence,London
and
spiritof that apostate city gusts nothing but murther
of
rebellion'.
Thirty years later part of the indictment
L'Estrange before Charles's Council, which forced him into
similar attack on the City for new
a
exile,was
causes, which
old.

still the

were

replywas

Fairfax's
condition

'

treat

'

He

'

indeed

as

L'Estrangewho

of

tribute

the

was

soldier's letter.

fight than

to

'

in

was

he

better

is better at it ',

fought,but always

never

treated.
the day
Tuesday the 30th
second
a
meeting was
assembly
On

held

"

400

the

yet
elements, they had
in the
resulted
occupation
of the
treason
ships in the
coast.

Now

realitythe

Fates

the

on

But

in

It

is true
thus

and

they

general.

Norwich

But

knight, Holland,
The

country.

while

the

his

owed

to

Fairfax

way

Heath.

the

one

carpet-

commission.

large

at

the

resume

was

under

in

the

council

outflankingthem

of

by

Maidstone.

Meopham, Mailing,
returned
the
officers who
to Rochester
Among
L'Estrange's pupil in arms,
night of the 30th was
of

of the

the

than

quartered

and

day
dashed
by

swept

seizure

first time

little better

was

and

strongly against them.

were
beyond dispute,

the

returned

leaders

Rochester,

at

war

for

he

crowded

men

more

was

night

rain

courage

and

credentials

whom

to

that

army
The

Downs

united

were

Aylesford

dispositionswhich
valley, the
Medway

the

10,000

Norwich's

Lord

of

were

Heath,

the

made

the

forts

and

With

attended.

had

men

wind

Blackheath

Burham

at

between

Medway,

former

the

On

Rochester.
some

of

side

left

the

on

for the

fixed

"

the

on

Hales.

stay, however, but, regarding the rebellion as

consummated, held himself released from the oath he

did

He
now
1

The

Houses

not

attitude
of

of

London

Independents,

it

was

dubious.

the

and

Parliament,

Tower

confidently said

was

that

/'apers, No.

Whilst
was

the

the trainbands
guarded
reluctantly relinquished by

citizen

soldiers

would

not

the
the

march

declare
2791), and, on the other hand, would
for
victory (Jbid., 1st June, No. 2797). On
insurgents
their
the
to release
31st May
City petitioned Parliament
imprisoned aldermen
recall Fairfax
and
(Ibid.) The scepticalwriter of the Newsletter (Ibid.,No. 2792)
in London
because yesterday the Kentish
retreated
talks of ' great exultation
men
London
from
prentices were
Many
engaged (Ibid.,No. 2801).
Deptford'.
Altogether ' how the City stands affected in this conjuncture will require some
on

.^/ii/

Kent(Clarendon
the

logique to

on

tell you

'

news

"

of

(Ibid.).

their

first

L'Estrange and

when

taken

had

the

21st,
organised !.

of

morning
was

time

this

enemy,

to

the

"

his

Heath
the

on

town

Surely
the

All

on

when

accounts

be audited

would

arrears

Fairfax

and

Norwich

King's Lynn.
the historic ground

leader

never

their

of

Penenden
his

made

attack

June.

1st

on

last

one

of

game

Maidstone,

beyond

ment
move-

"

an

posted

were

men

till the

'

old

the eventful

on

home

indite

to

promising that

enemy's army
and
paid'

set out

epistle to
the troops under
Fairfax
surely
hinted
It was
to me
by divers
Invitation
and
Proposition to the

to

reprehensiblecourse
write something of

he

return

to

remained

Roger, however,
the

not

31

DAYS

CAVALIER

EARLY

behaved

go

more

the

most

that

show

to

with

pusillanimity.
he

did

to

was

and Rochester
2.
hovering betwixt Maidstone
into the
almost
L'Estrange by this time had subsided
positionof a privatevolunteer, and deferringto the 'jealously
he
of strangers' wisely relinquishedany
general command
the
On
had
1st
have
during the previous week3.
may
the enemy

watch

he

June,

shrunk

had

with
army.

got with
committee

'

to

this time

By

reasonably
he

that

not

was

lenient

more

The

'the

to

family.

At

Canterbury

might

man

storms

equal

to the

of

He

he

stone)
(to Maidreturned
Mr

see

there

in

Hales

to

and
pass

vain

go to
returned

which

it 4.

his

without

defection, perhaps,

grandfather,
True

implored the

the fate of Kent

charge '. Carter's

to

'

for

his

command

resolved

desired

read

of

to

him

saw

ascribed

threats'

We

over

lost.

was

(History,vi, 41)

Clarendon

rode

his

'

his

thither

went

'. Here
difficulty
give another push

some

how

"

entrenched.

enemy

Maidstone

him

Sandwich
the

the

us

myself)

deliberate.

to

told

chief

'

of

or

(in

found

Rochester

to

'

"

but

and

'7

says,

and

Relation

'the

more

conscience

(seep. 25)

takes

the

contested

far

into

view.

affair

started

late

in the

afternoon

of

Friday

and

was

See
wet.
to be
Kentish Longtailesand
happened
t
very
I.
T.
letter
the
and
(E.
signed
-145,42).
According to the Newsletter,
Calves,
six to eight
lost from
Statt Papers, 5th June, Fairfax
No. 2801, Clarendon
the town
and
hundred
was
In the
gained by the treachery of the citizens.
men,

night,

the

which

'

action

it
the

was

auxiliaries

fight

observed

was

Gardiner's

crossing at
by H. E.

that
served

the

inhabitants

well,

and

were

the

favourable

Kentishmen

to

the

Parliament

but

slackly '. The

(1885), ii., 146).
(Memoirs of Col. Hutchinson,
bloody, however.
is somewhat
excellent
marred
account
by ignorance of Fairfax's
miles
See art.
from
Maidstone).
Farleigh Bridge (two and a quarter
Maiden
ment,
acknowledgeRev., vii.,533) with Gardiner's
(Eng. 11 a.
very

p. 536.
3

knew
*

Vindication to Kent.
Clarendon, vi.,38, 41 : 'Mr L'Estrange,whom
', ' Mr L'Estrange, who had lost his credit with the people '.
Ibid.

nobody

32

SIR

oracle.

an

and

Thus
is

repaired again

amidst

escaped

ended

the

there

little

is

still

doubt

qui pent2

sauve

source

the

on

twelve

the

be

it

is

the
of

night

to

obstructed

night

was

deserted
One

that

before

to

countrymen
flight.
When

with

remembered
his

all

far

goes

beyond

3.

the

returning

the

ing
succeed-

in

about

his

raising
of

lingered

in

inciting

epistles

10,000

letter,

any

the

foremost

rhetoric,
of

broken.

way

defiant
and

violence

any

L'Estrange,

almost

was

which

foremost

the

night

bragging

been

Roger

the

of

the

view

the

was

after

Maidstone
The

menaces

that

of

Col.

purse

'

settled4
their

answer

towards

army
he
as

was

intention

in

one

with

his

misfortune

had

so

From

say.
home

"

the

anticipating

to

For

Heath

L'Estrange

recruit

the

main

revolt,

Penenden

went
to

'.

Although
Roger
blaming Norwich,

for

difficult

first,and

that

Kent

blamed

boat,

Calais

Whether

Hales

the

deny

cannot

at

return.

Fairfax

Kent

conduct

the

marching down
Fairley Bridge easily got over
in

of

30th

their

writers

with
'

hired

reach

Kent

latter

the

days' campaign,
But
that
day.

next

Lord

is

that

his

and

followers.

not,

or

learn

we

Archer

his
"

of

other

that

Hales

more

tale

than

utterly disheartened
and

of shot

famous

and

Sandwich,

to

shower

scrupulous

more

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

in

were

but

after

in

itself

seems

good

one5.

now
2

to

Clarendon
become
'

By

Kent,
3

silent

think

dispersed

State
Kentish

his

of
to

15th
Carter's

their
June
True

Papers,
men,

and

their

sudden

No.
fire

2804, 8th

counsel

particular
safety,
several
refuges and
1648.
(Wood,
502).
and

Exact

of

and

'

June

is vanished

into

their
in

sanctuaries

"Sir,

Smoak

the
"

breasts,

own

less
'.

of

men

Kent

are

'.
every
hours

than

24

Letter

from

man

began
became

gentleman

of

Relation.

20th
June
'All
is subdued
in Kent'.
:
Clarendon, i., 428.
4 Macray's
It was
rather
after
than
before
the
the
violent
to prove
attempted
event, that
5
'
the
interest
without
from
the
Royalists had
a
war
changed
plain committee
least
in the
Stuart
to a move
premeditated
design against Parliament',
game.
censured
to
L'Estrange's epistles, especially that
as
Fairfax, were
committing
the
redress
rebellion
when
of
to
all they desired.
a
was
petitioners
grievances
concluded
of a high letter
to be written
to His
Many
Excellency (The L'Estrange
others
did
their
of as
not
not
Epistle), which
suiting with
distracted,
approve
confused
condition
and
of
cutting oil' all overtures
pacification and
treaty.
Others
liked
the
declared
not
into
'. In
these
war
a
peremptory
engagement
the
of L'Estrange.
reflections
be found
origin of the maledictions
may
'

II

CHAPTER

1648-60

the

With

false

how

safe

a
'

of

and

newsletters,
false
'

the

and

business
the

cast

of

the

the

his

London

the

Scots

faction

was

and

speech
being,

It

was

in

first

at

it

crossed

Kent

the

as

had
before

for

advance.

Jermyn
favourable

by

inflammatory

into

critical

him

and

more

revolt

the

by

Lord

the
a

was

Holland

signal

take

stage

premature
and

carried

the

of

generalissimo

"

the

of

regard

to

the

the

the

at

in

having

who

'

interloper

to

to

2,

says

readiness,

opposed

reported

'

Ye
That

L'Estrange,

Hu

alone

not

was

alluded

that

circumstances

these

Wordsworth

already

of

leaders.

local

poem

letters,

revilings

before

of

helped

was

as

the

contumely

miscarriage

hand

given

Cavalier,

from

', he

inclined

had

likely

rash

with

from
at

brought

services

state

bitterly

withdrew
"

in

manifesto

him

with

his

their

forced

scarce

but

main

was

Hamilton

the

of

view

which

though

of

meddlesome

and

Cavaliers

Clarendon

vanguard

party

him

had

under

disgust

stuffed

the

found
me'.

Queen

who

man

back

looked

post

the

of

of

curious

'.

upon

taken

view

court

then

sheets

dissolution

the

is

little

no

scarcely

printed

L'Estran"je

Upon
sea

for

him,

to

it

saw

we

as

proved

It

'.

Kent1
"

with

retreat

Liberty

reproach

'the

Roger

"

continental

'

unconquered

'

stick

names

Vanguard

and

of

conquest

PASSAGES

INTERREGNUM

AND

PROTECTORATE

to,

Hah

for

an

riados,
Impreze

Kentishmen

Apology,

celebrating

in

June

the

on

were

epic
your
never

of

Roger

betook
Kent.

'unconquered'
the

Kentish

parcels
beaten

himself
"e

atiair.

set

yet'.

1660

33

the

SIR

34
to

second

calculated

which

silence

similar

under

This

party

sort

of

composition

Had

he

of the

eve

had

fortunes

observed

Restoration
stood

perhaps

its

ambitious

Magna

motto

est

for the
already partly used
Rising. In the preface he complains, I have
the patient subject of your (Kent's) injurious

have

'

6 months

clamours

the

his

know,

we

whole.

as

last

genius than

as

cause.

on

provocation, his

of the

account

been

him

his

far

so

the

Royalist

pamphlet with
et prozvalebit,
we

Veritas

suited

is,

and

became

his

with

higher

kind
the

help

to

better

Kent

to

this

in

effort

L'ESTRANGE

much

Vindication

The

the

which

weapon
sword.

the

ROGER

and

eternities

had

the

been

to

same

would

me,

intemperance within
your
find
but
to
circle,
name
brought upon a foreign
proper
my
infamy transplanted, pacquets stuffed with your
stage, my
invectives
and
to
scandals, and letters despatched express
immortal
malice
that ignoble public. Your
too
to these
be pardoned if I render a sane
indignitieslet me
accompt.
have

but

you

bounded

your

...

know

hate

you

ingratitude,
The
charges
as

viz., his

me

the

the

as

of

reproach

he

had

defection

your
have

rebut

to

after

of

living monument

your

'.

inconstancy
been
already noticed,

Maidstone

and

his

invective

manifestoes.
The

Vindication

object, and

above

whom

with

and

Flanders.
of

He

and

letter

exile

of
the

all

excellent

house

and

if

"

he

presented

phrase employed
keep alive the
loyal flames

"

'

'

to

single

tedious

years
hearts
of

the

in

exiles'-.
to the

As

from

was

fact

compelled

from

his

of

general effect

the

clear

conduct

that
time

of the

in the

whilst
to

It
1

'

Under

Preface
2

to

time

to

whose

roof

is

more

have

but

you

hear

of

our

impossible and

master's

he

to
Hyde
change

will

as

so

Mr
of

it

benefits

many

L'Estrange
religion,you
for

the

Continent

many,

readily die

defence

occasional

for

the

on

the

to

return

received

formerly

(1662), pt. i.
Papers, ii.,212.

State

reports

nothing

that

clear, however,

so

sufficiently
forty years he

next

at

Memento

Clarendon

whatever

that

is not

it is

Vindication

King's Lynn, Kent,

references, drops out altogether.

'

from

judge
during the
can

we

to

in
copy
inmate

welcome

its

Chancellor,

the

been

have

to

now
l

satisfied

results

achieved

have

to

seems

have

to

seems

Clarendon's

Kent

to

as

in

'.

Germany,

must

be

his father

sure

did '.

SIR

36

unpopular

not

Cavaliers

the

of

Cromwell

policy,and

even,

the

restoration

of

Charles

Loyalist

a
many
Oblivion1

them

Act,

the

at

Act

left

would

which,

He

the

of

the

even

still

for

Act

of

protected
permitted.

Council

doubtful

it

however,

only helped

not

pale

more

of

many
whether

State,
tressed
dis-

their

be

the
imperilled, and
only
and
claim
in
the
of
terms
a
pardon
time
to the
submitting themselves

return

to

was

the

in

"

unfavourable

not

England

to

favour

to

the

then

road

The

estates

or

course

within

and

first

Cavalier.
persons

monarchy
be king.

not

established

the

became

the

known

hinted, was

was

climb

to

Cromwell

see

well

desire) but
(passed at his own
that
the
Act
spoliationwhich

from

To

hated

it

should

Stuart

especially grateful to the

exactions
of that assembly

was

was

lenient
to

L'ESTRANGE

It

act.

because

because

aud

ROGER

same

Commonwealth.
The

the

of

terms

kept by

Parliament

reduced

the

and

Act

the

bad

faith

despite the protests

almost

matter

to

of

surrender

which

had

been

the

officers,
army
at discretion.
The

of Lilburne
with
the irritation,
acquittal however
the Council,
which
the necessityfor a public trial had caused
rendered
it very plain that, except in abnormal
cases, a mild
To
'widen
the
of
basis
the
treatment
was
probable.
Commonwealth
policy,it is not surprising
being Cromwell's
and

trial

'

London

that

became

more

once

had

Englishman who
many
and
Preston.
Colchester
We

wending

his

belonged
In

parallel)an

than

not

Roger

(in

been

made

all
to

days

of

L'Estrange

He

had

for
of

category

case

This

Act

excepted
for

words

occurred

to have

seem

still under

1652

had

find

the

ever
how-

his

case

exceptional

other

respects

destroy

him

on

no

an

conviction2.
It does

was

the

to

Lilburne's

attempt

to

for

covert

it since

seen

August 1653.
he
supposed,

in
than

fear

to

undoubtedly
malignancy.
old

back

way

more

then

surprised

not

are

not

excellent

an

of

sentence

death

to

for

L'Estrange that he
the
Lynn affair,a

September 1651 and

passed on the 24th February
of High Treasons
pardon 'all and all manner
(other
all levyiugs of war,
and
all
rebellions, insurrections
only) and
since the 30th
Jan.
1648-9'.
confederacies
Scobel, Acts and

introduced
out

3rd

of its free

conspiracies and
Ordinances, p. 180.
2
Lilburne
Gardiner, xi., 244.
and
the Council, but was
Cromwell
home.
before
Roger ventured
.

returned

committed

to

England
to

3rd

Newgate

May

15th

1653, petitioned

May,

three

weeks

in

sentence

therefore

on

informed

benefits

the

mind

of

can

the

case

the

hands

him

PASSAGES

that

of Oblivion.

Act

Council

the

to

he

37

his

of

excluded

was

When

arrival,

from

the

change of
had
intention of pretendthe hero of Kent
no
ing,
wrathful
understand
rejoinder that in
Roger's
into
Act was
a mere
decoy to tempt Cavaliers

which

we

that

by the

cancelled
way
his notification

no

Strickland

'

INTERREGNUM

AND

PROTECTORATE

of

Act, and

hinted

The

Parliament

at

necessary

the

to

summons

the first of

September proved only

'

Council

on

attendance

prolonged
surveillance
and
which
was
peculiarly annoying at a time
of Hunstanton
when
the old Knight
lay on his deathbed.
took
the way
In this exigence Roger
Cromwell
to
who,
him
after various
disappointments, at last received
kindly
this occasion
able to do more
at the Cockpit and
was
on
for him
than
at
Cambridge ten years before 2. L'Estrange
find by an
books
of the
31st
we
entry in the Council
7th

October,
Council

and

The

occasion

in another

his

of

mercy
when

Col.

him
urge
the House

life to

exposed
by

personal

to

on), and

Master

than

more

For

scene.

the

Civil

the

worst

Sir

the
the

though

Wars,

Hamon's

of

last

left

had

they

exactions

which

the

years
the

him

at

changed days now

Toll (with his injured wife
Percivall, were
set up by order

sequestrate his

to

even

process
enemies.
It

Master

Walton,

the
upon
to Norfolk

down

go

had

such

no

embittered

been

to

tax-collector, and

Parliamentary
had

have

to

been

way

attendance

blessing.

lost

had

further

enabled

must

natural

melancholy
L'Estranges

his

thus

was

his father's

receive

to

'dismissed

was
'

was

for

estate

damage

to

of

committed

We
have
the
Parliamentary canon.
already noted
indiscretion
Toll
of entertaining
reported by the watchful
the escaped Royalist prisoners in 1648, for which
he paid

by

This

is characteristic
of both men.
scene
angry
'
the better
to dispose him
to go to Strickland
Whether
Roger used the
Secretary'sdemur.

about

surly
safe

the

among

exceeding
with

the

Act

Cromwell

that

rigour

and

Turks

upon
when
he

is also
was

Loyalty

not

the
talked

same

of

'

terms,'
change

characteristic.

at

all his

inclination

'

He
"

or

The

my
words

me

(but) that

The

putting himself

'

might
that

have
the

restlessness

he

hut

one

of
man

and

the

been
other

conversation

of the
was

'

convenience

not, it is clear

of mind.'

told

Cavalier

to

as
was

reported
our

party,
'. Trulh

Vindicated.

prisoner on his way to the Guildhall

Court-Martial, Ibid.,p. 10.
:;
He
when
he shall be summoned
givincrin ""2,000 security to appear
and
to
act nothing prejudicial to the Commonwealth
the usual
formula
for taking which
the Court
its adherents.
I never
took any
of their Protestations
scarcely blamed
Covenants, Oaths, or Engagements '. Qbteroator (1684), ii.,No. 80.
-

As

his

'

'

'

SIR

38

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

for these civil wounds

balm
dearly\ If he found some
trouncing the pious Thoroughgood's Jcivs in Americashall

him

grudge

To

such

the

in
who

pleasure?

darkened

house

L'Estrange
own
exactly ten years
Lynn, since
attempt on
when
he had not
his family. As he passed along the
seen
old road
have
bitter thoughts must
by Cambridge, many
a

after

crowded

his

on

Norfolk

the

levies

for the

Edgehill.

at

chief

of

gloom

turned

he

Cambridge,

Turning

aside
visit

visit

to

have

old

the

join

to

under

presence

the

of

Rupert
the

held

precinctsat

by the silence and

discipline,the interminable
startled

been
new

from

which

to

possiblereverie

such
he

blind 4, we

not

was

material

the

to

find

that

father's estate, despite all the drains of

confession (of forty years
by his own
years, must
of his

Roger'sshare
the

graduate
under-

with

of all liberal warmth3.

lack

side of the

have

place, the

the

prayers,

aside

must

the

his

Newark,

must
Lynn and Kent
depressing recollections.

these

had

he

started

Sidney Sussex, the muster

Bishops' War, his riding out

at

But

in

place

If

at

standard

King's

which

mind, memories

dissension

Roger

came

his

last ten

of King's Lynn, (ff.M.C.App. vii. to 11th Rept. p. 103.) See also p. 10,
chap.
catalogue of Lords, Knights, etc.,who have compounded for their
estate 1655 (Wood
455) we find
J

MSS.
i.

In the

Hamon

is the

here

L'Estrange

second

....

Sir

of

son

to

10

32

the

Hamon,

the

of

Hamon

Col.

Leoman's

understand

Hamon

The

here.

Castlerising 1660) is also

It is difficult

Papers.

State

Clarendon

for

100

of

(returned M.P.

Paston

"105

Ely for

Arlesham, Norfolk
Paston, Thorp, Norfolk

Leoman

Clement
Sir Robert

Isle of

L'Estrange,Upwell,

Thos.

in

appearance

list.

the
2

See. his Americans

At

Vicars

the
say

'

Heretofore"

Parliament

where

is

enemies

malignant
the

time

same

refers

the

clearing
lengthy vogue.

1645"
who

haters

nnd

that

University
See Z. Grey's

son.

brave

the

does

of

the

thereof

falselygive out as if
of learning and parts,
by a most
necessary

its old

state, etc.'.

and

dismemberers
from

to his

prelaticalslander

old

maliciously

advancement

the

at
of

to

confuted
be

would

aimed

ever

and

Reformation

he

already

or

were

they

as

Jews, London, 1652" often attributed

better
disciplined. What
probably much
,"o

But

the

Hudibras, 1744 edition.

to the Rye House
out
of the bribes thrown
The
one
riflingof the Universities was
a
Conspirators. L'Estrange has, himself (Reformation Reformed, pp. 28-32) drawn
been
which
has
rather
the
of
with
seats
their
black
of
learning
dealings
picture
most
he
affirms that 'they made
overlooked.
Quoting Querela Cantabrigiensis
common
beer
and ale being sold as from
colleges public tippling houses, strong'
'

slander

'

had

Apology,
dying father'
*

Nicholas
in money.

has

Wood

alehouses'.

got

'

the

He

the

concerned

can

only

main
had

no

mean

to

story for Oxford.

same

It

notes

me

both
the

estates, Hamon

aptitude to

in
poor

point

of

Cavalier

comfort
was

and

interest

looking

got Upwell in Ely, and

play the country squire.

to

his

to

see

my

portion.

Roger'3 portion

was

PROTECTORATE

AND

later) have
in

the

INTERREGNUM

considerable.

been

PASSAGES

For

it he

by

39
enabled

was

six

to live
remaining years of the Commonwealth
scale
before
than
after.
Hence
a
on
ever
or
grander
a
of
slanders
which
the
are
sufficientlyreferred to by
crop
nicknames
Oliver's fiddler or pensioner, and
Madam
B.'s
baseviol
'.
(Boltinglasse's)
The origin of the former
of his
title was
the occasion
in connection
with
his
repeated attempts to see Cromwell
'

discharge. If
and

for

such

porters about

kindness

when

bating a

noised

decent

bribed

abroad, and

tyrant', L'Estrange

there

is

always

of

spoke

it is

calculated

admitted

of detestation

appearance

secretaries

Oliver's

last

at

was

the

placated Thurloe,

honesty and loyalty.

L'Estrange

publicly

was

the

his

objectionto

no

he
purpose
Protector
and
a

him

to

that

doubt

no

of

that

'crafty

him

with

from

Hunstanton

some

respect.
Of
and

the

life which

continued

followed

to the

death

but

hints, generally from

nourishing condition, was
and

rather

went

He

'

see.

in the

of

the

party

which

of music

to

is

of

one

nothing

he lived

in

there

obscure

are

but

iterated
re-

of

x
Lady Boltinglasse
exposed him to the laughter

the

pension is, of course,

picture of a Commonwealth
interest.
the

and

become

That

satisfyhis love of music,

puritan companies we
can

and

without

known

have

we

source.

contributions

story

not

is well

'

too

provoked

period had

that

the

The
it

able

to have

seems

town.

but

hostile

to the

event

absurd

Protector

freely among

references
who

of the

his coach

kept

his return

rather

Cromwell's
of

name

celebrated

love

L'Estrange

for his

skill

at
on

viol2.

Could

married

it bo

the"

Oates

Titus

Lady Boltinglasse

'

same

in the

King's Bench

heap

Prison, 1684

flesh and brandy ' who

(1890),
AilesburyMemoira

of

ii.,144.
-

the

As

softer
here.

and

biographer of L'Estrange
more

All

his

will have

life,it may
contemporaries who
speak

appreciation.
introduced

side

social

This

hired

was

music

of

the

of

musical

age
into
the

be
of

little occasion

desirable

to notice

him

in this

clubs

before

bill of

fare.

Of

Roger

North

has

to
his

dwell

on

musical

connection,

do

so

this
skill
with

enterprisingmanagers
clubs

by no means
livelydescriptionsinhis
Memoirs
's'- also Hawkins,
ofM
Historyof Music, and
p. 123-7.
The
most
ii., 239".
Grove, Dictionary,
interestingepisode in Roger's musical
his recognition and
with
Dr Waldegravc
in concert
career
was
encouragement
and
of the great Italian
violinist, Nicola
Matteis,
Under-Secretary Bridgeraan
whose
visit to England in 1(372 marks
the
decay of the French
variety of music
of
by the King, but at any rate fostered by his band
not, indeed, introduced
After
this date
advertisements
to
string musicians.
give
begin
newspaper
evidence
of the Italian conquest.
Amid
countless
gibes at Roger's accomplishconfined

to

the

rich

or

cultivated

"

"

"

these

given

.some

"

might "be the

suppose
I heard
Henckson

some

and

organ
I went

an

bear

private

Park,
Mr

one

of
viol
much

not

too,

part

this

company
take
a

to

me

that

and

so

of

room

desired

They

persons.
I did
part.

found

and

or

low

says,
James'

St

in

being

of it ;
touched
in
rise

in

'

fiddle ', he

the

story of

the

Concerning

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

40

advantage to the reputationof my cunning. Bye-and-bye,

of design or
without "the least colour
expectation,in comes
so
found
He
Cromwell.
us
playing and as I remember,
left us'1.

he

period

in this

theatre,

in

element

life

form

to

have

must

been

singularlydevoted

in

greatly

so

were

endeavoured

which

and

forbidden

the

for

parties which

musical

These

vogue
substitute

humanising

one

party.

to

and long after

by enemies
bullies
with
the event, of amours,
humiliating encounters
be ignored,but one
and brawlers, may
charge which also long
be noticed.
must
he partly admitted
persisted and which
with
confessed
and
sorrow
It is well known
by Clarendon
learned
had
abroad
that
a
the Cavaliers
dissipationvery
of the earliest
One
foreign to the days before the War.
directed
against
of the
Restored
King's Proclamations

stories, told

The

followers,

"an

Roger feebly
gospel to reproach a
that in
can
only mean

This
did

in

Stubbs)
fortune

which
mild

Baxter's

'"

egun,
and

centleman.
1

have

Elsewhere

came

mother

(who

to

or

who
"

me.

Truth
the

Britton.

least

had

and
scandal

lesson

is

we

note

mny

i
'

concerts

than

death

of

"

gave

says

even

turns

This

on

Club

Sir Roger L'Estrange, a very musical

perfection on the base-viol '.
of my
Instead
base-viol.
g-oine to Oliver.
a

I would

for my

Loyalty, pp.
which

of

at Hunstanton

R
[Satirical

Ward

Dr

confirmed,
by

tolerable

Truly my fiddel
profess that
a

life which

hand

Xed

of

slight access

family

small-coalman's

the

L'Estrange
co-heir

dignified contempt
hand'.

I do

driven Cromwell

repeated

to

at

with

'musical

his

at

ill-deeds.

'.

riotous

the

continue

fanity.
prominister

former

was

given him

have

treated

he

alone
sneer

Clubs, 1709) referring

he

his

to

for

the gTeen

and

road

for

not

was

Commonwealth

the

broad

may

it

The
to his opponents.
weapon
of late more
suffered
by the

indeed

"

1656

whereby

meat

of

death

The

such

the

shun

'

not

and

drunkenness

of

penitent

the

of

ever

When

that

retorted

devoted

his

ready with
Bagshawe quoted

L'Estrange,

admissions

of

section

voiced.

rudely

exaggerated his

and

to

which

offence

tongue, rather

his

course

great offence

evil, gave

the

of

47

have

liberty.
and

thereafter

50.

died

But

made

Boyer
out.

no

I affirm

the

scrupleon
that

(Queen

I did

Anne

earth

it not

to

ever.''
how-

(1722),p. 38)

PROTECTORATE
that

of

AND

the

his

shorter

PASSAGES

41

sequestrator.

Sir

Nicholas, author

of

the

early

age

of

months

his

heir

followed

Anecdotes, died
before

INTERREGNUM

at

and

mother,

interval

fifty-two,nine
him

at

an

the

even

l.

These

unnoticed
are
repeated bereavements
by L'Estrange,
throughout life a stoical indifference to domestic
which
his study of Seneca
sorrow
encouraged.
So long as Cromwell
little opportunity
lived, there was
for change except by the hand
of the assassin, and
people
if even
the Royalists themselves
began to wonder
really
desired
and
a
change. Though the Rising in the north
the conspiraciesof Hewitt
and
regarded as
Slingsby were
the acts
of the more
Cavaliers
desperate Cavaliers, many
settle down
induced
to
were
moderate
to a
enjoyment of
what
seemed
likely to prove a lengthy period, and they
made
flourish -.
their estates
] practised a sobriety which
During the rule of Cromwell
',says L'Estrange,excusing
his own
there
small
to form
inactivity,
was
encouragement
who

evinces

'

'

design

any

unless

renegado Royalists
it

party
besides

was

scarce

that

he

his person.
betwixt
divers
For
upon
and
malcontents
of his own
mercenary
possible to act without
discovery;

quick and cruel (two great advantages

slavish people). His death
over
a
in 1658
opened the way
most
entered
certainlyto a change, but that which
upon
it in 1659
of all others
was
(I think) the least expected'3.
Roger has also devoted a chapter (vi.)of his Memento
was

"

the

thoughtfulof

most

policy of Cromwell,

all his works

'that

to

"

gloriousrebel'

the

character

which

shows

and
some

insight.
'

Of

strong natural
think

some

or

otherwise

his

could

discourses

were

abilities

from

his meaning,
I reckon

save

them

his words
that
the

more

any

the

more

more

though

was

imputing
advantages
will
be
not
denied
however
(which
powerfully to his greatness). Nor do

collect

world

all his

to

Fortune

concurred
to

parts I persuade myself he

tion
corrupto

have

pretend
than

entangled

judicious because

the
his
the

Blomefield, x., S3.

See
in
this
Masson's
Oldmixon,
connection
Prof.
list of
i., 496.
authors
the Protectorate
finds
living under
Nedham
(Milton, v.. 75). .Marchniont
'adherants
a
less cordial, while
place under
more
or
a
peculiar outrage has been
"
committed
on
L'Estrange by tying him up with Baxter
as
subject by compulsion."
Otherwise
he
is in good
"
with
Denham.
Davenaut
company
-

Evelyn', etc.
3

Memento

(1662),pt. i.

SIR

42

fitter for his business.

for

he

durst

disclaim
other

his

his

by

So

person.
be
to

neither

"

the

"

His

and

follovp'To

these

made

was

middle

to

'

After

this
he

his

to

time

to

improve

to

monster.

had

will

I must
all his

wickedness, and

slaves
passions were
his death, according to

understood

gained

which

him

express

all his

nay

reserve,

part lay in this

he

course

mischief

to

that
prone
of craft and

up

to

friends, nor

ripen occasions
peculiar talent of

enablements

prostituteand

his

and

the

was

skill of his

by

this

By

obstructions

remove

the

that

mistaken

enemies.

obliged him

interest

his thoughts nor

totally
clearlyown
one
endangering his design and the
way

neither

them

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

so

say, He
faculties

ambitions.
the Council

the Instrument

is to
is

choose

supposed

rather

to

hasten

no

way
him '.

the

wait

betwixt
thus
into

enters

to

wish

than

being pained
or
having it
limited

and

successor

be

other

to

and

of

but

the

they

the

disdain

suspicion of
by depressing

of

his
those

one

had

creature

enlarging his

restless

quieted

be

gapes
which
probably
;
that this miserable

for ; so
the hazard

dependant
a

whoever

power

seeing

it

Council, and
that

raised

had
to fear,
parties Cromwell
viz.,the Royalists,the Presbyterians,and Republicans, our
author
Touching the Royalists,no good for him was
says,
to be hoped for there, but
by gaols, exile, sellingthem for
all which
was
abundantly
slaves, famishings or
murder;
for
pretended plots,High Courts
provided
by sequestrations,
of Justice, spies,decoys, etc.
Nay (for the very despatch
the massacre
resolve upon
(which
sake) when
they should
be
allowed
cavalier
must
beyond doubt they meant
us) no
defensive
much
the
least piece of
arms
by an order
so
as
suffered
to
of Nov.
keep in his
24, 1655, no
person
schoolmaster
house
sequestered or
as
chaplain or
any
etc.
ejected minister, fellow of a college,
ruined ;
the only party the rebels feared and
This was
but
for the
join
they'd never
Presbyteriaus, they knew
inconsiderable'.
to help the
King, and single they were
His
cherishing the army ', keeping the nation in an
ferment
eternal
against the Royalists, setting one
party
and
betraying both by a splendid system
against another
As
all these 'methods'
of espionage
are
duly discussed.
the lodestar
for his ruling principle,'The
Kingship was
Of

the

first of the

three

'

'

'

"

of

all his

labours

'.

Private

affections

he

scarcely knew.

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

44

himself
has
provided us with
actually did. He
for brevity and
a
chronology of the Interregnum which
quaintness it would be difficult to surpass :
what

he

In

"

1R

Ib58.

bept.
A
Apr.

i"rq
Iboy.

Apr.

22nd

whose

nuge

-{
9th.

days

thev're

throws

1659

bt

ar.

v.

Behold

the

punishment

The

staff of

of it
"

Whatever

may
1648

risings since
band
of Royalists
in

'

standing
and

army
the
been

of the

in

Rump

the

vote

first down

to

goes

while, the Army

again and

Rump

is

support and

\
of

Sealed
no

doubt

the

action

premature

the

as

the

character

the

of

known

for

Rebellion, both

Protectorate, there

Richard's

advent

next

the

have

and

the

neither

in
October
Army, which
and
now
they're FleetRump
in
the
Enter
more
once
Rump
about
the army
comes
once
again,
exit is for ever, March
11th, 1660.

out

Rump's

friend

the

army.
December, and

lawyers,

and

with

later

\ wood's

,r

are

have

Government.

up
Lenthal's

(Some
then

the

and

turn, but

(Apr. 22)

officers undertake
ten

his

takes

his Parliament

they

puisne Highness
They meet and notwithstand-

too.

Richard

( Now

then

must

pack of officers
prove(J utterly Republican,
I single person
nor
Army.
a

I m"

to

May

j^g pariiament

dies, and

Oliver

September
Army,

Richard's

various
of

Select

or

that

with

the

knot,
the

responsible leaders
period of masterly silence

1659, the

May

began to think that the

that the hour
for action
and
and
mere
plotting was
over,
lose the opportunity of
had
to
not
arrived, if they were
Every
confusion, and the gathering of Loyalistsentiment.

abroad

fresh

failure

of the

Commonwealth

to

establish

itself meant

avowed
from
the most
large accessions to their cause, even
or
Court-party,
Republicans. The despairing Cromwellians
attached
it soon
to
more
single-personrule
appeared, were
than to the cause
which
the last single-personhad espoused.
of opinion
General
disillusionment
was
throwing largemasses
London
into the Royalist scale,and
combed
honeyespeciallywas
labour
of
the
in
due
with
to
sedition,
patient
part
Of
the secret
loyal clubs since the rise of the Protector.
has become
of the Rising which
nature
the very extended
identified
of Sir George Booth, it is unwith
the name
necessary
further
than
it
that
to
was
anything here
say
i

Memento

(1662),pt. i.

PROTECTORATE

AND

INTERREGNUM

PASSAGES

45

of its

complaint

organisers,that the old Cavaliers

far too chary of taking any part in it,because of former
were
miscarriages,and that though the risingswere
designed to
take place in those parts where the King's party was
strongest,
it was
rather the Presbyterian than
the Cavalier interest to
which
they appealed l.
The
former
leaders and
enemies
jealousy of new
seems
deterred
to have
of the old party from joining,while if
many
Clarendon's
and
picture of their demoralisation
by debauch
certain
secpiestrationis exaggerated, there is no doubt
a
in the post-Restoration claim
of the Presbyterians
cogency
to some
gratitude on the part of the Government, and since
common

no

man

how

see

and

better

was

he

likelyto

was

indiscreet
had

rescued

demands

come

from

utter

the

of this than

look

Clarendon,

unfavourably

of the old Cavaliers

the

over

assuming

not

informed

Cavalier

and

crown

on

2. A

party, and

dejection by

'

still

we

can

extreme

ness
great weari-

whilst

Cromwell's

better

the

they

were
'

infatuation

by his death,

in

the

Evelyn'sApology for

tlie Royal Party, 1659.

4th November
1659, E. 763
the Presbyterians) party,
of their own
wholly managed by some
(i.e.
the
whom
had
Cheshire
for the
Rout
sounded
last
Rump
disobliged '. The
time
the depths of Presbyterian Royalist suspicions. It was
truly the result of a
'
hatred and
universal
disdain
of their (Parliament's) proceedings, but what
by
treachery, delays, babling, disappointments, and scruples of taking in the Royal
his Majesty or his friends
should
meant
be the better
Party (by those that never
for '")
the whole
dashed
'.
M" nu nto, pt. i.
The
the
was
proposal to bring over
secured gave
been
King before any port had
point to these suspicions. Yet
not
for the occasion
L'Estrange was
quite idle. He issued a paper
calling in the
of London
men
to demand
Free
Parliament.
See Verm
450-1.
a
i/ Memoirs, ii.,
The
only thing that looks like countenancing Sir George is the intended
petition
of the City for a Free
of any one
I do not hear
Cavalier
Parliament, as they say.
in all this affair,but
it is wholly on
that
the
Presbytery and those that fought
and
See also Prof.
Firth's
engaged for what
they call the good old Cause-.'
Ludlow's
104 etseq.and
Clarendon
Memoirs, ii.,
(Continuation of Life (1761),ii.,35).
For the classic dispute between
Eachard
and
Oldmixon
to the claims
of the
as
Presbyterians see i., 486-91 of the latter's History. Baxter
Oldmixon
says
the
Love
died,and the Booth
naturally claimed
Rising as
conspiracy for which
towards
the
Presbytery's contribution
Restoration, 'all the stir tho royalists
could
make
in the City and
was
by spiritingup mobs and mutineers
Camp '. p. 304.
work
and
false pretences they goad the Londoners
with talk of
By thoir mean
on
taxes
and
within
'We
come
liberties,etc., p. 449.
448)
now
are
(March 1660, p.

(11) ' "Twas

'

"

few

from

weeks

of

those

whom

meeting
of

name

Feb.

Royalist
the King '.

immortal
'

As

his

to

1660

(when
of

touch
when

Milton
Davenant

at

tho
and
and

and

Davenant

one

Another

given

Restoration
Dr

of

bringing in
is

the

note

Monk
'.

In

L'Eatrange who
Whig
the

we

calls

Historian

have

word

called
'

word

of

is included
takes

into

the

under

Eachard

in

City)

from

his

there

task
list of

improving

knowledge in language to be as imperfect as

Eachard, Hist, of Eng. (1720), ii.,846.

his

our

the

little

title

the
to

Cavaliers

the

Even

thoy contributed

witty Marvell'
L'Estrange refining and
very

Under-svurleathers.
was

not

"

or

unless
Prentice

is not

the

nothing

to

p)
Under-spitrleatJu
for

omitting

Restoration

tongue

he

'the
wits.

showed

History,' p. 491.

See

ROGER

SIR

46

which

treacheries
which

the

between

reflected

coupled
the

But

in the Case

full

of

privity

Chancellor, the

party

the
of

state

in

"

in this

assisted

and

approval
by

was

of

jealousies
and

helplessness

L'Estrange's
'

2.

adventure

which
and

Charles

deterred

means

no

Sir
from

the younger

of many
tracts
the Late King's Party

Cavaliers

if fewer

the

with

out

one

of

names

Corker, and

experiencedintriguersand

old

to choose

"

Appeal

had

escape,

school, produced between

less wary

own

not

the

Francis

wretched

the

did

L'Estrange

with

associated

are

and

Willis

Richard

L'ESTRANGE

from

the
other

that is
by Oldmixon
by embroiliDg the City on the subject of taxation, and by
liberal use
The
of the Press.
everready L'Estrange took
a
6th
withdrawal
on
advantage of Lambert's
August 1659
from
London, to set forth the first of a daring series of
of troops and Roger
left naked
manifestoes 2. The City was
appealed not indeed for a Restoration, but for what all men

action

knew

of

to

the

carry

indicated

sort

meaner

Restoration

it

"

full and

free Parliament.

clearly the very small

part
which
the old Cavaliers
took
in the approaching confusion
the hesitancy to which
the
and
reduced, than
they were
almost
but covert
absence
to the last of any
appeals
up
bolder
less prudent
for the return
of Charles.
Far
but
in this direction were
demands
made
by their old enemies,
the Presbyterians.
The
followed
Lambert's
repression which
triumph has
made
been
much
of by Clarendon, but
if we
follow
the
of the fallen leaders, we
rather
fortunes
are
surprised by
the leniency of the Government
mark
of weakness
of
a
in this instance.
all
If Royalist designs were
at
course
Nothing

shows

with

"

more

"

interfered

with, the

interference

of communication
facility
as
having been introduced

quickly re-asserted
1

Not
almost

are

i.,206,
2

The

Thomason

and

and
on

momentary,

was

propaganda
the

death

noted
of

by

and

that

Clarendon

Cromwell,

very

itself3.

authorities
generally ascribed to L'Estrange, but the British Museum
See Prof. Firth's Last
Years of the Protectorate,
certainlyright here.

ii.,69.
Declaration

Collection.

of the
There

City
is also

to

the

Men,

at

Westminster.

Not

in

the

and
(Bodl., Wood, 567 (46))a Remonstrance
Protestation of the well-affected
People of London, Westminster, and other Cities,etc.,
16 folio pages,
with
list of the Parliament
it was
a
to whom
to be sent, dated
men
10th
November
It looks very
1659.
like L'Estrange's work.
3
Eachard
reflections
conduct
of 'this generous
849) has various
the
(ii,,
on
undertaking ',which though seemingly fatal to Royalist hopes ' proved a mighty
the Restoration
'.
step towards

it also the

with

momentary)

the

extraordinary

most

of

theories

which

clash

The
Press
English nation.
by the inabilityof any one

some
or

and

hawkers

the

the

or

Club

deafened
The

from

Rump

officials with

which

demonstrated

action

on

of

By

terms

order for
to

matters

not

by statute, but
in.
Every morning
of
yelled out news

it

an

Nation7-, this

Presbyterian
of such

that

that

to

at

meet

in

of

action
of

Lambert's
the

to

14th

January2,

old

of

Whitehall,

of

error

Proclamation

confusion

union

tacit

Council

the

divines

return

the

City

December
not

'full

that if
now
saw
synonymous
be relinquished.
met, all hopes of relief must
of "100,000
assessment
brought
per month

on

riding down

"

Eight days previous

to

the

tion
Proclama-

the hardihood

to

issue what

Parliament, proposed by the City

the

very
the London

which

constitution

and

almost

are

Free

called

were

free

the

convulsed

clearlypointed

to, L'Estrange had

referred

he

for

tions
',but fettered by all the Loyalist restricParliaments, the Royal party and the

crisis.

the

Parliament

this Parliament

The

ever

Wallingford
futilityand
then

was

Cromwell's

the

"

has

moment

with

came

"

the

It
Rump.
important.
a

if any

the

free Parliament

City

opportunity

pamphlets,declarations,
Harrington, Milton, L'Estrange,and

October, and

13th

callingfor
and

two

Bow, while

"

called critical

be

became

the

the

came

an

London

sermons

critical moment

the

Now

rein

by Royalist
the Metropolis1.

and

Prynne,

of

the

at

manifestoes

could

(also

founded
of government
on
Greek, Roman,
of the latest absurdity of the Rota
tradition,news

Mosaic

and

of

mercuries

fall

scheme

new

Club,

was

to

the

and
opinions,speculations,

which

government

carried

expelled by

was

gave

of

47

moment,

and

army

October.

13th

chaos

of

the
which

Rump,
on

months

three

or

the

General

victorious

of

exaltation

of

the

Royalist hopes, for

of the

ruin

The

PASSAGES

INTERREGNUM

AND

PROTECTORATE

embodied

to

the

day that 'Hewson's

mirmydons'
and
Whitlocke's
draft
prentices,
the views

of the Commonwealth

of a paper
called
the Obn rvator
of the Times (a collected volume
the
tide
of atheism
and
begun in 1704 to stem
particularly
itself on
directed
L'Estrange 's old Observaior)
against Defoe's Review, modelled
told Clarendon
in its 36th
after
the Restoration
remarks
number, that Thurloe
that
possessed of the People, the Power, and the Army, yet
though they were
chief
The
he attributed
of which
cause
to the books
they lost all in a moment.
the
wrote
fewer
Cavaliers
in number
than
and papers
which,
though
by
those on
far superior in strength of reason
'.
the other
side, yet were
2
669 f. 11 (24) Bod.
1

Lesley,

View

Rehearsed,which

'

Dated

3rd

January

in Thomason

669
Collection,

f. 22

(56).

SIR

48

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

lawyers and Savoy clergy was

at Whitehall.

the

rule.

nation

be

may

the country

How

to the

granted

Church

present

it saddled

tithes,and
and

constitution

The

it maintained

submitted

Army

wide

no

toleration

establishment
with

seen

the

Milton

fact
of

of the

out

single-chamber legislation

intensely disappointingit
from

Council

that

it

the

to

was

tasteful
equally dis-

was

the

establishment
of
out
(because
the tithes
of popular
perhaps because of the measure
to
election it gave) and
and
his
L'Estrange for whom
party generally nothing but a full popular election could
moment
at that
a
bring about
complete abrogation of
of
they desired in the form
popular government, which
to

and

"

"

the

Restoration.
Meanwhile

manifesto

the

in

seized,probably with

had

he

eye

12th

Monk,

to

\ Ro^er

December

of

news

whose

had

Coldstream

those elements
just come
out, on
most
the defection
were
embarrassing to the Government
of Hazelrig and
Morley at Portsmouth.
Particularly

arrival
which

an

of

at

"

himself

set

the

fan

to

disorder

and

of

resentment

had
rough handling of the petitioners which
appeared the day before in the City. For the only time
of the London
think
in his life, L'Estrange could
rabble
2
in Clarendon
with approbation. That
which
recalls
passage
Hewson's

in

similar

passage
deplores the

and

Tacitus, where

anarchy

the

of the

Chancellor

when

relates

father

and
City
son
and
the
blood of
engaged themselves
contrary parties
the
of
the
the master
servants' villany',
was
frequently
price
kind
of
which
indicates the
muddy waters
L'Estrange had
the
in haranguing
to stir up
now
apprentices into revolt.
of
the soldiers that it is
The
so
impatient
City is grown
into an
feared they will suddenly break
out
violence
open
them; they have already entered into a solemn
upon
ment
engageSo
reads
the
'.
that
to
to
the
preamble
purpose
'

in the

"

'

of

document
of rather

December,

16th

and
Remonstrance
669 f. 22 (18).

Continuation, ii.,39.

Final

sheet

Protest

Si

and

gave
December

nse

to the

great offence

20th

December3,

startlingnature.

Engagement

12th

the

appeared

qf

the

Nothing

the
less

than

of London, subscribed

City,16th

December,

by

the

Common

669

Council

the

setting

by 23,500 hands.

f. 22
'

(26).

Mayor

and

entitled

the

'

sting'.

others

The

'This

(Apology).

from

Final

On

vindicatingthe

scandalous
certain
aspersions contained
22
A Proclamation
f.
669
etc.,
(32).
Protest,
pamphlet
from
Council
London
(16th December, 669 f. 22 (25))banishing Cavaliers

Lord

is

engagement

saints, particularly to Tiehborne.

declaration

and

in
of

the
was

an

opposition

by

the

of

up

Parliament

Council

hath

'The
treat

of their

behalf

the

to

as

us.

No

us

upon

them

"

and

the

very
there is a

if the
As

an

Law

and

had

and

refusal

the

December

mention

emanated
to
wore

pay
on,

must

of

posed
pro-

convenient.

most

appear

of known
a

to

England on
to proceed

manner

preserve

integrity

fair

intelligence

yesterday the Conservators

myrmydons
put an affront

his
of

people

persons

for it.

reason

the

be

to

4 commissioners

in such

than

lives, they

effect of

whence
As

since

Liberties, Hewson

our

and

longer

of the

shall

may

out

with
of

rest

rightsand

invaded

about

that

constituted

of every county two

be still among
to
us

Choose
that

the

commissioners

same

to

49

Whitehall.

at

City of London
respectivelywith

PASSAGES

INTERREGNUM

AND

PROTECTORATE

Parliament

Free

heads

Their

enrages

forfeited,

are

'

perish \

Council
city tumults, the Common
the proposals for a Free
Parliament
the great tax, was
forciblydissolved.
and

it became

more

clear

that

the

that
and
old
had
forgotten Monk,
Wallingford Council
silent George' was
preparing for his January descent from
Coldstream, the impending ruin of the chaotic Government
its
for
a
corresponding contempt
appeared certain, and
soldiers and agents was
displayedin the City,where Hewson's
by the rabble to which
pelted with mud
regiments were
themselves.
L'Estrange and others so fervently addressed
all
firmness.
of the
Fleetwood's
City lacked
government
his desire to stand well with
The secret of his hesitancy was
'

the

party of the

Restoration

to

which

entreated

Whitlocke

too late.
give ear ere it was
of the 14th
Two
December,
days after the Proclamation
in January, L'Estrange
for a restricted
Parliament
to meet
Sense of
Protest and
The Final
took
himself
to issue
upon
of language in
he
the City, in which
adopted a freedom
speaking of the Government, and discovered such a contempt
of the Savoy ministerial
earnestly
clique, that Tichborne
of
the hawkers
and
severely abused
sought out the author
the
inflammatory piece. The
daring journalist had also
singled out the Lord Mayor, a true trimmer, who had bade
met2.
the Town
Parliament
be quiet till the new
A week
Roger
later,undeterred
by Tichborne's menaces,

him

to

would
later his enemies
the
use
years
'. See chap. viii. 250.
Parliament
it difficult afterwards
He found
his
to
defend
Vindication of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, 30th

Twenty

shall have
-

the

same

to

menace

him,

we

'

trimming

'

attitude.

.s-v

April 1660, E. 1023 (2).

SIR

50

issued

(23rd December)

till

still

urged
City\
the
crown) was
liberty(or
restored
The
was
Rump
in

the

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

December)
had
the

Though

late

take

days

been

Restoration

of

should

taxes

no

be

of
paid

restored.
the

following day (24th

The
four
days preceding
in
the
City.
unprecedented gloom

was

on

huzzas.

short-lived

amid

that

Resolve

so

the

near

could

Cavaliers

do

the apprentices and

secretly among
They had been so easilyand signallycrushed in the
trust
alive to internal
so
treachery and disrising and were
that
it was
again
highly unlikely that they would
had
A
to arms.
they
accepted what
large number

little
mob.

he

which

audacious

more

more

regarded as

work

than

the

inevitable, and
and

present trouble

in

any

to

case

transcended

confusion

most

in

men

the

importance

thought of Restoration.
Among all men, therefore,
with
in connection
vain
whatever
hopes they nourished
real sense
of their country's wounds
a
Charles, there was
form
of stable government2.
and a strong yearning for some
the

even

efforts

Whatever

therefore

emanated

at

this

time

from

taken to observe
discreet reticence
a
was
loyal party, care
become
the subject of the Restoration, for they had
now
on
effort they could do nothing,and
that of their own
convinced
work
that they must
body of moderate
through the sane
for Charles.
not yet prepared to shout
opinion which was

the

In

such

positionthe

close

of

the

year

found

parties,

other
fitting to notice briefly what
writers
were
doing for their respective sides.
Evelyn, Stubbe, Howell, Prynne, and L'Estrange are the
chief champions on the side of the Restoration.
They were
1659) reinforced
shortly (towards the end of December
and
Giles
powerfully by the journalistsHenry Muddiman

and

here

it may

be

of the
of the
Resolve, etc. (protesting against the terms
Agreement
of Officers,
22nd
December), 669. f. 22 (32).
2 Evidence
in the
is found
of this weariness
the
on
part of the Cavaliers
E.
th"
4th
November
763
(ii).
16T"9,
pamphlets of Evelyn (Apology for
Royal Party,
Stubbe, Commonwealth
put in the Balance, but best of all in L'Estrange's jtypeal
Present
in the Can
to 'The
of ike Lot* King's Party,January 1660, addressed
and
that royal person
between
whom
Declared
Supreme Magistrate of the Nation
it is now
for the helmship and
apparent the only contest
steerage of the present
methinks
is
to
like
in
the
now
probably
lie,
hinting whereof
my
government
very
motives
blood.'
'the
to the
The
of
the
tone
drops
deprecatory
tract,
pen
the
so
long
were
high displeasure and indignation which hath
writing which
I confess
continued
number
myself
against that
loyal party (amongst which
'the
failures
and
other
Booth
result
of the
too sadly that
one)', proves
as
a
Cavalier
for lost unless
by division
party began to despair and to give their cause
fell out
themselves
render
their
victories
they should
useless, which
amongst
than
sooner
(1662),pt. i.
they expected '. Memento
1

Gen.

The

Council

SIR

52

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

and
then he wrote
his Letter
Commonwealth,
the Ruptures of the Commonwealth,
in which
he proposed
for the

alarm
on

impossible Republican Aristocracy,which

partly
ideas
the
of
Rota.
reproduced
Harrington's
In the four critical days preceding the Eestoration
of
the Rump, he lay inert and
knowing as all men
despairing,
did now
that the decision
than
lay rather at Coldstream
The restored Rump
he approved, but its wateredWhitehall.
down
he
Republicanism and its views on the Establishment
regarded as a betrayal.
had
General
been
The
greeted on his journey south at
his several halting-placesby numerous
protests and petitions,
a large number
purportingto give the state of opinion in the
for the first time in twenty
seemed
now
provinces,which
importance which
eclipsedthe noisy
years to spring into an
Capital.
the
had
9th
He
received on
his army
January, when
between
Newcastle
and
somewhere
York, Harrington's
was
and
Rota, or Model
of a Free Commonivealth
probably at
in his London
time
the same
budget a pretentiousAddress
to the Commissioners
of the City of London
for the Rights
Liberties of the English Nation
and
1, which
purported to
of the Counties
and their advice to the City
be the demands
It vehemently urged that no more
in its dilemma.
petitions
the
should
from
that
should
to the Rump
taxes
come
no
City,
be paid, and demanded
But
an
absolutelyFree Parliament.
had no provincial authority,for it was
the document
penned
London.
in
by Roger L'Estrange
still some
ment,
There
was
danger in demanding a Free Parliaand Roger was
that
quite right in claiming afterwards
if not
he set
his life,in his hands, when
he took his liberty,
in regard to
these
2. But
forth even
guarded manifestoes
the anonymous
Appeal in the Case of the late King's Party
which
belongs to this month, and finds
already alluded to
his Apology
no
place in the list of his services which
that
is seldom
account
furnishes, and on
quoted as his
well with
the
there is a suspicion that he wished
to stand
his

own

"

"

party in power.
Bristol

In

appeal to

the

Richard

Mayor

to

Ellsworth
associate

urged the prentices to

with
adjacent counties, and

January (Apology,8, 1660).

the credit of the danger with
to share
enough afterwards
generous
1680.
See Discover//upon Discovery,
his publisher,Harry Bromo.
1

J'ated

He

was

3rd

PROTECTORATE
with

AND

INTERREGNUM

PASSAGES

53

the Lord

Mayor and Council of London, and in January

further
urged the prentice-mob to rise against the Rump,
the design to be communicated
by the Press 1.
of Exeter,
Responsible people,however, like the Recorder
careful
which
to use
mediate
would
were
language
promote an interof
state
things leading up to the largerpolicy'.
This
attention
both
petition of Bampfield's drew some
from
the Rump
and
from
it was
Monk,
perhaps because
known
from
to emanate
a
was
country which
burning with
discontent
and arming.
It reached
Monk
at Leicester,communicated
probably by
the Speaker, to whom
it was
addressed.
On 23rd January the
Rump made a 'fawning reply to it. The same
day at Leicester
'

'

the

General

sent

to the

This

L'Estrange

those

Kingship,and

in

adverse

admirable

for

parts

tract

Limited
The

letter

long

Bampfield's

Parliament, and

more

the

of

was

veiled

its

crypto-

design,

true

journalist of the

that

seemed

Monk's

still

Rolle, there

to

to Mr

Petition

it

to

answer

cated
to be communi-

'

impossible to imagine2.

self-constituted
of

Rolle

answer

in

cautiously

the

as

be

Devonshire
and

type

attacked

if not

the

in

read

was

it would

Although

an

letter

document

Royalist

letter to Mr

gentry of Devonshire

Petition '.
astute

cautious

attributed

to

more

Party

exclude

the

non-committal,

appeared what is really

to L'Estrange, the Plea

Monarchy'3.

four

dubiouslyalleged against a

reasons

and

Restoration

by Bampfield
are
noteworthy as affordingthe author
of this pamphlet
an
opportunity for acting the laudator
of
acti
temporis
Merry England before the Civil confusion.
These

were

(1) The

Monk

"

major

inclined

to

swallowed

(2)

part

the

Republic alone

lands
can

See

It

Letter

seen,

from

the

plain,'says

but
are

sort out

is admitted
'

those

that

E.

This

765 (8). tncluded

have

against'.
the entangled interests

Prentices
llallam

war.

of Bristol

to those

[Coru. Hut.,

of London,

9th

February.

if he (Monk) had
].. 490), 'that
the whole
credit
of the Restoration

have
lost
delayed a very little longer, he would
'The professional hypocrites were
',p. 489.
deceived.
Cromwell
to Rolle,"22nd January, E. 1013 (20).
bungler to him '. Monk
3

be

to

4.

(3) The army is against.

(4) It would beget a new
a'

nation

Monarchy,

crown

of the nation

of

was

mere

in Somer's
Tracts,vol. vi. ; we note p. 57. Pepya, i.,63.
public expression of the opinion that a Republic is best lilted for a
tradingcommunity i* noteworthy and will recur.

SIR

64

Such

reasoning offered

Plea.
the

It

authority

Gen.

Monk,

which

he

which

the

he

the

country

for

scope
whether

the

him

to

addressed

to his

the

Gentlemen

of

intolerable

the

his

Excellency

Devon'1,

grievances

attacked

even

forth

set

now

and

of the

author

L'Estrange had

enabled

'from

represented
of

four

and

in
tractions
dis-

positions

above.

His
of

letter

find

when

manifestoes

noted

ample

is difficult to

scant

Kentish

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

daring on
following

the

notice

last

this

occasion

critical

recorded

was

The

week.

in

Council

the

events

had

taken

fluttered
about
Royalist papers which
On
2nd February, two
city and country.
days before Monk
entered
reminded
of the Press
London, the Lord Mayor was
Act
of September 1649
it was
enacted
'that no
by which
hawkers
and
books
and
dispersers of scandalous
papers
shall be permitted ',and
was
required to proceed against
them.
their
laborious
deserted
Many
people had
more
round
the
with
streets
a
callings to run
budget of the
latest attacks
the
A
week
on
later, letters were
Rump.
sent
out
to all the
by the Council
garrisons to the effect
that many
groundlessly and falselyinterpret that
persons
and
is resolved
for a full and
(Gen. Monk) has declared
free Parliament'.
This on
12th
'from
the
February when
apprehensions raised thereby the streets of the city were
at

of

the

'

filled with
'2.

joy

after

Secretary

the

But

bonfires, tumults, and

Thomas

Press, and
before

even

The

long
a

arrears,

with

so

that

abused
cause

admonished

was

of

acclamations
to

look

Tichborne

alarmed a.
grew
entered
the city the Royalist and

Monk

anti-Republican faction
of citizens

Scot

limitless

he

had

could

laboured
have

soldiery
that

gave
had

incited
an

occasion

for

mutiny

to

to

fraternise

them
with
so
City, which
recently loaded
invited, not yet successfully,by the
curses.
They were
the prentices and
with
intrepid L'Estrange to join hands
others
who
united
for a full and
were
by an
engagement
free

the

no

were

them

the minds
prepare
of their wishes.
doubt
to

Parliament.

Under same
f. 23 (23). C.S.P.B.
(1659-60),p. 330, 28th January 1660.
effect from
Norwich
and
Suffolk.
petitions to the same
Prof. Firth's
For a note
the
on
prentices of this period see
Apology, 1660.
Tears
Last
of the Protectorate,(ii.,73). Many of these youths (according to
of Cavaliers.
Mercurius
sons
Kustieus) were
i

669

date

"

the

C.S.P.D.
Master

and

(1659-60),
pp.
Warden

313-1.

of the

Council

Stationers'

of State

Coy., 2nd

to the

Lord

February

1660.

Mayor,

and

to

PASSAGES

INTERREGNUM

AND

PROTECTORATE

night of Thursday,
organised riot of the latter,in

2nd

The

of fear and
distrust
agony
the
had produced in
City.

'witnessed

February

showed

which

attempt

an

which

Monk's

55

policy

an

the

of silence

object of the revolters and

their Cavalier directors
them)
( L'Estrange foremost
among
had
and
Monk's
the
to seize
they
was
entry,
city against
addressed
soldiers
whom
the
mutinous
to
Roger
gained over
have
the
of
run
himself,
differently.
course
history might
author \ the apprentices drew
Late at night ',says our
into a party in the city and
scattered by the Army
were
down
into the Strand
had they rather drawn
Horse, whereas
and
those
in Somerset
with
House, it
joined themselves
that
believed
was
they might have
by sober persons,
The

'

'

carried

About

it.

and

false-alarmed,

was

that

pretence
upon
hinder
Monk's
all their

persuaded
not
they were

advance
in

device

succeeded,

their

the

in

in

courtier

following (Friday)

afternoon

ungenerously

but

party

security

their

their

evacuated

rioters

City quiet, and

left the

revolted

instantly posted to
have
the Town,
they would
quarters'.

into

cut

quarters and

of

out

throats

This

Roger

if

the

morning,

the

in

one

wise

which

condition
calls

'honester

guests '.
The

marched

Monk

in,

might have perused

bolt
the unwearying Loyalist,to the effect
another
from
of
that he (Monk) was
far too wise
to
regard the events
the previous night as
(what indeed
they were) a menace
if he

and

had

time

or

inclination, he

'

'

his

to

entry.

Saturday (4thFebruary) the Rump used its momentary

terminated
which
would
have
triumph to adopt a measure
400
to
This
Act
raised the Rump
all Loyalist hopes.
On

members

by

flood

full and

electoral

the

on

basis

free

Parliament

"

1653.

Oxford,

petitionsfrom

of

of

was

York, Lynn,
which

demands

It

were

followed

etc., for
answered

garrisons,referred to above.
But on the 7th a critical measure
reviving the December
the
of "100,000
tax
was
signal for a
passed, which
gave
forces'- not
final rally of all anti-Rump
only in the City,
of extrachief centres
The
but
throughout the country.
Norfolk.
Warwick
Devon
and
sent
urban
agitation were
the

by

1
-

letter

of

State

to

the

Apology, 1660.
See

letter 24th

\i., 821),quoted

by

in

are

raisingmoney

February 1658, H. Cromwell

Firth, Last Years of

Prof.
the

compendious

ways

to

to Thurloe
(he

cause

I /

State 1

'Errors
Protectorate,n., 271.
discontentment'.
a general

its resolve

the

on

the

9th

order1, for which

against the
the

ordered

Rump

prominent objectors,'half

of

arrest

the

more

citizens',says

their

of

score

Common

the

Wednesday

On

tax.

resolved

London

of

Council

resist the

to

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

56

L'Estrange, 'chieflymerchants'.
the day of the order"
On
the 7th also
Secretary Scott
Monk
Whilst
was
enjoined to look strictlyafter the Press.
was
pursuing his odious task of subduing the rebellious city
received from the commanderwas
(8th-10th February) news
affected
disof dangerous meetings of the
in Norfolk
chief
in
Exeter
from
in Lynn, while
came
tidings of a
the Royal party.
among
great dispersalof arms
"

Monk's

of

flush

the

In

of

ordering

prescribedan
attack

An

the

determined

only

was

measure

refractory Common
discreet Lord
Mayor,

the

fatal to Charles
now

was

of

arms

election.

next

almost
it

to

the

II.

fatal to

the

citizens

and

protracted struggle; it
long and by what steps to the
of

issue

of how

matter

for

of power,
into the

his greatest moment

Monk
It threw
Rump.

in

thus

the

commending
Abjuration Oath
on
City liberties was

whilst

Council, and

the

of

discontinuance

the

counted

they

the extreme

adopted

Council

themselves, the Rump

which

success,

the

Restoration.

month
saw
days of this memorable
in the
Monk
carrying out the Rump's destructive work
City. The 11th saw him tender something like an apology
adrift from
to the
City Fathers, and clearly cut himself
in
of portentous anxiety followed
A
week
the
Rump.

raising the City Militia,

to
by
delay the measure
conference

of the
the

and

General, in

only

which
The
suppress

Wales, where

of the Common

those
endeavour

Council,

patch

to

turned,

now

were

and
the

Resolved

the

admire

faction

to

up

Scot's

and

officers.
to

desperate

cling to

then, that

to adhere

sentatives
repre-

peace

sincerely desired.

side

can

Militia
secure

Republicans fought stoutly

of
The
scene
talking it out.

the

met

vain

for

motion

the

orders

Royalistliterature already appeared futile.

Republican
to

one

tables

we

the

Rump

On

State.

Council,

Common

to the

of alderman

house

the

was

of

order

the

defied

had

which

transferred

strugglewas

the

which

10th

and

9th

The

'The
former

power.

efforts

First

of

the

they opposed

Commonwealthmen,
of the

theless
Never-

they endeavoured

summoned,

vote

to

Court

in the

they're
negative.

AND

PROTECTORATE

abirding too,
From

the

troops

the

Restoration

marched

of

news

Presses

18th

down

majority

to Monk

and

and

Hying bodies
load

disgorged a

February
the

to

three

"

House

of

Venice

"

the

City,in

than

abuse

which

the

the

of

return

he

anti-

before

days

the

had

Presbyterian
addressed

in Season

Word

the

Monk

good

to do

sense

2.

Rump

secluded

celebrated

one

members
from

tract

concerted
dis-

somewhat

the

hand

of

Milton,

necessitatingthereby a prefatory word of explanation.

Beadie
and
Uasie
memories
Way, etc., does not awaken
splendid rhetoric as does the Areopagitica,but it is
best

Milton's

of

City.

it undertook
for

and

of
the

in the

revolution

Monk,
mind,

The

Restoration
It is written
tracts.
pre
in obvious
agitation,though laid aside during

hurriedly and
the

'.

Republican

of vehement

reinstate

to

L'Estrange published A

more

The

came

little tale of Rome

57

literature.

the

little

tell their

country

and

On

and

PASSAGES

INTERREGNUM

its

unpopular

remains

ever

3.
courage
For
by this time

the settlement

With

one

forced

into the
passage
of Milton's
claims

by
public
to

noble

from

transferred

the

bed-fellows

strange

Republic
It is

was

the

danger

side which

publication had been

L'Estrange and Prynne
"

and

espoused,

"

of

for

except

Milton,

the

now

anonymous.
ungrateful task to record

an

here

L'Estrange'sfirst

of good taste
in his attack on
against the cannons
It is possible to regard the poet in the light of a
Milton.
his name
did not then enjoy.
posteriorsacrosanctitywhich
At any rate the gibes of Roger's Seasonable
Word
published
towards
the end of the month
(February) sins far less in
offence

See

Declaration

Full

(p. 55) gives

which
a

'

'

Printed

Monarchy

would

L'Estrange

up his services
heat of party

liberty only
attribution

The

at

is given

of the True

State of the Secluded

Members
Case
excluded.
30th January, E. 1013 (2'2).
669 f. 23 (52). The
date of the
Plea for Limited

list of the

Hague,
in

Thomason

the

Catalogue as

have

in

forgotten such an
his Apology
Despite

the

or

to

to

conveys

us

desirable

King's Party (that is,that L'Estrange

certain

Government.
matter

With

Christ

criticism.

points

would

echo

to the

representation

against
does

increase

not

Ph

valid

by

the

the
claim

not

its author's

of

it

he

.summed

without
due

likely
the

English

against Oldys's
style nor by

in his

Appeal in the Case of the

its moderation
it) because

credit

with

author, 17th July,

same

'

tract

Is

the
E.

Restored

765 (4),puts

doubt.

Restoration

bad

is not

reason

same

beyond

himself

of Milton's

The

An

the

this

conclude
supported by Monarchy', we must
L'Estrange (Somer's Tracts,vol. vi.). It is not

printer.

that

when

lie

of it to

Ins

the

tribute

"

faction

lat(

on

February.

20th

contribution

excellent

stream

put the

pamphlets

brand

running
of

so

larger circulation
657.
Masson, Milton, iii.,
had

high,

Gentilism

it

upon
or

to
reijuiredcourage
Yet
Kingship'.

provoked

more

say
not

that
one

rapid fury of

this

the

respect than

There
which

later

two

fool

any
author

could

had
(the
of things before
fond
opinion of
themselves

of Milton's

pamphlet on
he adjures the Rump
referringto the state
to stand)
to quit that

passage
resolution

successive
the

'

',and

Parliament
of

name

of
of

the

Monk's

Character

Royalist squib

famous

fasten, where

allowed

under

Milton

the

the Rota

of

The

pamphlets

unhappy phrase

one

was

and

Censure

The

March,

30th

L'ESTRANGE

(17th March)

Bump

the

Grand

to

'

perpetuate
Council

General

or

'.

such aristocratic Republicanism

approve
difficult question for even
such an apologistas Masson,

How
is

ROGER

SIR

58

to

came

certainly it

but

Philistines.

How

Harrington's

Rota

the

when

of the

was

Readie

as

endless

the

Easie

Rota

for the

sake

to

he

would

of the

weaker

that

town,

now

hysteriaof
explain(second edition

London
to

and

Milton

pet jest of the

for Milton

Way)

jeering by the

between

peace

victory turned

useless

and
the

principleof
to deny that

became
of

of

cause

make

to

omens

jesting'.It

the

was

'

concede

the

brethren,

as

people desired the monarchy.

voiced
the
heroic
He
once
by right of
minority which
the right to rule.
conquest had assumed
I could
only wish,' says L'Estrange in a civil sneer
his Excellency (Monk)
had
been
little civiler to Mr
a
wealth
finished his model
of a CommonMilton
! for just as he had
men
Directory in these very terms of the choice :
of Lords
House
not addicted
to a single person
", and the
or
members
and
work
is done, in come
the secluded
spoil his
project'.
the attention
demanded
There
two
were
questions which
settled the day
Parliament.
The
first was
of the Restored
after
the return
of the secluded
(22nd February) by an
the 25th
Parliament
order for a new
to meet
on
April, but
of the electoral restrictions
the matter
not so speedily was
the

majority of

the

'

'

"

"

settled.
members'
irrelevant

other

The

time, and

consumed

matter

much

aroused

discussions

on

the

power
In this

the

half

second

greater dissension.
of the

sword

of
The

actually

Monk
fit to
event
saw
Royal party.
Act
the
Militia
amend
(passed 12th March) in an antigiving offence to the officers.
Royalist direction to avoid
the
But
over
so
long had the fanatic party held power
the Cavaliers, that in
that
a
feeling existed among
army,
some
slip'twixt cup and lip,that power would stillbe retained,

alarmed

the

26th

March.

E.

1019

1S8.
(5*); Har. Misc., iii.,

SIR

CO

'good old Cause,' and this despite the

against such tampering1.

in the

In
the

the

the

country

factions

have

aid

their

the

in

still

of

the

hope
the
last
of policy was
resort
failed,
the Presbyterians and
Loyalists.

them,

they

assassination

of Monk

and

already

on

may

believe
Their
be

not

It is to such
both

on

attempt

by republishing

war

searched

The

divide

to

all

these, the
if

we

would

then.

we

the

owe

Republican
memories

and

Course

involve

to

Militia

hopeless, and

the

Rise

'for matter

into

the

revive

to

the

attempt

Failing

even

that

On

sides.

made

was

to

means

considerations

as

against

went

If

privately mooted,

was

no

and

itself to the extremists,

landed, if

till Charles

so

appeals

March

L'Estrange2.
then
was
by

case

Militia.

recommended

24th

clamation
Pro-

remained, they hoped

If these

elections.

still had

Council

still influential

were

sheriffs

Commonwealth

old

to

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

last

literary

side

of

the

of

the

clever

great
War, as

murtherers

of

the

have
saved
him ', which
was
King with those that would
the
line
taken
Cavaliers
of
the
by vengeful
precisely
This
L'Estrange type for the next
piece
twenty
years.
did two
the
of
Stuart
it
things
represented
long course
alarm
and
it
the
Baxterians
to
treachery,
whispered an
which
in this event
proved very real. But Baxter
wras
Penitential
for the
sermon
already preparing his famous
Parliament.
opening of the Convention
bears
Letter Intercepted* which
date
A
the Thomason
23rd
March,
adopted the Miltonic
opposition to both
involved
Monarchy and the increase of popular government
"

in

free Parliament.

day

far

later

"

formidable

more

dated

although

letter

Plain

English*. It issued
Livewell
Chapman
(who
1

17th
f. 24

069

the

for

March, Proc.
(24), 19th March

arrest

affections

of

of

of

all persons
in

some

the

possessed a
agitators had
reply to these attempts.
forbidding officers to meet
a

Apology,p.

E.

27th
4

1017

March,
Not

95

(36).

who

for

It

in

G69

quotes

the
the

f. 24

party
in

the

Collection.

to

title

mint

Milton's

of

Beadle

quit London,

Catalogue),'A Proc.
and
debauching
alienating the
Thomason

(40). L'Estrange
in the Army.
'

forefront

the

that
'the
says
See
The
Army's

Proc.

framing
manifestoes,
C.S.J'. B. (1659-60),pp. 409-11.
See
Roger's reply to this tract, A
of

the

subterranean

soldiers

out

came

"

bearing

published

attempt

considerable

for the

the

all abandoned

March

Army,'

1660.

in Thomason

also

March

Monk

to

from

Council

(24th

22nd

of

17th

March

etc.

Sober

Answer, etc.,

AND

PROTECTORATE
and
of

Easie
the

hotheads

eight
the

abuse

future, when
the

up
leeks

the

late

rabble

King's

the

been

Republican party.
the
Royalist party

of

the

PASSAGES

have

to

seems

of

of

pages

set
'

and

Way)

INTERREGNUM

of

London

shall

statue

61

It

consists

and

now

of

for

fears
anxious

so

returned

have

labour

joint

to

the

to

'

and

the object
of their old bondage ; with
onyons
it reprints the
reviving old memories
non-addressing

of

Resolution
On
from

of

January 1647-8.
25th Br Griffith
of the ranting type
Clarendon
prayed to be delivered

the

which

and

which

of

God

and

honour

impartial

an

evoked

the

Council

his

indiscretion

Kin;/'1,an

lodged

Royalist

issued

"

Fear

for

Commons,

"

whom

sermon

the

him

in

Newgate,

Milton's

Brief Notes upon a Late Sermon,

of this
which
in turn
a castigation
Pulpit Mountebank
Guides2.
These
provoked Roger L'Estrange's No Blinde
three
second
attack
Republican pamphlets with Milton's
Griffith
Nedham's
Ncivs from
Brussels
on
(Eyesalve) and
the last effective sallies of the
were
good old Cause '. They
also remarkable
were
as
daring source.
issuing from one
Livewell
almost
the sole publisher left to
Chapman was now
the
Cause '. March
22nd
date
of Plain
is the
English,
'

'

"

'

'

and

the

on

arrest

28th

of Livewell.

scandalous
a

sick

Neivs

bed

did not
Public

the

to

take

Proclamation

first

March

23rd

which

write

his

action

to

till
Intelligence

Late

News

dismiss

him

aroused

the

from

Evelyn
The

Unmasked.
from

the

of Nedham's

is also the date

Brussels

from

for

out

was

Council

writing of

the

the second
April,when
part
of Milton's Readie
and Easie Way was
selling3. Praise-GodBarebones
is said to have assisted Plain
English into print 4.
We
know
that Chapman
several
lingered about London
weeks
before he fled to the Continent, and it is exceedingly
probable that he printed the second edition of Milton's tract.
These
and
Rarebones
men
Nedham,
Milton, Chapman,
the

9th

"

E. 1918

Of

later

edition

Consulem
J

far

"

(1).
more

importance

is 'written

dedimus

It is dated

Si
10th

than

month

the
further

has given rise to

"-

Jin'-/ Notes
down
some

the
surmise

e. 187 (-')"
Griffith's
on
torrent'.
as

to who

Its

Thia

sermon.

1'J

motto,

Sylla

nott

was.

in one
note
is an
MS.
original. There
copy
written
reported was
by Sir H. Vane, Scot and
the
the discovery
Major Salloway (.-),
printed for Chapman
bookseller, who
upon
of the matter
Proclamation
issued
him.
It
out
lied, whereupon
a
against
written
after the inditement
was
of the said person,
Xedham
and
by Marchmont
The
alarm
convoyed to the printers and booksellers
by Praise-Cod-Barebones.
to the officers and
written
soldiers of the army
was
persons'. Tho
by the same
Proclamation
for the
March
of Livewell
is dated
28th
arrest
Chapman
(669 f.
24(47)).
as

follows:

"this

March

letter

as

in

the

was

...

SIR

62
formed

privy

the

to

mild

designs

and

the Readie
the

of last

kind

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

on

Way

Easie

references

guard

the

of

The

Army.
suppressed,as

Monk

to

Republic, and

of the

they

second
Masson

were

edition

of

points out,

first edition, and

stituted
sub-

parallelto Sulla.
Desborough's letter to Chapman
like your Plain
books
of 8th April demands
more
English ',
the
General's
and
hints
at
a
on
design to secure
person
whilst
it
that
8th
subterranean
May,
bespeaks
agitation
the
the
be
to
was
congregations which
greatest
among
and
for thirtyyears to shake the
to the Restoration
menace
a

'

of the Restored

throne
The

reply

the

to

house

agitationin

the

army

contained

was

in

loyal address to Monk

disclaimingany motive of treason,
and signed by all the guards and
captains*2. To L'Estrange
fell the
task
of dealing with
the
despairing series of
2nd
above.
On
Republican tracts mentioned
April his
Treason
Arraigned chastised Plain English by that point to
which
his favourite
to become
was
style. It
point method
is a piece drawn
by no fool ',he says, and I should suspect
Eiconoclastes.
hand
it to be a plot of the same
that wrote
either or
both of you
Say, Milton, Nedham,
(or whosoever
mixed
with you
this worthy person
ever
else) say where
allow
and
that
is you,
or
they that employ you
you

'

'

"

'

wages
To

3.

the

divide

Presbyterians

Desborough's policy

was

"

but

it also

up

for

himself

if Charles

the

same

Yet

'
'

We

C.S.P.U.
fix

about
as

yet
2

mint, tried
few

on

London.

lurid

the

to

The

the

Press

409-11.

is free

and

the

picture

to

the

Loyalists
English,
"

Plain

General

Stuarts.

of revenge

and

to

At

set

the

Popery

Army*, proceeding out of

and suspicion.
similar discord
and
having been dismissed

to the

excite

faithfullest

object

of

restore

days later, Nedham

as

the

back.

Alarm

(1659-60),pp.
you

Army

than

brought

were

day later

to the

rather

it drew

time

same

appealed

the

and

8th

April 1660, Desborough to Chapman"

our
thoughts to our brethren
convey
restraint
that
is no
for
there
on
enough
it,
man,

to

'.

in
Ordered
to be published by H. Muddiman
now
by Monk
Gent, who was
high favour, and besides the 2v" w, book,printed for the Council of State.
:1 3rd
April is Thomason
date, E. 1019 (14). The taunt is good in Nedham's
the
for a single
him
Scot
allowed
case.
Forty shillings was
by Thos.
wages
Marchmont
newsheet.
to
was
only the chief of a staff maintained
by Scot
write
for the
See article on
the
Letters of News
at the
and
Newsbooks
Rump.
Restoration,by Mr J. B. Williams, April 1908 (Ung. Hist. Rev.)
4
the
Guards.
with
Alarm
to the Army
Double
L'Estrange answered
your
(E. 1019 (19)).

Way

second

iled,the

Chapman

edition

strugglinginto

was

PASSAGES

INTERREGNUM

AND

PROTECTORATE

of the

Readie

On

notoriety.

these

Guides'1
in

circumstances

of his master

hoof

observed

does

he

that

quill

note

with

admitted

Jonson,

Ben
'

venomed

Gildon's

nor

clergy

Roger

used

excellencies

those

something

it

but

Blinde
shame

the

most

the

'

dull

certainly

was

Milton's
the

like

first

this occasion

on

of

countenanc
dis-

to

his

in

entirelydisappeared, and
It might
be
not
spirit discovered.

venomous

'

misinformed,

not

poet has

the

on

Asses'

laid

hand,
Griffith

I/Estrangeindicted his No
biographermust feel some

little restraint

The

mentioning.

attack

his

which

tract

"

Easie

other

had

impartial Council
that
if Desborough
in Newgate, so
was
there
were
only Mr Caryl left of London's
a
republican conspiracy l.
In

and

the

said, the

been

has

as

63

genius,

loyal author

pride by
Gilbert Sheldon)

of The Dignity
have
been
(G. S. who
may
of Kinship Asserted.
Here
L'Estrange displaysan energy of bitterness almost
beyond anything that had yet appeared on his side, and
unfortunately on behalf of as silly a piece.
Milton's
attack
'Tis there
on
Salmasius) that you
{i.e.
two
yourself into set forms of raillery,
commonplace
pages
thick, and lest your
infamy should not extend itself enough
the course
of your
within
of usage
mother-tongue, the thing
in a travellinggarb of language, to blast the
is dressed
up
the
to
Universe, and
man
English nation
a
give every
'

horror

for

mankind

he

when

considers

that

are

you

of

the

race.
'

you
head

In

this

above

are

you

the

yourself. There,

exceed
divided

from

the

others, but

not

content

in
to

Eikonoklastes

see

that

sacred

body, your

piercing malic enters into

struggling soul with a blasphemous
himself
prerogative of God
cience)
(omnis-

the privateagonies of his

invading the
and
unchristian
most
and
by deductions
illogical
certain
aspersing his last pieties (the almost
inspirations
of the Holy Spirit)with juggle and equivocation '3.
There
was
now
pouring in from the counties a stream
of Loyalist Declarations
which
assured
no
people that
animated
the party, and
to make
thought of revenge
good
the
a
pledge there was
good deal of politicabuse turned

violence

Page 62,

::

It

i"

-Mine

to

the

not,..

amends

16S0

that

edition

L'Estrange's
of

Paradise

name

Loil.

g.

appears

178(2.)
in

the

list

of

scribers
sub-

64

SIR
the

on

L'ESTRANGE

Cavaliers

ranting

violence

ROGER
who

likely to spoil all by-

were

These

declarations

chieflyfrom

came

the counties

which

in

January and February, prior to Monk's

occupation of
the
had
for
free
and
full Parliament.
a
City,
petitioned
Their
extremely peaceful, not to say Christian, intention
afterwards

was

inevitable
was

triumph

undoubted

an

avoid

to

remembered

the

made

attempt

appearance
to the Faction

Declaration

harsh

use

And
the

by

made

of the

though

there

Restoration

indecent

an

triumph,

powers
it was

point to the Cavalier

penitential of documents

to

most

"

the

Church.

the

by

of

certainlyopen
Restoration

in

pre"

where

the wolf
and
the
they threw
lamb,
put on
away
submitting themselves
humbly to their calamities as from
the hand
of God.
violent thoughts or inclinations
no
They had
2.
against any persons whatsoever
Blincle
Guides, there
By 20th April, the date of No
was
really no further or pressing need for a continuance
of
the
warfare
in
the
Press.
better
Royalists were
to
vote3, since the
engaged in directingthe people how
danger that the will of the people should not prevail had
indeed
had
the
to
other
passed. The pendulum
swung
side and
stiff
hand
a
was
required to restrain the more
nervous
or
vengeful spiritsfrom
prejudicing the election
Just
the Republican extremists
as
by their wild words4.
'

'

carried
find

that

annoyance
clamours
of

the

Apart

certain
for

warfare

into

the

of these

rash

Cavaliers

Charles'

to
a

revenge
Restoration.

from

to the

Season

the

over

"

or

as

the

Government
that

would

Restoration,

of

price
Ranting Royalists,

"

one

Griffith's
4d.

10th

shall

proved a serious
by their importunate
have
violated
the spirit

L'Estrange became
result

we

of

them, but

A
imprisonment, see
April, 669. 24 (57),'Do

Word
you

in
not

the
people dislike you, your friends bluah for
you,
than
itself '. See Hyde's letter to a
the Rump
dangerous
you.
This very last post has
711-1S
Wood, A //ana, iii.,
Royalist,16th April 1660.
-4 complaints to
unskilful
3 or
the
King of the very
brought over
passion
Divines
in
The
of
of
their
late
'.
and
some
our
sermons
danger of the
distemper
'
News from Brussels,
I hate
to show
the teeth
impression conveyed in Nedham's
to be
before
bite', had
we
strictlyguarded against. See Kennet's
Register,p.
120, and Hallam, Cons. Hist., p. 491, note.
2
May 1660, 'the presbyterians paid their
Oldmixou, Hist., i.,464 and 466.
in money,
in great boasts
of service '.
the Cavaliers
compliments to Breda
:; See
Roger L'Estrange, Necessaryand Seasonable Caution Concerning Elections,
24th
March, 669 f. 24 (32).
4
The
Royalists began too
Hallam, Coiis. Hist, of Eng. (1S79), p. 491 note.
State Papers, 721, 2, 7. Thurloe,
with threatening speeches '. See Clan ndon
soon
from
Breda
(Somer's Tracts,vi.,562).
Tii.,887, and the King's Declaration
how

know

the

You

King

are

disowns

more

'

'

Blinde Guides,
In

To

Answer

feditiousPamphletof

7. MIL?

OWS,

INTITULED

the fear of God

Notes upon 4 late Sermon Tttl'd,
Brief
and the King ; Treacbd,and ftnee
"By
fublijhd,
D. D. And Chaplain
Matthew Griffith,
to the
lateKJNGt
"rc.

Addreffed

If the

Blinde lead the

to

the Author.

Both jhallfall
into the Ditch,
Blinde,

Primed for Henrj"BromeAp'd*o,

TITLE

PAGE

OF

NO

r.i

INDL

GUIDE

$6"o.

S.

[For.

SIR

66

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

Redivivas,

congratulations, Britannia
and

schools, and

side

of

Wild

here

are

to

had

L'Estrange

the

down

of

anger

the

arouse

and

City

advice

to

the

the

of

trimmers

taken

"

disorder

General

and

if anonymous
drew
City, which

the

of
his

unwearied

among

mutinous

Pleas

even

Booth's

from

"

the

to

bold

up

Protests

fan

first

very

Tichborne2,

the

for

efforts

to

prentices 3,

Cavalier

if

not

before
the danger point was
Monarchy
passed,
(unauthorised) representations of country
feeling, and

Limited

for
his

his intervention

notably

his

lastly

and
with

the

personal
and

accursed,
that

the

hour

had

of

the

service

men

man

the

of

whose

record

great

all

to

of

persons

at

Col.

ought

broils

to

way

and

Jeffries

unquestionable

'

integrity

good

to

as

to

Postcript

Discovery

upon
march

Discovery,

Lambert

had

listed

and

time

Paper'

was

upon

his

in

City that in
His
Majesty's return, I
Capt. John
Lloyd, two

and

the
Separatists in
published the following
The
Declaration
Westminster).

about

is not

the

and

honour,

the

Thomason

P.

See note

p.

54,

See

p.

57.

Firth, Last Years of the Protectorate,ii.,69.

Observator, ii. 80.

note.

note

on

to

Declaration

48

(addressed
Booth
George

London

(The
in

1680
Sir

towards

Prentices.

first

behaviour

my

I believe

I
citizens
forty considerable
yet living, that
hanging for His Majesty's service in these times as
in the three
often perhaps as any
as
man
kingdoms

name

the

not

ventured

to

1659

danger

pamphleteers.

tumults

and

the

John

of

if

find

shall

the

him,

best

name

till the

blast

statement

own

We

5.

obliterated
Willis'

begin

made

fanatics

the

have

to

to

episode,

elections, make

Corker

the

of

made

not

had

least

his

the

with

attempt

efforts

work

which

does

to

opened

measure

appeal

can

the

wretched

were

Royalist journalist,
Finally, then, in
in

kind

the

by,
gone
whose

afterwards

that

ruined

Devonshire

important

of
exposure
their
tampering

and

suspicions

any

in the

energetic

army

of

record

write

December

His

l.

attitude

from

dared

few

Rising, when

rush

hot

the

Universities

Dryden, Waller, Davenant,

Sprat, and
to the
homage
Rising Sun.
pay

safety.

But

his

marks

the

from

be

in

T.

to

fair
'

Sir

readiness

Collection.

G.

Oates).

and

of the City

and

to

'In

H.

Vane

; at

which

the

Men

at

CHAPTER

III

1660-2

DIVINES

PURITAN

active

L'estrange's
should

we

interests

are

one

life

to

For

the
To

1.

he

moment

the

meet

the
To

voice

3.

To

fall

had

To

the

the

regard

be

real

the

by

these

ground

the

of

rest

energies

his

which

loyalty
warfare

lated
circubehalf

on

of

phrase

gave
to

of

wise

great

Burnet's

Cavaliers.

disappointed
and

late

prove

struggle

what

"

he

that

they

they

were

"

of

Press
But

he

as

policy

offence.

History

for

to

Government,
of
a

See
ascribed

note,

67

keeping

Plea
the

at

and

activities
of

the

gaol

and

the

for

clumsily

Commonwealth

while

his

his

champion

near

plan,

Nacsbook

for

loud

very

Majesty's
office

reward

the

came

the

for

passion
rewards

monetary

cating
vindi-

gained

Restoration

obtained
as

he

that

to

the

actual

he

in

disloyalty, that

devoted

into

as

successful

was

as

that

factions

Press.

he

then

the

the

of

Burnet

and

and

humour

the

the

charge

by

His
that

of

that

Church,

Cavaliers,

challenging

This

from

seditious.

embarrassing

briefly

orship

the

Dartmouth's

his

seditious

said

period,

distressed

of

time

common

his

on

pamphlet

in

the

blossomed

which

Survey

in

calls

methods

noted

subsequent

men

abide

enemy.

the

the

of

Conformity,

against

find

Presbyterians

denied

with

himself

the

his

the

of

expose

may

regard

same

indeed

against

complaints

foul

concerned

the

the

which

four

had

during

publicly

were

It

related, and

than

sake

Restoration.

2.

4.

rather

At

charges

even

clearness

concerned.

mainly

be

was

for

that

heads

Press, with

the

agency,

three

less

PRINTING

demands

sequence.
or

more

SEDITIOUS

now

under

chronological

strict

in

life

it

treat

AND

for

policy

the
to

Caveai.
Clarendon.

bitter
See

note
p.

69,

SIR

68

The

slight
inclined

was

relieve

him

category

as

apology1,
he

evidence

this moment

at

the

as

than

Flanders,
disputed loyalty.
handed
him
a
affair,L'Estrange

Kent,

welcome

at

to send

the

that

to

after

just then

Cromwell, and
blackest
Next
ancient

Cavalier

young
took
the

L'Estrange

Cavalier

trouble

of tale to

the

in Scotland

under

some

that,
as

Monk

in

an

over

his

danger,

an

Chancellor, which
both

in

Germany'

in

busiest

was

really involved

melancholy examples

England

3,calculated

to

was

under
arouse

feelings.
establishment

the

to

of

the

Church

his

Old

of the
in

this

notable

Cavalier.
direction

When
he

Restoration

all her

in

question agitated the Chancellor

glory no

chargin
backslidings after a
to

the

when

that of the conduct

that

make

But

carried the kind

enemy

tion
printed Vindicagood enough to say

the

the

of

Kentish

King's apostasy was false,shows

contrary, he then regarded Roger

squibs, which

anti-Rump

the

of his

was

'Mr

in matters

after

Clarendon
to

in which

of the

man2.

honest

Clarendon

manner

Appeal

saw,

copy

to

That

assurance

an

rumour

all slanders

the

house.

his

and

of

we

Chancellor

soothing things,

certain

1653

the

and

the

Court

High

In

to

that

shows

acquit L'Estrange of disloyaltyand to

of any
in the same
apprehension that he was
his lying
now
Corker, who
(June 1660) wrote
more
Nothing shows
clearly the authority of

addressed

was

have

we

to

Chancellor

the

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

we

more

remember

imputed
resolve

than

Charles'
on

better

became 5.
important the matter
That
dark but probably just passage
in the continuation
of Clarendon's
history6 which describes Restoration
manners,
is directly led up to by a long discourse
the
on
violence,
a
nd
loose
the
of
Cavaliers.
Instead
of
manners
jealousies,
God
for
the devoted gratitude to
a happy Restoration,which

things 4,we

see

how

Retrospect Preview,Second

See

Chap, ii.,34.

For

the

Scottish

Series,i.

292.

betrayals,see

Prof.

Firth's

Last

Years

of the Protectorate,

ii.,121.
It is difficult to say whether
Charles
in the
early days

regard Clarendon's
throwing his shield
an
as
attempt to justifythat
anti-Cavalier
bias he adopted, by making the King's subsequent fallingaway
the
result of their
frank
of Charles from
the first
clamours, or Burnet's
exposure
the
virtuous
true
as
Ministers
night he spent in London,
picture. 'Those
them
to let the world
that
(Clarendon and Southampton) thought it became
see
they did not comply with the King in his vices.' Airy, Oivn Times, i.,1C6-8.
5 See
of Clarendon
in his Essay on
Hallam's
Hist.
Const.
Macaulay's estimate
e
Continuation
of Life, ii.,34-6 ; Airy (Charles II., p. 103) refers to the
'
Chancellor's
sorrowful
eloquence '.
"i

over

we

of

are

the

to

Restoration

the

AND

DIVINES

PURITAN

PRINTING

69

General

promised, with the

tion
there appeared at the Restoralayiug aside of all jealousies,
cessation
of the disunion
and
no
suspicion of the dark
which
went
days, but, on the contrary
urged on by rewards
assumed
than
to some
fiercer
Two
a
ever.
things
aspect
the
of
On
his
Charles
the road
return.
on
spirit
damped
he was
of the
to London
met
by the importunate clamours
Old Cavalier, and at Canterbury he received
Monk's
ful
wonderlist of men
was
worthy of a place. This latter difficulty
much
more
negotiable than the former, and Monk
proved

April

declarations

SEDITIOUS
the

to

"

"

unreasonable, but

not

Government
the

former

and

the

Earl

rise of
As

had
be

the

loudly began

to

them, than

to drink

the

men

to

wished

'

that

assume

of whom

"

to

office-seekers

the

had

far

due

the

hazard

'

or

the

men

had

most

especially
they had

any other pretences of

2. Thus
earlyClarendon

attitude

scrap

preferment

who

in taverns,
accompanied it

had

without

least,
service,and

believed

of

'were

deserved

notable

and
sort

of

Roger L'Estrange

limit

so

they

health

King's

which

imprisonment
running any other

forced

these

of themselves

suffered
or

of

most

disorders

any

time,

1.

esteem

due

but

"

importunate who
capable to perform any

more

more

if for

'

new

Cavaliers.

solution

no

was

"

character

least

were

none

to

to be

ire of the

the

arouse

in the

man

Ailesbury a good authority went

the disappointments of this class is

to

the

to

observed
and

of

Whigism

'

to

there
difficulty

that

to say

as

sufficient

was

For

singleCommonwealth

Act

hostilityto

was

of

the

merit
was

extreme

noisy example

Oblivion3, and

"

who
whose

the
discontent
of noble
families and
of
really sprung
by degrees from
of the
Counties
whose
tirst gentry in the
ancestors
were
good families
and
what
account
not
of their steadfast
on
sequestered, decimated
loyalty the
of Lord
estates
Byron (under whom
L'Estrange served) almost
wasted, and I never
]t

many

"

heard

that

the

heir

Ailesbury Memoirs

was

ever

countenanced

"

hundreds

more

had

the

same

fate

'.

first complaint against

(1890), i., 6. Eachard, iii.,6: 'The
Clarendon
the
Cavalier
and
this began so early
proceeded chieflyfrom
party,
after the Restoration
that,'etc.
2
Continuation,ii.,36.
:!
'The
that were
men
Times, i.,289:
Burnet, Own
disappointed of all
angry
their hopes made
a
jest of the title of it ''an Act of Oblivion and Indemnity ",
and
said the King had passed an
Act
of Oblivion
for his friends
and
of Indemnity
for his enemies.
To
load the PJarl of Clarendon
it was
more
given out that he
advised
the
of his friends
sure
King to gain his enemies, since he was
by their
hints
'the King fastened
that
it upon
him
graced
disafter he had
principles'. Burnet
him'.
the host of exceptions demanded
for insertion in the Act,
Among
find Koger L'Estrange's for the
we
and
exception of Tichborne
others, no doubt
for the Court-Martial
sentence
after Lynn.
JJ.M.C, App. to 7th Kept. 96(b). Set
chap. i. 19. The Act of Indemnity blotted out all offences since 1st Juno
1G37Lords' Journals,xi.,240, 379.

scandalous
But

hostilityfor

with
and

brought

manners

this

many

which

many
Continuation1.

the
The

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

70

Proclamation

reproach on the whole party.

faction
long years tempered the satisa

(given

History

publicityin the

wide

the

read

loyalgentleman

Neivs-

noisy ranters, did not mend

matters, though it pleased the Presbyterian and straiter sects.
It is sad to find L'Estrange admitting himself
publicly
drunkenness
free
from
to be of this band, 'not
altogether
and profanity 2,and loudly voicingthe jealousy of Commonwhich

booh)

rebuked

these

'

wealthmen
The

admitted

rising of
of

to favour.

Sir

party, and

Restoration

at the

Cavaliers

the

proved

had

Booth

George

stone
touch-

keenly

were

scope and interest of that affair. Clarendon

much
contributed
to the
convinced
that it 'had
was
very
covery
wonderful
change that had since been issued by the dis-

divided

to the

as

the

of

Kingdom

'.

At

the

and

affections

general

time,

same

as

Cavaliers, he deplores the fact that

been

kindled

in

the

them

improved amongst
It

royal party,

had

from

...

who

had

formerly

no

pretence

the

Old

to

greater animosity had

and

still

was

combination

that

introduced

the

concession

a
'

dispositionsof

from

the

and

and

ment.
engage-

of

persons,

number

great

of merit

pursued

King, rather
a
just title

objects of his justice,to

the greatest favours
to
the King could
confer, and which
from
that time
they had continuallyimproved by respected
offices and
services, which
being of a later date might be
thought to cloud and eclipse the lustre of those actions
ancient
which
before
beer)
had
performed by the more
observed
had
been
to be
Cavaliers, especiallyof those who
valued
remiss on that occasion
3. They therefore
habitually underRevolt.
the services wrought by the Cheshire
We
have
not quite idle in that
that L'Estrange was
seen
might

have

been

the

'

affair4,but
the

his claims

Memento

themselves
of

the

him

prove
on

the

Rising and

not

were

to

be

great, and
of

the

his

class

ground of suspicion of
of Presbyterian guile.

the
'

references

in

that

excused

true

motives

I well

remember

note
to Burnet's
History. ' He furnished the great house
chiefly with Cavaliers' goods '. Own Times, i.,17(5,with Mr Airy's
1661-3.
So Evelyn, Diary, 27th August 1667, and Pepys, Diary, 7th March
note.
' I do
here
in reprint 1681:
publicly confess
Memento, od, 1662, omitted
myself not absolutely free from thoso distempers which I am both sorry for and
1

See Dartmouth's

in the

Picadille

ashamed
3

of '.

Continuation,ii.,36.

Chap, ii.,45.

PURITAN

DIVINES

particularin

one

AND

SEDITIOUS

that

transaction', he

and

smelt

methought
understanding
that
the King
extremely laboured,
my

come

and

over,

that

embodied,

men

or

into the hands

King

Without
which

first

but
disloyalty,
and
Slingsby

his

secured

or

the

was

design to

engage

mere

lucky

condemned,

were

presently

Mordaunt

for

fall,not

to

had

the

from

party

take
may
described
as

we

has

Clarendon

was

escape

of the

was

execration,

which

L'Estrange.

on

port

L'Estrange

with

which

blight

time,

to

either

was

that

conduct

ungenerous
typical of the

was

of Parliament.

Mordaunt

pursued

It

Presbyterian
stage-managed attempt to decoy the

evidence

any

that

the

words

deliberate

passed

of treason.

2.

person
Rising in other

The
move,

'

says1, 'that

persuaded

any
hopes of

bare

71

might be

before

too

the

on

his sacred

PRINTING

block

of

arrears

no

Hewitt

when

suggested treachery

the

to

distempered Loyalists. Although his subsequent conduct

showed
him
be
above
to
reproach, the whole
party of
roysterers and tavern
Loyalists united in the pursuit of a
noble
conducted
by a hundred
stag 3. Every petty tale was
the King's ear
channels
with
the result that Mordaunt
to
truth
was
totally neglected. 'The
is', says Clarendon,
and
'most
affected
summing
more
up*
men
were
grieved
and
discontented
for any
honour
and
preferment which
conferred
another
for
than
they saw
man
being
upon
in
their
'.
disappointed
owu
particularexpectation
also the
of Mordaunt
came
Mingled with incriminations
stories already alluded
of L'Estrange's treachery,and
to
if his
Roger might have claimed kindred with Mordaunt
and
own
manners
jealousieshad not too notoriouslyclassed
him

with

the

Restoration
to

'the

"

assume

Ranters.

an

Men
modelled

new

attitude

Memento, part L, 36.

for
attempting

of

who
of

favoured

were

gimcrack'

moderation

and

"

bid

could

the

at

afford
less

their

and
condemned
Slingsby was
is
curious
It
1658.
of
plot
hopes
that we
hear nothing of a port in connection
with
the Cheshire
affair,but then wo
hear
little of the
Hallam, Cons. Jlist.,
negotiations for bringing the King over.
'
of his brothers
The
Royalists
pressed that he (Charles) or one
p. 483 :
of the
would
land
irresolution
and
the
For
notice
coast'.
of the
on
timidity
Cavaliers on this occasion, sec ' '"''
State Pape s, i.,491 and 590.
I
8 C.3. P.D.
1659.
Their
December
to 16th
(1659-60),pp. 277-8, 6th December
I
activity to ruin others is greater than their zeal to restore their master.
Hull

"

Yarmouth

had

been

betray

to

of

the

the

which

Cavaliers

"

in the

'

...

wonder

Lord

concerning
4

Mordaunt
the

Sealed

should
Knot.

Continuation,ii.,38.

be

so

used

by

them

'.

Mr

Baron

to Sec.

Nicholas

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

72

quiet. So Sir John Birkenhead, Master

of Faculties, so Howell, Historiographer Royal, Muddiinan,
Sir John
Denham,
Surveyor
of the Newsbooh, and
writer
of the Royal Buildings.
Roger
But scarcelyhad Charles been safelyrestored when
his
hastened
to present the public with
1660
6th June
and apology.1 This early appearance
naturally
full defence
afraid he might be
that he was
brought on him the sneer
friends be

fortunate

"

"

forgotten
motto

he

showed

from

resolved

was

the

Lynn
the

Qui aliquidstatuit,parte inaudita altera

Aequum licet statuerit,iniquum est judex,'

for

done

neither

to

ambitious

spoils.2 His

the

'

had

of

division

the

in

the

first
to

Newgate,

Restoration.
in the

dismissed

suppresses
the
Kentish

last time

the

to

"

earlier

These

perhaps

affair, and

the

on

unfortunately
expatiated on

conditions

might have been

abroad, and which
The
main
part of the book is devoted

Cavaliers
value.

struggle,and

abundantly

shows

of events

exile
Kent, from
matters, however, are

pages, and he
which
probably

thirty-fivepages

for

"

to

of four

compass

treated

are

narrative

Newgate

from

we

he

what

know

one

Accordingly

King.

nor

let every

to

what

the

of

of historical
to

the

his

regnum
Inter-

enemies

ventured
hanging for
already,that he
might have known
His
Majesty's service in these times as far and as often
in the three
Kingdoms'3.
perhaps as any man
here
We
only concerned with the Dedication, which
are
givesa hurried pictureof the suspicionsof that distraught
for
I first heard myself suspected ',he says,
period. When
his pensioner,and a betrayer of
of Cromwell,
instrument
an
his sacred Majesty's party and
designs,I could not choose
of that calumny
the authors
thank
almost
but smile and
fixed a charge there,
had
full of faults),
so
that, (in a man
I
it was
where
impossible I should be guilty. But when
'

'

'

to find that

came

E.

187

divers

of my

nearest

in

of apology of course.
Corker,
(New Series,i.,'291),acknowledges
'A
striking specimen
days later.
almost
justified the neglect with
Restoration,' says this editor.

cautioned,

four

letter

the
'

my
of

which

2 So
recentlyrepeated as in Mr J.
(1909),p. 259.
a
Obscrvalor,ii.,80 (June, 168-1).

were

kind
days" a very different
in
the
Review
quoted
Retrospective
fearful]apostacie',and was liberated a few
the
disregard of truth and honour, and

by

(1) Anticipating Corker's

friends

B.

Charles

Williams'

II.

treated

them

after

his

History of English Journalism

SIR

74

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

let in Morrice,
had
compromise with Monk
not to speak
to high office,
Cooper, Clarges,and Manchester
of offices,among
of a similar indulgence in the lower
range
printers,booksellers, and lowly scribblers, Roger began more
and
and more
to speak for
to fall into
a
cynical hostility,
of his kind..
The Bartholomew
a
ment
ejectvery large company
that

time

had

to

yet come
L'Estrange yet found

had

not

glad

the

Cavaliers'

his metier, which

hearts,
to

was

nor

help

the

Nonconformity and the

seditious
Press.
When
he did, he developed a
ferocity
with
mild
variance
his
former
at
compliments to
entirely
Presbytery,and a forgetfulnessthat he himself had graduated
of seditious
the greatest exponent
as
writing against the
its

in

Government

Government.

Commonwealth
The

struggleswith

fruit of these

bitter

musings

was

series of invective

elegant phraseologyhe
struck at the Government
through the side of Presbytery '.
The
first of these was
provoked by Corbet's Interest of
England in the matter
of Religion,the second part written
the hopes of Presbytery still
in the spring of 1661, when
had a Presbyterian
Parliament
stood high. The Convention
trived
majority,but whilst it lasted, the other side skilfullyconThe party
\
to postpone the question of a settlement
in which

pamphlets

to

use

his

own

'

'

or

classis

'

as

"

colourable

Clarendon

pretext for

calls them

their

"

had

more

than

Cheshire
pretensions. The
Prynne, their champion, who

affair.
their
Rising was
supplied the legal arguments for loyal Hewitt2, did more
writer.
other
than
the Restoration
perhaps to forward
any
Convention
the
Baxter
to
preached the opening sermon
credit of
Parliament.
In a word, they usurped the whole
orders
effect to the disthe Restoration, and
pointed with some
the Cavalier
and jealousieswhich
had reduced
party
of noisy impotence.
to a state
sooner
So that the shouting of the Restoration
was
no
of
the merits
than
over
people began openly to canvass
Presbytery. The Directory was placed in open competition
the
this work
In
the
Book
of Common
with
Prayer.
of the
Press
aided
Freedom
powerfully, and L'Estrange
in saying
writers
the testimony of numerous
corroborates

Mr

the

'Though

other

party

Osmond
2

Last

are

Presbyter
resolved

to

would

put

Airy'sBurnet, i.,315,
Years

the

have
it off

with

note.

of the Protectorate,ii.,78,

note.

Church

settled in Parliament

delay'. Vemey MSS.,

the

cjuotud in

that

freedom

this

minds

AND

DIVINES

PURITAN

of

affection

had

'

the

people

for

the

SEDITIOUS
manifest

so

that

the

was

the

became

75

influence

an

unanimous

Restoration

Presbyterian cause

PRINTING

the

on

of

pre-eminence

the

altered, that

so

of

argument

common

public

'

meetings x.
It
warned

the

this

was

Church

the

politicmask
lured

were

the

leaders

of

credit

that

the

embodied
whom

the
had

desire after the

anti-Cavalier

the Declaration

of 25th

Savoy Conference,

and

The

first of these

is

the

second

pleased

regrets
the

Both

batches

of

1661.

Hence

we

which

Majesty

Ministers,

Proclamation,

bade

of

several

after

the second
announced

1660, which

people be quiet in

the

the meantime.

modest
and
grateful document
;
very
that
whilst
the King
was
graciously

of the

moderation

other

London

October

altogetheromitted
Government.

his

to

resumption of their livingsby their

presented 2,the first at the King's express

were

with

"

the

invited

legalowners,

drop
the Presbyterians
King
seemingly
to

come

ambitions.

the

of

views

had

of the

of Proposals

Papers

two

by

which

Presbytery

which

return

greatest betrayal of their

The

of
hour

the

compliment

effect

to

on

and

revival

references
these

first paper, his Declaration

to the question of Church

papers
the
and

proposals
shall

find

whole,

while

it

effected

with

much

published

were

Petition
anger

for

Peace

in

part of

the

on

with

L'Estrange.
On

change
doubted

the
was

if

Nedham's

an

the

immediate

phrase)

scarcely be

minimum
'

would

can

showing
have

that

said

the

of friction,it may
of the teeth
(to

been

be

'

more

use

politic than

allowing the advocates of Presbytery to find out gradually

that they had
been
betrayed.
In October
1660, when these things were
being amicably
of Bramshot, Dr
John
discussed, the Rector
Corbet, bosom
friend of Baxter, in the first part of his Interest of England

gratefullydescribed the King's Declaration

as
granting 'just
and gracious concessions'.
Early in 1661 he issued a second
vein 3. These
part in the same
Presbyterian insolencies
aroused
the false harmony
on
L'Estrange to break in at once
'

'

Truth

and

Burnet,

Loyalty

"

fed.

'
Times, i.,316, note.
Many of these had pone
of the Restoration
in so
and
with such success
signal a manner
'.
great merit and a just title to very high preferment
"
10th March
W61, E. 1857 (2).
-

Own

into
that

the

design

they had

SIR

76

his

with

to

the

"

should

we

which

Government

Cheat

Holy
Presbytery, and

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

think

on

considerable

still bent

was

attack

unabashed

first

annoyance
keeping on the

on

felt

Presbytery. But Roger had already

the pulse of. Parliament, and
despite the brave words of

the

Lord

mask

of

good-will

Chancellor2

Whiggish patron
29th

his

chance

warily ',he
ground 3.

opening
the warnings
affrontingthe

of

said,

'

the

at

"

As

'

to

Grirustone, Burnet's

Harbottle

Sir

"

1660, and

August

to take

to

for

the

Act

of

Parliament

friends,determined

of

Court.

here

am

upon
Oblivion

of

the

on

'

tread

I must

narrow,

and

the

slippery
compact

of

words, that is already

broken
by the Presbyterians themselves, as witness that mass
of
of sedition,Smectymnuus Revived, published in the week
referred

silence

the

in the

to

Restoration

by

Chancellor's

Manton4.

Dr

in

the

type

new

lead
protestations

historyand aims of Presbytery,

served
the
that
they had ever

smashing attacks on
a
downright denial
Monarchy except to make

the

up to
and

Meanwhile

Such

it their

trouble

of the Rev.
person
that brings trouble

tool.

brewing

was

for

Zachary Crofton, a
to

party.

any

Presbytery

zealot

He

was

of the
at

this

for
(from February 1661-2) a prisoner in the Tower
A
Covenant.
wild
for the
certain
and
whirling words
prison seemed to calm his ardour momentarily, and in July,
the Anglican
of the Governor, he attended
at the invitation
to
services
in the Tower.
It is scarcely possiblefor us
time

1
the Undeniable
and Positions
The Hohj Cheat, Proving from
Practices
of the
Presbyterians that the Design of that Party is to enslave both King and People
Treatise
under the Masque of Religion by ivay of Observation
a
entitled,
upon
The
in
Interest of England
the Matter
of Religion, etc. Fourth
Impression,
printed 1662. and now
reprinted 1682.
After
the King's Speech, 8th May
1661, quoted by Clarendon
{Continuation,
said
it was
ii.,180). The Chancellor
penal by the Act of Indemnity to use
words
that
the
within
of reproach and
names
or
equity of the
surly looks were
'
the integrity of these
Statute
To prove
'. Oldmixon, p. 477, remarks
:
speeches
book mentioned
need
and
written
we
a
by the infamous
only mention
by Eachard
Historian
fills one
of his folio pages
with
what
Roger L'Estrange. The Reverend
he takes out of that notable
of the
some
piece wherein
Presbyterians preferred
called
Cromwell's
arc
by the King for restoring him to his Kingdom
creatures,
-

'

St

John's

creatures, etc. '.

When

Oldmixon

goes

on

to Bay that

'

this libel

(which

applauded and bought up l"y

the creatures
of the
to be
was
Court, and
dependence
sufficientlyproved what
is
in
fair
words
he
his
For
the
book.
clearer
most
',
nothing
placed
goes beyond
that the Court
than
frowned
in this
ominously on
L'Estrange's first adventures
direction.
Even
a gaol was
contemplated for him.
3 The
his conduct
and
in 1679-80 is striking. In both
now
analogy between
thou
1 was
the Government
of
him
the way
marshallest
cases
to
me
might say
of the Court.
go ',by interpretingthe true mind
is the

Relapsed Apostate,

not

the

Holy Cheat)

'

Truth

and

Loyally Vindicated,pp.

f"8-60.

was

DIVINES

PURITAN

the

understand

excited

bitterness

defence

Crofton's

SEDITIOUS

AND

was

by

this

communicated

be

to

PRINTING

77

compliance.
his brethren

to

warily stifled
printed pamphlet, which, however, was
handed
Written
round, the
copies were
by his friends.
the sectaries
for thirty
familiar method
of sedition
among
found
himself
As a result of his compliance Crofton
years.

in

free

1662, but

in

episcopal

greatest anti-

for

out

L'Estrange's

1.

quarry

proceedingsof

abortive

The
it clear

real and

in the

concessions
'

for the

substantial

the

Savoy Conference

surrender

unconditional

that

Presbytery. The
the Bishops were
than

the

to

him

marked

and

excesses

him

drove

remorse

the

Prayer

fate offered

Book

part verbal and

most
'

was

made
to

yielded by
literal rather

"2.
within

admitting divisions

the ranks

of

Presbytery,
Baxter
makes
of similar fissures in the Church.
much
Setting
undoubtedly existed, it
apart intellectual differences which
and
be said that between
Stillingfleet
Morley it was
may
merely a question of how far Conformity could be forced on
people.
Baxter
was
naturallyregarded as the soul of Presbyterian
in the
suspected of a hand
contumacy, and while he was
document
referred to below, he was
more
particularlyblamed
little later, and
which
for the book
out
a
was
came
long
Conference
the
classic
of
Savoy
Papers. The
regarded as the
Petition
has
dedication
or
no
preface, but is
for Peace3
kind
of minority Report to the Episcopal
addressed
as
a
Yet. as L'Estrange put it,these people were
Commissioners.
That
those from
whom
it was
most
scrupulously concealed.
without
to us
it had
seems
to steal out
a
printer'sname
incredible,having regard also to its singularmodesty. In
Whilst

Memento

Baxter

Dedication
(1662),

to

{Life,ii.,288) describes
of

utage

siuh

as

Tower,
under

abide

Kennet

Clarendon.

Crofton's

in the

Death, written

/"'..(/"
of

the

appeal in

the usual

it makes

substance

of

Usher,

397, 402, etc.

(Register),
Defenceagainstthe

See his curious

career.

1661-2,'and

God's

name

now

made

publique

l'or the

by the
present visitation in Londou
minister
of St
Crofton
was
Botolph's,

No
printer'sname.
ilence, 1665'.
Ahlgate. Kennet, 375 (February 1660-1),quotes from Roger L'Estrange's /
hath
Mistaken
quieted that
single imprisonment of Crofton
[Holy Cheat), 'The
'.
i.. S2-3.
mercies
his
S""
of
all
the
Ralph,
than
Majesty
more
multiplied
party
t"" treat
and
commissioned
a'^n't
.1
the
/!"
Bishops
Most
rchbishops
to
v.
Reply
the Alteration.% of f/"" Common
BookoJ Prayer', probably written by Baxter, and
"

bound
1
as

it

with

up
E.
,nis

Petition

the

1091, May

1661.
/,.

Majesty'sCommission

the

for

Peace.

Petition for Pcaee

lliijhtReverend

to treat

with Hum

v/Uh

Bishops
about

the

Reformation of the Liturgy

appointed by 11 is

by the divines

the alteration

of it,1661.

ROGER

SIR

78

L'ESTRANGE

Presbytery,or Primitive Episcopacy,

The
and the Church.
part reason
why it aroused so much
is that it synchronisedwith
spleen apart from its merits
the Mediator

as

between

"

"

sets of

two

inflammatory

the

between

engagement

which

tracts

Government

Regicides'printedspeeches,and
able, holy, faithful

the

sedition

first batch

late

ministers, are

the first general

and

ejectedministers1, 'some

of the

Sermons

marked

the

"

of Farewell
of

hundreds
and

whom,

only
(wh-tehis of
great
very many
of congregationsin England,
far greater moment) abundance
Ireland and Wales
are
overspread with lamentable
ignorance
of their families

and

destitute

are

that

many

the

flocks

are

not

able

of

faithful

this

(not meaning

guiltynor
the

on

whole
tract

scarcely a doubt
thought Roger L'Estrange
Relapsed Apostate
provided with a mocking
The

the

he

when

he

created

any

party

Baxter's, and

indulged
attacks

Dedication,

over

that

it.

wrote

are

of any
on

So

in

least

at

of the

one

Presbytery.

on

considerable

fashion

L'Estrange

usual

scandalous

reflection

itself it is

In

Introduction.

an

an

that

seeing too

accusation

of his little creditable

least creditable

but

Church)'2.
strongly resembles

is

there

as

not

teachers, and

dishonourable

style of the

The

distress

insufficient,
negligent or

are

less

much

in

out

cast

stir3.

It

and

Advertisement

an

is

lengthy diatribe,but

no

in

declamation, but

mere

thorough, if one-sided quoting of chapter and verse, adorned

from Ben Jonson's
Bartholomew
also by two quaintquotations
The
Fair.
ferocityof the piece is partly explainedby its
It
1661.
date, 14th November
of his greatest unpopularity with

attacks
a

escape from
in on that account.

the

On

Calvinist
the

the

2
3

like
of

Church

opening of
of

hand

one

the

Royal

all those

Civil War

Relapsed Apostate,

wish, by Roger
Eaehard's
p.

232).

L'Estrange,

led

men

notes upon
It

extravagant praiseis

seems

See

"".

and
was

of

"

which

to

at

the

weakening
been

have

won

Airy, Burnet, i.,315-6.

Presbyterian Pamplet entitled,

design are laid

long remembered

course

difficult.

old
an
by Morley
thorough 'purge* in

considerable

been

him

involved

most

was

had

tin-fir Hon
1661.

had

elements

Ejectment.
or

of his

offered

disaffected

Clarendon

cause.

Petition for Peace, etc., wherein

situation

desired

who

"

Prior to the Bartholomew

Petition for Peace.
The

the

were

Parker

The

moment

because

Presbyterian business
the cloud of infamy he

welcome

himself

Court

the

the

at

This

Howell.

on

issued

was

corrobated

as

open

by

by

as

good

Kennet

heart

can

men.
Church-

[Register,

Morley, after having

view
the
other
supported by Southampton \
tion
the hopes alluded
to in the King's Declara-

this

to

over

aroused
of

October

Clarendon

and

and

mind,

of

hints

Burnet

1660.

Southampton

friend

his

by

course

trifled with
which

79

PRINTING

SEDITIOUS

AND

DIVINES

PURITAN

is

it

at

the

as

result

vacillation

this

between

coolness

the

in

this

of

change

Government

which

gives L'Estrange's
RelapsedApostate considerable importance. For it attempted
to drive matters
beyond hope of the pacificationdesired by
Grimstone, but
Southampton, Anglesea, and Sir Harbottle
evidently not by Morrice2.
these
mention
That
Morley and L'Estrange (if we
may
ill-advised as a point of policy in
not
two
together) were
mind

this
the

the

during

shown

is

matter,

1660-1

winter

the

by

forty years, and

its pale in 1682-5.

Conference

were

ambition

alreadyconceived
of

abroad

of

rumours

disturbances

the

Burnet

as

"

the

to

did

Nor

the

of the

When
Petition

great
mass

the

and

Peace

of unofficial
1
a

but

to

sinister

King's Lynn

credit
dis-

much

take

figures

who

had

to note
the dangerous
perspicacity
of anti-episcopal
literature,which

be

construed

how

the

libel, except

"

from
enough to fasten here
widespread publication. L'Estrange's

had

"

already

Press Scout"showed

i.,316.
Airy, BvrneL
So far Sir Sidney Lee

as

see

clever

and
he

of

it is still difficult to

could

L'Estrange was

information"

the

Regicides'speeches provoked.

all this is said

its clandestine

of

family.

great

for

work

motive
any
it does
not

3pleen the

Thoroughgoods

it need

ejectments

and

had

his

behind

his

impoverished

the

merely

were

hated3, and

see

and

Tolls

of the

he

thing

imagination

drift

"

series of bitter attacks

his

of the

project of accommodation, it is
any
is extremely unlikelythat L'Estrange

spiritsto defeat
It
impossible to say.
hot

in

revival

Whig

no-comprehension
Bishops at the Savoy
hints
partly due to the Court's
towards
Rome, whilst the spreading
disaffection and
exaggerations of

1661-2

of

for

Church

the

whether

But

the stiff attitude

and

movement

the

particularlyby

next

within

the

history of

that
2

(Art.

taken

himself

on

the

Ibid.,i.,315,

L'Estrange, Diet.

Faction

the

had

duties
taken

note.

Nat.

Biog.)is right in using

his anti-Presbyterian
disinterestedness'
to
describe
phrase 'with
greater
his own
on
activity. Others, however, even
side, spoke more
slightingly. The
about some
contemporary view is rather expressed in the remark
coming
one, who
from
and
benedictions
instead of money,
Lambeth, with only thanks
away
swore,
let the rogues
henceforth
write for themselves'.
"Damme,
Set
Obstrmtor, i.,289.
the

L-ennet,Register,
p.

232.

on

SIR

80

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

extraordinaryprecautionsagainstdiscovery. They addressed

them
it to the Bishops, yet from
of all the rest, it is with
most
concealed, but on the other side, the copies flie
care
in swarms
about
To the excitable
\
the nation
Royalist
Petitions
for a thorough reformation,
the parallel
of the 1641
'

'

and
so

earlier Scottish

the

recent

many

the

tumults,
revolutions,it was
would

Government

present

was

in

ever

by

no

prove

mind, and

with

certain

means

that

stable than

more

the

others.

this

in

'Just

Majesty,whom
sure

little,as

if

When

they

drive

in

March

not

both

the

for

number
did

of

order

L'Estransre

rather

Friends

warned

he

of the

who

had
not

was

About

borne

the

different

very

nation

that

the
he's
does

be

inconsiderable,
very
credit
with
the
people.

to

the

labour-oar

Court, which

the

time

it

the

at
a

list of all those

against
he

did

might

this time, and

person

same

was

the

now

King

or

indeed

infraction
was

in

'

suggest that
be

from

the

still dissimulated.

this

arms

use

commission

"

L'Estrange against

true, but

schismatical

used

Loyal party

'

of

of

interest

than

game,

private

own

the

'

preparing

was

and

tried

papers

ever

at

was

Church

rules

similar

Presbytery with
numbers.
Surely

their

temper

anything without the Independents ?

that the moderately Presbyterian clergypredominated
London
an
was
perhaps
exaggeration. But
'down
with
the
day was
Presbytery',and

in
the

the

and

they

is to confound

cue

to

then, when

2.
and

Armies

Presbyterians

they

claim

Baxter's

'

his late
upon
their barking

with

good, they babbled

no

him

minimise

to

stranger

know

Where

his

and

sects
a

do

save

to the

Now

language3.
much

to

hunted

wedge between
Presbytery
to April, 1660, Roger had

violent

and

encroach

scaffold,and

very
would

meant

Alarm

the

to

they

they pursued

the
upon
that words

arguments
were

did

manner

his

of

the

reported that
employment ',
father.

list for

the

This

King's

benefit4.
since

the

troublingthe

Restoration, another

repose

of the

Church.

Relapsed Apostate. Introduction.

"

6-7.
Echard, iii.,
Ibid., p. 28.
3
the
Alarm
to
to the Armies, 4th April,1660, E. 1019 (19),
reply
L'Estrange's
with the guilt of
beast
The
shameless
proceeds to charge the secluded members
drawn
the
Declaration
from
senseless inference
of both
the King's blood
a
upon
of the
votes
for non-address
'. Roger then
Houses
in 1647 touching the reasons
passed. The Independents shuffled them through
explains how these votes were
the Presbyterians were
dining.
when
2

'

Relapsed

postate"Advertisement.

SIR

82

Bishop,

and

between

in 1671

and

his

and

of

wrangle
only
ment,
imprison-

three

doughty

unseemly

an

Dissenters1, terminated
various

terms

Vindication

the

Howell

of

man

his

wrangle,

Baxter,

His

in

attack

to

as

Schismatical

the

TVliipfor

Letter is neither
Bishop of
clever performance, and the Bishop
a
a
dignifiednor even
of
Baxter's
have
disgust at his
experienced some
may
the
in the
meddlesome
own
Wliip was
champion. Whilst
Press, Bagshawe, hearing of L'Estrange's breathing out
with
Second
Part
him
a
threatenings,cleverly forestalled
to all that L'Estrange
of his Animadversions, with an ansiver
The
date of the
intends
to write.
Whip is 7th February
time
It so happened that
1662.
Roger had had for some
Animadverter

hand

in

on

L'Estrange

infuse

10th

was

double

L'Estrange.

in

the

We

on

to

Clarendon4.

The

time, and

addressed

and

appeal

treacheries

Roger

while

that

then,

short

levities

reasonable

before

himself

cleared

meantime

based

of

some

remark

should

"

congenial for
wrath
against the

Dedication

the

name

and

easy

for

the

Sedition

of

portion

Bagshawe
complaining of

to

had
of

men

disloyalty his appointment as Surveyor

is warrant
the Press
in February 1662
enough for that
it was
appearing,
sufficientlyannoying to find the old charges rein
and
the matter,
if nothing had
been
said
as

the

imputation

and

me

should
2
we

from

man

of Baxter's

occasion

Baxter

on

'

Bagshawe

I could

have

wished

disputing faculty" and wholly

spirithe thought no
being of a bold and Roman
the smallest
'.
duty

hath

man

facts,but

the

Seditions

'Of

used

Memento,
Historical
Clarendon

original
He

to make

and

no

great

"

classic lament.

Troubles', No.

Whilst

he

had

stranger
suffering

in the

wrangle here

we

dark,

xv.

of

Essaysand Counsels.

Roger probably

title A
the
edition
appeared 1682 under
with
ike
and
Remedies
some
Seditions,
Rise,
of
of
Treating
Progress
the
It omits
late Troubles.
Reflections t'/ion the Series of our
edition.

1632

the

"

dying'.

are
;;

for the

deter
The

of

Register,
\". 609.

Kennct,

let it alone

the

Rise

1662,

May

of

to

It

it deserves

"

unanswered

remained

Clarendon

"

the

on

priest into the

Memento

of

book

Essay3.

to

meddlesome

on

work

famous

Bacon's

Worcester's

ambitious

more

Memento,

The

the

not

Vindication,

own

rushed

now

himself.

as

sprang

doughtiestRoger L'Estrange, who,

the

abuse

abusive

of

after

Bagshawe,

Morley's

with

content

occasion

".

to

champions,

L'ESTRANGE

eminent

two

of

death

But

the

were

these

the

by

ROGER

Dedication,the

second

personal matter,

and

the

chapters

last three

of

the

edition.
says

good

Dedication

if Clarendon
be a particular favour
charges against.L'Estrange before the

it would
his

is 11th

April,1662.

would

order

Council.

The

Bagshawe
date

of

DIVINES

PURITAN
that

who

by a
appealing

man

following

the

SEDITIOUS

AND
could

nothing of the facts.

1662, Bagshawe
May
L'Estrange's Apology of

in
of

example

result
the
preceding December,
office alluded
to l.
Smarting under
evidently dreading
Appeal and
addressed
himself
the
to
Privy
and

which

life

the

"

licentious

Press

particularly when
Meanwhile

dismiss

may
details

we

the

meagre
Pope, and

of

Baxter.

Nonconformists,

his

Oxfordshire, in November
led
then

his

to

the

in

have

deal

Baxter,

his

Truth

notice it
that

more

interest.

his

His

insolencies

first in

the

the

say he
free in

was

take

to

still
in

ness
faithful-

or

Gatehouse

to

regrets

one

lot with

livingat Ambrosden,

liberated

was

As

to

in

"

with

Vindication

with

thrown

L'Estrange's persecution"
refusal
in the Plague year, but
on
Allegiance,was
again imprisoned, and
feud

in

light on the
energies practically for

from

free

the

considerable

1662.

where

"

the

Bagshawe with a reference to

remaining years given in Wood,

imprisonment

Tower

was

been

moderation.

"

In

Bagshawe's
results, Roger now

Council

ejected from

was

of

its

to

had

He

the insults

shall

come

we

had

his

we

"

which

of

throws
absorb

to

was

him

for

"

Vindicated'2

Loyalty

subject

and

force

singular

of

83

know

Clarendon

to

PRINTING

the

and
not

was

London
Oath

of

maintaining his

order

die

to

in

1671.
If

judge by

may

we

one

I/Estrangewas

generallyunderstood

beaten

Puritan

in

the

by

divine.

unfriendly notices,
have
been soundly

two

or

to

He

had

found

his

match

vituperation.

leaving the

Before

it may

Presbytery

be

in this connection.
Corbet

against

subject

convenient

Apart
the

in

of

from

L'Estrange'sattacks
summarise

to

Bags] la

he had

we

Cheat, Baxter

Holy

his

on

work

inveighed

and

the

whole

L'Estrange's Apology to Clarendon, 3rd December

1861, E. 187 (1) used
the preceding account
of the Interregnum
tumults.
Truth
and
and
Loyally Vindicated from the clamours
reproaches of Edmund
"
article in Eng, Hist. Rev., April 1908. Nei
Bagshawe, 1662.
In 64
of verbose
of News of the Restoration,by Mr J. B. William-.
and
pages
the controversy
vituperative narrative.
Roger [/Estrange cleared himself, ended
1

largelyin
-

'

and

silenced

and

iu another
Loyalty would
of the
pamphlet literature
In August
1665 he seized

the

Davies
the

narrative

himself
of

was

his

under

fallen

chap.

xi.

Crofton

minor
of

whose

like

enemies

He

opponent.

was

now

age.
in

The

committed

savage
most

fam"

treatment

to

result ithe

cell
Tower

much

acquaintance with
correctlystated, however.
The

vice

in

Case

20th

was
Bagshawe
(1664-f"),
p. f"45.

observable

of Truth,

censure

scarcely argue

Bagshawe's

severity. O.S. P.D.

is the

critic

Da
"f Jf/m.
1662, with

December

attempting
This

vindictive

L'Estrange's

to

console

treatment

character,

84

SIR
of

crowd

ROGER
in

Presbytery

supplement

L'ESTRANGE
the

State

it entitled

to

greatest

of this kind

formerly

installed in the

Relapsed Apostate,and

Divinity1.

in

printed

the

new

remembered

Discussed'2,long
Dissent, and directed

Surveyor is

the

as

classic

the

whole
against
Calamy in consequence

singlingout
preached

but
sermon

Parish

December

1662.

It will
the

from

seen

of

heads

very
had

who

be

defiance

Church,

old

his

in

St

the

Mary

was

Toleration

castigation of
of

mass

of

and

he

Dissent,

contumacious

Uniformity

Act

at

Aldermanbury,

this list that

the

claim

of

fourth

in which

year

office of

The

the

28th

L'Estrange attacked

offending factions,

and

the

men

the

Baxter
gratitude of the Crown.
and
Calamy had been
only less active than
Prynne in
promoting the Restoration, and
Calamy especially was
much
courted
of that
by all parties on the consummation
some

on

event.

these

All

directed

different

at

To

abuse.

pamphlets

have
and

persons
the idea

contest

that

though
degrees of
Presbytery had signally

with

the
Restoration,
helped on
question of Toleration, the

enemies

hopelesslydivided

not

the

underline

appeals

to

in

bring

to

double

the

of

burthen
chosen

brief

did

parallel

distinction

the

draw

and

between

between
and

different

show

that
of

know
1641

the

what

the

Church
to

and

ask

1661,

respectful

tumultuous

on

and

great
were

for, to
and

to

submissive

word
authority
a
the Presbyterians guilty of faction, through
of Press
and
the iterated
Pulpit, was
agency
these

works.

first there

is the

helped
they originally

on

protests, in

2"Tumerous

exemplify every
quotation of each may
to

And

to

theme

common

one

passages

these

might

positions,but

be
a

suffice.

claim
the

of

of

the

Presbyterians that

Restoration,

claim

which,

inclined
to encourage
L'Estrange was
very much
in the
Interregnum struggles. When
Republicans like
last move,
as
a
Nedham,
attempted to drive a wedge
the Royalists and
between
Presbyteriansby showing that
as

we

saw,

State

Divinity,of

Sifjylemenl to Relapsed Apostate, 1661, probably

November.
Sir
Discussed, 1663.
L'Estrange, Toleration
(art.
Sidney Lee
to have
re-issucd at the same
time
of Nat. Biog.),'He seems
under
his own
name
previously published
Presbytery Displayed ; a tract
Toleration
But
to
distinctly
Roger
(Preface
Discussed)'the
anonymously'.
says
He had no reason
not'.
to publishanonymously
then.
of it,I know
author
2

Roger

L'Estrange, Did.

had

latter

the

identified with

been

PRINTING

SEDITIOUS

AND

DIVINES

PURITAN

all the

85

great

measures

bounds.
no
against the Stuarts, his indignation then knew
find him
By 166o, however, things had changed, and we
writing in Toleration Discussed the following dialogue1:
"

"What

Zeal.

do
I

'Conformity.
the

King's

business

well

; and

of the two
pass
fine,'tisallowed at all hands that the
to that

come

of His

Majesty's

Restoration

would

choice

new

jot as

every
that one

members

secluded

of the

ye think
think
a

have

done

were

then

matters

In

unavoidable.

was

prime singleinstrument

the

was

Albemarle.

of

Duke

parties,the very fact appears against

employed to make
ye ; for though all possibleindustry was
choice
the next
totallyPresbyterian by disabling all such
and
their sons
as
(in effect)had served the King
persons
since 1641, without manifesting their repentance for it since ;
of the people for the
the general vote
yet so strong was
and
interest
against all factions, that all
King's true
if ye

'But

endeavour

little to

too

was

designed.

was

to

come

If

have

ye

party we'll pass

of your
The

the

leaven

say for the merits

of the cause'.
merits

the

to

on

as

to

more

no

Convention

next

Nonconformists
the
were
position, that
divided
the subject of Toleration, is argued with
an
on
Baxter's saying We
of more
distinguish
reason.
appearance
"2
from
the Tolerable
the Intolerable
tion
was
spoken in connecwith the King's proposal of a Catholic
indulgence, but
record of Presbytery is sufficient to show
the Commonwealth
the substantial truth of L'Estrange'splea here ::.
If it be the Uniformity ye dislike,how
come
ye to join
with the Directoryagainstthe Common
Prayer; with that of
the Assembly
against that of the Church ? In short your
disagreements among
yourselvesare almost as notorious as
conjunction against us, and ye have given proof to the
your
world that it is not
possiblefor anything else to unite you
but a common
booty ; witness the contentions, papers and
second

'

'

'

First

Baxter's
the

'

loved

We

of the

to argue.
on

type of question

the

was

iii.,
6-7,and

Oldmixon,

the

now

within

come

few

Cavaliei

weeks

Ballam,

Cons.

5th

"
.

where

charge the secluded members

iii.,p. 80, note.
2
Oldmixon, i.,488.

of Restoration

he
with

and

we

of Eng., pp.
April 1660
(E. 1019
Hit.

attacks
the

yet
483

reprints

suffered
the
'.

have

and

and

Burnets

i.,486, who

the

Vow
[/Estrange, D"
Arraigned, 3rd April 1660,
to

This

"SeeEachard.

'

make
are

i". 25.

Love
the affair for which
subject, in which
for Presbytery.
Pa^re 304, all the stir
Rising are claimed
mutinies
in City and
and
Camp
was
by spiriting
up mobs

remarks

Booth

could

16G3,

edition

Oldmixons

not

488.

and

Royalists
Page 448,
a

"Ve

word
also

Treasons
(19)), and
'the shameless
beast, (who) proceeds
guilt of the King's blood '. See chap.
3

Toleratwii

JUiscuss'd,p.

44.

SIR

86

(say

to

The

Toleration.

desires of the

London

the

many
Commonwealth.

make

distinct

two

of

of

terians to be ministers

Again
Then
Albans

reckons

Government
to

not

up

Presb}'gospel'1.

of the

1661

set

government
the

wards
1641, after-

to

the Lord

discourses

beyond

run

within

point, it being
libels were
not
only

notice, that

have

of foul weather

this

argue

will

licentious

need

We

'

and

parallelof

the presages

',etc.

Church, and

and

opinions and

ministers

sedition,not

libels and

'

such

forms

again

unequal,

Church

to

2.

to 1681

Among

in

different

eternal

there is the

extended

schism

Milton

tolerated.

be

cannot

Churches

that

Toleration,

and

it both

upon
tells ye

evident

an

for

unreasonable

will follow

Rutherford

practicesas

Independents

Ministers),are

mischiefs

and

and

Calamy

others, not

L'ESTRANGE

and Goodwin
Burton, Edwards
be numbered, concerning the very point of

disputes betwixt
and

ROGER

the

St

against the
memories

our

ken

of

our

own

the

in

fore-runners, but
late troubles,and what

of our
were
high degree the causes
licentious discourses of Cloakmen
the frequent,open, and
in
Pulpits but the ill-bodingplay of porpoises before a tempest ?
'

We

the

liberties of the

religionand
charged as an
how

the

sacred

blood

Majesty

even

with

Now

Kingdom
;

the Press

and

as

now

well

instant

busy

as

Lastly, and
single theme of

Roger'sattacks

nation, and
the

upon

how

We

design.

of Plots

news

the
may

against

King

remember
of his

account

about

us

labouring
and

as

we

may

under

the

bold, sermons

Government

was

are

find

to

this
temper
dis-

same
as

late

factious,

defamed.

The

thronged with pretended converts,

as
reports against the King and State are
they were
twenty years ago'.
the
to
sum
Presbytery is Rebellion
up,
the Holy Cheat, the first and most
violent of

of the Faction

scandalous

current

look

seditious, the

as

false

whose
guilty souls
by those men
justice for every drop of it '.

we

this

at

pamphlets
lectures

If

cast

was

divine
'

the

of

abettor

Irish

reckon

also the

remember

may

are

"

on

that

sect 4.

and
Parliament
in this connection
attacks
the excised
on
Presbytery in
History
published separately hi/the Court, in 1680, printed by H. Brome,
side and
singularly little quoted by his own
publisher. Milton was
L'Estrange's
for compliments
indebted
side
the
to the
usual fate of a purely
other
he was
rational
spirit.
2
thesis on
The
tract called the Parallel or
Semper Idem, 1661, is an admirable
this subject, but a doubt
to its authorship forbids
as
quotation. See Appendix.
* Inserted
The
to date, 1681.
to bring it up
pamphlet quoted from, is the
rd edition
of A Memento, etc., originallypublished in 1662.
1

See

Milton's

"

"

First edition

1661, p.

98.

All

these

tracts

were

reprinted1681-2.

DIVINES

PURITAN
'All

factions

popular

State, and

the

and

Episcopacy

SEDITIOUS

AND

seek

to

am

of

name

Church

but
as

in

their

87
to

way

whenever

Prince
quitted
any
his
is,
royal dignity ; for

himself, that

saved

King is
unruly populace

the empty
with
the

the

take

PRINTING

the

of

Majesty. It is
raging tides, they

carcase

it is with

and
the bank
is weakest
press where
all. If they had
either modesty or

in

instant

an

overrun

conscience, they would

far,if they have neither, will they stop there ?

rather
What
did
the
what
late King
deny ?
grant ? or
till by their mean
abuse
of his unlimited
concessions, he lost
force

not

his

so

and

crown

life ?

religious forms
lies at
1

If to be

civil State
out

the

of

words

could

most

tender

words

when

forward

way
mark

promoting changes in the

Church, the Presbyterians are

of the

particularlyin

Crofton

with

his

mind

Their

established

pardon

in

to
the
reasonings are dishonourable
and
of the late King, seditious
provoking to the
bold
and
imposing in themselves, repugnant

adds

and

pale'.

Speaking
'

give

stake?
no

be

assurance

wrapt up in the
not, words
But
what
imaginable.
are

him, he wanted

crown

what

Yet

and

law,

the

to

main

scope

of

the

Roger
memory

people,
to

the

general

'.

These

excerpts

responsible for

the

illustrate

may

persecutions of

the
Charles

view

which

II. 's

reign

was

and

of his successor.
early months
They were, as has
been said, L'Estrange's title to the gratitude of the Church,
till the Popish Plot crisis that he improved
but it was
not
that
title to the
was
extraordinary degree that money
him
contributed
to
by Oxford, Cambridge, and
publicly
fact which
shows
the Judges of the realm
a
clearlythe
of

the

"

attitude

of the

Church

to

that

crisis.

clearly,the fearlessness
his
in the Interregnum, so
and
from
immune
these attacks were
now
danger.
by no means
They fell in as has been said with that victory of Morley
the
and
Clarendon
over
were
Southampton
party, and
in persuading the Government
instrumental
probably more
that they had overlooked
a useful
ally than all his Apologies,
Caveats, and old Cavalier appeals. Yet the importunacy of
these
of his
appeals and protests is an important element
turbulent
activity,and since the old historians, Eachard,
the spokesman
Oldmixon,
and Kennet
unite in taking him
as
One

thing is
generality of

borne

out

very
attacks.
As

of

phase

this

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

88

opinion, it

Restoration

of

desirable

be

may

story here.
The
Holy Cheat had, as we saw, interruptedthis side of
in the Prefaces
his activities,
to
and
beyond acrid remarks
that

to

take

his

anti-Presbyterianworks

up

Government

the

mingling

on

in company

he did little

that

score.

with

the

grievances and
Naseby against the
It

abuse.

meaner

had

back

received

been

"60,000

grant

wrote

July

"

1662

in

they

the Cavaliers

for

died

have

they might

1661

had

last

at

the

and

Act

Eoser

meantime
and

fold

the

been

nmrmurings
with

down

allocation

the

had

of

it

embarrassed

was

by

Howell's

Howell
the

the abortive

great Uniformity Act, which

introduced.

the

Cordial

yet established

not

old

ignored

indiscreet
By Howell's
When
suddenly revived.

were

and

Loyal Officers' Fund,

Press

their

Parliament

"

the

Cavalier

the

neglect and

mean

in

that

into

Had

suspicions quieted.

him

imagine

can

we

Government's

clear

is

But

embarrass

disappointed ones, recapitulating

of Edgehill
setting their account

their
and

publiclyto

Clarendon

specially created

own

been
in
bestowed
Historiographer Royal had
an
was
ingredient of
February, and Charles' gift of "200
he now
his well-meaning way
In
said
his satisfaction2.
he at least was
that
men
precisely the things to remind
of a good conscience
provided for. His recommendation
of

office

beneath

was

Historiographer Royal.
and

established
fund
and

the

"

the

that
and

yet
to

King

was

be
of

gravamen

frank

as

speedily

was

if

emoluments

the

not

the

That

to

up

the

'

dignity

of

the

not
King was
long
that
a
by poverty,
relieve the necessitous,

embarrassed
set

'

not

charge from the other side

favouring the Commonwealthmen,

the

of

acknowledgment

through the

the

fact

that

the

"

Kine

the

these

are
Presbyterians
points
infuriated
Cordial
which
Therefore
of the
L'Estrange.
in
'.
As
for
Cavaliers
noble
patience
yourselves
possess
of
loss
and
the
his long imprisonment
himself
a
dejure
office spoke for themselves.

in

came

"

'

See p. 93.

the

on

nothing

head

caused
by the distribution especially
heartburning was
the
did
of
sums
granted to those who
by Clarendon,
the
Cheshire
Revolt
or
even
prior to the Kentish
Rising.

Incredible
alluded

for the

King

to

(Continuation,ii.,36.)
(Lives(1753),ii.,3-4). ' In the time of
for which
the prevailing Power
tampering
Clerk
continued
he was
in his place as
to the
not
King's Historiographer'. So Eachard, iii. 178,
2

Cibber

with

',
practice

the

Rebellion

reason,

Council, but
'of

we

at the

several

find Howell

Restoration,

only made
parties "by his
was

ROGER

SIR

90

is

menace

the

ness
strong because it mingles its bitterto
extravagant submission, offeringthe bosom

perhaps

with

an

Prince's

It

too

but

dagger
of

mouth

of the

out

L'ESTRANGE

threatening
if he

Bacon

him

did

with

a
certainly was
Oblivion
'maliciously reviving past

report

hot-foot

came

fill their

not

flagrantcontravention

most

of

destruction

that

its author

was

bellies.

of the

Act

differencies,'and

lodged in Newgate.

in title
reply bore an unfortunate resemblance
Sober
written
in
1653
in praise of
to another
Inspections,
the
for attack in his Modest
It gave L'Estrange
Oliver.
cue
its
Author
and
Plea for the Caveat
(28th August 1661).
of Howell's
the exposure
Besides
loyalty,the Modest Plea
itself to another, and, to the Court, more
addressed
grateful
of sedition
theme
the manufacture
by Press and Pulpit
seditious
Not
lectures
in the
a
day that passes without
noted
with its significant
City '. Mead's lecture was
phrase
month
Ye know
not what
a
bring forth and with such
may
Howell's

"

"

'

'

"

month
upon
rather
to the

that

accent

an

related

Francis
made

Tytan,
of the

one

return,

Pulpit

for
do

to

my

Commonwealth

mischief

'

Stationer
House

treason
dispersing

combination

soul, I thought it

plot'1.

printers to the

two

for
anger
there's
a

author's

our

the

timing

upon
of a

of

since

betwixt

and

lately

Lords, incurs
His

the

Majesty's
Press

and

'.

afford some
ment
amuseleaving this subject it may
the subject of these furies twenty
to quote Roger on
he enjoyed the full favour of the Court and
years later,when
satisfied attitude.
In Observator,
could then adopt Howell's
No. 201, vol. i.,August 1682, occurs
the following dialogue
the longevityof the Cavalier's complaints:
which
shows
of the late King's servants
whom
Tory. Are there some
either the means
his present Majesty has not had
the
or
in
remarkable
to
opportunity perhaps
oblige ?
any
way
from
the
This
does
not, however, derogate
King's gracious

Before

"

inclination.
'

that
does
arrant

Whig. Well,
have
his

but

changed
road,

Whigs2

and

and

I know

scores

of these

their

principles no more
yet at this day they are
seditious

old Cavaliers
than

the

accounted

sun
as

rascals.

i
Plea is 17th September
date of the Modest
Modest Plea, p. 6. The
1661.
Caveat.
his
for
Report speaks me a prisoner,'
Roger,
says
Memoirs
See
of Hie Karl of Ailesbwry, i., 6, already quoted.
Whigism
reallysprung by degrees from the discontent of noble families'.
'

'

'

suits your

and

the

Tory. Upon

there

now

were

Observator

This

time

he

(1289)
asks:

Trimmer

larks

dozen

returned

to

'What

"

the

to

91
that

instance

one

will go off upon

if men
disappointments, who can help it

piquesor
In

find

I cannot

main

PRINTING

animosities

but

purpose,

Truly

SEDITIOUS

AND

DIVINES

PURITAN

'

one

capon

the

same

subject.

snarling pamphlet

was

the

Court

and
Act
Ministers,
against
of Ideninity,the King's Declaration
touching ecclesiastical
after the Restoration.
affairs ?
It was
soon
against Howell
that

wrote

you

'

the Cavaliers, and

State

there

of ye, it was
the Caveat to
other papers of Observators2

some

were

days against Church

libels of these

fanatical

several

upon
and

hand

for the

Alas

Observator.

'.

Amongst

the

Birkenhead,

who

satisfied

of

group

Cavaliers

much

naturally saw
nourished

Sir John

was

Howell's

in

cogency

jealousy of the younger

as
fident
exceedingly conAubrey has described Sir John
'3.
and witty,'but 'not very gratefulto his benefactors
at the Restoration, and
after,caused
heaped-up honours

Cordial.

he

Besides

'

man.

His
him

to

one

of

defenders

should

lived in

having

poor

way

Commonwealth

himself

much

as

suggested publicly
and
whipped4.
as
good as any man's
"

Oxford

at

and

though

"

Howell

as

was

Bridewell

to

sent

He

men.

that

and

loyalty seemed

of
a

the

in
exerted

be

record

Sir John's

of less fortunate

murmurs

Howell's

L'Estrange

the

the

dislike

and

all

refused
he

pliance
com-

had

scarcely
L'Estrange during

L'Estrange did not hesitate to suggest that

also played the traitor to Oliver "'. This is
of the
instance
noting merely as another

Interregnum.
had

Birkenhead

perhaps

worth

reckless

charges

long

accounts

thrown
the

"

about

the

in

which

process

of

settlement
such

gave

these

pain

to

Clarendon.

On

the

whole, Musgrave (Character of (1696), chap, ii.,introd., quoted

Cavaliers
of
some
were
seems
justified in saying 'The
well pleased, others
as
highly disgusted according as he (Charles)

Oldiiiixon, i. 693)
them

very

answered

expectations'.
Cheat,etc., 1661.
See Wood, Athetue,iii.,1203.
Relapsed Apostate, introd.
their

Huhi

a
4

have
5

had

whipped

me

Ibid.

'What!

Justice

'A

(Birkenhead)

....

Sir

John

Your

too.

humble

most

servant,

Cm

tell

you

hetter

me

trade

ide)
a

Fidler

on't.

am

Oliver's
told

physiciansor

that

ho

and
formerly fellow-servants,

were

laid
was

old

whether
...

Barkstead

would

that

'.

that

very

Kogue

by

Law

to

the Statute

; he

mo

'.

his

Intelligencers had
Barkstead

(Birkenhead)and
conferred

told

me

that

Now

notes.

was

this

Fidler, and

sir.
the

(the
same

that

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

92

Relapsed Apostate^the introduction

1661.
charges,is dated 14th November

The

these

L'Estrange received
apologiesof a gentleman

later

'

story of

the slanderous

to Clarendon

'

L'Estrange (says he),

'

Hall

the

to

glad

am

so

or

private
having conveyed
Roger's pension.

confessed

who

week

Westminster

at

bears

which

to

you, for I'm

both in honour

to

meet

something, which
and
in conscience
myself obliged to acquaint you
then
with '. He
proceeded to explain that Captain James
Whitlocke, a Knight of Cromwell's ',had told him the story
of the "600
reception of the
pension first. Clarendon's
'charitable, consideringthe suggestion, but as
news
was
it was
cruel '. Hence
related
innocence
to my
sharp and
him
at Whitehall,
the cloud of suspicion which
surrounded
and hence on
the 3rd December
1661, his Rumble
Apology to
till I've

unquiet

told

you
think
I

'

he

Clarendon. ,l wherein

word

that

from

that

day

no

One

The

ever

later3

authority in
a

reply

of this last

motto

old

Apology.
his

him

knave, and

we

as

Memento

five

inaccurately

and

scandals

to

saw,

the

'

2.

did
same

(April 1662).

duces
simules,introBagshawe's personal character,
cahdos

Sic canibus

on

but

Bagshawe,

Roger's

to

work,

attack

vicious

the

repeat

gave

or

syllablein contradiction

called

mortal

distempered

six months

high

offered

"

four

earlier

be such

could

this,'says the Observator

to

has

he

trial for

on

Clarendon

that

stated

suspected

never

mortal

'
"

he

put

told in the

long story

the heads of the

pages
The apologistafterwards
'

be

to

Apology merely recapitulatesin

This

his life.

demanded

charges. The
pension story had only been scotched by the Apology to
Clarendon.
was
Captain Whitlocke
repeating the story and
offeringevidence on the points. Like the former defence,
roof
under
whose
is dedicated
to Clarendon,
the Memento
I have
benefits', and
formerly received so many,
many
it is not for
the Chancellor
rather boldfacedlythat
reminds
condition
either of my
to thrive by begging'.
nature
or
a man
besides

defending

author

the

from

various

'

'

the

At

time

same

he

of his attack "to

scope
of Anglesea for harbouring

enlargesthe

include, though cautiously,the Earl

who

Bagshawe,
E.
But

in

His

late

31st March

as

Commissioners

which

regard
6

so

the

King,

prays

be

may

ordered

before

the

195, 625.

1
2

before

he

Roger
to

1663

we

note

that

Indigent Officers

charges L'Estrange
writing a book against the
his denial, if permitted
prove

Birkenhead

with

L'Estrange denies and offers to

C.S.P.D.
privilegeas M.P.'
Clarendon, Jane 1662.

of Sir John's

Apology

for

'

(1663-1),
p.

92.

PURITAN
Council
writer

Did

'

but

the

his

of the

the

and the

Cavaliers

their enemies1.

of

state

last time

the

For

charges.

pitifulcondition

to the

reverts

swelling

his

substantiate

to

93

PRINTING

SEDITIOUS

AND

DIVINES

the

and

whisperings

the

walk

Majesty

streets

to

murmurs,

do

we

as

to

hear
over-

the

observe

passions of the people to see the stand they make '.

of
That's he ',says one,
that brought me
to a Council

various
'

'

War

because

march

not

against

the

King

at

goes another that

the King's account, and he's in such and
me
upon
office'. These
are
brave, jolly fellows, but before

Worcester

and

condemned
such

would

an

this wonder

he's

now

is over,

and

so

There

so.

two
up comes
man's
eyes can

perhaps of the
; they have
upon

three

or

look
spectacles a
cloth enough to hide
scarce
nor
strength enough to move,
the scars
they have received in the King's service.
Do you see
that sickly man
? (criesone) He
is a gentleman

saddest

spent his fortune for his Majesty ; that very

Colonel that goes before, he was
sequestered and plundered 2.
that

has

'

the danger point was

Roger wrote
office. The
though rather humble

When

and

over

self
him-

policy of the
Court had swung
round
nearer
L'Estrange's position. The
in operation,though the guillotinedid
Uniformity Act was
The
fall till St Bartholomew's
not
Day of this year.
of
the 'Colonel'
fund
and
for 'the
"60,000
sickly man'
presently to be passed through
L'Estrange'squotation was
the House.
The policy of keeping the Cavaliers
out, on the
had
received
a slight
assumption of their inviolable loyalty,
in

"

"

check.

"

'

II. ',says

Charles

all under

his feet

left them

to

bones.

'

hearts

557):

yet

with

also

we

alloted

; not

us

Humble
'

for

such

Truths

soldiers

as

are

...

of

Jlumlle

Party.

the

1664

/""

fund.

Remonstrance

be

made

parts

(Somer's Tracts,vii.,
of

Christendom

these

hath
been
indigent money
years' service and 16 years'suffering '. The
of the King's party (ibid.,
condition
517) asks

since

more

them, provision may

See Marvell's
(?) Season"1-/
Bennet
has got of the
poor
The

mouths

our

in

H.M.C., 5th Rept.,

filled with
laughter and

See also

in most

table-talk

for 6
pay
sad
of the

exercise

Treasurer

only

spent their estates

had

that

Court'.

much

6 weeks'

his

loyalty have

been

have

Representation

'
Rix (1853),
p. 127), had them
against them that if he had but
have
would
to their
plumed them
that
and
they might not despond,

Wilton

money
those
when

in

'.
Hammond's

Capt. Chas.

believe

'I

for

them

starved

of my

men

so

sold

paid

heaviness

years past, but

three

that

As

J.

the

as

far incensed

public hatred

the

was

service

his father's

'/.

all

underhand

were

p. 105.

then

and

our

destiny,

their

(Diary by

nation

Parliament

in

asked

been

Bohun
the

and

But
.

pensions
his

had

Questions

our

old,
'.

Dividend

of

maimed,

without

On

the

other

hand

calling
others

stocks

or

too

got

to

much.

(chap, vii., 'I'll): Sir John

was
"2,600'. Sir John
indigent Cavaliers' money
to C.S.P.D.
See also Introduction
(1661-2), pp. 8-9 for
A,

and

etc., 1677

Complaint qf

Your

"

Majesty's Royal

and

Loyal

SIR

94

result

of

figure

at

rather

L'Estrange's

his

awaited

He

the

of

the

that

name

the

of

later

Besides

his
2

of

and

father

sufferers'.

The

it

Act

King

'The

Hume,

to

at

the

himself

King
for

Hist,

was

of

Eng.,

Danby's
It

the

etc.,

he

Church.

the

urges

noticed

has
Truth,

was

ancient

very

24"/t

would
who

aside

set

and

arrest

his

savage

Loyalty,

September

obliged
always

viii.,

167.

to

not

reign

had

been

loyal

many

pretenders

the

and

he

several,

time
'

Prince,

See
dated

that

reward

same

But

Twelve

p.

26,

Such

1656.

!
show

to

proper

death.

by
Jenkins'

of

sermon

sufferers.'

situation

oppression'.

'

and

himself,

released

was

become

in

of

Macaulay

'.

to
"

become

Calamy,

London

Crown

Church.

tyranny

Bagshawe,

what

the

nation2.

the

now

the

for

Indemnity

6.

had

on

prevailed

with

always
with

avoiding
the

of

always
Cavalier

of

Press

ment.
advance-

trifled

called

councils

Church,

Jenkins

the

show

the

whilst

not

had

the

execution

for

list
and

had

than

Crofton,

on

thought

illustrious

rather

Christ

of

hi.,

subjects,

come

over

in

the

on

He
a

instrument

quotes

notion

Eachard,

made

old

attacks

1684

in

had

alliance

fit

L'Estrange

was

his

his

when

where

to

such

allies

boldness,

Cavalier

the

Jenkins,

Wru.

'

jeers

been

that
a

truth.

done

their

loyalty,

the

same

in

pious,

of

printers.
Act

storm

and

much

party

Government

and

be

the

raised

and

abject

Charles

then

Nicholas

Westminster

Press

delayed

prominent

shown

to

King

said

of

clandestine

and

talked,

now

almost

an

what

years

the

leaders

had

conceived
do

libels

that

at

familiar

haunted

still

fellow-Cavaliers,

was

professing

to

and

his

He

he

passage

Presbyterian

his

He

of

talked

treatment
on

Morrice.

was

office.

had

He

naturally

"

of

he

Already

office

discoveries

resfular

into

of

that

with

agitation.

Secretary's

the

than

Hall

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

were

act
the

as

source

as

the

over

subjects
as

many

head
of

party

of

to

his

enemies

of
much

who

had

the

real

Party,
injustice

agreeable
disand

IV

CHAPTEP

remains

to

century

is

the

speculation

quarried

has

at

attempt
too

to

for

out

'

'

Whiggish

against

the

its

liberty

attacks

padlock
books,

in

monopoly

in

this
the

on

formal

For

subject

of

list of

is

do

more

Williams

B.

the

former
little

with

latter

confined

is

than

more

prepare

the

the

delivers

the

from

this

95

scarcely

time

subject

for
see

and

equally

century,

associated
on

century

complaints

', and

eighteenth

system
writers

seventeenth

with

Press

unsatisfactory.

whole

the

often

though

therefore,

the

on

attacks,

direction,
old

J.
but

the

to

with
The

information

and

is saturated

literature
'

of

subject

informative,

from

apart

this

on

and

well-written

and

Mr

knowledge,

our

Pix,

history.

literature

Our

in

on

Statutes.
of

or

and

themselves

work

narrative,

period

the

party

Macaulay

Wilton,

of

heap

vast

general

more

gaps

connected

narrow

While

the

supply

to

more

and

Arber

of

labours

modern

of

bias

content

enumeration

relating

other,

and

like

either

Surveyor
seventeenth

the

the

an

Company

the

and

Hallam

writers

other,

bare

and

have

like

formal

the

or

these

but

Stationers'

printed

writers,

or

on

of

most

of

writers,

expected

be

to

documents

later

side,

one

Tymperley

do

but

is

As

in

the

of

matter.

enumeration

various

by

the

on

the

as

Government

the

l.

prolific

while

interest,

far

so

History

to

done

be

subject,

this

to

done

relate

to

necessary

legislation

goes,

the

relations

their

in

of

sketch

intimate

be

Post-

Ministers

how

previous

Ordinances

and

Statutes

been

already

has

This

of

will

it

the

of

license

understand

to

sort,

history

the

briefly

very

order

this

of

excesses

the

on

in

but

Press,

Pestoration
viewed

touched

already

have

We

PRESS

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

to

all

Appendix.

time

time

gibes

grievous
sure

of

nervous

with

the

SIR

96

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

and

attributes

blessings of the
Revolution
to the enlightenment produced by the defiance
of English Liberties
in the Press.
of the
brave
assertors
of
deism
of the
The
towards
the end
alarming growth
of

name

L'Estrange,

the

'

'

century associated

seventeenth
and

Tyndal,
for

Shaftesbury
1. By
two
or

year

century the

alarm

the

stage, but

II. and

Charles
convicted

late

had

almost

by
provoked

his

to-day

for

Restraint
the

entered

the

French

Revolution

certain

teenth
nine-

antiquarian
and

prosecutions on

recall

We

seditious

question of

the

Toland,

of

names

eighteenth and

which

brother.

the

the

the

Government

the

part of

revived

created

Atheism

spread of

the

matter

with

the

have

printing on

printers

see

libel law

panic

of

days

worst

lived to

the

dating from those alarming times 2. An event which induced

the
Southey in the nineteenth
century gravely to propose
might have been expected
Repeal of the Act of Toleration
the latent re-actionaryfeeling on
the topic,which
to arouse
Even
to-day the example of a Press
quite dies out.
never
in India

Law
such

of the

Restraint

admitted3

be

causes

"

is the

be

bar

of

evasions

better

than

before

the

the

and

See

the

in

the

compare
Committee

of

of

is not

Nor

4.

one

that

the

less

the

real
such

to-daycould

of

the

The

again seriously

held

case

study

to

seventeenth

accounts

prolific

difficulties

inevitable

century licenser, cannot

evidence

late stage licenser

of the

Summer

do

1909, with

L'Estrange's various

Bohun's

appearances

Diary
before

committees.

similar

Imprimatur

wish

misgiving.

Hallam

which

Even

up.
who

those

drama,
and

set

of

1694

after

in

the

"

proposed withdrawal
quite a parallelit may

good deal

part

resided

Restraint

"

of

the

not

stage

which

element, however,

proposed,

the

on

regret the absence

to

persons
in England, while

measure

sober

causes

Magazine, April 173S.

man's

Genth

Essay

the

on

Press

"The

"

Revolution

of
degree at least to be owing to the communication
justly said in some
and
this
whilst
under
taken
Press
not
was
the
a
licenser,
clog
yet
knowledge by
to revive it'.
taken
then
and even
off it till it expired of itself,
great pains were
Cons. Hist. (1S79), p. 719.
For the 'great pains' see Hallam,
a The
reference
syndicalistprinter Bowman
is,of course, to the trial of the

be

may

'

'

convicted
:;

Though

its

in
reopagittca
4

Jhid.

1912

in March

imposition

the

caused

old

Statute.

alarm

which

consists

in

the

called

forth

an

odition

of

1738.
the

strict

sense
merely in an
example the draft o
Regulating the Press, 1698-9, repeated substantially in another
II. ALU., Neio
271.
Scries,iii.,
Every feature of the old Statute

liberty

'The

of

Press

from

the

superiiitendanccof

nave

the

Imprimatur.

exemption
a
proposed Bill for
attempt in 1706.
is retained

under

liconser

'.

See

for

SIR

98

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

give1. 'In the reign of Henry VIII.', says Hallam,

when
the
of Printing,
politicalimportance of the Act
especiallyin the great question of the Reformation, began to
be apprehended,it was
absolute
an
thought necessary to assume
control over
it,partly by the King's general prerogative,and
still more
'.
by virtue of his ecclesiastical supremacy
Pemberton
in the famous
law-suit
The
of Seymour
v.
Stationers. 1678, affirmed
the Royal control of the Press from
the date of its introduction
2. The
lawyers who approved or
exemplified the various orders of the Stationers' Company,
their authority on
founded
the Press Act of 19 Henry VII.3.
Wilton
Mr
Rix goes still further back
in referringsuch

could
'

'

'

restraints
lead
in

of

Council

of

seventeenth

Restraint

with

an

the

other

reformation,

of the

writer

anonymous
the
to see

desired

hot

century, who
horrors

Act

follows

champions

of

desired

William

On

the

other

reign, who
'

themselves

before

the

printing

to

of
by
great men
times
for the promoting learning, the printers then
those
and
excellent
and
the
being learned men
judges of books
whilst
art
not
trade, and
degenerated into a mercenary
this continued, there
need
Press.
to regulate the
no
was
In
of
England, after the Reformation, the terrible havock
unlicensed printingon the Continent
(especiallyHoly Leagues
and
Martin
Luther
of slower
quarrels) were
growth
well kept under
till 1640, and
it is well known
thingswere
the calamities
between
that and
the nation
groaned under
1660 were
mostly caused by a lawless libertyof the Press'4.
the

ancient

MSS.,

written

liberty

the

III.'s

revived, complains that

devoted

the

connect

to

Inquisition.

in

printers

1517,

therein

Trent, and

Milton, Blount, and

the

side,

the

to

books

or

the

Printing was

printing
Law

was

have
2

'The

'

invention

new
v.

Stationers

invention, and

therefore

(Atkyns

case

new

liberty of Printing

Ibid.

first found

adjudged

of that

resolution

exorbitances

been

under

lawbooks'.
and

the

"

'

down

law
every

and

monopoly)
could

man

Modern

licentiousness

'

to 1678.

The

relied
not

Lords

upon
by the

Reports(1683), pp.
thereof

has

ever

in the

this

that

Common

25b'-7.

since

it

was

magistrates. In England
it has from
time
under
the King's own
to time been
regulation '. As late as 1 Jac. 2
v. Parker,
(Case of Stationers
Viner, xvii.,20S) the Koyal prerogative was
argued
it was
'.
the ground that
of the crown
art introduced
on
an
by the care
:;
in 19 Henry
and
Set the Press Statute
VII., quoted in the Stationers Orders
1082.
and
1G84.
the
Stationers'
4-20.
Arber,
Rules, 1078,
Registt
Transcriptof
rs, i.,
Yet
find no
VI. to
'we
attempt on the part of Henry VIII. or his son Edward
harass
the printers as such '. (Bigmoreaud
Bib. of Print in";(
Wymau,
1884),ii.,120.
* Tanner
MSS.
141.
See Mr Augustine Birrell'a Seven Lectures on
C. 73'.',
the
Law
Renouard
"nit Historyof Copyright ( 1S99), p. 49, where
he quotes M.
(Traiti
des Droits d'. I uteurs (1838),i.,29-o0) to show
the reasonableness
of this early view
out

care

restraint

of the

'

of

printing

'

au

moment

ou

la penseo

e'etait la guerre

'.

Edward

In
in all

of

the

reign began

YI.'s

manner

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

primers

with

nionopolie
conformity

of

system

view

09

PRESS

enforce

to

Prayer1, a monopoly for which

printer Seres suffered in Mary's reign, though Elizabeth
handsomely compensated him by settingup in his family the
detested
and
extensive
most
monopoly of the reign. Mary
not only set up the Stationers
Company (the Societyhad long
enjoyed an informal existence2)but attempted by an Act in
the

to

her

of

Book

that she
gag the Press '. It has been denied
in this matter
by particularreligiousanimosity,

last year
animated

was

but

if she

'

to

new

The

reign

awake

scarcely

was

invention

'

Common

sister

', her
Elizabeth

of

under

was

is

of the Press, and

grasp
her
initiative
for Press

all later

Proclamation

Star Chamber

to crush

be

4,in 1566

what

grave

soon

appeared

nuisance.

The

importance

new

to

Ordinance

quarrels of

Prelate

1559

attempted
the

to

sects

controversy gave

and

matter5

the

was

which

1586,

In

terrors".

the

Mar-

the
of

Whitgift'sOrdinance

and

in

delusion.

such

no

ever-tightening
by an
is indebted
to
legislation

marked

forms

the

of
possibilities

the

to

of

cause

re-affirmed

only

not

limited
but
Imprimatur of the earlier Proclamation,
The
Stationers
and
the Universities0.
printing to London
to assume
Company
great importance, and the
began now
by this Ordinance
by Mary was
authority delegated to them
largely increased
by rights of search, which, however, were
of the civic rulers of
often
frustrated
by the interference
the subject of much
London.
These rightswere
subsequent

the

Soc),

9.
of

Records

the
R. C. Kivington"s Essay on
11.
Registers,
v.,
I"
tder
'"" Hilger (Joseph,JDerlnd*
when
is thinking of this reign particularly
Mr

Egerton Papers (Cam.

504, and

Strypc, Memorials, i., 378 and

See

138,

Stationers

the

in

Company,

Arbor's

sind

die
4

englischen Zensurgesetze mit

refrain

gain ',the
5

Martin,

privai
17""'2

Collier

of

". us

Printers

many

erected

Presbytery

''the

(Ecc. Hist.,
'

so

the
did

vol.

at

regard

Wandsworth

first-born

of

ii.),'This

disguiseof
sedition

them

aud

what

(of Canterbury) pleasure

please may (togetherwith 5
able printer to work
master
as

more

they

the

'Jn

reign

'

nor

'. and

conceal

(Bigmore and
that
of

of

of his

have

may

'the

iblished in
He

quotes

venomous

1 "'Israeli

itself

(Quarrels of
closely'.

more

ii.,121). Sir John

(of 23rd June, 1586)

Wyman,

Decree

printers but

Master

bh

of

tli''

Mar-Prelate
fast

the

or

they print, so

Presbyteri
all Presbyteriesin England"'.
junto published a great many

This intolerably harsh enactment

of
Arches,
1637, remarked
Larnhe, Dean
certain number
doth
not appoint any

Lando

orders.

when

so

'

Grace's

not

and

Martin

travel

andern

in kcinem

geschriebeD'.

Blut

enactments

Freiburg,1904 (pp.206-21))

Wie

'

says,

Privately Printed, p. 16.

Boohs

pamphlets under
A ulhors),Never
ti

'

Arbor, i.,Introd.

he

leaves

it to

his

when
cither
of
London, who
Bishop
free
the lligh " 'oinmissioners)allow
any
trade '. Arbcr, /
Hi.,704.
oi

100

SIR

recrimination

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER
the

part of

the

before
monopolists who
until the expiry of the Act
indeed
exercised them, and
in
coincident
1679 claimed
The
authority with the company.
sad

on

the

of

effects

Stationers, from

Queen

obtained

Company
is the

of

century

were

monopolists,that
great

at

men

methods

the

subdue

intrude

to

and

so

return

the

indeed

officer

in
was

'the

invest

to

the
'

employed

by
the

strugglesagainst crownregularlyretained by the

we

after

and

Press

these

of

when

Charles

resolved

in the seventeenth

several

time

Hall, and

they

when,

Chamber

of

company

time

the Stationers

same

of

the

against the Patentees

Atkyn's Original and Growth of

Stationers

shall find that

we

them

law

license

the

Printingin
Richard

the

At

company.

Star

deeply involved

so

the

to

of

And

Printing,1664.

in

power

Mary

decree

of

executive

power
burthen

executive

in

to

come

the

also

were

Great

examine
Fire

to

despair of the Act,

themselves

into

attempt

an

these

loyal monopolists into the governing body,

effect what
Atkyns and the others desired, viz.,a
in effect to the state of things which
prevailed before

Star-Chamber

decrees

Ordinances
Many
protected monopolies,

monopoly,

continued

of 1586

and

Acts

and

James'

the

and
of

1637.
Elizabeth

rule, the

created

and

golden

But
he
practicel.
greatest monopolist.

of
age
made
the

the
The
Company
reign
James
of the
have
to
', says one
writer, seems
peaceful
been
little disturbed
Presses
by the products of Private
the
of
work
the
Vorstius, Ba Deo, published on
although
Continent, which
was
here, gave him
publicly burned
siderable
conthe subject of long diplomatic
uneasiness, and was
has
successor
correspondence2. The reign of his unfortunate
been well described
the age of pamphlets
'.
as
by Johnson
If James'
reign was peaceful,it had hardly closed before
confronted
the Government
was
by as serious an irruption
Stationers

'

'

"

"

the

on

part of the
With

1586.

the

Press
fanatical

as

had

called

rigour

which

forth

the

Decree

of

characterised

him,
Laud, as Bishop of London, set himself the task of silencing
the Bastwickes, Burtons, and Prynnes, and in the event
was
extended
in 1571, and
in 1501 passed to his son.
was
For
monopoly so fruitful of later troubles is granted (7th Eliz., 6)
list
for 7 years to Totcll, 20th Eliz.. for 30 years to the same,
Eliz.,for 30 years
and
to Wright
Morton, and 15 Jas. I.,for 40 years to John Moore.
SeeArber, v.,
21 Jae. I. protects the patentees.
The
57.
Statute
3
in this
Hilger, op. cit.,cites several other cases
Martin, vols. xiv. and xv.
reign.
1

Seres'

example,

monopoly

tho

law

BLOODHOUND

THE

later

L'Estrange was
allowing popish books to

accused,

as

'

'

from

extracted

the

brought

the

latter

Ordinance

the

works
and

comrades

his

1637, while

of

by the

and

\ while
Prynne

pass
of

PRESS

THE

OF

people,of

same

secretary Heylin

his

innuendoes

such

augmentation

while

tind

we

of the

by others
it did) the

introducing

as

affirmingthat

pamphlets began to flyabout like lightning'.

of Council and Star-Chamber
latter the jurisdiction

thereafter

'

the

the

and

necessary

was

and

Pressed

Press

The

tract

over-Pressed, looking back to the Ordinance

the Golden
Age of the Press, we find Atkyns
To

the

Stationers, and

of the

power

Restoration

the

But

regarded generally as

taken
coping-stone of this rigorous policy3, was
and especiallythe patentees to mean
(as indeed
continued

as

pillory2.

the

to

101

of

the Act

took

I. which

Car.

17th

away

second

the

deluge.
the years
There
is indeed
a
singular parallel between
and
1677-80.
1637-40
Putting aside Atkyn's jaundiced
and
in each case, after a display of energy
view, there was
in the
repression,a period of comparative calm, broken
case
one
by the Civil War, in the other by the Popish Plot.
to
up
previous restraints

aids to

were

what

do

the Star

and

endorsed

which,

prosecutionsleft

these

attempt in 1680

an

the

authorityof

by transferring

Press

King's Bench, an attempt

Scroggs and
rigours towards
which

unsuccessful, and

not

away

to the

powers
Parliament's

despite
was

was

in the

Council

and

Chamber

Weston,

there

swept

such restraints

that

patentees desired, to revive

the

precedentsand

their

view

the

Moreover

Popery.

which

Parliaments,

factious

lead

Both

to

in

authority brought

that

heritage

of

1630, that

Laud

the

to

tyranny

of

failure

the

in

next

age4.
See

Printer's

1629

Co

or

his

and

the
-

the

surveyor-hip of the Press

For
the extraordinary
Printer, author, and
to write, ought

p. 19.

himself

upon
::

One

"

Bigmore

of

the

printers,the point
*

George

were

made

great tract

precedents
the famous
interest
'

All

licenser
be

to

to

of
to

judges are

etc.) we

on

the

that

but

men

conduct

whilst
'.

Fox

Pari.

enjoy
James

were

the

in

this

of "300

on

now

1 1, and

Charles

prerogative of the
the King's Bench'.

debate

bond

Jeffries,

remark

enacted
a

L'Estrange'sefforts

which

by

Chaplainsmonopoli

to

pass.

punished, 'for an author

what
judicious to understand

were
man

"fSir

which

only Popish books

laws
atrocious
ever
ii.,l'2'2. It ordered

most

Wyman,

and

allow

Docum*
of this case
ids Relatingto
circumstances
see
Prynne (Cam. Soc.) ; especiallyNo. 4, Prynne to Laud,

Mr

Proceedingsattain*!

and

he

of

entered

writes'.

liberty'",
by all

into

to enforce.
chiefly directed
Press.
the
'By these means

fruits of these

II. for

"land

to be

taketh

who

blessed

reviving in another

endeavours

shape

the

and
Chamber
rs
by transferringi
In
See also Hallam, Cons. Hist. (1879),p. 613.

Star

of the
said

judges
'The

6th

December

Judges

Hist.,xvi.,1264.

are

1770.

it is of

blameless', Burke

some

said,

SIR

102

Parliament

Commonwealth

The

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

found

soon

that

Free

luxury they could not afford, and far from

the twenty years
confusion
being a period of liberty,it is
rather
characterised
by greater severity. The Imprimatur
Press

was

which

Hallam

took

handed

1643

exercised

to

over

their

swept

Independent
licensers
of

with

and

authorities

Puritan

rigour

the

Levellers
and

the

as

and

result

old

pendents
Indewhich
of

the

setting up of new
Act, but again the old trouble
three general licensers could not

The
In

who

intolerance

natural

in

was

divines1

much

The

1649

Bradshaw's

work2.

the

as

affronted

of

licensingappeared.

overtake

of

former.

triumph

under

of restraint,

essence

highhandedness

the

away

the

number

duties

Episcopal licensers,
by the same
had

be

to

the

was

and

1652, 1656,

called

1658-9, the

in

the

Act

the

matter.

in

operation,
severityprevailed,but
his son's accession, as we
worse
founded,
conbrought confusion
saw,
and the Council vainly called on Scot and Tichborne
and
London's
the nuisance3.
magistrates to put down
By
the
of
had
April 1660, we saw,
slipped to
danger
publication
other
the
side, and just before the Restoration, Prynne was
Act
to draw
an
appropriately chosen
by the Commons
up
and

were

whilst

which

Cromwell

should

The

trouble

periods, was
three
in

licensers

by

that

1647-9

and

be

to

this

set

of

real

in

the

found

in

up

1647

by
were

put

certain

with

Commonwealth,
the

the

feelingthat

inflamed

was

to

all deal

for

once

real

clerical

upon
lived a

The

Imprimatur.
Ordinance

unpaid.
the

of

There

by Royalist

was

writers

later

twelve
and

1643
was

restraint

in

as

the

especially
pernicious,

then

ably
remark-

Gilbert
Mabbot
1649
prolific. In May
resigned on
conscientious
complained of the
grounds4. The Stationers
licensers
who
inadequacy of the three
neglected their
When
the matter
taken
in hand
at
was
honorary task.
the Restoration, no
made
in the Act
provision was
(1662)
for

payment

Government

of

licensers,and

it therefore

devolved

the

on

provision for the Secretary'snominee.

As the Episcopal licensers gradually restricted themselves
to
of
duties
of the post
licensingworks
pure theology,the vast
1

of the

Bigmore

to

and

make

Wyman,

licensers.
the Stationers'

C.S.I'. I).

Claimed

Areopugiticu.

pt. ii.,p. 22.

ParKamu

ntary Papers, No.

Petition,20th December, 1648.

H.M.C.,
February 1660.
(1059-60),
pp. 343-4, 2nd
of Milton's
first biographers, 'Poland, as
by one

vi.,give
7th

list

Report.
convert

to

BLOODHOUND

THE

PRESS

THE

OF

103

importunacy of L'Estrangc, we
the
post actually lucrative, the rock on
that of
and
later licensers
which
split was
contemporary
duties l.
for impossibly arduous
remuneration
undefined

accumulated, and
shall find, made

seemed

troubles

down

gone

restitution.

for

clamoured

now

had

class which

One

the

though

the

the
the

To

the

Patentees

late
of

license

the

from

resulting

chaos

1640

in

torrent

the natural
guardians. Like
they were
the Churchmen
they awaited impatiently their Restoration,
should
of Uniformity which
their
Act
eject the present
to force
But
they had no zealous Parliament
usurpers.
doomed
to hopeless petitioning
their claim, and
were
many
for favours
already in the possessionof those whose retention
of them
according to the early policy of the Court,
was,
deemed
expedient.
Of the three parties,
patentees, printers and booksellers,
which

of

Press

the

and

protectiveclause

like

individuals

but

fighthard

and

Company

the

individual

their

more

of the

the

of

Patentees

Printers

The

Courts.

patents.
Stationers'

generalrights of the

particular copies

work

and

Atkyns,
for

They got this,

Seymour had to

Act.

new

Courts

the

the

delicate

the

in

Norton,

Law

between

decide

To

the

in

of their interests

the restoration

with

concerned

the first were

was

left

were

they had been in a miserable way still sighing for freedom.

They had been the first to petitionagainst the monopolists in

as

1641

at all.

Press

best

Their

-.

the

to

Hence

strict

turning them,
1

as

said

L'Estrange

of

he

to

was

which

Act4,

took

that

the

on

their

"

have

closed

licensing,but

for

fees

no

said

should

1637, into

in

restraint

no

opposition
being ineffective,they

That

3.

1662

have

Stationers

the

so

"

Act

new

preferreda

fortune

the

(apart from
yielded no

Newsbook

of

corporation,

select

then

effect

much

profit.
contrary)
for Reviving the
Act,
(111) c. 1692." The Copy of Reasons
office employed by the
licenser
there
ia no
'As
to the
etc., already quoted.
The
better
which
is not
Crown
paid considering his great labour and hazard'.
book
each
licensed
for
unlicensed
of
fine
8d.
a
sum
on
or
writer
books,
a
proposes
evidence

MSS.

C. 739

omission

of which

Taimer

'

the

he

the

to

doubt,

for

arduous

can

the

continued

still be

in the

also

Act

is

restraint

accomplished by

said

of the

one

the

on
one

or

the

greatest defects

theatre
at

most

is that
two

the

'.

One

reason,

no

licensing though

offio
iii. Petitions

of Printers,
ii.,122;
Wyman,
Bigmore
Monopolies.
against
"
'The
H.M.O., 7th Report 154.* Petition of Stationers, 17th January 1GC2.
and
the
Bill
to
of
Lb
Printers
obstruct
the
to
gain to
passing
great design of these
2

Pari. Papers, i. and

and

etc.

themselves

the

estates

of Petitioners

and

others

'.

Case
of Free Workmen
ii.,126; Pari. Papers, xvi.
Bigmore and Wyman,
Printers
i., probably belongs to the later date, for it complains that
(1662-')),
increased
the expiry of the Act (two years) tlie Printers had
to 70.
4

on

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

104

from
the tyrannicalStationers
end, freedom
booksellers,not printers),
were
Company (whose great men
their demand
\
and, if possible,
separate incorporation was
in wretched
and
Patentees
Between
Stationers, they were

this

for

and

that

plight and did not hesitate to say

increasing of
encouraged the illegal
have

they might
scholar

still

was

dealt

who
all

of

their

Those

of

had

peace
of how

'

low

the

during
the

awaiting

'

when

hurry

to

which

event

the

was

and

"

Presses

little

fairlylarge

had

Nedham

fled,and

lay
long

men

many

hardly

so

would

"

once

and

disappointment

bound

to

come,

and

more

the

scription
pro-

perhaps

was

referred

of

those

attacks

to

was

to

great party of Presbyterians

the

inevitable

Press, had

nothing,but

month

when

moment

in the

Charles

of

return

and

hear

we

Eestoration

only waiting

were

that

Chapman
3

sedition, whilst

with

hum

Press

the

Government

the

declared

repugnant

Brewster

brother

partiesin

of

been

desperate section.

and

proud Stationer,
played on him

and

legislation.
thought that with the

knowledge

or

Press

who

Whitehall,

author

rogueries2.
warned

sedition

The

mercy.
of the

mercy
he liked

as

condition

the

was

forward

more

copy
of tricks and

stream

new

at the

oppressors
numbers, so that

their

at their

more

his

with

manner

Such

them

their

as
L'Estrange
to,
by
from
betake
the
to
themselves
would
speak
they too
the
from
what
could
Press
not
speak
pulpit.
they
attacks
that
We
have
on
prominent
seen
L'Estrange's
their
on
a
present
running commentary
Presbyterians were
of
their
behaviour
viewed
in the light
ambiguous past. He

such

hastened
before

had

of tears

about

of

to be

shed

things

such

"

"

his Coronation

demand

of the

and
Piegicides,

in

the

v.",p.

Printers

133.

week

the
of

Smectymnvus
preached to Covenanted
in 1650.

There

Jt

is

difficult

were

King's
worse

Charles

at

also the works

posals,
See his Considerations and ProArbor's
Professor
to reconcile

with
the most
enviable
body of men
Mrs
Also
Arber, Register,v. xxix.
that Printing may
not be a Free Trad*'.
as

tion
publica-

the

Revived, and

sternlyopposed by L'Estrange.

etc., chap,
selection

at Scone

for the

almost

landing as Dr Manton's
still,
Douglas' old sermon

Covenant, manifestions

the tears shed for the burnt

noted

their

constant

James's

(17th
oppression.
'At
the first
January 1704) Reasons
in the printer'. Her
trade
centred
view, like
beginning of printing the whole
that of Atkyns, is selfishlymonopolist.
2
George
Withers, Scholar's Purgatory (Spencer Society, 6th collection,
and
Arber, Register,
62-6)
iv.,13-16.
;
pp.
3
Desborough's letter to Chapman quoted chap. ii.
cries

of

See

SIR

10G

the

from
March

word

'

'

these

papers
by the

date, and

same

Commonwealth

from

Politicus'
instinct
almost
The

February

to

or

rigorous

most

freeman

oblige

execution
such

as

the

1644

and

Tarquin
proposals referred

Draft

and

bonds

Stationers

Proposal
oaths

to
Company
'. The
Surveyor
the King's Printers

the

to above

which

of the Act

their

see

also
have

had

is not

for twelve

his.

by
Bye-law
on

out
with-

years

for his emoluments

He

it

bye-laws put in
general warrant

own

demands

are

makes

entered

be

to

ing
censur-

Mercurius

accompanied by

are

proposes
printing of all narratives and

(a) The
exceeding two

Intelligencenot
of paper ; (b) A monopoly
of all bills
x
which
he licenses : (c) Is. a sheet

sheets

of

young

the

of extracts

1654,

'

'

of the company

clamour.

any

collection

between

the

to the

obviously belonging

hand,

playful fancy.
with that suspicion of
that

is

same

The

certain

every

there

sources

present King,

the

to

belong rather

to

surveyor

1662.

Besides

'

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

"

ment
advertise-

and

other

all

on

books.
Needless

ignored,as was
perilous thing to grant
Secretary in the spring

with

them

It

been

in

was

to

that

on

his

3rd

get

Even
a

He

had

in

his

mind

'Confederate

secretary

commitment

1661,

taken

the

Dom.

'as the
to

we

besides
of

the
most

unrewarded

own
"

more

that

of

the

presently.

1662
(the date of the
Apology and May
question of employing L'Estrange, probably

1662, quoting
Car., ii.,39., No. 92 ; Pari. Hist.,iv.,233, March
to be
was
Pulpit was to he purged hy the Act of Uniformity, care
of a Licenser
'.
bridle the Press and put the reins into the hands

S. P.

Ralph,

of whom

"

December

year
shall hear

to

the

Between

Memento)

Printers

early

particularlya

important discovery, the result of his

vigilance in July and August of this
'

new

so

L'Estrange published his Apology to Clarendon, which,

made
a
powerful exposure
pleading his own
case,
illicit Press.

as

trouble

to

to

moment.

jail whom
only
could
keep there.

"

1661-2, and

ceased

troublesome

considerably

resolution

"

especiallyto

winter
never

were

Warrant

have

to

seems

earliest

remembered

be

may

the

at

have

printerslying
legal argument

poor

Bill

1661

time, and

the

through

it must

1661

have

of

alarms, there

new

Bill rushed
as

any
1662.

nervous
during
when
period
L'Estrange

the

was

at

ministers

annoyed
it

the

loss of

The

wishes

these
modest
not
very
say
also the request for the Search

to

rather

strengthof

the

on

this

107

PRESS

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

discovery

his

of

than

plaints
com-

often
mooted, but though he
neglect, was
in February
Surveyor of the Tresses
certainly made
itself proves
by Secretary Nicholas' patent, the Memento

of

to

have

It

above.

legalise his
that

he

his

able

was

libels

when

to

off

score

the

than

more

Britain.

of Little

dens

to

authority, however,
Bagshawe by seizing a batch of
the

Anglesea's house

at

remember

we

with

armed

little

done

have

to

scouting in the

amateur

probably

was

fact

in

seems

this

proposals referred

the

Hence

1662

office,if it carried any

of

shadow

merest

whatsoever1.

emolument

It

the

been

was

new

scruple

puzzling seizure

rather

"

which

on

Bill

abortive

the

wrecked-.

was

The
Act

framed

was

the

are

resorted

to

to

do

as

rather

was

held in

judges to proceed
Law
compendious Common
to

itself to
aid

of

as

branch

of the

If therefore
of the

is made
that

that

Act

and

seizure

was

recommended

which

course

of

example

we

the

wished

to

dispense
to

with

the

use

the

judges

legislature.
the

in

1662

possible,and

where

Parliament

"

which

Government

more

This

scarcelyever
tion
terrorem, or as a justificarigorouslyby the more

of

Law

Act, the Press

and

following the

Press

new

chapter.

leave to the next

may

able

better

Treasons

new

we

the

which

principleson

of the

discussion

stern

to

cases

be

mention

cited, no

be remembered
of this year, it must
of search
chieflyvaluable for the powers
and by delegation
it vested in the Crown,

great Act
was

which

disputed on legalgrounds to the secretaries and

its only benefit
L'Estrange3. For all practical purposes
the raising of prices by that clause which
to the public was
that
their patents to monopolists and
despite the
secured
periodicalplaints of the poor printers1.
and
In the confusion
multiplicity of 'libels',fanatical
darkened
the air during-the first
and
Presbyterian,which
"

often

'

"

Fortune

rout

has

been

of which

Menu wto,pt. i.,May

place.

so

kind

pitifulremains
1602.

These

as

to leave
I make
are

not

me

yet

of ink

Lottie

Lordship
your
words
of a
the

and

present

a
man

with

heap

of
a

of

book

'.

lucrative

of noblemen
the houses
were
exempted from liabilityto search.
debate
in
the Bubjectof exhaustive
Warrant
was
legalityof the General
The
Wilkes
and
the
alter
great lawyers
the eighteenth century, during
ease.
vested
to the powers
inclined
to trace
the warrant,
by
who
were
argued that case
1770.
of 6th December
Debate
Pari. Hist.,xvi., 1J77.
this Act.
See
the Law
excellent note
i See their
on
Monopoly,
in
Petition,1662- 1.
Viner, Abridgment (1742), ami., 208.
"i

That

The

three

years

history and

the

of these

Restoration, it is impossible to

the

of

obscure

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

108

But

each.

effect

of

wares,

which

either

there
from

were

the

trace

certain

juncture

at

their
of their
or
own
they appeared or because
author's
importance deserve a cursory notice.
And
first it was
L'Estrange'sand Atkyn's loud complaint
But
time goes
that Presbyterian wares
tolerated.
were
as
and
eviction, their
especially after the Bartholomew
on,
became
they gradually
more
precarious and
immunity
hues
the
darker
of Dissent.
of
adopted the secret channels
of the
We
have
already noted the chief engagements
and Presbytery in which
conflict between
Church
L'Estrange
intrusive
took such an
only concerned
we
are
part. Here
and
with
those
regarded
pamphlets as they were
papers
which

'

as

libels '.

Interest

There

of England

in

latter

the
respectively,

first

were

the

October

parts of

two

celebrating

March

and

1660
the

Corbet's

1661,
of

memory

the

regicide Carew.
Baxter's

famous

Petition

for

and

Peace

the

publication

of
the
occasion
L'Estrange's
were
Savoy papers
In this work
violent Pelapsed Apostate already noticed.
the
men
lying in gaol for his
always having in mind
wide
and
the secret
on
July discovery Roger descanted
and
roundly accused
publication afforded these papers,
in the
He
detected
abroad.
of
Baxter
sending them
ring of menknaves,'
printers of the Petition for Peace a
several
in everything during the late times, and
who
were
in favour.
Francis
still continued
of them
as
Tytan
Commonwealth
It is not
printers
surprising that those
of

the

"

"

'

"

"

of

Mercurius

leveller

the

and

Britannicits

R.W.

and

'

he

other
that

Mercuries,

hunts

in

Ibbotson

couples

with

of such
vast
in a work
sale.
\ should bear a hand
deceives
not ',says the irate Cavalier,
If my intelligence
me
delivered
schismatical
the
was
piece of Holiness
same
Mr
Baxter
to the Press
or
by his order, Ibbotson
by one
the printer (the levelling Ibbotson, I
Smithfield
in
was
lie that
printed the Adjutators Proposal, I mean,
suppose,
and the Petition to the Army
against the Mayor ami Alder nun
has a fingerin the
in October
told, too, R.W.
1647). I am
pie Britannicus, his old friend, he that hunts in couples
These
with Tytan.
good folks have printed treason so long,
that they think now
they do the King a kindness to stop

Tytan

'

'

'

"

Relapsed Apostate,

Introduction,

BLOODHOUND

THE

Indeed

THE

OF

109

pity their old Imprimatur

man
called
aside
office
into
Ireland
a
so
unluckily
by
good
;
should
had
the Toy stampedelse
have
with
'
privilege.

at sedition.
was

'tis

PRESS

'

we

information

My

barrelled

tells

for fear

up

further

me

of

that

venting,and
with

which

the

was

several ways

sent

so

much

bauble

being performed
despatch
secrecy
tumult
and
the
bespeak a general
prepossesses
nation
'.
better
reason
against
He was
right as to Baxter being the author of the Petition
for Peace, but his charge against the latter of being privy
to the publishing of the Savoy papers
was
certainlyfalse1.
The curious thing is that Baxter
should
tion
by his informato Secretary Morrice
have admitted
that the publication
does

but

these

of

and

Press

modest

Law

If

when
add

we

was

papers

the

they saw

the

Yet

there

was

no

light first.
the

of

papers

crime.

Crofton

agitationprinted

at Stationers'
by Iialph Smith, a high person
Hall-, and
those
of the Morley
Baxter
Bagshawe controversy to the
or
as
L'Estrange would
category of disturbing,
say, seditious
have the main
tion
literature,
we
scope of Presbytery's contribusedition
to
serious Bartholomewprior to the more
Sermons.
ejectment deluge of Farewell
These
have
little in them
pathetic discourses
beyond
-

'

'

exhortation
a

to

powerful

very

Government

this matter.
action

in

On

regard

Proposals,and
1

in

effect3

were

a
persuadingpeople
agency
could ejectsuch pious men
be vicious.
must

which
The

in their cumulative

comfort, but

E. 1870.

that

indeed

the

hand, there

one

the

to

Petition

secretarial

hesitated

in

its treatment

Morrice's

was

Peace

for

issued

warrant

ment
Govern-

and

of

dubious

Papers of

for the

arrest

of

Catalogue gives the date of publication as (?)May

the subject [Register,
'Morley t""M me
p. 550).
when
he silenced me
would
he answered
that our
ere
long (but) only
papera
words
L'K-trange the writer of the N" wsbook hath tailed out a great many
against
of them
'. Baxter
further
tells us that on
some
hearing of the publicationof these
he informed
not
hunt for the delinquent,
Secretary Morrice, but would
papers,
though he privatelythought him to be a poor curate of 1 "r Reynold's. Altogether
'
Baxter's conduct
violent.
as
was
unique as L'Kstrange's charges were
Although
1 was
above
100 miles
all imputed
off yet it was
and
to me,
.Roger L'Estrange
that it was
nupposed to bo my doing '. Baxter, Sylvi
put it in the Newsbodk
Edition of Life (1696),ii.,379-80.
1661.

1661.
:i

The

Kennct

his

.v.

Apology

Hart,
'Ten

or

Index
Twelve

Sermons,30,000
certainly
ever

been

Thomason

quotes Baxter

make

in
up

made

greater honour

on

Berith Anti-Baal, seiV.cd 23rd

for printingCrofton's
Anglicanus (1872-8),p. 191.
Expurgaton

Impressions
all, all which
one

of

the

public, and
of

March

"""

the

scandal

of

most

they
'.

the

1st, 2nd,
now
they are

as

audacious
aro

now

and

3rd
drawn

Volumes
in

one

of

binding

do

dangerous libels that hath

printing it in Dutch
too, for the

Considerations

and

and

1663.
Proposals,

ROGER

SIR

110

L'ESTRANGE

the Bishop of Worcester's

on
Bagshawe for his Animadversions
On
the other
hand
the
Stationers
Letter (Second Part).
act
not
themselves, largely Presbyterians, would
against
and
and
still
L'Estrange
them1,
Atkyns
vainly implored
Government

the

It

to
to

seems

attempts

crime) or personal
for
Presbytery were
other

The
admitted

been
the

resurrect

to

all extremes.

to

go
have

no

attacks
the

on

moment

the

"

tender

categories.
Quaker
(1) Mere

nothing except
(Crofton'sand Davies'
the
side of
Bishops from
to
be proceeded against.
non-Presbyterian libel

Covenant

great class
such

that

agreed

"

It

treatment.

fell

into

two

or

three

the

to

(2)

Anabaptist stuff taken as an affront

and against the Act
of Uniformity.

or

Church

Phosniv, Prodi/j// and

The

Annus

Mirabilis

tribe

for the burnt

Covenant, and
passionate tears
to the tyrant.
scarcely veiled prophecies of doom
those of October
(3) Regicide Speeches in two batches
"

"

when

1660

and
These

those

Government
from
and

be

made

must

of Vane

body

and

3.

Manton

Cook

has

drawn

case
Twynne
jeremiads
merely anti-prelatical

In

1663

the

Government

mantle

over

the

Church.

enough

do

to

Before

executions

held

occurred
to

over

here, however,

Even

the direct

between

whose

as

of

1661-2

2.

tolerable
distinctly seditious and
by no
of that
to
be sharply distinguished
They are
age.
the scholarly and
modestly-worded Appeals

were

of Baxter

main

the

to

much

and

brave

enough

ten

we

years

notice,

of Dover

was

In

of such

treason
so

distinction

nerson

and

the

Keache.
to

shall

cast

its

find it has

protect itself.
this

consider

disloyal class it may be well to

few of the outstanding names.
note
a
absconded
Nedham
we
saw
giving out the usual reason
of debt, which
have
been
partly true, for his wages
may
from
Scot were
stopped in x\pril1660, when the game of the
He
followed
into exile in
to be up.
seen
was
Republic was
we

"

It i-"noted

'

as

suppressed unless
by
engrossed by Oliver's
2

with

A
an

full list of these

account

of

PubUcus, No. 27, 2nd

discovered).
:;

The

Calamy

attempts
into

of

truculent

rare

thing

order

for any

from

creatures

Presbyterianpamphlet

to

be

of the
the great business
Considerations
and
Proposals.

above,
'.

seized
1'ress

and

being

seditious

is given in Truth and

tracts
Loyalty Vindicated,
in M- rcurius
Surveyor's activities. See also notices
Press
KiG2 (notice of a Private
July 1063, and 1st October

the

Eachard
menaces

and
are

Kennet

to

ludicrous

twist

the

onough.

patience of

Baxter

and

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

PRESS

THE

which

September by L'Estrange's Bope for Pol,

suggests, have

Williams

Mr

been

as

may,

anticipate

to

attempt

an

111

l.
needy journalist
subsequent
in
returned
for Nedham
aimed
with foresight,
If so it was
his peace, set up in his
the year of the Restoration,made
originalprofessionas a physician,and lii'teen years after did
of
Men
with
against the
good pay
good court-service
and

conversion

for the

favour

'

"

"

Shaftesbury '.
Nedham's

perhaps wrote
and
kept up
week

his

of

shutters

later

two

or

account
a

"

the

protection in

back, but

unlike

with

allies.

new

Nedham

to

find

We

with

opens
'bloodhound

the

1663
of

heroes

allies

the

"

Brewster, Dover,

printer preacher,
-

eminent

not

were

Lidwell

trade

of

Whig

spouses

it may

They

the

Dunton's

he

the

the

is

of October

passages,

had

Chapman

in his
(sic)

at

whose

Confederates

'

Smith,

Frank

the

in

services
real

and

husbands

'

narrator

melancholy
catalogue

L'Estrange called

Hall, but
which

to

and

they

their

had

tailor-

Tvvynne
wide

wives, obdurate

the Cause, ludicrous

though

took

share.

constant,
are

the

Keache
Creake

wretched

Stationers'

roving kind,

their

and

and

were

seem,

with

1662
'

drive

Smith,

Prank

afterwards

interviews

L'Estrange,in
'

in

wares

Shortly

several

not

-.

Chapman's
"

hazardous

the great

But

again, and

in

includingMr

of Press

them

Press',

earliest liestoration

these
of

the

bond.

him

swept

task

of

libertyon

at

set

after

him
gave
ventured

stocking if

1661

on

practices and

his old

Calvert.

him, and

for

prison

Livewell

also

not

1660, and

most

work,

Nedham

Morrice

pursue
in
him

and

Brewster

of Milton's

Secretary

the

of

publishing quantities
company

of

autumn

"

last, followed
for debt, though

life.

and

printed

the

to

also

"

licentious

who

Chapman,
ally, Livewell
Plain
English, did some

the

elder

main

of

generation

English liberties'.
To
ascend
ranks, there were
higher in the Stationers
Ralph Smith, Crofton's Printer and a future warden, Ebbotson,
Wilson, all printers and
Hodgkinson, Lilliecraft,Bobert
'brave

publishers
1

The

Williams

date

of

of

to

See

Commonwealth

papers,

and

in i
(J. B.), History of Journalism
the date when
Polvi
1(560,
Ropi for
September
on

his

worst

Roger

of

all

afterwards

'discoveries'.
on
Quevedo'a Vision fora facetious encounter
of a compliment
p. 386,somewhat
regions,chap. -\iii.,

L'Estrange's
improvement

Livewell in the Infernal

Chapman.

of

the

I lie tir.stwrote

with

asserters

112

SIR

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

of
Tytan, lately appointed printer to the House
and
Cromwell's
Lords, while
Fields,
printers, Newcombe
been
Printers
in
favour
have
to
seem
displaced as King's
and
of the old loyal Barker1
But
Newcombe
is a
Hill.
is to print the London
Gazet and
great and coming man,
die King's Printer
in 1680.
Hodgkinson still printed the Newsbook.
These
usurpations grieved the old loyal patentees
Richard
before
of his
Atkyns, dispossessed sixteen
years
law
monopoly, and
Roger Norton, patentee in English
Church
books
in a similar
plight. To their imagination
Francis

"

the Stationers
all

craft
them

sad

the

reflected

condition

of Cavaliers

and

to Atkyns
L'Estrange's
especially
who
would
strictures on a Prince
pinch his friends' bellies,
were
speciallygrateful.

To

over.

the

On
Muddiman
book

"

whom

of

pleased
the disloyalmurmurs
were

"

Those

of

acts

in

more

with

connection

retribution
have

indulged in by

the

regicides. These
daring libel which

of the

blood

Phoenix,
of

the

of

Confederate

Calvert, and
did

Creake
'

and

Covenant

the

tears

took

alarm

and

Brewster

they
not

sufficient

The

whole
1

of

of

censure

for

burst
out-

an

the

as

the

of

the

form

the

resurrection
the

was

which

the

said

work

Chapman,

were

(so

the

the

chiefs.

judges),

malice '. Dover

necessity than
upon
Thresher
bound
the
the impression and
and

Thresher

whose

talents

were

some
gave
in extorting

formidable.

When

seized, but Chapman

slipped through Roger's hands, though later

was

in.

came

of

the
It

booksellers,

(printer) finished
In prison Creake
precious work.
to L'Estmnge,
useful information
the
evidence
at
cheapest rates
the

for.

fellow

Restored

emotion

prophesied

poor

the

judgment,

of

act

much

stood

News-

deprecated

the

occasion

Stationers

all

printing,a

rather

it

of

group

Brewster,

acted

who

all

and

as

Covenant, created

the

of

burning

earliest

The

Press.

the

admiration

the

excited

loyal party for their moderation,

each
the
the Whig
historians, were
in

with

'.

'

'

henchman

rewards, and

have-nots

'

his

and

substantial

of the

which

Government

Birkenhead

hand

other
"

"

given

Calvert

Tytan

was

evidence
credit

See his Petition

to

of

was

involved,

also
touch

but

there

was

him.

tracking

and

for restitution,H.M.C.,

seizingthe

libel

7th Kept., p. 19c".

was

printing and

in

hand

for

Majesty,and
'

so

To

the

This

Court

August,

of Whitehall

1661.

Ed.

"

order

that
his

from

warrant.

this 15th

day

Nicholas.

Keeper of the Gatehouse,

Westminster,
'

prisoner till further

doing this shall be your

at the

Dated

of
1

compiling dangerous hooks,and

close

him

keep

you

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

114

his

or

in my

word

deputy'.
close

"

warrant

"

prisoner ',says Frank,

still living can
witness

proved a fatal word to me, as many

(1680), for the keeper improved it to a title; there I was
truly buried alive,it being a prison famous for oppression
of poor
besides
prisoners as many
myself can
notoriously
witness'.
Though Smith was an ignorantenough and fanatical
took his stand
on
Magna Charta and frequently
person, who
and
quoted the examples of Empson
Dudley in tyrannos,
his case
in this the least exceptionable period of Charles'
rule was
interest.
deplorable,and is of great constitutional
Habeas's
Three
were
required to persuade Broughton, his
keeper, to bring him before the judges of the King's Bench,
and in the meantime
the warrant
was
changed and legalised
of the name
of his particularoffence
by the introduction
'

'

'

"

the

Annus

Mirabilis.

he

rabble

his

at

constables.

the

instructive
reference
'As

that

he

But

was

learned

alone

not

was

time
in

Lancastrian

narrative,
the

to
a

many
substance

fates

close to
of

my

these

we

in

when
the

observed, being founded

of

great stickler

for

the

things. In his opposition to the General

anticipated Wilkes
by a century, and had the
back
applauding his spiritedresistance to the

possibly never
men
proved so
been

was

of

legal aspect
Warrant

Smith

respect.

There

and

ignorant
precedents,it has
constitutional
ment
experi-

quite

Law,
on

this

poor

their

the

period. Before
leaving Smith's
anticipate by quoting his
may

of the

'Confederates'.

afflicted

relation, be

sufferingsboth

in

it remembered
my

person

and

exercised
and
on
by general warrants
me
without
compassion (by those employed in surveying,printing,
and
others of which
a
vending books) upon
many
doleful
catalogue might be given, of several persons
by
and
(in the general) mere
arbitraryways
particular or
private piques that have (from a nourishingcondition)been
were

such

reduced

to

to leave

at their

to
cases

poverty
death

them

carry
of

to

Mr

one

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

die in

to

as

much

bo

the

died

low

Newgate and his family reduced to

latelylived upon charity and died
One

3s. cortin

in

these

years
ago in
that his wife

want

under

able

not

truth

some

such
in

little less than

died

Calvert

Mr

the

witness

grave ;
who
Brewster

115

gaols, others
buy a poor

to

as

PRESS

extremity.
his family

great

prison and

lived plentifully
beggary, that once
; also
Mr
Dover
a
one
printer died in Newgate almost to the
in the like
Lidwell
of his family, Mr
(sic)Chapman
rum
imprisonments he and his family
by continued
manner,
their
ability as late instance
ruined, others fined above
ruined
shows ; others by like imprisonments, also were
by
of
the
with
invested
surveying
Stationery
power
persons
and
wink
when
the
at
Trade
even
same
pleasure
abusing
them
and
where
l,
they please as favour or pique governs
total

brought

to

seize

unlicensed

an

and

Smith

was

and

delays

the

discover

The

bail.

extending

nigh

two

to

henceforth

victim, not only of the Government's

Stationers'

search

seizure,

enmity. L'Estrange

greater

was

for

Whiggish
the

from

over

Of

the

naturally took
'discovery',Darby
of

the

refers

not

the

libels

great

as

The

the

of

one

enmity

one

the

hunt

L'Estrange had

his indiscreet

prison on

vicious

'

old

venturing

so

much

to

chagrin of L'Estrange,
the

on

attempt

although

L'Estrange

as

to

the

in

interest

An
but

band,

the

to

released

was

in November.

Tytan

great figure

in 1684, when

full cry,

Confederates,

who

He

in

is

and

Continent2.

other

Parliament

in

printers was

safelylaid

Smith'

Frank

Again

other.

the

have

able
charge-

several

than

his

must
years,
the most

prosecutions, but before

of February
committee
1677, he appears
Surveyor'switnesses against the Stationers.
his

in

length of

the

and

Habeas'

became

He

him.

sorelytried

to

of several

expense

of the

them,

prison,and after vexatious

and
bribes
treatment
by L'Estrange to
severe
of Prodigies,was
at last released
authors
on
back

remanded

imprisonment,

but

sell

shall not

'.

themselves

sell them

others

because

book

adjournment
made

was

he

the

of his

victims

was

officials of

to

of

prove

probably
the

Stationers

be a
of this passage
would
good annotation
See also
in tho
Seventeenth
Century.
capital history of the Stationers Company
360 (149),and
Smith's
petition to Arlington, February 1673-4, S. P. Dom. Car., ii.,
enormities.
letter of his (no date) Hid.
a
(150),both setting forth the Stationers

Company.

See

See p. 320.

chap, vii.,207.

SIR

116

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

to
have been
publisher of the Phoenix1, no proof seems
forthcoming.
In February 1662
the month
in which
L'Estrangewas
the
office
of
the
to
Government
shadowy
appointed
Surveyor
found
Brewster
Bristol
the
at
Fair.
These
emissary
during
fairs
used
the
secretaries
for
were
provincial
by
settingup
"

"

for

booths
taken

in

this

his

stuff

Bishop

lodgings and

sufficient
have

to

seditious

such

had

Knight

by

the

relation
It

certain.

to

of

the

to
rout

Sir

out

John

results 2.

'

substantiallyas
conspiracy of October
suspicion and alarm.

lined
out-

was

Northern

Government's
seditious

felt that

was

wealth

diocese,and
Moon, whom

excellent

Confederates

of the

revealed

sharp warning

Simon

as

Brewster

wares.

trunk

of his

with

The

Smith.

materialised

'

his

care

booksellers

just raided

seditious

provoke

to

better

fate of the

The

direct

sale of their

the

press

to

these

1663

The

revolts

was

be done

something must

effectually
the delinquents, and
to overcome
L'Estrange in his newly
office
that of the old patent of February 1662
not
erected
felt it desirable to make
to justifyhis existence.
a great show
in October
his vigilancewas
In the first week
rewarded
work.
by the discovery of Twynne busy at his treasonous
visit to Simon
The
Dover
a
following week
(who had
lately been released after a year in prison) discovered on
Will
Out
Murder
described
his person
by L. C. J. Hyde
villainous
a
as
thing scattered at York, a little unlicensed
The
dangerous Panther
completed the
Quaking book'.
be said that Dover
was
committed
rediscovery, and lest it should
the old Pharnix
refurbished
to
suit
on
charge
in the Newsbook
that
the Printer
the hour, Roger declared
was

"

"

"

'

'

is

hoped

that

as

at

the

of

the

and

the

person

of

public

under

the

manifestation
his

sacred

had

been

released

were

again taken

'

Northern

Francis

Tytan

is as

reached

right

as

any

working
be
of

bond

rest '.

Truth

of

and
of

the

in

and

the

C.S.P.D., 2nd and 7th February 1663,

Newsbook, No. 8, 12th October 1663.

vol.

covery
dis-

peace
conscience

course

when

and
of

rumours

Loyalty Vindicated,

p. 57
^

it

the

Chapman

up in September
the Government.
of the

off,and

design levelled

colour

Calvert, with
on

it

made

Majesty,
and

masque
and

of the

will

uses

religion'3.
Although Brewster

Plot

of

act

very

good

many
well for

very

Ferguson,
1662, they
l

the

in

apprehended

was

1663-4,pp. 37

and

43,

ears'

the

in

Nat.

at

pictureof

Sir

know

Bundles

type.

house

Vane

Harry

'You

the

"

house

this

on

the

treatises

great vogue,

ance
resist-

considerable

midnight

memorable

his

in

Brookes

against

bring forth'

may
had

which

used

was

gang,
book

with

"

'

consolation

'

month

Preachers,were
L'Estrange encountered

raid

of

found, and

PrelaMck

Brewster

peculiarlyoffensive

batch

the

by

out

Regicides1Speeches

libel

another

pulled
old

the

what

not

of

of

besides

containing

found

of

whose

'

was

rogue

raid, one

October

Brookes,

was

printing

another

Yet

117

PRESS

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

his

at

trial \

by knowing where to look Roger

of the
had effected in this uneasy
fortnight a clean sweep
for
now
feminine
part of rebellion '. It only remained
the
the
by skilful hint and surmise
lawyers to connect
by vigilanceand

Thus

'

'

feminine

'

and

weeks

Eighteen

Justice

Chief

of

the

Narrative,

regarding their

part.

they lay in prison. Erom

Keling, the Newsboolc, and Frank

learn

we

Northern

masculine

some

notes

Smith's

circumstances

material

very

the

treatment.

credit of the business

was
place,the whole
to his
the printed trials were
due to L'Estrange,and
even
favour
considerable
order
a
printed by Harry Brome
shown
a
to L'Estrange by the judges and
part reward2.
interval of nearly three years
Secondly, the scandalous
and
the
between
Dover,
matter
alleged against Brew6ter
nevertheless
with
Brookes
and
and
that against Twynne
the

In

first

"

raises
Not
Press

the

as

See
The

Roger
the

fact

an

these
all

four

Laws

Treason

of

this

cut

the

of

the

interesting night's work

'

was

1662

indicted
Brookes

figure noted
the

dock4.

guiltyof

be

in

Brookes'

as

3.

the

on

Law.

poor
printer in
he

period

reign

who

the

could

Confederates,

as

tried

Twynne's,
by Common

"

alleged,and
How

in

of the

was

cases

except

"

workman.

by
He

sedition
Trial

"

559-63.

judges

North

Lords.

that he

exceptionablepart

of

account

all

description

Fox's

characteristic

only a

Trials,vi.,
-

old

the

Defoe
was

of

Statute, but

denied

of

one

under

'

least

the

bring them

to

doubt

some

far

by

'

made

attempt

an

then

claimed

insinuates"

Scroggs

the

admitted

the

Hence
cases.
print their own
against Atkyn's law patent,reversed by
the Privy Council
his examination
before
(1680)
Amos
exclusive printing of certain trials.
[Cons.
sole right to

judgment
in

had sold his right to the

Hist, of Charles II. (1857),
p. 247].
3
Bonn's
11. and
Charbs
James II.
*
Life of Daniel Defoe, by W. Lee

(1857),p. 301.
(1869),ii..517.

"

118

SIR

and

scandalous

was

only

He

things ?

made
first

selling

not

L'ESTRANGE

the

on
'

"

stouter

it

fact
done

was

printed anything,he

never

book-binder, that

Dover

defence

ROGER

his trade'1.

was

and
appearance
that admitting the

grounded

his

printing

but

when

act

there

was

"

no

law

or

in

that a
being touching printing',and, secondly,he demurred
book
of speeches whose
title runs
faithfullyand impartially
collected for further
satisfaction',could not be interpreted
claimed
that the speeches of
Brewster
as
factiouslydone.
of edification and
matters
dying men
were
public that
diurnal
the speeches were
almost
common
an
as
as
a
the
which
the
be
admission
on
judges (who may
styled
in
the
The
case
Regicide
prosecution) eagerly fastened.
which
that
of
the
offence
most
was
packet
lawyer
gave
suffered for acting as public prosecutor against
Cooke, who
in the speeches
I.
His
letter to a friend included
Charles
could
be
described
not
a
as
public speech, and as it
clothed
of
in the
names
represented the Regicides as
against the printers.
martyrdom, it carried a long way
'

"

'

'

"

But

the

of
and

least

bad

public

'

he

it ; for in case
heard
it. But

subjects with

did

Presbyterians such

his

it all

jury in
of 'good

speeches

it but

horrid

that

Brewster

did
who

King's

murder2.

also

was

were

of the

fill all the

to

laws

those

England, 3000

over

one

that

soul

own

knew

man

second, this is

age
the

if

of
justification

the

that

upon

it, no

publish

to

of old

collection

of

even

it be

Phoenix, for which

The

the

that

let

impression and

first

'

the

instructed

judicial speeches

Government',
in

spoken

this, Hyde

without

even

indicted,

was

of leading
printed sermons
Baxter, Douglas, Calamy, etc.,during

pieces
as

from

Commonwealth.

pretended to be printed at Edinburgh in the year

handed
the
of
indeed
Covenant
to
breaking ', and was
informer
Creake
early as May
so
by the Confederates
The
the
Phccnix
not
defence
that
1661.
was
printed
but
from
and
licensed
from
manuscript,
printed
excerpts,
'

It

And

the

so

jury brought

him

in

guiltyonly of sellingnot printing.

Mule

Trials, vi.,563.
2

7.^. of Charles

'Brewster:
without
'

Hyde

State Trials, vi.,546.

penny

they died

; that
.

these

are

sayings

of

dying

commonly

men,

printed

Never.

'Brewster:
a

I.

My Lord,
opposition.

can

instance

in

many

; the

declares to the world, that

and
I think is a benefit
so

bookseller
as

they
far

only

lived

from

minds

such

sedition

the

getting of

desperate
'.

lives

so

aside

brushed

was

printed

and

this

and

King

'45,

the

Oxford

at

was

license

rebellion

in

after

it

was

what

forward

set

judge.

when

Do

The

plea

that

From

Presbytery,
against the

arms

his
upon
the license

and

defence

of

rebels then

of

view

Presbyterian

the

they were
in Tywnne's

and

poor

very

his

ultra

the

few

tenementam

remarks

business

when

jury, they

seem

Hyde's

not

was

at

case

he

sentences.

made

by

the

to

case.
mercifully inclined, especiallyin Dover's
desire speciallychosen
by the culprit'sown
jury was

have

been

This

the

from
the

London

In

Stationers.
of

competence

the

doubt
as
any
with
such
deal

of

case

prosecution to

to
a

Hyde assured them, with an obvious reference

it
L'Estrange, 'There are those already that understand
well as booksellers or
printers,besides half the jury are

trade

as

it not

least, by
and
that he read the proofsof his libel,

discounted

was

L'Estrange's evidence
their poverty
in any case
delivered

sermon

'

Imprimatur.
ignorant men

to

of

me

your justification ?
for the Restoration
So much

for

in

were

other

Scotch

the

up

No,

printed,was

that

set

tell

you

was

for the

himself

put

it

Then

they

King

was

here

was

to

'Douglas' (sermon)

licensed

brought hither.

(Calamy's) by
to

the

Scotland,

in

there

done

by

119

PRESS

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

matter,

'

such

2.

Creake

and

againstthe
Phcenix

terrorised

some

and

persons 3.
Whilst

the

fur

excuse

among

the

the

severity.

old soldiers

and

had

and

to

the

that

obvious,
able
coloursooner

no

are

world,

enthusiasts

suspected

some

their fortitude

of

menaces

trials is

of these

Regicides

The

abroad

the

of fifteen

names

Government

than

1660

published

are

the

him

that

in October

speeches

from

prison

witnesses

part printed the

in

person

politicalcharacter

denied

be

executed

Prodigies.

L'Estrange extracted

it cannot

This

Confederates.

the

printerswere

and

inflaming

and

dispersed
the

thronged

ground having been already prepared by Phoenixes

Prodigies,the one promising a glorious resurrection for

streets, the
and

State Trials, vi.,pp. 553-4.

Ibid.,p.

519.

Ibid., p. 555.
'
'

L. C. J. Hyde : Do you
Creak : I did so then.

'

Hyde

'

Creak

:
:

think

the

Press

is open

to

print what

L'Estrange information
you give Mr
when
I
was
a prisoner in Ludgato '.
Lately,

When

did

you

list ?

of this matter

the

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

120

Covenant, and

the

other

by lies and

prejudice people against their

conspiracy in January, excited by
and
the Eegicides, was
of Peters
James, the
by the affair of John
was
a conventicle
speech to
to

new

seeking
superstition
Venner's

governors.
and
execution

the

followed

1661

of whose

substance

effect that

the

speeches

October

in

ment
indictthe

King
at Charing
Cross ',exactly the insinuation
of these
speeches. Although
the bulk of the Presbyterians did not approve
the speeches
the
attitude
of the
condemned
or
l, the passing of the
Presbyterian
Uniformity Act threw a large body of moderate
small conspiracies
opinion against the Government, and numerous
which
Burnet
were
prudently ignored
says
and

his nobles

had

shed

the

blood

the

of

"

saints

"

"

the

were

In

result2.

December

the

1661

Lord

anxious

of the Commons
message
that
intercepted letters showed

Chancellor, replying to an
that
to the Lords, stated
there

wide

feeling
of revolt, and exactlya year later Tonge's conspiracy sought
of a treasonous
letter,printed off by the thousand
by means
and
the congregations, to take
dispersed among
advantage
of the despair to which
the Church
driving the
policy was
sectarians.
'

popish

At

massacre

is

to

believe

indication

of commotion,

the

that

which

trick

While,

service.

exaggerated the transactions out of which

against those people, the Government
for cherishing a most
anxious
to be blamed
every

venerable

the
into

brought

was
reason

time

same

'

there

'

the

was

court
arose

is

fore,
there-

very much
the proceedings

perhaps

wish

not

to suppress

have

might

of

furnished

'

rallying point to all the disaffected 3.

that the prosecution,
It can
at
scarcely be wondered
is very
believing that 'the dispersing of seditious books
like as brother
akin to raising of tumults
as
near
; they are
and
an
as
sister',should have sought to bring in Twynne
instrument
of the Northern
conspiracy and to throw a shade
of that suspicion on
the others.
L'Estrange was
persuaded of such a connection, but
a

his

See the

disapproving remarks

on

this

head

of

even

such

zealot

as

Croftou

in

Defence againstthe fear of Death (1665).

2
he dismisses
when
the
Burnet
speaks only of the 1660 to 1661 conspiracies,
'
these
fomented
spread and
Reports were
suggestion that Clarendon
petty plots.
of the plots of
much
of Commons
aggravated as they were
reported to the House
20th
November
countries'.
Presbyterians in several
Airy, Burnet, i., 326.
the
Commons
and
the
the
to
19th
of
December
1661 ara
dates
on
reports
subject.
State Trials,vi.,212.
little

"

122

SIR

the

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

gates of the

last time, when

a
'
to the
phanatique

prison opened for the

huge funeral concourse
accompanied them
in
burial-place

Bedlam

processions which

of the earliest of those

',one

almost

were

the

melancholy

demonstration

sole

mitted
per-

subjected people.
been
set
people ', says L'Estrange, might have
at libertyby his Majesty's special
have
grace, if they would
been so ingeniousas to have
told the meaning of their own
hands and
to a clearer
discovery of their
papers, in order
to

These

'

'

dangerous Confederates
could

and

in

they themselves

when

cases

pretend ignorance, but they rather chose to end

their days in a prison.
As to the crime
for which
they stood convicted I should
not

'

not

mention

it, but

confidence
of

stop their

to

call that

to

mouths

severity which

was

that
so

the

have

remarkable

proved to the clear

satisfaction of a tender
jury that they had printed and
of the murder
of the late King,
published the justification
affirmingit to have been (in these very terms) the most
act

an

noble

and

clemency

as

this form

to these

of

shores.

sending

in

Holland

there

for

these

It

mercy.

gloriouscause

Marked
check

and

'.

severities

volumes
seemed

exiles
of
to

was

the

on

Continent

sedition
be

and

kind

they
by no

were,

sedition,which

The

was

of

did
means

constantly

were

incitement, and

standing

production of such literature as God's

A
Voice
Crying in Babylon, etc., apart from
matter
peculiarly Dutch
were
a
pasquils which
and
the
Dutch
ostensible
of
complaint,
an
cause
April the trial of the Northern
conspiratorsdrew
of

confined

the

much

as

of this kind

as

of the

that

of the

'

Confederates

'

trials,were

in

committee
Loud

those

Eegicides.

judicialproceedings,despitethe judgment

the

entirely

not

Call,
more

of formal
war

out

l.

In

almost

Narratives

of the

Court

in

still

briskly proceeding.
Nor
to the
these confined
were
meaner
printers.
One
of those
Mene
Tekel was
printed
very presses wherein
execrable
(that most
villainy),
belonged to a ruling member
of that society(of Stationers),
who
cannot
pretend ignorance
to his lifelongand
neither, the printer being known
gross
experience for a person of notorious
principlesand practices
attacked
in
against authority\ The Stationers were
even
case

'

1665.

See the

Lord

Chancellor's

at the opening of Parliament, 9th October

C.ti.l'.D. (1663-4),p. 521, 18th March
1664, and

Speech

Also
Pari. Hist., iv.,317.
1666-7, p. 37 ; 13th August 1666.

BLOODHOUND

THE

the

Newsbook

condition
'

them

the

as

Privilege

PRESS

of these

encouragers

whose

of

THE

OF

and

123
'

wares

special

it is to

Trust

suppress

i.

result
a
now
as
Congregations and the Quakers were
The
of the persecution let loose on them, extremely voluble.
was
IvforuX'r-s name
becoming odious, but as yet the Press
because
the Statute
informer was
in evidence
not
fortunately
for
his
and
made
no
reward,
provision
L'Estrange'smiserable
bribes published in the Neivsbooh
too small2.
were
that in which
In such
demonstrations
as
seventy-live
of
at the funeral
ancient man
an
ejectedministers walked
of the persecuted brethren, and
that already mentioned
one
The

'

'

of

the

funeral

continued

the

of

to offend

Confederates

the Government,

', the
and

the storm-centre
London, they became
inspiringthe brethren, finding food
the

the

Church

children
of

anti-Christians
There

the

in

England

of libellous dissent,
the

for

belief that

idolatrous

are

still

they remained

whilst

in

educating

Dissenters

'

presses,

and
of

the ceremonies

and

ministers

the

'.

was

spacious building,the
Aldersgate,which was

one

St

Martin's, near
of a Quakers'
purpose

'

Bull

used

Mouth

and

',in

for the threefold

meeting-house,a schoolroom, and a

which
was
private printing-house,
responsiblealone for two
hundred
'As

libels.
sure

death', said

as

ejected ministers
from
the places

removed

be
where

disobedience, this

and

in

Eoger
to

April

distance

convenient

some

they formerly preached

nation

i,'till the

1664

will

be

never

rebellion

up

thoroughly

settled '.

May of this year the Conventicle Act was passed,

in July the Conventicle
above
mentioned
raided,
was
Win.
committed
the preacher,
to prison,while
Warwick,

In 17th
and
and

the books
in

and
for

exchange
with

met

was

the counsel
of the
1

press

promise

the

of the

to

leave

remark, 'He
Lord

Conventicle

Consideration.*

confiscated.

were

Act

offer of freedom

An

off his seditious

would

should

go
him

carry
involved
the

on
'

4.

practices

whithersoever
The

raiding of

execution
numerous

and

Proposals.
Sidney Leo (art.L'Estrange, Di t. oj Nat. Biog.)talks
of his shop at the Gun
in Ivy Lane
'having been frequently visited by the Informer.
There is no evideneo
other
than
of Press secrets
by fear of
having been extracted
bribes.
of a single discovery by means
of L'Estrango'.-.
a
prison, and no evidence
1

hap. v., 1-14-5.

Sir

'

'

Newsbook, Kith
s.P.D.

continue

'

April 1664.

Draft
of Bennett's
(1663-4), p. 634, 6th July 1664.
'
in prison, endorsed
till Mr L'Estrange'scharge is

Warwick

warrant
known

to

'.

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

124

places,and everywhere the officers discovered how nearly

seditious printing was
allied to dissent.
In a week
(17th to
23rd
July) L'Estrange computes that 130,000 pamphlets
seized.

thus

were

The

generally.

The

prisons

their restless

pens were
emanated
of these months
this

in

line

Presses

as

enjoyed
supposed

was

was

crowded

were

yet confiscated
with
sectaries, but

not

were

busy there, and

from gaols,where
as

be

to

the

freedom

much

as

threat

The

outside.

sedition

half the

only

of

portation
trans-

the

for

cure

case

Meanwhile
offender

it
trial.

to

thought expedient

was

October

In

Ben

another

bring

to

in

of Winslow

Keache

brought before
Buckinghamshire, tailor and preacher, was
C. J. Hyde for printing and publishing The Child's Instructor
catechism against
at the modest
price of 5d.,a non-conformist
Infant-Baptism and for lay-preaching,etc.
had lain in prison
who
to this poor
man
Hyde's conduct
since May
cited in a speech by Lord
was
long afterwards
Ashburton
rather
in 1770 2. His
offence
against the
was
Act of Uniformity than
the Press
Act.
Except for Hyde's
treatment
so
severe
was
brutality,Keache's
by no means
that

as

dealt

had

saw,

death

to

offers

of

the
of

Brewster

'

', while

Confederates

freedom.
and

The
in

Dover

Warwick,

feeling aroused
April had no

we

as

the

by
doubt

while
L'Estrange's
cautionary influence on the Government,
Newsbook
in
overlooked.
the
were
ravings
savage
is extraordinary.
The spiritwhich
animated
these men
I
which
truths
I hope I shall never
those
renounce
have
and
in that book', said Keache,
written
although he
never
paid his "20 fine, he was
brought to make
any
'

'

'

recantation

3.

too
hot, and the Five-Mile
city became
the
removed
dissenting ministers, the libel flourished
the
Petition
Baxter's
for Peace, it may
country.
down
sent
was
remembered,
secretly in barrels, and

the

When

carrier's
secret.

took
waggon
Gloucester
The

suspicion,and
i

Nembooh,

the

Post

down

great deal

carrier
Office

was

was

Speech

like

in
be
the

stuff

in

object of
always an
extensively used in this

23th

August 1664.
Parliament, 6th and 10th December, 1770.
'C.
J. Hyde, who
received
verdict
xvi., 1277.
from
a
school
him as if guilty of the whole
'. The
part, sentenced
denied
the jury'sright to go beyond the matter
of fact.
s
State Trials,vi., 710.
'"i

of

Act

Cobbet, Pari.

in

the
of

Jury
Hyde

HisL,

Guilty in
and Scroggs

of

in

Keache

as

and

Dorking
another

3, late

Crofton

of

the

of

'Plotter')

(the

Fergusson

had

poetaster,

that

of
No

and

city

descended

fairs

the

Altogether

with

their

and

Pedlars

Scotch

lodged

they

search.

is

credit

takes

L'Estrange

that

Press

wares.

suspicion,

where

ale-houses

when

booksellers

precious

the

1669

of

being

now

good

from

occasional

period

the

cleared

the

regular

and

supply

was

the

strict

of

had

Bristol5,

free

rising

West,

objects

having

pack

the

on

the

1664-6

singularly

was

"

for

"

disaffection.

with

country

Scotch

the

after

when

rife

to

carrying

man

were

continue

wives

their

dead,

Boreale.

Iter

Brewster

with

trade

and

correspondence

and

Calvert

Confederates

The

the

Wild,

busy4.

loyal

his

repented

already

books.

his

scattering

already

was

about

riding

there,

and

sedition

preaching

country

news

compunctious

by

compliance

his

for

to
was

comes

troubled

and

like

Dover

Brereton

At

Tower,

the

Nature

of

visitings

disaffection2.

of

centre

about

obscurely

come

pamphlets'.

libellous

brought

to

Scotch

his

described

Dorking,

'used

about

lurking

still

was

of

man',

'Taylor's

Hackney,
Feake

while

trade,

old

the

of

Forbes

James

assistant,

', with

Cobbler

Gloster

'

in

movements

perpetually

floated

verses

the

Wallis,

Ralph

il.

Prist,

of

news

gave

Wild's

West.

and

North

the

letters

Intercepted

warfare1.

125

PRESS

THE

OF

BLOODHOUND

THE

See

in

Proclamation

O.S.P.D.

(1663-4),

497.

p.

(.'). Col.

May

turned

Bishop

1661-2.

January

16th

Intelligencer,

Kingdom's

the

favouring

for

out

disaffected.

/'./".

p.

I).

''.S.J:

p.

429,

p.

175,

18th

Ibid.,

p.

315,

26th

October.

Ibid

p.

135,

12th

May.

Feake

June.
5th

January.

Kxam.

of

and

4th

of

Forbes,

and

Wallis

'

Dorking

dangerous

0. S. P.

D.,

man

(1664-5)

24.
*

in

(1663-4),

(1663-41.

"300,
:

and

Ibid.,

so

pp.

he

Tt

is

released.

and

297.

of

Bond
For

2nd

February

of

Fergusson

Robert

Wild,

Bee

and

C.S.P.D.
12th

October

High

Totenham

(1663-4),
1663.

p.

379.

Cross

',

CHAPTER

LEGISLATION

PRESS

It

was

that

(February
the

government

of

the

peculiarly disagreeable
unofficial

'

bloodhound

some

vague
officers of the
The
almost
a

from

Stationers

bye-laws

old

did

and

that
was
'

Press

little

work

those

nothing

of

works, and
Stationers

enlargement

the

seditious

proposed
2, were

of his office.

At

had

and

in the

the

the

matter.

which
drew

"

up

booksellers, culled

some

of the

as

who

Birkenhead

or

on

of

by
regarded

when

John

claim

"

enormities

for the

bid for the

"

appointment

established

He

Sir

his

to, in
already referred
February 1662
L'Estrange

certainlyafter
their

the

as

"

documents

the

Press,
kind1.

of

authority

two

list of

before

L'Estrange, even
1662) as Surveyor, had

seen

NEWSBOOK

THE

AND

new

nature

the

same

and
of

binding
a

time

further
it

was

i
The
best guide to this early phase of English journalism is Mr J. B. Williams'
to (Nevjsboolcs,etc., of the Restoration, Kng. Mist.
article, already referred
Rev.,
his History of English Journalism, 1909.
The
older
Histories,
1908), and
ap.
Hunt's
Fourth
Andrew's
Hist
Journalism
Estate
(1850), and
of Brit.
(1859),
with
Mr
Fox-Bourne's
or
English Newspapers
(1887), are
hopelessly inaccurate
Arber's
his
Prof.
Stationers'
so
far, and
incomplete.
Registersdo not descend
Introduction
Term
Introduction
to the
to the
Catalogues is quite general. The
Calendar
For
the
of State
Papers (1665-6), pp. 1-8, is scarcely trustworthy.
general works on the Press referred
to, see appendix.
2
See. chap, iv., p. 106.
The
documents
referred
to are
(1) Extracts
from
in
from
with
the
Mercurius
1644-54.
names
Politicus, etc.,
printers'
margin, in
5. /'. Dom.
L'Estrange's hand.
(2) Proposals for Preventing,
Car., ii.,39-93.
submitted
to
Discovering and
Suppressing Libels, humbly
Authority by the
S. P. Car., ii.,39 (92),wrongly
dated
Surveyor to the Press.
July 1661, in the
is subjoined L'Estrange's demand
Calendar.
To this paper
for a general Search
Warrant
the
the ground that
on
King's Printers
have, although but for their
for these
twelve
last past
own
private interest, acted
by a general warrant
years
without
clamour'
(95),not as Mr Williams
; (3) S. /'. Cir., ii.,39
any
says (article
and
referred
undated
Warrant
unexecuted
to
to above) ' an
grant of the General
but
draft
of
the
a
L'Estrange',
proposed Bill, probably belonging to 1660-1,and
in any
case
prior to L'Estrange'srule in the Press.
'

126

NEWSBOOK
*

for emolument

demands

noted his excessive

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

127

ignored,but
printers in the

were

activity against the seditious

that
meantime
compelled the government,
especiallynow
ruled
in Nicholas'
Bennet
place, to reconsider, after the
comparative failure of the Press Act, the erection of the
L'Estrange held into an
important
Surveyorship which
iiis incessant

office.

Roger's advice
make

"

with

Birkenhead

the

had

who

accused

in

acceded

learn

to

future

and

up,
of

they
point was

had

that

no

demand

patron

into

the

it from

Secretary
latter

the

to

in October
to

was

the

out

Cavaliers,

office

an

have

it

was

the

on

been

branded

rather

Bradshaw's

15th

lenient 4.

Press

Act

this,however, the Government

driven

home

prudence,
with

be

insurgent of them,

should

abandoned

in

services, could

of Nicholas

most

sense

for

which

course

keeping

alone, whom
In

he

offensive

Bennet, who

the

of

In

deal.

good

his

most

interregnum

Surveyorship

hawkers

left the

is where

granted by taking

removal

the

exceptionallysevere.

harried

be

strange that this Act

seems

the

course

his

Commons

by erecting the
August 1663 3.
It

for

demands

the

to

The

especiallykind

opened

the

here
and

keepers.

of

been

scene

new

and

"

Project for SuppressingLibels 2

matter, exposed in a public way,
Surveyor by insertinga clause

efficient Muddiman,

loyal and

saddle

only

could

granting free postage

not contemplate. With

It

general

"

Muddiman

of coffee-house

Newsbook, which

1662

of

proposal was

his

Nicholas,

of

review

licenses
of

of

written

bring

to

the

in the

as

remained

ever

office with

proposed by the Surveyor

councils
as will effectually

addition

In

his Minute

"

"

their

enmity

the

encountered

within

bye-laws

for all time.

cripple it

proposed

such

perpetuallyin

is to sit

the

it

Warrant, depress or ignore the Stationers,and

that company

part

what

was

autocratic

Surveyorship an

the

Search

who

time

that

at

more

and

had
was

for

urgency

by

the

the

Car., ii.,39 (94) (endorsed, about 1660 '). In compensation for

the
.let
his charge and
Surveyor enjoy (1) the Sole privilegeof
pains
sheets
all Intelligence.(2)
and
printing all narratives, etc., not exceeding two
side of paper.
The
Sole printing all warrants, Bills and Advts., on one
(3) Is. pr
1

8. P.

'

Dom.

sheet

all books

on

8. P.

C. S.P.B.

knows

that

(the

Press

"

Much

Dom.

it

licensed

or

to

be

reprinted'.

Car., ii.,51 (10. 1).

(1663-4),p. 240, 15th August 1663.
and
was
by his particularorder

Observator,i.,259.
direction

that

').
more

lenient

than

the

Draft

Proposalsreferred

to above.

'

His

took

Majesty
care

of it

128

SIR

Surveyor, than
the

peril
attempted
to

class

peace
for the
and

chosen

and
of

the

were

the

that

of

Government,

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

hawker

the

nation, unless

Newsbook

women

for

printers'wives
Smith

constituted

class

grave

organised by

"

The

loyalty.
"

L'Estrange

as

"

chiefs

Brewster,

of

the
this

Calvert, Darby,

been
must
women
Chapman
endure
their
exceptional strength to
frequent imprisonments
and the hardships of their wandering lives,for they
and

all

went

the

over

who

"

country from

of sedition.
There
purveyors
London
of the veriest wastrels
their

all have

fair to

fair,as the accredited

also

was

who

in

huge class in
late libertyhad

the

whom
law could persuade
no
callings',
to return
To restore
to their less exciting occupations.
the
class was
of L'Estrange's.
a pet ambition
loyaltyof the hawker
The monopolists found
themselves
protected by the Act1,
but the hopes of some
that certain of the present owners
would
be dispossessedfor former
not realised2.
acts of disloyaltywere
The
Stationers
were
duly recognisedand encouraged in the
business
sion
of cleansingthe Press.
An important but wise omisthe refusal to set up by bribes the trade of Informer.
was
It was
during this irksome
delay that the great Press
'

forsaken

Bill became

lawful

Law

2nd

on

June

The

1662.

Bill

in

was

the

reading L'Estrange'sMemento
people were
Memory of King Charles the Martyr, written
study of Bacon, and largely grounded on his

last stages when

to all who
love the
after

much

Essay of Seditions and Troubles.

was
finallyto clear the author
the

ask

Secretaries

writing,

'

Can

bestowed

the

on

as
we
saw,
purpose,
fiction
and
to
pensions

of seditious
-exposure
safe that's served
?
by his enemies
a

Act

new

of the

vehement

'

be

King

soul of the

The

after

Its main

was

Secretaries

or

the

general Search

their

nominees,

of 1661, and

Warrant,
the

feature

negotiated
by exempting the Peers from its ordinary operation. The
the punishGovernment's
ment
object in a word was not to secure
that could
clauses
always be effected by Common
Law
Corpus but to secure
3, or merely by ignoring Habeas
which

the

wrecked

measure

now

was

"

"

This

of his copy.

must

have
Thero

occasioned
was

still

prior to
litigation,however.

great relief,as
mass

of

the

Act

no

man

was

sure

2
39 (93),singlesout
Car., ii.,
L'Estrange's Paper, referred to above, S. P. Bom.
White, all engaged in official work.
Tytan, Field, and Robert
Newcombe,
and
all men
know
let you
'I must
Mate
3 C. Justice
Trials, vi.,564.
Hyde.
for
Act
this
before
was
a
the
made,
printer
Common
new
the
of
Law,
course
by
is a reproach
the
under
other
pretence of printing, to publishthat which
or
any
to the King, to the State, to his Govt., to the Church, nay to a particular
person,

it is

punishable as

misdemeanour'.

his enemy.
other
more

elevated

Among
seemed
for it

'

of

and

Beimet
the

seized

the

in

occasion
-, and

and
officer,

future

the
a

wipe

demanded

have

to

seems

Proposalsfor

off Birkenhead

score

lack of candidates

no

"

prospectus from

Considerations

L'Estrange

indeed

was

of hesitation

sort

some

There

'

master

"

L'ESTRANGE

gentlemanly candidates
L'Estrange
some
scruples of a gentleman's putting in
printerx petitioned for the place. In the

have

to

last moment

to

ROGER

SIR

130

in the

Regulation of

the

Press,

dedication

the

King

the

out

to

last

of

rumours

list of his more

disloyalty,by profferinga formidable
of the
Press.
A
recent
unpaid activities in the realm
is certainly
pamphlet of some
celebrity,the Considerations
of the
the most
informative
and perhaps forceful document
which
It gained
seventeenth
we
century Press
possess.
down
times
for horrible
to recent
a
name
severity,which
his

indeed

it does

One

deserve.

not

lends

indeed

sentence

itself

to

pretation.
inter-

ferocious

The

ordinary
death, mutilation, imprisonment,
penalties I find to be these
the offence
is either
etc.
banishment,
Blasphemy,
Heresy, Schism, Treason, Sedition, Scandal, or Contempt of
reprehensible is the suggestion,
Authority 3. But far more
the oath
of one
credible
witness
not
or
more
Why
may
discussing penalties,he

In

'

says,

"

"

'

'

before

oath

abide

to

or

Chancery
the person
especially

such

before

of

Master

the

be

decision

But

the

Statute

because

of

inherent

those

'

accused

appeal

to

already

defects, but
the Stationers

"

for

serve

being
the

to

demnation,
con-

left at

liberty
Council

Privy

itself is

authority

in

taken

J.P.

or

dead
of

because
to

"

only

letter not

of

failure

the

put it in force.

'Scarcely any regicide or traitor has been brought to

either the
justicesince your Majesty'sblessed return, whom
the Press
for a saint, or
recomPulpit hath not canonised
and
R.

he may
Fox-Bourne
John

was

have

owned

it in

the

same

'.

See

Mr

J.

Newsbooks, April 1908,

Imprimatur

is

p.

of

on

the

first

part, 5th November

241, note.)
i
Thos.
Dawkes, C.S.P.l).
scene

a
::

when

Sir John

saw

we

at the

reality needed

no

Williams'

Eng.

reflected

1663.

Hist.

on

'Nedham's

says
article

some

Fund

successor

already referred

Rev., p. 259, note).

November

real

H.

Mr

it.

L'Estrange owned

(Amos, Hist, of Cons,

(1661-2),
p.

Indigent Officers'

It is this passage
he draws
his

B.

part of Hudwras, 11th

second

that

{English Newspapers (1887),i.,29)

Birkenhead

Restoration
the

sense

to

(on

Birkenhead's

1662, L'Estrange's on
reign of Charles II.,

in

227.

passages

in the

Memento.
92.
iii.,

There

is

hint

board, chap,
B.UgcT(/m!r.r der Verbotenen BilcJter,
p. 217)hasinmind
Needless
to say the
baleful picture of L'Estrange's rule.
that

exaggeration.

StConfiderations and

fg

In Order

IP

ETHER

TO'J

Diverfe

S:I

4SI
m

g|

THE

OF

Jg

"53

r"

the

Regulation 1

tc

Propofelsg

WITH

and ?
hjiancesof Treafonou*
,

oeditious

Tamphlets,Provingthe
Necefitythereof.

"i$3

g"
"

"""

"""""""""""

5"
iV^j-

.va"

"g|

it

S4"

Roger

L'Estrange.

|
m

Printed

^LONDON,

by

A.C.jme^W
|

M.DG.LXUL

|
TITLE

PAGE

OF

CONSIDERATIONS

"

1'ROrOSAI.S

[Face p. 130.

for

mended
of

the

cause

and

what

there

in

or

the

be

may

is

of

effect

to

be

(both

the

suggestingto

found

either

which

of

submitted

is

blow)

the

justice

no

Courts

your

same

131

Martyr (besides the arraignment

of their trials). What
formalities
is

the

for

that

people

NEWSBOOK

patriotand

Bench

the intent

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

your
in

struck

are

humbly

in

to

at

royal

your

wisdom.
'Since

the

late

of

Act

Uniformity,

there

been

have

Sermons
printed nearly 30,000 copies of Farewell
(as they
call them) in defiance of the Law
'.
now
suggested
By an ingeniouscalculation, the surveyor
each
that by a fine levied on
impression of these sermons
of "3,300 would
be
ccpialto the value of the book, a sum
the supernumerary
realised,with which
printers might be

bought

out.

It is noted

'

pamphlet
above

signs

of

this

very rare
and
seized

be

to

from

for

'.

Nor

did

thing for
suppressed

the

Farewell

diminishing popularity. A
Epistle to the
King, Roger

Presbyterian
any
unless
by order

Sermons

day

give

had

any
before

two

or

seized

several

bundles.
The

and
in

circumstance

been

those

"

rich

The

too.

of

false trustees

responsible for

work,

single

There

conviction.

got off,the poor

always

was

attach

the

forthcoming.
be

the

first

for

"

they had

Keaches

and

not

did

Bribery

its

Calverts

chief
From

too, of knowing
difficulty,

blame

author

when
to

dozen

mover

Act

had

the

bookseller

author
or

where
not

was

hawker

The

a
might
the
obligation

of

the Press

taken.

were

The

that

despite the Act,

despite all the Surveyor's activities,scarcely one
person
five was
the
before
and
the
for
secretaries,
brought
as

Stationers

to

home

driven

was

there

let
people engaged.
plan is to
of discovery run
quite through, from the
of the
mischief
the last disperser of it '.
to
the
class
came
ignored the hawker
; then

concealers,

men

storing these

who

let

forbidden

their
wares.

cellars
The

'

and
Act

warehouses
said

nothing

of these.
Moreover

looking into the actual state of the Trade,

find some
the
and
Act
we
forty printers beyond what
the bye-laws allow, to say nothing of occasional
interlopers,
of the
vexatious
men
who, by reason
system of general
monopolies, busy themselves
perforce with
nothing but
on

SIR

132

sedition
the

treason

or

booksellers

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

*.

It is

unfortunatelyto

this class

to make

the

interest of

possible and as
of the book-trade, and by their
They are the sweaters
poor.
the printers are
the position of slaves.
to
reduced
means
The usual agents for publishing (he speaks chieflyof libels)
the printersthemselves
'.
are
big as

as

It

is open
to
who
finds

as

The

and

author

take

his

seller,
to a bookcopy
be
master
a
printer, but if the copy
few
mediaries
interto have
stuff',it is convenient
as

'mettlesome

author

the

possible,and
printer.

decree

of 1637

to

the

is

deal

generallyreduced

to

had

attempted to reduce the number

of master
printersto twenty (exclusive of His Majesty's
of Arches
Printers),and the Dean
(Sir John
Lambe) had
suitable
of twenty-one
presented the names
persons2 no
"

others

to be

appointed except

vacancies

as

occurred, and then

only by appointment of the Archbishop

Bishop of London3.
This limitary clause had been repeated
but

enactments,
reiterated

it, but

somewhat

was

futile.

little attempt

of

Canterbury

in

all

The

made

was

succeeding
Act

present
to

or

the

reduce

provision (another defect of the Act)

for draughting the supernumeraries into
other
made
was
trades.
To help these men
out was
L'Estrange'sproposal,an
because
of the opposition of the
excellent
realised,
plan never
the King's Printers
often
Stationers, scarcelyone of whom
had
shelves
of
but
unlicensed
concealed
not excepted
wares.

printers4,because

no

"

"

the

For
works

as

candidates

rest

let

the

required by
for

Printers

the

Act.

Printershipsas

Presses, and make

penal

for

their

to

names

Interrogate,(on
their

knowledge

printersto

escape

all

oath)

of secret

the Act

by

Petition, 1663-4
(Bigmore and
Wyman,
pt. ii., Pari.
and
the
Act
of
1662
more
masters
more
Papers,
xvi.),despite
presses
and
time
of
the
at
set up
more
are
apprentices instructed
petition
nearly
;
is to be done,
and 150 apprentices. //" none
but lid nsi d work
70 Printing Houses
Hence
of tlusc must starve.
they pray for a clause in the revived
a
great many
in the Press
the numbers.
In
to prevent licentiousness
statute
by keeping down
of booksellers
and
Printers
1641
the interests
by getting rid of the
lay parallel,
saddled
with that
Patentees.
Now
nuisance, their interests diverge.
they are
See the Petitions of 1641.
Ibid., Pari. Papers, i. and iii.
2
S. J'. Dom.
Car., i., 307 (85).
:!
See the
669.
Arber, Transcript of the Stationers' Registers,v., Hi. and liii.,
ed. E. Arber
Decree
of 1637, English Reprints, A reopagihea,
(1668), p. 9.
4
The
of 1662 did not extrude
Act
anybody then set up as a master
printer,
But
others
who
could
show
that he had
no
passed through the ordinary course.
The
Draft
reached.
of a Proposed
to set up till the legal number
were
(20) was
Act (.*.
/'. Dora. Car., ii.,39 (95))left it to the authorities to extrude
as
they saw lit.
1

See

the

No.

Printers'

it

to

put

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

work.

their

antedating

Make

of

holocaust

133

NEWSBOOK

THE

old

the

of treason, Rutherford, Douglas, Calamy, etc.1.

Lastly, bribe the poor printers to discover the authors

masters

Regicides' Speeches,Trials,etc.,and keep a strict watch

All
coaches
all carriers, posts, and
leaving London.

of
on

packages
be

to

be

and

would

for company
trading for them,

knave

other

these

From
and

The

Press, yet they

of the

Society has

been

never

Commonwealth.

the

defeat

warnings

to

and

Printers
to

Their

compliance during

its

books, and

seditious

in

dabble

sole

almost

an

offenders.

worst

for

any

by timely
weekly searches
of the
friends.
They keep the whip hand
in maintaining their numbers
interested
are
their

object of

the

the

are

purged

They

in them

vested

scarce

the Stationers

to

turns

play

to

'.

trade

Roger

had

Act

there's

; for

such

in

but

stationers

either

forced

break

to

or

considerations

Printers.

control

all

of

trade, 'those

of the
up the enormities
be honest
otherwise
are

sum

that

are

inquest

information

with

kept

strict

books.

unlicensed
To

Hall

Stationers

at

books

containing

country

books

and

made,

the

to

clearlymarked,

is to

the

down

sent

own

excess.

As

latter,they have

the

to

in
all

along

maintained

wall

honest

'Tis

'

printing
times

He
This
Xos.

has

speciallythe
Petition

undated

the

will

printers

creatures

hard

be

is not
25

or

now

to

find

great as the
the
100, for

so

to

doubles,

other

demand

the

Phoenix
is

be trusted

can

honest

his

be

must

nay,

many

by sellingit'.

money

repetitionof

old

it

gets 20

books,

his

have

them3.

he

when

selves
them-

generally confederated

are

and

which

they

and

printers'interest

unlawful

trebles

The

groups,
among

the

true

time,

They

trade.

men

stationers, for

in

little seditious

twenty

that
The

booksellers.
Oliver's

class

"

monopolise the
into

of

hatred

be

to

stationers, and

own

loyal monopolists
the

than

the

to

went

the

"

still less

such

petitioned
But
they

Stationers2.

their

are

cases

many
shown

the

from

incorporated apart

late

of

in

view,

see

probably prior to

for

chap.

iv.

the

1662

survey

Act.

of

S. /'. Dm.

written

'

'"/., ii.,

8, 8i.-ii.

pick out 20 master-printers(the legal nuin

it. and
of integrity to lie
abilityto manage
the late times'.
entrusted
with
sort
it, most of the honest
by
being impoverished
Yet their numbers
100
like 60 with
are
more
journeymen, than 20 with 40, and
this withal without
counting the interlopers.

who

'It

are

were

both

hard

free

of

matter

the

to

trade,

of

SIR

134

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

publicly exhibited,

the

hint

of

discorporation for
his vehemence
the
Stationers, and
against the Printers,
increased
the enmity of these bodies,which
largelyfrustrated
matter

his

efforts

the

Pamphlet

the

in

Press

for

recommended

the

next

twenty

But

years.

itself to

Arlington at a moment
alarmed
when
the secretaries were
ments
by the dangerous movewhich
characterised
this year.
On
the 15th August
the
1663,
King appointed Roger L'Estrange to the longmooted

Surveyorship of

erected

into

the

office.

an

Presses,

The

the

Court

that

was

first time

sense

expert knowledge he
and
zeal, had persuaded

fit Governor

the

of

the

Press, and

so.
paid, he continued
From
this
able
take
to
are
now
appointment we
a
of the most
view
persistent effort to gag the Press and
the classic example in England of a continuous
effort to
control
her malign forces.
As
to
Considerations, etc., it does not pretend to be
than
in
a
anything more
plain view of the Press couched
the language of a minority report.
It accepts unhesitatingly
the view
that the Press
is a doubtful
good, a thing to be
referred
in large
continually to a Government
department

long

so

he

he

for

of

mass

displayed,his mingled good

now

as

was

"

part,

branch

sedition, 'the

of

honest

work

little'

being

gifted

to

monopolised into the hands of a few, for whom

reward
of loyal services.
It is Crown
property,
those
who
the loyal, and
dabble
in
interlopers

it

to

be

and

that

it is the

are

Granted

the

treated

as

such

view

English judges
Considerations

is

for
a

at

"

very
spawn
and
it was

least

the

any

other

these

view
more

years

held
x
"

by
the

logical account.
charges of
striking particular already noted,
one
respect, a scrupulous regard for

most

outcasts, it is
of

the

The

cruelty, except in one

are
scarcely just. In
the buying out of supernumerary
for

twenty

of sedition.

more

presses and
lenient
and
"

the

providing

prudent

"

than

documents.

impassioned and
lofty appeal to
higher instincts against the Imprimatur, the first so far as
that
know
to
trace
we
disgraceful bondage historically

Aeropagitica is

the

from

Council

an

of

Trent, and

to

deduce

the

fact

that

(1742),xvii.,208) quotes the arguments put forward, and

Stationers
2 in B.R.
v. Parker, 1 Jac.
of the Crown.
I. Because
it is an
art introduced
by the care
the
I!
redound
to
the
Because
that
of the inconvenience
public from
may
of the Press.
"b'ee also Modern
mismanagement
Reports,i., 256.
1

Viner

admitted

(Abridgment

in the

case

of the

ROGER

SIR

136

L'ESTRANGE

of Milton's
showing the permanence
L'Estrange'sforgotten Considerations1.

noble

thus

As

has

appeal

the

Warrant,

feature

conviction

in

which

had

the

1664-6,

at the

was

main

Search

Bill

but

of

1661.

paced
thorough-

L'Estrange almost

as

of

bottom

his

General
the

any

such

Press,

the

wrecked

futilityof

over

addressed

cunningly
occasioned
by

of the

of

tyranny
attained

Locke

disorders

the

to

The

said

been

ideas

than

more

Milton's

tract.

In his Preface
Defoe

(1711)

remarked

that,

at all.

party

Had

The

'

the

of the

will be the
authors

no

out,

this made

Charles

II.

well),say
good, and

that

Licenser

the

that

'

pasquinadoes
the

At
that

It must
the

1738

In

Preface)
is

with

See

latter.
articles

T.
the

on

April 1738.
not

unbolted

( Iml

Character
i

illr

of the
2

The

his sound

of the

to

author

same

his

warns

the

White's

Edition

of

to

views

Humbly
i

Lives

sec

leave

the

we

I hilt

it

White.

Offeredfor

The

the

the

of the

poet Thomson's

series

the

troubles

of
'

design

Preface

(1781),i.,153-4.

Poets

than

hang

with

to

the

et setj. See also the series of

Magazine for August 1737 and

of

can

3.

129

right

censured,
laws

of

the

', Bays

Press

Press, Gentleman's

the

by

the

(1819),p.

guardedly.

more

a-,

liberty of

1772

printer Woodfall.

and

'

world

that

than

(with
eropagitica

Junius

Wilkes,

needful

quarrel

more

in

us

Ions; connection

no

Drama,

the

on

restrain

Johnson's

of A

reprinting

of

names

if Ed.

Vcrhati

fewer

Press

restraint

by our
quoted

abridged Reasons
True

1721, this

L'Estrange makes
this grievance even

recent

sentiment

same

and

throughout

afterwards

Haley's comment,
the

than
would

he

that

Liberty

be
may
because

writers

in

noted

reasonable

more

harm

more

be

Holt

For

And

thingsvery

most

the

be

Printing

are.

it is the

cause

the

ripening

now

time

Yet

the

they

abroad

spread

treason

no

will

of

print what

Press,

was

associated

Press

left to

was

Press

these
did

years, nay
had
had

the most
be
may
abused
Liberty in the

monopolies.

one

liberty of the

liberty,but
with

of the

no

tenfold, because

if

understood

of

2.

same

the

'

which

is

Review,

be

to

diminution

punished

or

(and he

if every
be
less

would

there

the

writing in

found

be

can

of

last 20

practised this we
stopping of the

mouth, and

increase

of his

ought

of the

ministers

'

opening

volume

Government

say the last 50 years,

may
Ptevolution
The
'. Further,
the

seventh

to the

would

be

thief.

'It

unrestrained

printing

to

seems

because

doors
sleep with
sophistry', is

'Servile

312) expresses
(History,Yiii.,
of Aeropagiticais the
Libertyqf Unlicensed Printing,with IhiHume

earliest

reprint

Bohun

(1693),by Charles Blount

who, according to Hilger
in the final expiraBach """;p. 217). was
chictlyinstrumental
tion

Act.

few

occasions

on

which

Charles

interfered

this statement
of his
sense, might confirm
undoubtedly backed L'Estrange in his dealings with
3 Defoe
Lee, ii.,
446).
(Lifeby Wm.

with

the

view.

On

the

License,
the

Stationers.

other

as

well
hand

as

he

the

Imprimatur was
and

the

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

of the

The

ago
condemn

rightsand

first Williamson
the

London

the

contested

struggle ranks

invoked

then

with

causes

At

the

century.

that

from

came

who

failed

the argument

for

mischief, and

as

the

to

struggleagainst

cdebres

close

long

of

cases

Norton,
in

Printing

the Patentees

time

same

century, and

of the

quarter, and

from

of

expiration of the

the

'

Bible

'

aid of the secretaries,

the

the

apologistsright
greatest opposition to

Booksellers

1672, through

cheapening

Jenkins, in this

their

1695

in

tested
con-

years

many
after

with
the great
monopolists. Taken
monopolies of Seymour, Atkyns, and

the seventeenth

in

for

Cambridge,

They

and

the

instrumental

and

classical stock.

in

Universities
were

at Oxford

the Presses

the

authors

between

his
prison wrote
rapacity and rogueriesl

and

long

Stationers.
their

had

137

Stationers.

to

this

NEWSBOOK

of contention

real bone

George Withers
Scholar's Purgatory

and

THE

backed

was

association

to

Act

Press

by

the

distinguish

Imprimatur 2.
The failure of this age to mark
the distinction referred to by
author's
Locke, between
an
legitimate right in his copy,
and
the class of general monopolies rightly described
by
Mabbot
when
his
in
1649
as
one
resigning
licensership
of the most
of the
grievous monopolies ?',is at the bottom

Copyright,from

the

former

Anne

that

marked

the

for the

the

basis of the

latter

Queen

of
cause
Copyright Act, so
was
one
irritation
after the
against the rule of the Stuarts, who
Piestoration
encouraged the system to absurd lengths. The
of Printing discovered
mediaeval
view
in
the
apologist
4
for
the
in
1694
less
than
is
monopolists
nothing

L'Estrange'sview
and

Where

of

the

delegated

Press

is, in the
they
of surveying the Press
power
monopolists, a policy which
See

to

Arber, Stationei

author's

"

if he be not of the assistance

(
Stationers Coy. to crush the poor

and
the

lirri11,

'""'..
p. 91.

view

ought
the

quoting Mr

the

of

latter
'Their

former, that

lie

to

tributed
dis-

property,

loyal gentlemen.

of

care

r'Registre, iv.,13-16.

altering titles,
excluding

Crown

as

the

to

differ

serious

the

with

the

loyal

always contested,

rogueries were

not

confined

(and interest)after the first impression,

of the ' toy."), invoking the whole
of
power

names

author

Justice

Mo
W'illcs

Birrell's $

in the

great

case

"

/.-cturet.
of

Millar

"".

Taylor. 1769.
Toland

:;

as
[sic]

Raid.

Statutes
also

[Life of Milton prefixedto Proseicorks (1698),p. S3) claimed

to Areopagitica,
MS", C. 806. The writer cites various grants of Elizabeth

Mabol

convert

from

copy

7th

Eliz.

of Reasons

C. 739 (141).

and

the

See
Car., ii.,c. 33. which
protected patentees.
for Reviving the Act for Regulating the Press, Tcmrn r MSS.
6

to

14

SIR

138

because

his

he

own

ROGER

wished

to

L'ESTRANGE
that

see

authorityin

man's

one

"

hands.

"

Scarcely a year after his Considerations,L'Estrange found

an
admiring echo in Richard
Atkyn's Original and, Growth of
in the month
of
of the burial
out
came
Printing, which
the 'Confederates'
(April1664). Atykns was the unfortunate
Law

Patentee,

of

his

from

old
the

monopoly
desire

renewal

of

Act

the

book
in

of

"

denied

was

judges

North

hints

"

the

mentioned, who

by

Atykn's

cases.

own

often

so

after

the

the

Restoration

print their
anticipate the

latter to

written

was

restitution

to

1664, and

boldly stated that 'the

reason
why the present Act hath operated so little is most
the
executive
is placed in the
apparent, because
power
of Stationers,who
whose
offend and
Company
only can
interest it is
the

from

to

'

do

so

of

Mary,

2.

traced

He
and

the

historyof

the

Press

his

in
saw
distraught mind
the various
and
Decrees
Acts
merely a struggle between
Stationers
and Patentees
a
subject on which he was
fairly
Star
Chamber
competent to speak, if not to judge. The

days

"

Ordinance
of the

Stationers

'Then

their

like

merely

gain

to

the

libellous

(i.e.1637)

rly about
by the Act

him

to

was

mischief

Car.

scandalous
when

i. which

this

abolished

the

on

move

complete mastery
and

lightning,and

of 17

clever

part

of the Press.

books

began to
strengthened

was

the

Star

'.

His

than

the

Stationers

true.

In

Chamber,

close

study of
shown
by his quotations
of the
of sedition, Farewell
amount
Sermons, etc., printed
since the Restoration, and
the disparity between
that and
the number
covered
of convictions.
L'Estrange, he said, had discompleted
L'Estrange'sstriking pamphlet is

more

history,which
tale

of

their

was

in
is

two
no

years

doubt

he
iniquities,

demanded

in

all their

corroboratingWithers'
the

limitation

of the

that
of the Norths
patent
(1890), i., 18. 'The judges had to make
the
benefit of printingtheir
own
monopoly that they might have
See Viner, Abridgment, xvii., 207.
2
For
a good
example of their knavery see Norton's
complaint to the Council,
Norton's
stock
was
1046, H.M.V., App. to 6th Ropt., p. 17.
patent in 'Bible'
successfullychallenged by the Stationers
upheld at the
(1644), and the decision
Under
of the
Lord
Restoration.
26th
son
August
1666, Pepys writes, 'The
he
would
his
father's
decree
rather
than
swore
ruled.
oversee
Keeper Coventry
hang
This
ruined
Norton',
was
saw,
similarly ruined.
poor
Atkyns, we
The
considerable
a
plaints of these patentees, whom
L'Estrange espoused, was
contribution
Petition
See Norton's
to old-cavalier
to be
indignation.
King's
don't understand
The
held by gentlemen who
Printer, August 1660.
place is now
is done
the
work
Cromwell.
printing, and
by those who were
printers under

Lives

(Atkyn's)
reports'.

C.S.P.D.

(1660-1),p.

24.

authority,and

Stationers'

by

1637

the

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

the

that

should

Decree

THE

NEWSBOOK

conferred

powers
to the

revert

139

old

on

them

Patentees, who

protecting their rights.

Lest it be thought that Atkyn's complaint was
singular
while
document
worth
the
lie
i
t
it was
quoting
selfish, may
as
after
attests
referred to above, written
long
(c.1692), which
After
the vitalityof the monopolist view.
citing various
were

of all

laws

and

best

men

to

grants

qualityof

course

the

printing

was

ever

privilegescharged with
of Treason
Principles

the

become

Rebellions

insinuated

more

of
person
first peaceable

this

of

matter

in matters

fomented

and

by
So

any single means.

whether
question impartiallyconsidered
than

Press

of the

is the

'This

"

questioned or the aforesaid

imputation of monopolies.

and

'

have

to say

writer

King's prerogative in

the

Laws

of

Printers, the

Law

proceeds

"

wherein

age

capable

by

the

of state

the

it may
of
use

Liberty
a

seem

Printing

recompensed the mischief of the Liberty and abuse thereof.

is neither possiblenor
To publish Loos
safe'1.
Patentees
the objection that
As
to
produce poor and
25th
dear work, that is prevented by the Act
Henry VIIL,
regulates prices. The Universities
by which the Chancellor
have

numerous

under

them.

the Stationers

and

flourish

Holland

partialprinting

the

till the

not

of

time

'

and

Germany

severely L'Estrange regarded

Regicides'trials.
Scroggs and his brethren
the

of

shall

We

its full urgency.

reached

matter

how

be remembered

It may

patents, and

But
'

it
that

was

the

L'Estrange

find

when
view
vehemently the same
more
expressing even
branch
of
another
question is not Law, but News
that
this prospect is from
different
Prerogative. How
the
eagle muing her mighty youth is apparent, but
famous
', but in
are
dealing with the celebrated ', the
"

the
the
of

'

'

'

sense

great

The

August
must

be

Ravi.

century,
nuisance.

'

deplorable

166.']

he

the

most

MSS.,
That

no

L'Estrange.

same

whether

we

'

'

0.
the

took

idea

in
inspired Eoger when
and
the Newsbook.
penned what
that ever
foreword
disgraced an

over

insolent

then

806, already quoted.

'

curs'd

L'Kstrange

invention

wrote

of

It

seriouslydebated

was
'

Printing was
/V
(1660), is

Rope for

not

an

almost

in

this

unmitigated
determined

made
a
question
by such a passage in the A"/rt. /", (he Reader as 'It has been
occasioned
the
not
to
than
mischief
more
long ago whether
advantage were
But
Christian world, by the Invention
of Typography.
never
was
question
any
nations'.
Even
been
of late yearin these
than
this has
more
fully determined
Addison
has
the
on
some
subject.
Spectator,No. 582,
melancholy remarks
Morley'a ed., p. 825.

SIR

140

editor.

and
gratified,

Ambition

stamped

every

on

Muddiman

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

line.

revenge
It is boastful

have

smiled

partially
indulged,are
the
and
also,
displaced

bitterly his services were

for the Boole, by order of the Secretary,at
still requisitioned
his successor
the salary of "3 a week
and employer
to see
eking out eight pages with scarcelyan item of real news.
the
A
word
the
since
on
history of the Neiusbook
desirable
here1.
Restoration
be
Henry Muddiman
may
Restoration
the
of
in that
first appeared as
champion
must

"

"

feverish

week

of December

the

1659, when

report of Monk's

incredible
England stirred up
parties to an
itself at
activity. His Parliamentary Intelligencerdevoted
for a
full and free Parliament
first to the prudent demand
'.
To Muddiman
to L'Estrange, the approach of Monk
to
as
seemed
the City on
2nd February 1660
an
alarming symptom

entry

into

'

portending

as

Dictatorship.

new

But

the

General's

and
its
Intelligencer,
Publicus
Muddiman
(in which
Thursday issue, Mercurius
2
assisted
was
by the Scot, Giles Durie
),into whole-hearted
service, and
equally violent opposition to Scot's salaried
conduct

the

threw

and

editors, Williams
All

Parliamentary

attempts from

Nedham.

the

side

other

these
two
suppress
authors
were
playing

to

their
popular journals failed because
soon
policy,and on the contrary his enemies
up to Monk's
the
defensive.
Williams'
went
first3,and
appeared on
paper
for the last
met
17th March, the day after the Rump
on
at the same
time, the Council again discharged Nedham,
mentary
Parliasole support to Muddiman's
time giving official and
him
which
enabled
till the Council
Intelligencer,
dissolved in 1660 to issue it by order of the council '.
was
at his post till 9th
Nedham,
however, remained
April,
'

Politicus

Mercurius

his

when

immediately

was

continued

Williams.

by
1

Mr

J.

B.

Williams's

article

so

referred

often

to

(Newsbook,etc.,iff

have
we
Restoration, Eng. Hist. Rev., April IPOS), is the best account
frantic
chapter of English Journalism.
2
the
done
Thomason
He had already
as
some
Catalogue witnesses
Muddiman's
Parliamentary
against the Republicans and Independents.
"

was
Intelligencer

later

Mercurius

replied to his
appeared 19th
Mercurius
31st May
:i

But

absconded

Mercurius

to
"

Nedham's
oppose
which
recalled
the

Politicus.

December

Politicus

had

service

"

written
Publicus

1659

some

The

Publick
old

Royalist

memories

Publi
ten

of

days

1648

"

(E. (182))
Parliamentary Intelligencer
Scoticisms

in the
daring revival
195
to 7th June
(62)).
(E.
he
both
Nedham's
immediately continued
(12th April is the date of his last Mercurius
one

and
Intelligencer,

the

this

of

betray

Durie's

week

papers

of

the

when

hand

in

it.

Restoration,
the

No. 615).
Politicus,

latter

\ rS, From

A L R

H IV

ofC

be Land

V.

lining

H I STO

Plea fant and Delectable

The

RV:

'

I th

Ai

krJ I iridSti in

Won

"

enturcS

"

Ficllt
,K}-oftbcSqiieafy
Dj"3tHgero de Strangemenl
An.!, ilfei

'

"'

"'"

"

""'

"
"

*
'

I.

P.

[ig L

""

/,-"'.!

"

'

"
.

,
'

r.

the

.1 ..:

/'i

"

lli T.ni-

ttvoCn

"
.

to
"

hs ;

jc!es on,

".

':

K'ithIliS

'

.'

inter]

ras

"..:..

"

1.'

:"

'

":.

with
btlba,

M
I

the

.1 rhe n. in) I

"

'

..

I to
fellint Labour, which
but
'ufli-lbe lans relate ijodayes,

the I

"
,

for
rdre'ad,

'

:"..:-,

:..*

'

:t*ar.
right.Chi

r a

'"
in

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ii ! t

i i m

"
"

ic

Birth r:'tn;"
\c Well in
snd
ns

thi

""

Truth,and hi

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,-.:

i;

thegrcat
jov "

ta

...

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nfc

that nfhereJ.
1

aa

i.i

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".

ofafj

throughout!

'. J

I ii

i
,thai
1 1

"

1,

.....,i
.

the

j,

"

yi li

his

: .D.t

have had him Ural

of the Prophecy
of t e fa t SbipiatU,
Ihe (hould turn Pagan. Buttbe Knight
\ic!d

decreed otherwayesby
Ha

.-

Chri-

Ati

tol e
'"""ht

Tulpiiu-ould not

._

"

-o

;it :

i'k'4would

i.

by real

"

""!

was

'it.-

ic SirtU'tHtciin,
and airobccaufcibme
lis

a-

ndi ilul

:.

the

rand debonair //
Thai (he

omes
ti

[ned,and, Lie lafeut

.'

'
"

hi atd

Knight,to
the K
Parents,
i

:
h^c
reD7;
itCnriftian KnightjCau-

is

tent

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; moil

tela

tliedelivery
"ofrl-e d bonaii

'

'

it.

.uied

"

hut

\i
able Fit:hs, tbatltwas 'uil
Pagan
and a thitd part of at!
uafclvcs, t fljthe roinutcsand in half,

irs,

dthe

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l.kel;

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Knight ftheO

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lum-

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Kin

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II.

CHAP.
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fince it
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fnel..iHtre"f.i
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i ml
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Riigieio.a/.^n/.ai/i/rafed the fame,
/ilrfJ tkircHpon.
baring]
nj
Iout a clear Ti
thev I
TN
prcccl^of rime, the Irf:nt Rnyert" grew
tl tn i on
t.'. 1
wli i ran in ihti
..-.:, not
and one day the fair Mugaiab* his
acf
I
'! ..::" r
inthcSun-Ol
(ittin;;upiinaSton-,
e,bc'.
y:\Vaf:.,: the !.::" be,
fore the Gate of her Callic,cleaning
the i'ulie:

"

.'

"

"

"

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v.ii 'D
.-

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jrf,.!.;..

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rr. :rv

/"/

-"

./

I ''I,

ii

Ku.fbt,

there

her

ii

is

and

".

S,r, who

tppeared before

had

bewrayedhimlclf)

her

j old

the fuft apprca.h.n.;

i,.r

InchantrelEs,

aftel
fpalte

this

'

"

.-..".!",

...

Mi!l

"

TwtCnwsimtfjmiir

'"'},

%Ani
/.
After chcKniJbt

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nrnair

my

m
La.}, J':-"i""

tkc

"/Cai demon,

the

'

...'..

""

--.

uii
it

*"!*;

gjrtM
-i

fidrr'd lorn

Sbipihi*:

Mifumtn: Necroma

Ai

mm

r, ti

it like ii
tconccmJhis S i, ihat \C. motd *nd I
aad with weepieg".c!,he buba,Brine*
.

ten

a.-.).

nc

,'eri)

.a.l undetfl od

ye, bom;

ibu

.;

?i
"

ilirm

cer, thi ma/tjferilij Sen tht Ji.fjnt

:,,vet

bdVi

i- ih.

,..,;,,,belie-

./infftniMa,
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"/i

I/KSIKAM.I-

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ftmt

II..

[/""neep. /^o.

SIR

142
of

the

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

editorshipthere

account

the

as

Muddinian

was

dissent

of
scourge
from
time

had

notion

some

and

of

the

seditious

time, probably

to

at

of the

To

in

week

this circumstance
while

Government

the

of the Kestoration

not

by

week

we

may

Press

yet

It has

Indeed

line

invention

of

tion
instiga-

and

that stable
the

was

author

L'Estrange's

sense

of the

earlyjournalism to
number
of L'Estrange's Newsof its public,
contemptuous

first
more

the

printing',it

the

nervousness

remind

this

with

failure '.

histories

with

it is sincere

In
'

anything

in

more

would

was

the

but when

news.

in

usual

audacious

the

to

book.
and

been

foul,and

was

murmurs

at Journalism

attempt

exposure.
look for its favour

overcome,

partiallycleansed, public
of a publiccraving for mere

refer

the

animadverted

to this service

lirst

Press

secretaries, through Birkenhead,

Neiosbook
is expressly dedicated
Press, but the new

the

on

it to

turning

mediaeval

would

view

of the

be difficult to
doubt

'

cursed

name.

the

tion
general imputaof the author's
would
so
cupidity. He
hardly have
affronted his public if an
his sole object.
of fortune was
access
How
between
vast is the difference
L'Estrange and a representative
modern
the
How
!
of the later journalism, Defoe
latter and, to his readers, how
obsequious 2, how pragmatic
the former
it was
unfair
him
with
! Yet
to
taunt
having
The
items
of
in
his
number.
six
first
only
jejune news
delay on the part of his newly planted correspondence was
for the following
for that3, and the occasion
sufficient excuse
foreword
and homily addressed
to the English public.
But

casts

Declaration

L'Estrange s

31st
'

I do

declare

It

salary
making much

from
before

"3

the

his

He

;:

had

See, for example,

meannesses

The

per
of the

use

and

and

Mud
or

mistakes

in

more)

dim

an

dislike

his revenge
later.
Introduction
to his 7th

the

was

expense

of

which

privilege of free
G.S.P.D.
(1663-4),p.

Editor
point'. The
supposing this to be

of
an

the

matter

that

left

so

supposing

still to

prevented

of the

volume

the

Review.

'

For

all

humbly asks his readers' pardon '.

he
did
not
was
yet enjoy
great, especially as
postage. See a letter to Williamson, 16th September
'
his help at this
Will
274.
be at great loss without
in
Gakndai
of Stale Papers (1665-6) is mistaken
he

...

Muddiman's
1663.

great

Newsbook,

help with 1 lie

purveyor
not
long
journalist's services, and it was
Gent'
to have
ceased
anything to do with
that

Greed

'II. M.

I may
or

any

stipulated
week.

stopped

was

printed news.

"3

of

the

1C63.

hope

whether

lieen

have

to

seems

at

August
I

on

talcingup

on

myself (as

absolutely indifferent

book

appeal for help in

the

shape

of

news.

the
or

order, the

in

Press
news

no

never

my
with

the

too

familiar

too

pragmaticaland

itch but

question,
and

actions

gives

them

license

and

news

mercury
the multitude

of their

counsels

right

of colourable

kind

and

should

it makes

censorious, and

143

right wits

Public

I think

vote, because

have

NEWSBOOK

their

people in

the

be

to

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

superiors,
only an

not

be meddling

to

all which

(supposing as before supposed)

but that in this juncture,a paper
of that
does not yet hinder
quality may be both safe and expedient ; truly if 1 should
would
bear it,for certainly
perhaps the case
say necessary
is not
at this instant
there
more
imports
anything which
the
than
and
the
to redeem
his Majesty's service
public,
and
deliver and
protect
public from their former mistakes
the Government

with

from

them

the

like

for

the

time

to

both

To

come.

which

of a gazette may
contribute
prudent manager
in a
high degree ; for besides that it is everybody's
very
men's
and (in truth) a good part of most
study and
money
of the worst
of address
to the genius
business, 'tis none
ways
of the
affections
business
and
common
are
people whose
much
more
capable of being tuned and wrought upon by

purposes

convenient

the

hints

and

in

touches

the

and

shape

air

of

and
best notions
pamphlet than by the strongest reasons
sober form whatsoever.
imaginable under any other and more
To which
advantage of being popular and gratefulmust be
of the least)that it is likewise seasonable
and
added
(as none
other
of it than only to
there no
the while were
worth
use
and
and
detect
disappoint the malice of those scandalous
and
bruited against
false reports which
are
daily continued
Government.

the

So that upon
(from aught I can
'

the main

perceive the thingrequisiteand

yet see) once

week

news
(for I intend to utter my
I
find
still
when
Yet
if
measure).
the planting and
securing of my

may

by weight
my

hand

business

do the
and

not

is in, and

by
after

correspondence, that the

furnish
will fairly
without
either uncertainty,
matter
more
I
repetitionor impertinence shall keep myself free to double
book
week
be expected however
a
at pleasure. One
;
may

published every Thursday

Tuesday night,leaving Wednesday

to

be

finished

and

entire

for

upon

the

the

printing

'

it off.
'The

way

beneficial to

(as
the

to

the

vent1)

Master

of
1

the

I.e.,sale.

that
book

has
has

been
been

found
to

cry

most
and

SIR

144

the

it about

expose

whether

that

ROGER

admirable

so

and

by Mercuries

streets

be

may

L'ESTRANGE

in

hawkers
other

some

; but

respects,

of that employcountenance
a
question ; for under
ment,
is carried on
and seditious
the present trade of treason

be

may

libels

been
persed
dis(nor effectuallyhas anything considerable
State without
the aid and
or
against either Church
privity of this sort of people),whereupon without
enough
this
inconvenience
I
shall
adventure
to
assurance
against
another
which
that
I
mention
in
steer
of
case
only
course,
be
hereafter
not
it, I may
being put upon
charged with
and
singularity
caprice for a proceeding wherein I am totally
and
that
governed by an honest and conscientious
reason,
too in direct opposition to my
profit.
particular
Touching the prosecution of the work, I have already
which
I dislike both in
given my sense
against Repetitions,
'

good

and

some

coherence

well

; for

man

matter

tire

the

shall

care

the

to

vamp

any

; for the

neither

may

and

to

as

make

to

as

commodity
as

reader

husband

dealer

the

to

respect

myself; for neither

nor
intelligence,
my

taken

whole

so

foul

so

twice
for the same
over
pay
I shall endeavour
to provide such
reader

be

am

too

well

as

for the

shame

nor

as

Nor

the

in

point

for

parts

shall

of

reporter ;
and

order

; for the

story
much

pamphlet.
give myself
but
let
e'en
it hits and lye
it
as
pain
style,
prove
it falls (saving only a constant
to authority and
reverence
as
truth). Finally after this, if it shall happen at last that
I go less then
that I
me
pretensions,it shall content
my
well (at worst), but
[ have
meant
great examples for my
as

as

about

comfort
the

the

and

second

great failures
branch

and

of my
the Press.

for
care

my
and

excuse.

duty, that

word
is the

to

now

Survey

Inspectionof
with their
I find it (in general) with
the public as
of the trade
to live one
too
neighbours there are
many
by another, but more
particularlyI find them clogged with
of people
free of the
not
three
sorts
Foreigners, persons
I offer to the end that when
which
trade, and separatists,
the number,
tion
it shall be thought fit to retrench
the reforma'

"

may
(as far as
discover
'

(1)

begin there.
in

me

In

lies)and

the

meantime

for their

to

prevent mischief
that

encouragement

shall

it,take these.
To

any

one
"

corner,

who
let him

proof thereof

to

discovers

repair with
the

private Press, hole

such

Surveyor

notice

of the

and

Press

or

make

(at

his

office

shop,

Brome's

over

the

sign

get 40s. with

will

he

and

Ivy Lane)

NEW8B00K

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

himself
desire."
of secrecy
"5 is offered for discoveryof such

of

145
the

what

Gun

in

assurance

shall

'

(2)

discoveryof

for

'(3) 10s. is offered

libel in

printing.
book

unlicensed

an

printing.
1

5s. is offered for

(4)

discoveryof

seditious book

being

by the hawkers.
little without
alas discovery signifies
But
punishment ;
to provide that men
it is of great concern
wherefore
may
and
times
ten
their
thrive
as
not
get
transgressions,
upon
has
much
by a fault as the pay for a composition, which
the inferior
been but too much
a
practice of late among
vi(pers?) of the Press '.
sold

'

Then
the

Journalism

the

of

ridicule

of intelligencewhich
excite
scraps
of seventeenth-century
latest historian
six

the

follow

1.

and
promises proposed
journalisticreforms
the
main
observe
which
he did not
here
long
very
be
thing grasped by a seventeenth-century reader would
the

Besides

"

"

of

pamphlet
the

into

multitude
idea

in

age.
who
has

man

himself

the

Cares,

some

side

the

to

eye

and

to

the

police-budget of
object to dragoon the
submission, precisely
of

the

best

journalists

the

"

in

"

by

these

interest

of

mercenary
and
news

mere

in

vicious

was

'Their

scanty
he

means

Muddiman's

L'Estrange'sdouble

its

pens

the

had

gossip.
loyalty,and

always
But

the

red

Sec also art. in Kng. Hilt.

p. 188.
carefnlly spread out and printed in
they had
bring in treble the amount
in
exceeds
far
Gazette
profits
single
C.SJP.D.
8th
1606,
August
Williamson,

time'.

them

made
Yet

'the

(Jas. Hickes

sheets'

was

news

to

(l':66-7),
p. 21).
S

were

Nedhams,

Williams, History of English Journalism,

large type

and

Observator

populace.

Reo. (1908),p. 263.

done

the

note

common

allowance, their

L'Estrange type
rag

Thompsons, and
progressed slowly
who, like Muddiman,
Possessed
other.
the
by the humour
or

renegade type

one

change

an

at

into

Tory journalism
been
cynically said that only a
make
time
disgraced himself can

the

it has

As

those

or

towards
of

2,and

turned

inspired the

on

thoroughly agreeable,so

of

men

later

Ridens

that

of

paths

which

Heraclitus

its express
loyalty and

Press, and

be

to

was

semi-politicalnature,

seditious

the

Newsbook

familiar

the

that

tirst number

of

Heraclitus, 13th February 1681,

SIR

146

first number

This

for the

ears

it

so

his

was

pen

the

seditious

party, and

that

long before

not

was

increased

sale

JVewsbook

the

the

of

their

prick up

men

L'Estrange could
So
embroiling the nation.
Pepys was
disappointed in

it

Indeed

made

with

after

without

perceive by

have

contest

typical Mr

l.

number

L'ESTRANGE

must

coming
said long
ink

in

and

to

ROGER

able
comfortthe

Muddiman

the

dip

not

first

began

Newsletters

"

for

designed as a supplement,
independentspecies
department of newsand
considerable
a
growing one, and he
mongering was
might yet hope to compete with L'Estrange's unpopular

which, it

seems,

was

rather than

that his

"

book 2.

deal, and

fair

sixteen

of

dropping one
equalledby the disgust felt

doubt

no

in

created

of

threat

the

by

rest,the alarm

to the

As

to

in the

breath

same

who

eight pages,

could

weekly issues3, was

who professed
one

for

down

cut
'

not

of interest

increase

news-lovingpeople

the

the
'

vamp
in the

his

from

book

intelligence

promised an
matter, and yet
whole
his
first
vamped out
appeared,
paper, and, as it soon
the
from
all
most
jejune news
provided
parts of the world
if
he
did
touch
avoided
home
those
save
England, or
news,
and
witchcraft which
tales of superstition
incredible
an
are

and

'

'

of the

of the age, and substituted

vulgar mind
mere
the
other side of politics,
diatribe against
or
proclamations,

feature

trial.

occasional

an

or

phrase 'the
only one side

was

"

minds

else, to

of

world

like

little

did

though

its

more

Commons
It 'makes

not

there

had

Resolution
but

all

of

to

nor

been
been

attract
'

vamped

June

the

reasonable
did

the

So

that

anti-Government
to

15th

There

Government.

change.

bound

had

news

of which

news,

was

"

for

evolved,

for

attacked

savagely

which

toleration

provide

Government

of

of the

misnomer.

L'Estrange's,
belonged

yet been

not

perhaps a

loyal support
A

sedition.

criticism had

side' is

other

The

All
dubious

political
machinery
a
journal

cabals

much

"

odium,

and
even

'.

Parliamentary
great deal prior to the
1660,

was

barred

out

a
.simplebeginning '. Diary, under date 4th September 1663.
date
Pepys for Naval
'which', says the latter, under
news,
17th December
1664, I shall as I see cause,
give him '. Pepys adds : ' He is
of fine conversation, I think, but
full of
I am
most
man
a
sure
courtly, and
date 15th August 1665.
It is abundantly obvious
complimenting '. "S" also under
that the Diarist did not like the strenuous
journalist.
'
It became
'.
of an
Institution
so
large that it attained the dimensions
Williams, art. E. ll.il. .So Ilist. of Eng. Journalism, pp. 186-8.
3
In this he was
Newsbook, No. 65, 5th August 1664.
wisely overruled by

Roger

applied

to

'

"

his friends.

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

NEWSBOOK

147

enterprisingnewsletter-writer, hence those

his scope1.
efforts of the Surveyor to bring it within
of public interest during
If we
glance at the matters
in the
of the Ncwsbool; we
see
L'Estrange's tenure
copy
the

left to

and

Conspiracy with the

their printing Confederates
the Indigent Officers

ecclesiastical situation,the Yorkshire

trials of the Northern
Traitors, and
'

of the

movements

all these

may
towards

Then

should

the

over

country after the

operation of the Conventicle Act,

reasonably have interested the public.
all interest merges
with
the
popular war

the close of 1664

really

the

preparations for
which

all

the

Act, and

Five-mile

prison,
dispossessed ministers, the

of

sectaries

in

'Confederates'

chief

processions

funeral

of

notices

the

of

deaths

Board, the
and

The

in London.

'

have

least

at

the

provided

in the

Dutch,

journalistwith
in

of

this

sign
waking up
L'Estrange's
for
in
direction is his application to Pepys
shipping news
1664, which, records Mr Pepys, I shall,as I see cause, give
budget of

news.

'

him

ostensible

of his

cause

of the

relatingthe indecencies

of

matter

news
inadequacy of his war
Whilst
being superseded.

the

indeed

'. Yet

it

at

sects

the

was
was

Norwich,

in
itinerant ministers
Newbury, or Dover, the treasons
rustic wanderings due to the Five-Mile
their compulsory
is a
good annalist, and describes in
Act, the Neu-sbooh
caustic and vengeful style the effects of the Bishops'policy.
of national importurned
to a matter
all eyes are
But when
tance,
the
book
the Dutch
War,
sadly proves the parochial
of

'

'

If there

of its editor.

mind

days, it

those

of Princes,

victories

heroic

the

at

even

the

forth

blazon

to

was

of

duty

one

was

expense
and omitted

of

gazeteer in
virtues

and

little truth.

altogetherthat
L'Estrange neglected this duty
of York
in which
the Duke
is said
with Opdam
encounter
to have
signalisedhis courage, while he, perhaps unwisely,
when
the public credited the
Sandwich
did justiceto Lord
'

'

Lett

to the
ancillary
the

(Bug. Journalism,pp. 86-8) says

Williams

Mr

that

fact

circulation

of

but

the

the

Revolution.

oj

But

vs.

the

latter,owing
"

the

to
"

been

that

the

Newsbook

the

is sorely

undoubtedly

Newsletter
wa9
have
must
Book

the

this view

still

was

exaggeration due

an

older

form.

1663

In

to

the

than
that of the Newdetter
vastly more
to
restraint,gained tremendously down

Restoration
""itm;i. 2^9.
,

'Trimmer:

For

your

Newsletters,
they

common

are

scarce

read

sooner

than

forgotten.
'

Ubsermlor

sets of 'em

tobe
be
most

delivered
lookt

(the
upon

Do
baser

not

you
sort)
1'

over

with

the

then

that

fairlybound
erity,and

up,

know

same

authentique Manuscripts

that

reverence

of

former

there
in time

hundreds

are

posted

and
to

come

ourselves
times '.

as

we

and

preserved

hundreds
in

thi
pay

at

this

of

condition
itions will

day

to

the

SIR

148

L'ESTRANGE

of the

all the merit

with

Duke

ROGER

action,though the latter

was

magnanimous enough to divide his laurels with the Earl1.

that L'Estrange, on
the 8th
and
10th June,
It is true
Narratives
hurried
into print Two
of the Signal Victoryof the
the Dutch-.
But
Duke
the Newsbook
itself
of York over
should

vocal

been

have

such

on

occasion.

an

Plague might have given L'Estrangean opportunity

for retrievingsome
part of his credit,and indeed he showed
considerable activityand courage, staying in London
during
The

the

periodwhen

whole

the

Court

and

Williamson

leaving Muddiman
Without
a
single break the
papers.
through that disastrous epidemic,and was
Oxford, the

to

of bureau

information, and

of

of the

hygienic advice

and
There
of

latter

was

reason

15th

for this

the

of the disease

; hence

means

of

this

look

to

after his

Newsbook

continued

turned

into

publishingthe

City Fathers
activity. From

gather that

July
being used by

we

removed

orders

to the stricken

hint

visitation

kind

city.

in the News

of Nature

was

and seditious
to lay the stress
ill-disposed
and
the wrong
on
place, and to cut off all communication
correspondence with the City ',for the prevention of which
of the ravages
L'Estrange is ordered to give regular accounts

should

which

What
difficult

form
to

be

'

rather

some

quoted in

those

any account
sinister attempts

say, beyond
left the
and

clergy fled
who
boldly continued

to

that

we

Bills

Mortality
Plague.

of the
referred

know

of

that

to

took, it is

many

of

the

city pulpits to the Conventiclers

minister
to the people,and incidentally

to ascribe in their veiled

the
of God, or
the hand

to

useful

language the
blood

of

terrible visitation

the

regicides3. As

is noted by Clarendon
tion,
danger of praisingany one but the Duke
(Gontintui124
Dom.
P.
All were
S.
dissatisfied with
his
Car.,
ii.,
(25)."'
in.,580).
of the
Duke
There
account
of York's
was
no
relation
of it.
singular encounter
Prince
not even
ment;oned
'. There
is a letter of Lady
with
Rupert was
Opdam.
Fanshawe's
to her husband
(Reports Commissioners, 39 (227),18th January (28),
his
1666) Nor must I likewise forget that your friend Mr La Strange hath among
and
his own
highly in thy commendations
sense
news
put in a letter from Madrid
I do not doubt
but
he will have
a
good reprimand '.
thereupon higher, for which
'
to the
Duke
His Holiness ', a
15th April 1664, his printer referred
as
On
i

The

'

particularlyunfortunate

error.

size,type, and paper as the 2W wsbooh.

'
3
When
the Plague grew
2.
hot, most of the conformable
Baxter, Life, iii.,
ministers
silenced
more
fled '. The
ministers
openly and laboriously preach the
Zachary Crofton's Defencefrom the Fear of Death
gospel'. See in this connection
and
in prison1662,
published in the year of the Plague. He speaks of
written
ministers
in his
rustic wanderings
of
London
hordes
(he could not come
meeting
had
deserted
their places, and
of course) who
London
praises the brave Nonnear
who
staved.
See also the catalogue of a Collection of Broadministers
comformist
Charles
A
Lemon
R.
II.,
Dr
Pulpit to Let'.
(1866),
p. 131, No. 566"
rides,by
355) has described the state of
Stoughton (Hist. "f Jlr/ii/i'ni'" Kni/taml, 1901, iii.,
during these mouths.
the City churches
2

Of

the

same

'

'

'

'

150

SIR

eloquently
public

'

the

there

beyond

condemnation

fact

the

Gazet

to

was

Plot, and

those

period for
such

that

But

be

the

by

students

the

the

who
dozen

of the
newspapers
colour, Avill look in vain for

Whig journals,the

Gazet

the

to

of the

years

of that

terror

applause
tyrannicalmonopoly

and

look
and

matter

of

by high official persons.

sole journal till the Popish

invaded

almost

in these

with

the burst

rigorous

was

historical

material

bold

L'Estrange

of

little to warrant

seems

unpopular hands

The

L'ESTRANGE

1.

Yet

in

of

ROGER

Gazet

crisis,and

for

while

monopoly.

of
appearance
valuable
became
a
the

after
Thererepository of proclamations, trials,and discoveries.
with
the suppressionof the Whig
journalsit relapses
into
the official,
dust
of its original
but
useful, dry as
conception.
Apart from the failure of L'Estrange to do justiceto the
Dutch
and
the malice
War, and apart from
greed of his
clue to the
of the Gazet gives us
enemies, the character
a
for his supersession. The question of advertisements
reasons
-

was

keen

eked

his

out

Scot, by
Muddiman
that

had

before

It

number
not

he

Williamson

and

Politicus

from

advertisements

and

source.

same

to

We

this lucrative

admits

its

Nedham

allowance

pamphlet

book

the

perceive
element,

originaldimensions.

solely for his profit.

official journal
purist view that an
The
advertisements.
Oxford Gazet

that

the

took

the

more

restores

complained

was

Mercurius

half-crown

of

scorned

L'Estrangemore

even

old

forty shillingsper

fair

the

In

one.

he

used

it

place for
later
notices
which
studiously rejected them, and from
the
appeared concurrently in the Gazet and
spasmodic
Current
how
note
2,we
Intelligence
strong the distaste was.
not

was

Eng.

November,
and
being
1665-6

Hist.

S. P. Lorn.
Rev., p. 267.
Downing to Williamson.

Sir G.
in

so

small

volume,

can

be

"

sont

Car., ii.,137 (24) aiid 137 (99),25th

'The
Gazette
gains great reputation,
See Introduction
to vol.
anywhere'.

of State Papers, pp. 4-6.

14th
June,
tion
1666, an advertisement:
'Being daily presst to RepublicaGazet,
of books, medicines
and
other
things, not properly the businesi qf a paper of
will not
for all that
we
charge the Gazet
Intelligence.This is to notify once
with
of advertisements,
advertisements
unless they be mot I, rs of State; but that a paper
the
will be forthwith
and
recommended
to
another
by
printed apart,
public
of the

Calender

"

hand

'.

The

is almost

advertisement
that

it also

proves
much

to Williamson's

made

its appearance

Concerning

Trade.

emanated

identical
from

the

in Current
18th June, which
Intelligence
the
JS'cwsbook,
Secretary'soffice, where

The
chagrin, rested.
spring of 1668.

in the

On

4th

November

1675

of advertisements
referred
to
paper
Advertisements
It is the Mercury, or
The

City Mercury

appeared licensed

PRESS

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

151

NEWSBOOK

feeling that L'Estrange had vulgarised the book, been

personal and harped too long and too exclusively on
from
seditious
been
the
too
libels topic, and
averse

The
too

the

and

dull

It is not

of

reserve

proper

state

be

also there.
was
organ,
the author
of the Caveat

supposed that
this relapse gladly. The
suffered
State Papers preserve
several
indignant and despairing protests to Arlington.
He
refused
have
to
anything to do with the perfidious
to

Williamson.
On

15th

letter

October

which

the

1665,

points

latter wrote
and

feuds

the

to

L'Estrange

to

the

of

envies

journalist?.
Oxford.

'

'

am

deprives me
of

Majesty's
advised
who

the

to

agree

the

as

Mr
luck

the

good

channel

of

those
in

the

which

we

in

helping you
would

be

your
for

in

this

His

propose
right in

to

matter,

of

falling

been

very
in

opportunity

have
things,
of
this
despair
seeing
to

posing
com-

often

have

would

freedom

you

better

Muddiman
and

from

are

reputation.

own

your
with

had

to

of

news,

and

and
you,
future, I take

useful

in

occasion

public

service

you

distance

the

the

having

into

the

sorry
of

effected

if

that

you

the composing
relinquish to us the whole
pense
profitof the Newsbooh, I will procure for you in recomhis Majesty of "100
of it a salary from
per annum.
blame
If I tax it too low you must
yourself for having
told me
several times that the duty of it is very burdensome
I pray
the
and
let me
to you
profit inconsiderable.
you
have your answer
to this by the post and to assure
yourself
in the (certaintythat his betrayerhas his best good at heart
and that
this proposal proceeds from that root ") l.
even
will

you
and

'

'

"

probably himself

Eoger had
over

to

the

profitsof

magnify.

Years

the

after

possibly edited

by L'Estrango,

blame

book, which

his

for
he

was

he

who

as

expenses

may
in the

also

have

tion
prevaricaanxious

now

again declared
saying this he meant

very little out of it,but in

to the debit account
his whole
and

to

that
to

he

made

set

down

surveyor.
boen

the

'other

In
hand

his
'

of

delay
promised Papers of
appearance
to Koger
L'Kstrange,who stopped them by virtue of his
failure.
immediate
an
1666) issued Publick Advertisement*
patent and (25th June
1
S. P. Dom.
(1665-6),
Car., ii.,131 (103),quoted C.S.P.D.
p. 15.

the

above advertisement.
Advertisement
due
was

The

of the

"

SIR

152

later

Arlington,
he
Williamson,
unblushingly screwed
he had formerly depreciated them.
as
reply

days

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

two

to

profitsas high

the

up

'Estrangeto Arlington.
11th Oct.,1665.

'London,
My

'

Lokd,

I have

"

insufferable

the

to

not

passed

thought

many
inst.,which

upon
your
honour
to

I had
the
Lordship's of the 15th
receive
the whole
yesterday, wherein
matter, I find
upon
instance
of your exceeding generosity
only first an abundant
and
I shall ever
goodness, which
acknowledge with an
eternal

submission

Your

'

and

Lordship
in

distance

of

the

respect.

is

with

pleased to charge me
Public
Intelligencersince

carriages1
mis-

some

of

out

was

I dare
not
discretion, wherein
strict reflection,I cannot
a
justify myself, although upon

pitch
done

express

the particulars,
but I hope the
upon
his Majesty otherwise
during the time

Contagion,
weigh
may
did

your

the

hazards

down

make

once

I have

undergone
failings. As to

those
of

use

and

him,

found

service
of

Mr

him

have

Liberty

that

on

and

account,

Muddiman,

short

of

very

sickness
intelligence,but it was
during Mr Williamson's
and
that
if
of it. Now
perchance might be the reason
Mr
Williamson
him
could be pleased to engage
to deal more
openly with me, I should take the same
agreement over
again for an obligation, and immediately set the whole
again in motion.
Touching your Lordship'sproposal of relinquishing my
consideration
a
right in the Newsbook
expressed,it is
upon
certain that both
in gratitude and
over
justice your power
'

is without

me

would

utterly ruin

about

"400

understood
1

3rd

The
of

to

me,

complain

which

does

he

June,

1665

silent

in the

'

anxiety

trumpeted
letter

"

I met

for

year,

Government's
June

Arlington's
in

limit, but then

to

in

the

not
with

the

Lord

mention
Mr

books

the
I

Sandwich

ill

did

to

have

City
Mayor,

the
'to

Cowley

who

great right

See
observed

to set

as

June

up

trouble

; for my

Duke's

5th

that

it

improved to
being now
explain myself if I was

avoid

Sandwich.

withal

offer

me

of the Newsbook

praiseof my Lord Sandwich

Ncwshook
(upon Mr Moore's

This day the

Lord
did do my

let

fame

the

in

was

the

victoryof

in
reports ', is shown
S.P.I).
(1661-5), p. 108),
("'.
date 14th
also
Pepys under
miss

to

the

me

Duke

how

he
and

finds
the

showing L'Estrangc Capt.

to the late victory '.

everybody

Prince.
.

Ferrer's

letter)

PRESS

LEGISLATION

the excessive

charge

entertaining spies and

of

153

NEWSBOOK

THE

AND

instruments

out of my
about "500
of the paper which
cost me
pocket the first year, and if your Lordship had not most
from
his Majesty for my
"200
charitably promised me

for the

...

supply
'

I had

I shall

than

to

found

give you,

present

Your

"

trouble

further

no

obligedand

most

present

at

all

of

wishes

the

with

Lordship

your

imaginable comforts.

Lord,

my

work.

the

in

greater obstination

obedient

ever

servant.

L'ESTRANGE'1.

"ROGER

Two

frantic

more

by the

threatened

letters

Surveyor

Arlington

to

before

despatched

were

final

appeal

and

"

King. On 19th October2

the Secretary of his thirtyyears'
the writer again reminded
his undoubted
service
devotion, and
during the Plague
which
had
invaded
had
laid low
his family, and
eighty
successful

one

made

was

"

of the trade

members

with

to

the

which

he dealt.

spoke lightlyof the profitsof the Ncuslook, he

of which
was
reckoning the great initial drain on his purse
he
he had
informed
Arlington at the time, and for which
of
received
of security of organising a system
assurance
ing
espionage in the Press, plantingcorrespondence and establishWhen

he

"

"

himself

in

largehouse

with

etc.

servants,

All

which

beggary and
infamy '. In the last resort (21st October)3 he again recurs
at the old price,"3
to the prospect of employing Mudcliman
must

fall and

now

himself

be

'

marked

out

for

week.

the resolution

But

for the
of

matter

was

Garjet.

new

difficult

already taken
The naming of

choice.

Newcombe,

and
this
one

measures

jected
pro-

journal
of

was

the

Commonwealth

old

printers latelyrailed against by L'Estrange,

all that
edition, and
was
engaged to print the London
remained
to be done
to get Roger's book
was
prohibitedand
of
the free postage he had
enjoyed at the good instances
Chesterfield
Countess
hostility
despite Sir Philip Frowde's
which
obstacles
the
other
during
Plague revoked, while any
Arlington'slately obtained mastership of the Post Office
for the purpose.
to be used
might suggest, were
Thus by a combination
the camp
he
within
of enemies
"

"

S. P.

]),"". (Jar., ii.,131 (11).

"

C.S.P. 1). (1665-6),p. 22.

Ibid.,ii.,135 (8).

154

SIR

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

espoused, and irrespectiveof the great malice he had caused

outside 1, by means
which
were
highly discreditable to all
and forsaken,
concerned, L'Estrange saw himself undermined
his boasted
his livelihood
slipping
patent waste
paper, and
from
him.
The
Gazet appeared at Oxford, 16th
November
in London.
1665, and was
quickly re-issued by Newcombe
The
it
of
'general applause' which
greeted it much
"

manufactured

doubt2

no

frantic

and

alluded

to, and

vain

ursred

"

to

on

even

more

number

competition. The
the Gazet in
(28th November), in which L'Estrange imitated
size and style,displaysboth
ness
his despair and the consciousof the triumph of the new
journalism.
that
Then
at last he made
appeal to the King already
carried
which

of

obtained

settlement

be

faithfully,
might

out
at

efforts

him

of

revenue

to "400

or

"500

in

from

the

1665,

were

Even

Ncwsbooh
true,

But

compensation enough.
be no
remedy. The only

was

Neivsbook
have

may

was

the

into

burden

"100

outdid

it to

on

serious
handicap.
very
While
it may
well be said that

lowest

state

of

degradation of

of

the

of

in

of "300

pension

know

we

far

"200

be

to

money,
estimate

an

1663,
a

year
there
prestige

comfort

that

was

secretary'soffice ', which

failed to get the profits

Williamson

single-sheetGazet

from

source

the

it4, though since

profits5,the
a

that

meant

arisingfrom
that

taken

'

his

spoils. Roger

for the loss of

could
the

if

and

generous,

as

Williamson's
away
from
the secret
service

guaranteed "200
paid annually by Arlington.
was

increase

regarded

stole

rate

any

it been

which, had

from

James

old

the

Gazet

'

party press

in

Newsbooh

L'Estrangewould
the

Hickes

not

be

represents the
'

(though why

'

of the party
party seeingthat it checked every manifestation
conflict) it is probably an exaggeration to say that it became

'

'

of

preservedfor
The

rabble

quality

of the

Intelligence'. Such is the preeminence

printed matter
over
manuscript that we have
several
us
copies of the Gazet for these years,

the

ancillary to

Letters

his

of

faction

which

of

employment
1 have

done

'

was

tease

to

to such

and

degree

persecute

that

[ have

the

whole

drawn

upon

imaginable '. S. J'. Dom.

Car.,ii.,135 (8) 19th October,
to
Arlington.
1665, Roger L'Estrange
2
makes
but a simple
who
had
said of L'Estrange's first attempts : ' He
Pepys
date
22nd
under
November
1665.
This day the Oxford Gazel came
beginning
and
is pretty full of news
out, which
no folly in it.'
3
8"x chap. xi.
in his begging letter to Jenkins, 16S4.
it "250
He makes
4
Ormonde
351-2.
MSS.,
N.S., iii.,
5
Page 145, note.
my

head

all the

malice

"

'

'

"

but

of the

volumes

only stray

THE

AND

LEGISLATION

PRESS

written

NEWSBOOK

155
which

\ from

news

we

and
intimate
superior, more
gossipy character, and to see why by the richer part of the
the less wealthy, by subscription it
or
even
community
generally
might be preferred. But though one newsletter
still able

are

its

judge

to

"

"

served

have

must

"

restricted

scarcelytrouble to
comfortably and with

would
read

pay heavily for what

social and caustic comment

of boon

coffee-rooms, the

of

keepers

year
letters

"

City readers
they could

country, whilst

in the

about
"5
expense
the recipientsof Muddiman's

the
country-side,

whole

and

fellows at the tavern

which

sometimes

the

wrote

letters themselves2.
Gazet

The

the

gave

without

Hague, Edinburgh, Dublin, Vienna, etc.,though

attempt

at

order.

division

of

Foreign

Netherlands,
We

of Current

feature

etc.

have

L'Estrange'sbook was
Plague in conveying

the

of

ravages

bureau

demolished

half

merchants

to

seek

Gazet, for

removed

invited

were

and

addresses, which

the

Fire

chronicler
the

Gazet

with

the

havoc

fire, which

the

of

in

editor

new

of the City, caused

trading rendezvous
of
Newcombe
new
places of business.
had

the

to

chaotic.

to

sober

turning itself into a

pleasing to find that

is

hand

in

example,

was

it

immense

temporarily
trade

time

the

After

the

public
Magistrate's
some

acting as

precedent by

hand
The

and

disease.

information,

of

L'Estrange worked
this particular.

the

the

useful

the

continued

of

that

seen

utility during the

orders, advertisingnostrums,
of

any
its

was
Intelligence
heads
as
Germany,

such

under

news

The

Paris, Stockholm,

of

news

go to
he was

burned

been

of

outskirts

City, and

the

mitigate the confusion

L'Estrange with their new
in

inserted

see

for

people

To

to

had

and

out,

business

Gazet.

the

Letters, of
of Muddiman's
There
volumes
are
preserved at Longleat fourteen
1689. L'Estrange'sexpectation in this
News, 29th April 1667 to 12th October
matter
(teenote, p. 147) has been only partiallyjustified.
2
For some
information
the
later
on
history of the Newsletter, see chap. xi.
e also Mr
Stanley Weyman'a Shrewsburyfta a not too fanciful picture of a London
1

Newsletter writer.

(Bag.

Hist.

form
interesting

But

Mr

J. B.

Williams'

Rev., April 1908)

of

by

is

literaryactivity.

article
far

It is not

the

on

NewsUtti

best

rs

account

difficult

to

see

why

tion
Restora-

the

at

have

we

the

of

this

successors

naturally
er
have
been
should
loyal Muddiman
Whiggish. The
it3
tends"
on
to
sedition.
See Macaulay's remarks
as
L'Estrange clearly saw"
in India.
to
use
NewdigateSee
Introduction
iii.
also
Hist, of Eng., chap.
Lady
Sir K. Newdigate's ])i
Newdegate's Gavali r Oma Puritan, p. viii.-ix.,xii.

of

the

"

'

Read

2W waletter from
for which
he is to have
a

Muddiman,

"1,

5s. '.

whose

news

I intend

to hove

for

one

quarter

SIR

156

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

had
been
an
L'Estrange
indulgent
than
The
on
one
employer.
perfidious Hickes
more
when
the
Gazet
occasion
had
the grace
to
was
underway,
it
recall
L'Estrange's generosity in a direction, where
be
to
The
was
Mercury-women
good business
generous.
from
of
received
him
5s. a
bundle
a
monthly
quarter and
In

respect,

one

the

wrote

(surely

The
the

'

and

but

In

of
Tress

letter

'

is

L'Estrange's

idea

out,

editorial

which

in

With

his
the

nearer

in

the

main

there

in

State

do

we

words

series
which

point

we

see

flourished
excellent

(c. 1650-2)

advertisements
of

folly

no

failure,

of

of
i
2

in

her

number

Public

L'Estrange's
revive

to

days of
chiefly on

"

(1666-7), p.
193-4.

but

news.

21.

he

".

and

or

In

have

'

back

logically
loyal, no

however

essays
Milton
may

burned

newspaper,

effort

the

in

newspaper

Ibid., pp.

Street

has

on

it '.

an

journalism,

C.S.P.D.

Newcombe's

to

had

was

the

Mercnrius
the
a

disquisition L'Estrange

and

modern

first

tion
informa-

Thames

those
of

October,

some

Proclamation

of

way

Mercury,

12th

Fire

The

his

know.

one.

old

disquisition
'

Hence

not

Athenian

the

but

in

the

Perrot

day.

dated

conception

by

had

line

were

from

clothes

both

part.

painstaker.

no

except

attempt,

State

to

after

Charles

for his

one

off'

editorial

Pepys'
a
though

Free

each

them

quarter

Williamson

expressed

in

Politicus

take

specially good

to

has

the

no

advertisements

at

Hickes'

only

great

she
is

and

he

Hornsey

to

looks

for

news

there

'afar

Gazet

use,

20s.

now

them
on

was

removed

She
shop).
her
goods, and

carried

them

is
City lay in ruins, there
still going for the paper

woman

(now

of

women

addressed

the

one

The

when

to

who

out

had

Bennett

when

1666,

coaches

among

these

to have

Old

10s.

of

seems

then

interval

gave
all

them

with

indignation

many

Dunton

invited

'

sorting

creditable
How

brief

Williamson

Newcombe

parsimonious

editor, divides

some

the

l.

printing

new

for

quarterly)
provided them

and
back

in

Gazet

new

not

dinner
and

Muddiman

whilst

books,

ideal
hand.
was

deficient

SIR

158
and

Press

ROGER

to

while, when

wounded
of

good
meanly2.

so

That

Government

would

Government

the

the

him

permit

not

which

discredited

was

Surveyor's

paralysed his activities

vanity
a

The

wares1.

of the Newsbook

the

pursue

him

seditious

highly priced

disgracein the matter

for

L'ESTRANGE

could

treat

in

branch
of
every
abandoned
London

Court

had
Plague
policy. During
3
and left only inferior agents like Muddiman
and L'Estrange
the
lawless
and
to keep down
seditious elements
in the City.
When
the Dutch
sailed up the Thames,
and
when
the City
in

was

the

flames, there
and

King

sinister

were

Court, which

we

of

rumours

know

to

to

revival

of

few

of these

none

the

ferment

circumstances

of

seditious

do

in

despite
the

since

their

time

attempt

claim

by

Baxter

extinguished in 1663.
still slumbered
but

the

For

awful

the

on

abandoned
which

the

the

catastrophe

had

King,

their

Court

with

opposed
But

in Protestant

of

Restoration

look

the

in

1661

dread

minds,
of the

of

and

Eire

for

and

the

Papist
the

low, and,

had

been

failure of

for
that

Parliament

and
Catholic

nothing
and

War.

trace

we

the
in

Civil

lain

the

when

was

of

cause

which

age

writing which

bring England back to the brink

years
It was
to Hubert's
sillystory of his fireballs
Confederacy for the firing of London, that
beginning of that frenzy.
Catholics

an

we

to

The

levityof

be false, but

suggestedto the satirist the example of Nero

classical parallels
were
eagerly adopted.
But

the

the

ambitions
was

needed

circulation

the

tion
pro-Dutch Republicans anno
mirabili,see Introduc(1665-6),pp. xxvii.-viii. As to the damage done to the booksellers
of
Kiston
1666) deplores the ill fortune
Pepys (Diary, 2nd November
my
poor
and
made
who
"2 or "3,000 worse
is utterly undone
than
nothing from
being
estimate
of the
worth
"7 or "8,000 '. The
Stationers'
losses given by Pepys as
from
several
Clarendon
sets it as
"150,000 is corroborated
sources.
high as
"200,000 [Continuation,i., 317). Delaune
(1631), p. 4.J7
(PresentState of London
of dissent
and
Gloimoorm, but a glowworm
(published by G. Larkins, Duntons
sedition)imputing the Fire to the Papists and quoting Bedloe's
narrative, 1679,
See also t llarke (Wood, Life and
Times,
sum.
ii.,85-7)
puts it at the same
worth
9d. sticht they sold
which
that
book
afterwards
for Is.' (under 20th
was
.March
1666-7). Stoughton, op. cit.,iii.,327.
2 At
the same
time
he was
harrassed
by a Parliamentary enquiry (Committee
of Commons,
there
17th October
1666) as to whether
was
illegalpatent or
any
Lawful
abuse
in
the
the
Licensinc;
He
tells
or
Stopping
Printing of Books'.
any
he
several
after that
Prous
was
acquitted. See Observator,
i., 289, and
years
ceedimgsof Lords Libel's Committee, 6th April K"77 (H.M.C., Appendix to 9th
House
of
of the
Sept., Pt. ii.,79 ct seq.). ' He offered a vote of a Committee
for Printing, etc., in 1666, whereby
Commons
he was
freed
of a charge of this
had
that the Printers
nature
against him then '.
deputy. S. P. Dom. Car., ii.,132 (28), 129 (44).
Acting as Williamson's
some

to C.S.P.

account

D.

'

"

'

'

STATE
of

THE

confession

Hubert's
of

massacre

OF

St

PRINTING

all the

revive

to

HOUSES

159
of

terrors

the

Bartholomew.

The

from the dissenting

importance of this circumstance
libeller's standpoint was
recalled that
great. It was
very
when
Toleration
Catholic
a
was
proposed at the meeting
the
the
not
prior to
Savoy Conference, it was
Bishops
but

Baxter

who

dared

wishes.

King's

The

persecuting and

'

all

knew

undoubtedly

spirit.

Their

themselves

up

be

the

behaved

in

to

ing
informers,remindof the emissaries
of the Inquisition,were
where.
everyof extortion
in regard
They had adopted methods
Church
leases
which
had
fallen in
during the

men

the

to

had

Bishops

Roman

'

what

oppose

Commonwealth,
far

and

set

in

and

estate

an

the

beyond

golden time of Laud, and that at a

of decliuingtrade.
moment
The multiplied offices of the
Church, regarded by enemies
as
of fleecing
merely a method

pride

the

side by side with

set
the austerity and
people, were
Government
at
the
simplicity of the Puritan
Church.
Innovations
what
or
was
of
really the re-introduction
Laudian
forms
of the younger
were
regarded by many
generation as savouring of Rome1.
With
the cry of Popery sounding in the people's ear
could
the Dissenters
now
more
boldly attack Rome through
the Church's
of abusing the former
sides,and under
cover
"

"

strike
there

both
had

Prince

at

scarcelyyet
who

it became
from
in

this

later

quarter

arisen

that

Church,
circumstance, with

In

the

band

Church

of eminent

lists

Church

to

versialists
contro-

when

in

danger

was

reaped by

itself

against Rome

first fruits of

abundance

and
of

the

the

were

found

that

that the

so

connection
who

Church.

entered

apparent

that

and

the

popular

enemies

rail at

unfortunatelya

real

in

her

favour
of

the

trappincrs

sufficient number

real

of persecution in those ministers

cases
very
who,
like Bagshawe, Jenkins, and
destined
to die
Davies, were
in a prison 2.
No

one

observed
in

up

He

had

this

saw

it with

greater

district where
borne

arms

plainly

more

resentment.

Catholic
with

and

than

He

had

L'Estrange

or

been

families almost

brought
predominated.

been

both

sheltered

at

home

Clarendon, Continuation,ii., 175.

From
that time
(the abortive Toleration
Bill,1663) the King never
treated
of them
any
(bishops)with that respect as he
had
done formerly
which
easilyencouraged others not only to mention
their
Persona very negligently, but their Function
and
Religionitself.
"stoughton, Out, qf Religion in England, iii.,
l'34-5.
'

SIR

160
and

pamphlets
at

later

there

is

date

when

ought

faithful

for

be

to

he

England,
it

the

In

ancient

Scottish

of Toleration

again
going,

was

zealots

Eepublican
of

out

far

far

the

as

Eising

which

in

the

Court

cerned,
con-

forty

Protestant

presently

the

people

was

these

side,that it

one

of

the

account

safer

than

of

I.,the
"

rather

the accusation

Government,

Catholics, and

Faith, King-and-Bishops

the

time

Catholic

the

court

to

anti-Presbyterian

if any Toleration
was
who
for
Charles
fought

leaving
right. So

any

his

against the

question

for

was

at

was

word

men

an

And

all

that

than

Commonwealth.
of

the

of

In

the

adherents

all, rather

men

scarce

boldly avowed

he

mooted,
it

L'ESTRANGE

by Catholics.

exile

in

ROGER

years

dissenter.

alarmed

the

contrived

was

used
admission
as
an
disguise,was
by the
found
other
that
the
Presbyterian wherever
might be a
that therefore
veiled Catholic, and
persecution was
politic.
of the Pentland
If the Pope were
at the bottom
Rising,he
also the first begetter of all Presbyterian intrigues,
and
was
forms
of Presbytery
extreme
to identify the
at the worst
in

by Papists

with
for

the

extreme

Court

and

peaceful

of

writers

direction
of

the

it
the

which

that

"

owed

who

excellent
-

:;

had

said

the

as

that

Continuation,
of

Oldenburg

676
iii.,
and

since

and

of

rank

become

the

this

the

the

From
new
or

other

fall

Countess
scandalous

and

zest.

among

814-16.

satire

till Clarendon's

in many
cases
and could not be

Ilattige,
p. 196,

ing
enter-

now

obscure

no

that

protested against by Dr Glanvil

1682.
and ImpartialProtestant,

case

of

monarch

Zealous

Clarendon,

politicalsatire.

Parliament-men

in kind

and

triumph
given to

was

never

reply

to

literature,the

not

was

was

everything to him,

course

See the

appear

are

long

with

foullybespattered,and

more

cue

We

persons

joined
equal
scandalous
harbingers of

the
be

of

form

the

and

divines

and

come

loose

courtiers

kind, in which

it may

to

was

lampoon

it

privately

meant

Castlemaine

had

the

L'Estrange stamp1.

libellers.

the

of

great age

sport of the taverns2, but

lawyers

the

became

impossible

was

Always a peculiarlyattractive
naturally chooses for its victims
or
intelligence.
of the King
The
amours
"

Jesuits

spotted panther

indecencies

on

of the

mediator.

another

the

to

Church

the

Meanwhile
In

ambitions

rhyming
Holland

mode

and
:?,

Government

by the men
suspected of
Divines.

See

his

designs, and

seditious

would

Evelyn

have

PRINTING

who

the

in

as

resented

much

HOUSES
of Denham

case

the

161
and

charge of disloyalty.
found
their
infallibly

products of their lightfancies

evil companionship in the hawkers'
bundles
to an
For this the King himself
worst
essays in sedition.

But

the

way
the

blame.

largelyto
who

had

exercise

to

THE

OF

STATE

In

the

displaced
biting and

his

of

company
Clarendon

he

indecent

class

the

of

with
was

men
States-

allowed

Buckingham
even
permitted

wit, and

his

favourite

the

King, Buckingham and his imitators regaled companies

could not
these sharp pleasantrieswhich
fail to bring
into
King and his Ministers
disrespect1. Clarendon

with
the
had

to

indeed

foreseen

of

passages

the

lament

own

generally
old

Cavaliers

next

from
in

all

But

we

of the

Commons

with

already entered
which

libels

the

to

on

to

of

power

idea of
of

the

in truth

the

to

nation

had

Sec

Rankc,

Which

he

to

the

of

the

that

degree
principle
"

party

House

Upper
the

evil

Court

By

had
under

truckling

Charles

who

had

advanced

the

suggested

the

Clarendon
a

which
that

of

seemed

Ministerial

ministers

War,

cold

was

very
fear and

given way to a
together with the delay in
and his reported hostility
to
1

wrote

the
coquetted with
with France, calculatingon
the popularity
the Dutch
might avenge
triumph. But

Dutch

which

course

wit

copies

of Continental

Clarendon

to

opposition

hated

alliance

an

North

treatment

constitutional.

Church,

Parliament

After

the

kind

allies in

almost

the

the

due

was

in

of

Clarendon

powerful opposition to

even

of
triumph
a
responsibility.

of

their

became

Bishops

lukewarm

it

sense

of

license

Roger

for what

from

sorrowful

most

the

that

be

Absent

into the loyal histories

of the
way
direction
know
points in the same

only a continuation
described by Mr Airy.
in

the

deplores

matter

is

But

of

one

passage,

the

himself.

on

It may

this

found

"

century.

and

this, and

Court.

except

"

shafts

Continuation

the

prevailingat
his

his

turn

to

dislike
the
the

it,for fear of the Dutch

of France.

This

disbandment
old

Cavaliers

of
2

was

"

"

the

taken
army,
fatal to

History qfj"ngland,iii.,-ISO.

almost
2nd June
1663
the date
Pepys
in Parliament
to the
Coventry's answers
It is interesting to notice
how
the
charge that ' Cavaliers were
not
employed'.
two
the Millenaries, etc.,
topics were
intermingled, some
proposing to keep down
with
a
standing army
composed of 'the poorer Cavaliers who are much
oppressed
-

of

and

shared

with

Coventry.

etc.
L'Estrange"sCon .nilerations,

would

be

(1664-5),p. 78.

glad of Oliver's

"

Law,

"

"

notes

forbidding

arrests

on

Sundays'.

C,S.P.D.

ROGER

SIR

162

L'ESTRANGE

consenting to his disgrace,Charles chose

if he thought
But
also the path of personal convenience.
disband
that
Clarendon's
or
politicalhead would
appease
mistaken.
much
the new
Parliamentary opposition,he was
of 1667
has
been
Parliament
This
compared by Ranke
far good
the parallel is so
Short
Parliament, and
to the
of libels
in the Press
that it certainly marks
new
a
crop
able
because
of a far more
voicing a considerdangerous type
Court
section of Parliamentary and
even
opinion.

Clarendon, and

in

"

The
reverse

or

there

were

mitigate his
comings

which

and

had

that

like

in

1668

Dissenters

of

old

Cromwellians

Uniformity

of

had

the

fallen

against

and

into

The

intention,
framed

had

The

murmur.

even

Act

and

the

took

the

desuetude1

Church

the

was

insurgent

which

scarce

it

events.

Government's

Parliament

with

almost

movement

momentary

course

of the

earnest

was

the

of

the

many

in

persecuting Church

by

by
passed over
persecutingstatutes

and

the

for

modified

an

was

zeal

and

modation
Accom-

air, and

the

in

to

1661

Manton,

scarcelyconsulted.

were

Parliamentary

and

Baxter

indulgences were

much

been

release

and

leaders

Church

the

hoped

policy,and again as in
Ministers
goings between

Church

Nonconformists

prominent

desired

Clarendon

succeeded

which

Government

suggestion in several pamphlets that the Church

But
the King's debts.
be used
to pay
even
lands should
towards
this slight movement
Presbytery created a revival
Church
of the Clarendon
feelingon the one hand, while on
the Palace
took
the other tumults
once
more
place round
and people began to talk of the good old days of Oliver 2.
of the

form

It

in

was

his

from

these

brief

the

fatal

the

alarmed

tenderness

French
Church

of Dover

aroused

in that

great duel

C.S.P.D.

resolves
MS.

note

on

a
on

with

'

Dissenter

away

embraced

and

165.

the

Divines

Rome

which

of the

Church

Burnet

to

engage

described.

has

with Bishops, that he

is so
offended
bolder'.
Xv
also an
multiply and grow
1667, against unlawful
meetings of Papistsand
Line), 'The Presbyterians having used all their
'The

King

Conventicles

Toleration,
Proc.

the

to

turned

Charles

required the support of

policy, which
Party and culminating in the Treaty

even

(1667-8),p.

that

circumstances

of 10th

March

'

14, 15
and Parlt. for a Toleration
10th
1667 till
in Court
from
October
both
endeavours
their
had
Court
(the King and
favouring it)
February following and
both
in
'.
the
and
all
countries
City
frequent Conventicles
in Oliver Crornioell (Somcr's Tracts,vi.,
World's Mistake
See Slingsby Bethel's
in Ahs.
and
Slingsby is Shimei
477) for a proof that this feeling existed.
Ach'dophd.
Nonconformists

(Bod.

B.

Thus

it

the

which

the

both

"

the

and

generally derision
the

of
on

of the

Parliament

Long

feeling,in

the

into

contempt

had

menace

163

anti-sectarian

Laws

being cited where dissent

openly reared its head,

London

Plague

and

Clergy

HOUSES

session

by another orgy
Bishops descanted

marked

was

ninth

the

that

was

PRINTING

THE

OF

STATE

fallen, the

whilst
the

were

since

the

over

of

case

purged

never

"

which

the

country

daily portion

of

Clergy1.
tenth

The
the

session

Kinjj and

(1670)

Parliament

saw

delusive

Church

and

the

on

basis

of

the

the

Had

he

King
been

not

gaolsmight

for

twenty

for

kept the terms

already committed

have

the

years

himself

died

towards

France

or

of this

still

But

popular.

Rome

was

signal

corresponding relief
Persecution
could
to Dissenters3.
on
only be maintained
basis.
No
Protestant
of
the
sooner
a
were
suspicions
articulate
than
French
both sides
on
policy
responsible men
time
to
a
began to ask if this were
English
worry
weakeuing

Protestants

the

when

harmony

Catholic

this cry which

it mingled with
the

it

of

Popes

huzzas

and

Dissenters

in

See for

side
the

The

given
3

to

As

methods

The

Ranku

compare
to death

that

Church
decisive

to

third
were

has
of 1670

getting

confessed

excused in

and

Contempt of

of the

the

Clergy

in

to

Rome

compared
shrewd

situation

Then

hits

with

commanding

lenient

more

the

1680-1.

once

in this year

Trials,vol.
than

for
vi.

the

old

instructive

some

In

respect'-

some

Conventicle

Act.

was
imprisonment for attending conventicles
the fine given to informers
of entry
and
the powers
oppressive features. Stoughton, up cit.,iii.,387-8.

part of

to

Mead

State

and

its most

alliance

an

step

till

persecutionof

that

Candidly

and

Persecution,

reduced

were

officers

Proclamation

of

(22 Car.,ii.. c. i.) was

penalties

abolished.

and

R.

the

Act

new

546.

Occasions

1670.
L('Estrange .')
example the trials of Penn

lightson

mock

the

over

Smithfield,

1681

January

until

treasonous.

was

to

in

And

gate.

in volume

grow
mob

the

of

1 C.S.P.D,
(1667-8), pp. 243 and
Gachard's
remarkable
and
Grounds

addressed

to

the

at

was

Tantivies

itself voted

Parliament

enemy

destined

was

was

burning

and

Alliance,
victims,

Church's

the

and

concordat

the French

to

with

overflowed

this

of

yet, and

movement

every

any

troubles2.

of their

had

Act

made

between

meetings of
and
Dissenters
whatsoever
illegal,
imposed punishments on
constables
who
officials whether
neglected
magistratesor
in force.
Informers
to put the Act
were
promised a rich
and
the Dissenters
harvest
prepared for a sharp renewal
Conventicle

severe

which

concord

at

to

in

1667

the

now

Church
and

shattered

Justices

1669, O.S.P.D, (1668-9),p. 412.

the

Crown

the

more

as

the

put the

en
a

to

that

Dissenters

new

1611,

the

and

in force

saved

we

Popish

passant, which
persecution,

alliance
Act

in

ran

aroused
.lames

dissent.

is dated

16th

may
scare

the
II.

The

July

SIR

164

This

brief

conduct

of the

already

noticed

which

names

Mean

L'ESTRANGE

summary

may
of
which
Press,
is that

in

and

ROGER

no

the

the

most

volume

of

deserve

sense

fanatic

writers

to

serve

the

illustrate

the

observable
libel

is swollen
of

stigma

still continue,

new

feature

by

fanaticism.

but

the

anti-

(and therefore

reinforced
libellous)ranks
are
which
their honoured
have
by names
place in literature.
Another
feature
is the outburst
of Catholic
apologieswhich
the
and
natural
effect
of
the
absurd
were
sure
imputation
of the firingof London
This
the body of sedition
K
was

government

'

'

which

the

Stationers

loved

Surveyor did little here, and

of being secretlya favourer
licensed
Yet

of their

some

another

milder

best

to

prosecute, but

therein

earned

of their

cause,

the

the

reputation

besides

that

he

books.

class

treated
of the decay
appeared which
of trade, but in part was
the
really designed to commend
freedom
enjoyed by the sects in Holland, or to inveigh
In any case
both
against the intolerable pride of France.
classes
that
libels, in the
covert
were
sense
they were
attacks
the Government
on
by suggesting that the former
better than
to have
these, though several seem
days were
had
the approval of Charles
who
whole-hearted
was
never
in the persecution policy.
A
license in
set was
dangerous feature of another
a
the
recent
urging the legal aspect of certain laws
as
Conventicle
Act
and
as
being contrary to Magna Charta
the
Constitution2.
It was
not
a
new
long ere
type of
pamphlet urged (preciselyas in 1659
against the Rump)
that the present Parliament
had
no
validity,its mandate
to use
term
a modern
having long since expired.
These
tendencies
force.
When
new
gathered enormous
small
coalmen
and
coffee-house
the
men
began to argue
niceties
of
the
the
and to lay down
fundamentals
legal
case,
of the Constitution, a new
stage in the history of the libel
"

"

"

"

is reached.

Lastly the perpetual pamphlet

warfare

with

the

Papists

1 The
became
the
favourite
scandal
to object against any
Firing of London
The
needless
Duke
of York,
to say
Danby, and
Roger
unpopular person.
in 1666.
few of the persons
who
C.S.P.D.
set the fire ablaze
a
L'Rstrange were
the King, Duke
of York, and Nobles
to see
came
(1666-7),p. 214 : At Moorfields
'

Charles
a

the

See

1.
A

revenged'.
Few
Sober Queriesupon

pamphlet

(1660-70),
p.

for

227.

which

the late Proclamation,

L'Estrange

made

(C.S.P.D. (166S-9),p. 140),

'diligent inquiries'. C.S.P.D.

166

SIR

the

Fire

the

Court.

appointed
On

the

the

House.

which

were

On

the

25th

25th
to

is sufficient

and

on

1666

the Fire

and

laid before
of the

nature

the

had

zealous

members,

had

to
nothing on which
popular credulity had already placed

divided

were

that

to

its Causes.

was

non-committal

show

to

though they

were,

except for the

"

views, the Court

two

report

of annoyance
Parliament

source

September

dubious

charge, where

Parties

greatest

January following,their report

The

Protestants

L'ESTRANGE

the

Committee

document

ROGER

saner

charging the Firing

Republicans

and

recallingthe

evidence

of Eathbone

and

his

in

company
coincidence

the

men

"

on

the

the trials

at

of the

spring

it.

between

of London

taken

fix

year1.

the
of the date of the Fire with
They remarked
of baleful note
for the 3rd
a
prophecy in Lilly'salmanac
which
the
a
September
seven
prophecy on
conspirators
executed
in the beginning of the year
had
seized for some
diabolical attempt on London.
The very date was
significant
of their hopes.
the
bulk
of the
But
vast
populace took a different
Hubert's
idiotic confession
view, and
merely inflamed
a
that the Catholics had
done
suspicion already entertained
"

the

deed.

Burnet

indeed

usual

way, giving
order
to leave

in

and

Fire

its

interminable

strong

as

for

room

truth

in

causes

wrangles which

Oldmixons,

and

Observator

forestalled

'

Cooks

couplet'2. The

battle

the

scouted

then

the

to

after,in his

"

story

occasion

gave

to

the pages
a

many

laboured

raged

page
fashion

round

the

as

possible

doubt.

good whiggish

occupy

and
in

turn

notion

one

of the
of

The

of

those

'Burnets,

L'Estrange's

Pope's witty
inscriptionon

to this old
somewhat
spent, L' Estrange returned
Rathbone
the
of the
account
quoting directly from
show
that
the
with
trials
in the
much
to
Gazet
of April 1666, and
effect,
What
in contemplation.
Republican conspirators had the burning of London
1680
aroused
with
the controversy
deeply
by the Inscription on the Monument,
in
ordered
its deletion
resented
and
II. especially,who
by the Court
by James
ad
Smith's
and
with
Bedloe's
P.
Narrative
London's
what
Trap
1685,
of
Flames,
In the interval
Fire reasserted
itself as a first class topic in 1679-83.
i,i, the
series
twelve
of fires spread over
were
catalogued by the
a remarkable
years
true-Protestant
the
Faithful, in 1679 carefully put together by Henry Care
the subject and
which
standard
work
the
became
Bedloe's
on
Scribe as
Narrative,
noticed.
London
See
Delaune's
16S1
State
Present
of
already
was
largely.
quoted
Observator, i., 14, 1681 : ' "Is there not something in a Gazet about that Plot?"
"
'. On the other
Yes, Yes, the Gazet of 26th April 1666 gives ye the History on't
to
letter
of
hand
i., 136) quoted a
Sandwich, 23rd August
Arlington
Ralph {Hist.,
the
had
less trouble and
alarms
from
discontented
1666 : ' We
have
Party than
1

When

charge

Popish frenzy

in

his

was

Obset-vators

"

"

ever

we

had

in any

year
2

'

'.

London's
Like

column

tall

pointing

bully lifts its

to the

head

and

skies

lies '.

STATE
the
in

HOUSES

by Sir Patience

ordered

monument

PRINTING

THE

OF

1G7
Lord

Ward,

Mayor

1680.
The

and

Scottish

that

the

covenanting

side.

had

attracted
absurd

engaged by

little was
that

reports

winter

Rising this

Pope's
The
question

lost interest, except

such

for

busy

were

issue

at

credited

widely

but

emissaries

l,

little attention

with

rumours

the

that

as

the

on

Dutch
Wit

De

Firing of London.
It was
scarcelyto be expected that the Catholics would
remain
silent under
those
charges'2. Roger Palmer, Earl
of Castlemaine, the most
spiritedlay-Catholicof the time,
and
himself
handed
the Press
to
partly dictated to the
raised a storm
of indignation
Printer
a pamphlet which
time Fiat Lux
shifted
the Catholics' Apology 3. At the same
hud

hand

in

the

"

"

"

blame

the

Stationers

those

The

the

from

Fire

and

'

to

as

of

were,
'

Narratives

of

anti-papisttouches
nervous

han"intf

of Hubert

difficult

in

London

sellers.
book-

Charter

of their
had

6,

emerged

old

and

libels and

new

the

of

those

on

even

"

licensed
un-

the several
Enformaof course,
with
Flames
the Fire, London's
'

There

Court's

the

individuals

how

shelves

medley

"

of

renewal

seeking a

their

on

books.

lurid

dilemma

desirable.

was

They
loyal Royston
tions

then

were

found

'

the

loyal

sold

who

Fire, at the instigation

the

visitation

information

some

be

these

on

booksellers

illustrates

would

who

secretaries, made

They
and

and

shortlyafter

Stationers

the

the

of

rush

5.

circumstances

of

timidity
by Pepys4,

is noticed

them,
of

the

and

pamphlets

The

incendiaries.

Protestant

to

and

desire

hush

to

before

even

insidious

hints

in the
up
could sift the

matters

Parliament

of the

speedy
matter.

"

1666 : ' The

Scots Rebels
by Pepys, 3rd December
referred
to ' this day's Gazct '.
are
complete story we
under
date
11th
the
There
is no
hint of the Papists in this, but
September
of
prohibited) account
1667, the diarist noting the (unlicensed and afterwards
else to lay the catastrophe
the Proceedings of the Committee, seems
like every one
1

It is barely mentioned

routed

are

at the
-

feet
There

'.

For

of the
was

the

Papists.
no

such

hint

in

the

Oflicial Account

published

September

1665.

See

4
5

the
p.

in

the

Go.

C.S.P.D.

(1666-7), p. 107.
8 To M
the Royaliststhat raffered
for His Majesty
the English Catholics.

10th

Apology of

the Humble
.

1666.
Diary, 1st December
the
Even
loyal Ric. Royston asks pardon for selling offensive
C.S.P.D.
Fire.
to extremity by the
ground that he is reduced

wares,

on

(1666-7),

\T1.

6
Exemplified at the request
Nichol, LU. Anec., Hi., 578.

of the Master

and

Wardens,

10th

August 1667.

The
The

popular lampoon

and

caused

relating
Pepys' heart

Mr

to

in

bundles

side

eagerly sought by Pepys

"

the

to

Lady Castlemaine,

discovered

was

Leviathan

which

of

part

and

King

parts of the Advice

various

the

the

on

Petition,

Hobbes'

with

side

"

Whore's

Poor

by

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

168

to

Painter, the fourth

insult
to
London,

Dutch

ache

'

so

"

'

home

its

were

sallies 2.
such

But
Stationers
these
like

visitations

were

etc.)and

the

to

friends,cleared their

their

At

temporarily of objectionable matter.

bullied
who
and
they threatened
any
authority such as L'Estrange.

the

in

up
seized

on
They
and Osborne
(Catholic Printers of
Dissenters, Darby and F. Smith,

beforehand

notice

avail, because

bound

ever

commodities.

popular
Milburn

than

more

little

of

were

the

sale

of

men
poor
the Apology,

and

sending
shelves

own

the

time

same

appealed

to

another

"

In
from

the

and

Presses

found
'

basis

of

London

that

forty printers, and

the

Printers,

Stationers,made

rich

the

the

month

same

separate visitation
boasted
'

foreigners 3.

some

Petition

to

the

sighing for freedom

ever

hundred

one

This

Secretaries

of their

survey
on

the

and
became

familiar

lines.
As

Secretaries

result

of

addressed

these
to

the

visitations

complaints, the
number
of questions

and

Stationers

with
the remark
that
concluded
charges which
The
discharge
Surveyor of the Press says that he cannot
the
his duty so
are
dependent on
long as the Printers
interest
it is to
whose
Stationers
Company,
encourage
unlawful
printing'4.
the
The
Government
set itself energeticallyto suppress
rather

or
'

London's

Flames

type of libel,and

on

the

other

hand

the

3rd September
1668.
Pepys under
with
Advice
Fourth
to the Painter
'I met
a
Pepys, 14th September 1667:
of the
river
and
the end
the
to the
War, that
coming of the Dutch
upon
and
also
read
it being too
true '. See
ache
heart
to
so
made
it,
sharp
my
dated
October
20th
of Muddiman's
Newsletters
{O."P.D. (1666-7),p. 209) one
and
Hobbes'
lias ordered
of Commons
1666:
'The
House
inspection of White
in
examination
into
abuses
called
book
Printing'. This
was
Leviathan, and
which
from
Committee
the
L'Estrange emerged unscathed.
3
See their
Printing, showing the
Brief Discourse Concerning Printers and
and
the
Stationers
sustained
from
demanding
separate incorporation.
wrongs
V.S.I 'J j. (1663-4), p. 413.
1 t '.S./'. I).
London's
Flames at Leache's, but did
(1666-7),p. 430 : They found
not prosecute the Printer.
Darby's presses for a quaker's sheet,
They took away
and
Milburn's
for the Catholic Apology, only because
they suspectedthem of printing
1

'

the

Company's Copies'.

Catholic
liked

Apology

l.

leave

the

to

is little doubt

There

Catholic

populace,
It
had

mingling

these

libels,and

other

the

on

of

of

fictions

of

and

unruly

an

detainers

the

exposed

hand

one

the

bigoted

and

favour

truth,

caution.

and

fear

the

On

Oates.

Titus

who

those

and

Government

have

but
the
peace,
in 1680-1
occasion

the later
curiously resembled
both
forced
to prosecute
they were

the

would

they
in

Printers

situation
when

169

HOUSES

PRINTING

THE

OF

STATE

that

found

was

broadcast

scattered

been

especiallythe former,
country, and

the

over

were

Smith's
vastly popular Trap
shortly reinforced by Frank
all
on
ad
expatiated in a plausible way
Crucem, which
with
the
a
Papists' bloody designs' and illustrated them
'

of

wealth
their

dispersal

Simon

Dover)

hunting

ground,

unfortunate
old

their

Calvert

Elizabeth

were

and

Mrs

was

again

activity2. Newcastle, too, demanded

that

into

Holland

from

libels

of

Hull

and

town

covenanting zealots
business
by
largely managed
clerk
of Hull
through certain
by

Bristol,

chief

because
vigilance,
bundles

also

and

"

fanatic

old

his

there

exiled

of

Scotland

from

over

printed
an

of

centre

imported weekly
sent

the

of

Brewster.
a

of

agents

(widow

some

were

many
be
to

"

chief

The

narrative.

circumstantial

the

ex-town

Commonwealth

Sir

Philip Musgrave,
of the
the
secretaries
dispersal of
everwatchful, warned
the
Fires
Glasgow
England. From
throughout northern
the Scotch
before
outbreak, the Archbishop had sent news
In
of the libellous activity of the dispossessed ministers.
had
short
the old conspiracy which
prepared the ground
for

the

and

Northern

the year
period of high

order

November
-

1666

C."P.D.

suppress

C.S.P.D.

(1667-8),|

for the

hopes

book

282, 6th

'

Moon,

Thomas

sold '.
and

who

Sir

Whiggim and
L'Estrangeare

Knight

John

the

Treason.
most

punish

and

author

the

is

sectaries.

28th

dated

8s.
is

Sir

an

13th
1667, p. 290.
books
seditious
trade
a
sending
Fire to Susannah
Moore, bookseller,

March

made

per

25

busy looking

extract

C.S.I'.h.
of

1668

and

of

the

6d.

Conventicles.

(1666-7)]
p. 415,
the

of

rate

at

troubling

( '."'.P. I).
_::

scattered

are

Kepublicans

and

16th

to

July 1667,
Calvert,
formerly
that
on
City ',has dispersed 50 books
them

new

(1666-7), p. 296.

to

Michael

by

"

this

to

in

Mrs

and

continued

was

State

"

The

1663,

to
persuade us that the year
papers,
of the Surveyor's comparative inactivity

the

through
was

of

attempt

agents, sufficient glimpses of whom

old

1666-7

Carlisle

From

there.

friends

Scotch

retailed
after

Sd.

each.

seditious

(1666-7), pp.
letter, endorsed

Philip Musgrave, Sir J.

vigilantwatchdogs.

at

the

Knight

'All

of

bookseller,

214-15.

by L'Kstrange,
of

Bristol

and

SIR

170

with
in

the

of

Gazette

and

references

prophetic

the

L'ESTRANGE

of Rathbone

execution

The

ROGER

to

his

six

the

3rd

in

comrades

April

noticed

September

the

and
almanacs
numerous
April,
rule
prognostics of change1, the holding up of Cromwell's
of the people,and the constant
to the admiration
expatiation
and
of
the
the
and
on
misery
decay of
poverty
country

trade, all these

of

1641

was

the

others
and

"

into

of

treason

brought

to

more

of

the

have

in

Moorfields
almost

notice

department,
Uniformity Act, an

he

courage
and
in

to

England

upon
been

he

had

started

force

'

ultra-

the

and

Charles

Scotch

Rising

descended

and

their

packmen,

as

and

and

voluble

themselves

till the

Plot

House

Rye

of

and

secretary

first
appears
assistant
Dr
to

at

libellous

of
as

Islington.

sedition
a

Owen

tombstone

beginnings

Plotter,preacher

the

grammar

and

sedition

there of the

Fergusson
of

of

groups

Not
the

and

victim

of

the

(who

had

the

to

Bagshawe),

glibbest tongues in
all subjects'. So early as January 1662-3
Scot
to
Secretary
betrayed by a brother

coffee

Bennet, and
he

up

Border

England

here

accredited

set

of

at

the

among
Channel

against

the

"

of the

made

either

literature

teacher

libels

doings

the

abortive

organised

career

and

women

the

head.
less

remarkable

'

spectre

two

Dutch

the

nuisance

or

of

of

west

chronic

agents, we

yet the

the

was

in

were

crossed

seditious

matters

the

Of
their

and

"

result

with

directed

type

Scots

stuffed with

packs

complaint
pamphlets by the

As

north

and

Brewster,

they fell in
These
pamphlets

numerous

the

that

official

seditious

his debaucheries.

in 1666,

and

ultra-indecent

or

Ministers

persistence of the

Calvert

Sea3.

pious

admirable

Newcastle,

dispersal of
English seamen
North

things warned

stalking abroad2.

Besides
among
Hull

3rd

sent

his

marked

house

for

one

time

of

to

the

the

Gatehouse.

1668

In

Scotch
long list of libels,written with that
by L'Estrange,and betrayed by occasional
'

Scoticisms.

Sir Sidney

Lee

[Did. of

Pepys [Diary, iii.,

56)

and

Ward

Biog.,art. L'Estrange) notes the

[Diary, p. 94), that Roger 'expunged

Nat.

rumour

from

in
the

of 1666',
submitted
in 1665 all prophecies of the Fire of London
to him
'.
probably correct and yet no great matter
2
Despite Arlington's optimistic letter to Sandwich, see p. 166, note, and
Ralph's refutation
(Hid. of ting., i., 136-7 and notes).
::
The
Lord
Chancellor's
Speech in Parliament, 7th January
Chap. iv.
about
doth
to
than
allow
to go
honourable
1674:
an
war
'Perhaps it is more
raise sedition through the country of an
enemy'. Part. Hid., iv., 616.

almanacs
which

is

'

OF

STATE

THE

PRINTING

HOUSES

171

private joint
dispossessedclergy,in which
participators.
Calainy, Jenkins, and Fergusson were
in
Scot
domiciled
Another
career
England, whose
the

for

stock

earlier date

the

Of

L'Estrange
was

with

Ralph
had

it his

business

years before
at the Restoration
to

which

had

or

time

from

co-worker

sedition

in

Gloucester.

of

rhymster

to

about
about
1653
England somewhere
Fergusson quitted his native Inverurie, and
of sedition and
suspicion
began a career
to

come

second

watch

to

Forbes, assistant
Wallis, the seditious

two

only

of

of

maintenance

made

hints

are

James

time,
Forbes

there

of the

that

and

'.

In

active

the

prosecution
L'Estrange'sappointment to the

followed

Surveyorship,Wallis

Plotter

'

Forbes

had

been

seized

(September

Clapham, the emporium of their sedition

then
and
described
by the Surveyor
writings. They were
the agents of the most
',
as
dangerous factions about Town
Wallis'
the
and
own
dispersers of Sufferers'Catechisms
Their
works'.
was
great, and
correspondence in the West
carriers, etc., to
meaner
they employed various
persons,
out.
help them
in this work, by
Yet another
Scot, almost as formidable
in Clapham
James
to set up
name
Nesbit, was
a teacher
as
and the manager
of the disaffected Scots in England, till the
affair fluttered the dovecots.
Eye House
L'Estrange does
1664), the latter

at

'

not

to

seem

Plot

have

set him

In

the

for

country.
has

that

cautious

whole

come

an

libel

peculiarlyoffensive
Cobbler,
out

scattered

was

yet

discoveryof

it

and

as

'

entreated

of

Cobblers

city and
damnedest
thing

through
the

till

secrecy

by

seize

'

offers of
will

called

Wallis'

might
messengers
make
If you
cannot
offenders,it will be better to let them

opportunity

the

old notes.

delay the Government

of conspirators.
nest

libel of the

till the

Nesbit

L'Estrange described

destroyingthe
till

'

smoaked

comparing his

1668

Room

'

making them sure.

be closelyfollowed

sure

the
of

alone

hope the
up"-. There
I

and
of Wallis
1664,
Forbes, 1st October
(1664-5),p. 24. Exam,
On
in his study.
the
works
L'Estrange found
having read
to
he had
that
Col. Frowde
8th September
asked
Bennett
1664, Roger wrote
with
seize
We
shall meet
of their
three
correspondents in Gloucestershire.
For
an
Forbes
1670.
the
in gaol 1669
or
again. But
rhymster died
poor
St.
Barton
with
the
and
connection
his
of Forbes
autobiographical account
ruing
Chapel, Gloucester, of which he was Brat pastor, see Some Particul
/.
See also Scott's
of John
Lloyd, Gloucester, 1899.
Biddle, by Walter
note
on
Forbes, the Phuhg of Abs. and Achilophel (Dryden (1808),is., 368 ;
chap, xii.,34).
i

Forbes

"

O.S.P.D.

denied

(J.S.P.L.

(1667-8),
p. 357, 24th April 1668.

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

172

inclination

is,perhaps,too much

to

such

regard

and

idea

conceived

affair

an

as

a
as
suddenly
neglect
Rye
of
these
if
men
perverted genius
workingpatient
In
of
unrest
during these
through twenty years.
any case
directed
attention
of L'Estrange would
be
to
years, the
and
in
in Islington,Clapham, and
the haunts
Moorfields,
as
of the Northern
the week
Conspiracy, October 1663, he knew
the moment
arrived of making
where
to lay his fingerwhen
shall
of the Rye discovery we
them
',so on the morrow
sure

Plot

the

to

the

'

find him
Just
towards
breach
in

was
we

as

hot

of these

scent

men.

King was
inclining
the
Catholics, and
thereby preparing the fatal
with
his Parliament, 'the insolency of the Papists'
Castlemaine's
Catholic Apology,
everybody's mouth.
the

at

much

and

had

suffered

ment
embarrass-

some

in

red

letters

the

for

the

King.

Its

by printing

who

Catholics

of

the

excitement

Government

the

to

when

moment

created

saw,

names

the

on

Bell and
Three
The
publication is instructive.
the
of its transference
Cranes
in the Savoy was
Tavern
scene
John
of
from
'two
gentlemen' into the hands
The Printer
Brereton, who
disposed of it to the hawkers.
method

of

'

'

Milburne,

was

him

do

to

whose

poverty

work.

the

induced

wards
(Osborne), used afterto
already refused
print it, but

Castlemaine

introduced

faith

his

Printer

One

evidence, had

as

less than

no

Milburne,

to

printed off, and

to
helped him
compare
\
printed
'

Lordship's entreaty

his

at

was

the

house

whose

at

written

with

paper

it
he
half

one

'

Osborne

November

Catholic.

order

Council's

The
28th

not

was

seized

They
not

"

he

because

"

of

said

was

of the

action

'.S.P.

I".

document
Roman
a

referred
Catholics

C.S.P.D.

to

was

Printer.

is endorsed

December
"

dated

is

offending

reasons) took
After

few

released.
in this matter

of

"

the

copies2.
The

1666.

Twynne's

Case

was

200-2.

istic.
character-

L'Estrange alleged
book, but because
It

was

this

on

proof-reading always
was

in State

'L'Estrange'sreport

.See Hart, Index, pp.

(1666-7),p. 430.

Apology

'.

their

the

of

Rising.

Press

character

(1666-7),
p. 361, 20th

capital point against

Scotch

Milburne's

print

to

the

book

for obvious

shielded

Stationers

the

the

suppress
examination

The

1666.

printers(Castlemaine was
of
place in the month
months'
custody Milburne
The

to

of

Trials,

his

vi.,

enquiry

532.
after

The
the

It

Southwark.
the

were

and

prison *.

of

long out

not

three

cases

river

those

Others

spiritsat
and

Calverts

to be

known

were

that

discovered

afterwards

was

ruling
the

that

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

174

Blue

the

Larkins

Darbys
Alley Press,
in

(the wives
printing south

important) were
pestiferous libels,the
are

of

all
the

series,Boom

Painter

in

the

Anchor

the

set up

for

Cobbler,etc.

the

protector,if
be

to

loyal Capt. John

of all the

Worst

very

Seymour

Larkins'

was

known
employer. Wallis and Forbes were
Hackney and
busy flittingin disguise between
not

Clapham.
It

personal
lampoons

triumph

of the

instance
and

The
a

in

is shown

"

and

probably

smarted

who

King,

Petition

from

the

at

Dutch

the

that

L'Estrange
reproach and
pardonable mingling
his reply,dated 22nd
April 1668 2.
Whore's

Poor

for, and

sent

was

circumstances

these

in

was

"

of

L'Estrange to Arlington.
My

'

at

Lord,

confined

present

lost at least 40

I have

"

to

'

'

concerns

have

acted

far

as

contented
'

The

the very

it.
his

then

to

Law

hard

Lordship

now
you
in for their necks,

have
is

matter

I been

so

forfeited
short

it.

hold, and

long

to reduce

I would

Not, my
2

C.S. ["./".

S. P. Dvm.

had

last
very
not

have

own.

my

unless the

the Press

still allowed

this, I would

ere

question be
do persuade myself the

if

the

those

act

very

of

expresslyproved, the

in

Majesty's bounty,
made

that

in

that

present, I

that
for

warrant

upon

the

consider

may

employ

authority would

credit,and

money,

was

of

business

anything

in

pleasure

your
In the

have

off.

Had

my

you

point

come

as

your

brought them

in thus observing
my excuse
If not, I'll wait
it is well.

take

service.

your

and
me,
carry
trouble
I gave
whom
persons

it

attendant,

will

agent, and

my

will

plead

Lordship in spite of all difficulties.

your
The bearer of this letter is a gentleman whom

upon

as

of my

command

the

chamber
for a fortnight upon
my
Willis.
the order
of Dr

life by
of my
If this distemper may

hazard

stand

and

of blood

oz.

to

order
to the

according
have kept

Lord, that I

it

made

ever

(1667-8),
pp. 294,310.
Cur., ii.,238,

No.

as

179.

Printer
will find

Government

the

Printing

I had

brought

first intent of
clear
an

as

I had

interest

STATE
of his

THE

Majesty's service

confess

but

cannot

somewhat
and

OF

of trouble

or

see

unchangeable service

length either to
common
charity.
at

'

This

175

it so, but I
hard
fortune

designed

ever

reilect
to

HOUSES

PRINTING

upon

must

with

my
after 30

years'assiduous
the Crown, exposed
live the object of a

myself
and fidelity
to
bread

want

or

I presume
to speak nakedly
of reproach or
insolence.

it

as

My

manner
any
deserve
to be blamed

is,and without
Lord, I do not

certainlyfor using the modest

liberty
letter
an
a
gentleman, and I assure
man,
my
of a generous
interpretation,
especiallywhen
Lordship
your
shall duly consider
decree
I am
to what
pinched both in
and
Convenience.
point of Honour
cf

honest

'

and

took

the

Williamson

for

pleased to

the

due

now

matter

of

"25.

But

Lordship'saccount

he

last

was

the

upon

last payment

Williamson's

Mr
was

The

Lordship.

to your

solicit

to

was

1667.

October

1 must

part

since

long

not

upon
your
and
Mr
1666

January

15th

on

his

remit
I had

payment
15th

freedom

submit

now

myself upon

the

whole

ship's
Lord-

to your

goodness,and if there be anything wherein so wretched

I am
be of aid to your Lordship, I will most
a thing as
may
undoubtedly manifest myself to be, my Lord, Your Honour's
Obedient

most

and

Faithful

Servant,
'ROGER

The

alluded

persons

to

probably Darby,
for a A Trumpet
1667
to the Spring Sessions

being

as

Calvert, and

Robert
in

Blown

L'ESTRANGE'.

'

White,

Sion, and

Press,

was

taken

held

that

Poole,

one

hold
in

'

were

August
for trial

over

l.

1668

the
Arlington made
find
for by 24th
April we
Roger in
the day after, the
libellers again, and
It is certain

in

now

committed

to

Amende
full

the

honorable,
after

cry
of

owner

the

secret

Gatehouse.

But

Press
in Southwark
the
discovery of the Larkins
was
of
work
of Roger Norton
the Stationers' Company, and
the suspicion is that L'Estrange would
be very friendly
not
the

the

to

scandal

of such

discoveryattachingto

his

friend

Capt. Seymour-.
i

C.S.P.D.
There

James,
so

kind

to

(1666-7),p. 395.
printed letter by that
Larkins, 1684, reproaching
is

to him.

extraordinarywoman

him

Defend qfthe Church

for

and

printer,Eleanor

attacking L'Estrange,
of England, etc., by Eleanor

who

had

been

James, 1687;

SIR

176
his letter

In
for

the

us

of the

half

from

books

which

would

directed
the

guide

to

'

'

quality

his

passages

chamber

the

these

had

whole,

audacious

and

warning

been

possible in

changed temper

of

ment
Parlia-

responsible?

of

Wallis'

undoubtedly

is

se

for

serve

may

; but

punish most,

de

will

jury

is

Belo

because

they reflect

vile libel of

the

same

se.

fasten

can

nothing

take

The

on

notice

Poor

Whore's

Petition

of.

than

Liberty of Conscience is rather to be answered

punished except as an unlicensed
pamphlet.
'

5.

'

6. The

little
now

Saint's

have

hot that all

upon

'

7. Boom

'

It is not

those

who

for

Blue

serve

Vavasour

direct

treason

brought it home, but

their guard. I send

in

it and

the

alarm

is

another

to

spy

were

S. P.

being

was

had

Meetings

and

Conventicle

Alley
in

informed
the

reported
Dom.

libel.

[noticedabove].

the License
of the
govern
be rewarded
'.
therein should

Anchor

Powell

has

the Cobbler

the

Government

Monarchy

are

easy

Meanwhile
at

Freedom

patience would

so

will

jury

it.

Oomesta

Felo

as

'4. I
a

receives

present Parliament.

3. Omnia

that

say

Queries will

2. The

the

on

de
much

make

not

the

that

the

On

juries

his

from

his

information
such
an
as
prepare
the King's Council
to proceed.

1. Felo

'

one

partly

will

his

for

Need
was

from

with

to

those

messengers.
remarks
on

the

1662-4.

to, and

growing respect
which
illegalconstraint

libels,shows

against

of

tenor

marked

the

the

moderate

listen

jury
operations of

him

to

reviewer

He

journal.

preserved

libels

still confined

was

modern

as

has

prominent

brought

were

critical

dozen

He

Secretary'soffice,much
load

Arlington he

to

comment.

and

chamber

L'ESTRANGE

24th,

of

names

excellent

some

ROGER

secret

Printing

watched.
of

In

Quaker

have

their

Car., ii.,238 (202).

and

House

March
and

Fifth

and
Nye
headquarters

neighbourhood.
to

Press

STATE
there.

OF

PRINTING

THE

Printer's

wife

had

been

HOUSES

177

from

followed

the

venticle,
Con-

suspectedl, but ' by

of so many
reason
back-doors, bye-holes and passages, and
the sectarians
so
swarming thereabouts, I have been afraid
of being discovered
of Darby's
one
scouting, but I saw
at the meeting 2.
men
the evil genius at Blue Anchor
Darby undoubtedly was
and
Brewster
ably assisted by the widow
Alley, and was
and

of

one

houses

five

was

'

her

who

son,

his father

promised

copies of The
Darby printed it.
issued

Whore's

Poor
There

of little

hosts

good

as

confessed

Witnesses

was.

them

Press

be

to

at

that

Mrs

stinging libels

as

ever

sold

Darby

and

Petition
little doubt

is

trade

the

said that

one

from

that

in verse,

his

dispersed

precinctsof Parliaments
coincident
with
Thus
to
duty was
L'Estrange's return
of
that old confederacy
the arrest of the remaining members
One
difference is very
which
he had destroyed in 1663-4.
dealt in heavy
however.
Then
Confederates
the
striking,
little
it is chiefly satirical and
not
a
pious stuff. Now
about

the

'

'

indecent, and
on.

maximum
the

way
irritation
of

minimum

result

attention
from

had
to

danger

that

the

the
to

Government
the

Society a

return

the

on

reversal

Court

the
of

the

with

Probably
in

viction
con-

giving

and

libeller.

found
of

Government

determined

Stationers

discovered

been

L'Estrange had

to

difficult to

more

the
futilities,

(1668)

year
what

do

to

of

of these

of the

such, much

as

as

summer

policy and

their
turn
long advised
demanded
They now
Company.
of all the Printing-Houses in
A week
later (24th July), a
so

"

City and Westminster.

of presses,
made, showing the number
complete survey was
ment
journeymen, and apprenticesat each House i. The Governresolved
was
on
making the first earnest
attempt
since
Chamber
the days of the
Star
to investigate the
conditions
of

of the

Trade.

besides
thirty-five,

the

exhibited
survey
King's Printers.

The

the

names

I'See a curious

to Sir R. Carr, ' As to

letter (C.S. P. 1). (1667-8),
a spy
p. 294) from
Press
I dare pawn
of five houses
in Blue
Anchor
life,it is in one
my
houses
when
he
Oliver took
searched
16
in one
more
sure
Alley. I am
pains
night in hunting after my life '.
S. P. Dom.
2
Car., ii.,237 (140).
Come
of 12 lines to Judges and
Juries,
hither, Topham, etc., the verses
s As

the

Private

C.8.P.D.

(1666-7),p. 71, etc. Darby was

arrested, but released 7th May 1668 on
convict for such work.
Bond, because
as
L'Estrange said, no Jury would
.S.P.D. (1667-8),p. 378.
*
S. P. Dom. Car.,ii.,243 (126).

"100
'

SIR

178

List

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

of the several Printing -Houses

July
King's Printing
and

Greek

in

Office

the 24th

Roger

Norton

1668

English, Hebrew,

Latin
Office

King's Printing
Tongnes
The
Printing House

taken

Oriental

the

in

"

Roycroft

Thos.

Colonel

of

John

Printers
TJie other

Masters

are

:-

Evan

Tyton

Mr

John

Mr

Robt.

White.

Mr

Thos.

Mr

Nat

Jas. Flesher

*Mr
Mr

Rich.

Hodgkinson

Mr

Thos.

Ratcliffe

Mr

John

Macock

*Mr

John

Field

*Mr

Thos.

*Mr

Andrew

*Mr

Wm.

Widoivs

Mr

Thos.

Leach

Mr

Henry Lloyd

*Mr

Thos.

*Mr

Mr

Jas. Cotterel

Mr

Henry Bridges

(Coots)
(widow

since the Act

Walter

Mr

John

Winter

Mr

John

Darby

Mr

Edmund
this

Leybourne
Wood

Vaughan
Owesby

of Nevil

Symons,

Milton's

Printer)

Maxwell

Mr

Compare

Warren

"

Cotes

Stationers'

Mr

Mr

Symons

set up

Childe

*Mr

*Mrs

Printers

Hayes

Mr
*Mr

*Mrs

Ann

Brudenell

John

Lilliecrap

Griffith

Mrs

John

Purslow

Milburne

Mr

Peter

Sarah

*Mrs

Crouch

are

by

"

Mr

Thos.

Godbid
:

Johnson

Mr

Coe

are

Redmayne

*Mr

Wocomb

of Printers

disabled

the Fire

Mr

Streater

and

contrary

to it

"

Rawlins

Okes
list

with

the

Returns

given

in

Arbor's

Transcript of

the

Registers,etc.

List of
Decree
in the 1637 Star Chamber
Of the names
above, only four occur
Twenty, clause xv. (see English Reprints, Areopagitiai, by Arber, 1868),viz:
Thos.
Cotes, Miles Flesher, Thos. Purslow, and Rich. Hodgkinson.
2
For
his loyalty specially and
solely exempted
A most
favoured
person.
their
In
the
Press
Act
1662.
reasons
of
against
from
preparing
penalties
any
declared
for treating
no
reason
they saw
renewing the Act in 1695 the Commons
Lord's Journals,xv., 5456.
others.
Col. John
Streater differentlyfrom
"

"

"

have

We
the

first

asterisk

placed an

list)against whom,

had

the

at

far

so

179

of

nanus

as

the

or

printers(in
ment
Govern-

the

is known,

harshness,

for

occasion

no

HOUSES

PRINTING

THE

OF

STATE

Surveyor

for

censure.

mented
suppledays later (29th July) these lists were
of
each
l,from
printing-house
by a thorough survey
into the Secretary's
endorsement
evidently not handed

the

few

November.

office till 19th

The

each

to

presses
was

permitted 20

Act

have

privilegedto

were

number

of

for

compensated

than

more

The

man.

printers and

master

than

more

with

only

Streater

2.

1 press
officials,
etc., who

men

those

by

allowed

allowed

was

(Barker's)'2boasted 6, and the printer

5 ; Boycroft had 4, while
for the City (James Flesher) had
3
and Macock
Newcombe
(printersrespectivelyof the Newsof Lords) had 3 each.
So that on the
book and to the House
of 50 presses
allowance
basis of 23 printers,an
might be
regarded as ample. By this survey there appear 64.
this list with that of the 10 printers who
If we
compare
petitioned for Incorporation previous to the Act of 1662,
5, the

House

King's

Rich.

Hodgkinson

Thos.

John

Grismand

Dan

Robt.

Ibbotson

Win.

Godbid

Jas. Cotterel

that

see

we

of

and

Ibbotson, Mabb,
had

left his business

have
of

been

due

In

factious

Grismand,

140

father

Printers'

John

Hayes

dropped
Ibbotson's

did, for the

it is 155.

who

employed
'

8. /'. Dom.

His

But
no

printers,

as

removal

the

So

that

was

half

some

bare

may

Evan,

son

longer

no

October

'

foreigners

Maxwell

out.

of Lords.

23rd

condition

this includes

labour.

House

of

Petition

desperate
printersand some

Now

1660

Streater

Commonwealth

had

to his widow.

describingtheir
Fire

Roycroft

John

to

his

as

the

'

Thos.

L'Estrange'spersonal attack 5.
Tyton, perhaps for the same
cause,

Francis

printed

the

Mabb
Maxwell

1666

result
the

total

dozen

increase

of

"

the

given.

masters

of 10

men

Car., ii.,243(181).

Petition

for restitution

was

successful.

which
Fire was
Macook, printer of Current Intelligence,
expired at the Great
rival of Newcombe,
who
The
former
had
a
printed the btaa I
enjoyed the patronage
of Secretary Morrice, the latter that of Arlington through Williamson.
1 His
widow.
Ann
and two
others
enters
into
Ibbotson, along with Ann Maxwell
not
to print .seditious
loth
matter
recognisance of "200
S. I'.
August 1667.
Born. Car., ii..Entry Book
28, p. 1.
0
Introduction
to Relapsed Apostate.
.

"

ROGER

SIR

180

credited

is to be

L'ESTRANGE

these

to

three

years, while in the matter

which
employed 18 men,

apprentices the King's House

no
apprentices and the total

of
had

Trade
the

on

This
If

had

been

amongst

the

Fire

divided

we

rely

can

to

seems

that

destitution
all the

is of

masters

1669

warrant

and

Mabb,

Grismand,

great

so

the

on

words, the

for

the

entire

consequent

labour

be

must

men1.

list of 10

1662

Darby

other

In

23.

was

number

course

survey
this
it

and

"

"

Ibbotson

incomplete.

very

the

inclusion

that

appears

of

besides

2,the

followinghad dropped
Surveyor's first blush of

during the
(Republican),Page (arrested for indecency
activity Astwood
with
4, besides
Johnson), Hardy, Lee 3, Sparrow, and Mason
So
that
the
Confederates, Keach,
Tywnne, and Dover.
Roger's purge had been greater than one had at first thought 5.
Of those printers impoverished by the Fire, we
find that
taken
in at the King's Press,
Owesby and Vaughan were
under
Flesher
work
whose
five presses
Henry Lloyd found
with City edicts concerned
than ever
have been busier
must
the rebuildingof the
with
City, etc6. Thos. Childe was
at
Ratcliffe's large and
accommodated
Whiggish House,
the
in
with
art in company
he soon
where
same
graduated
also
Nat presentlyset
Nat
a
good Whig.
Thompson, then
for himself
as
a
partner of Ratcliffe's (at least they
up
of his workmen
worked
into each other's hands). One
was
out

extruded

been

or

"

Stephens,the

Robert

and

whom

famous

L'Estrange

petty warfare

Childe

with

What

of the

messenger

Press, between

afterwards

was

be

to

and

Stephens, therefore, the

an
Ratcliffe-Thompson House
(or Houses) was
exceedingly
of
the Press.
the
to
struggles
good vantage-ground
survey
that interlopers,that is men
A frequent complaint was
free of the Company, were
not
employed. Nat Thompson at
of these.
in Roycroft's Oriental
Even
first appears
as
one

waged.

three

House

month

The

otherwise

For

of

out

an

example,

in

ten

men

which

the

anxious

House

King's

the

above
for

one

such.

were

took

survey

the

place

Stationers.

18

(Barker's) employed

was

Richard

but

men

no

apprentices.
2
3
4

Note
p. 111.
Besides these, Harding,
See

S. P.

Bom.

of printers,summoned
s
As is otherwise
6

Such

as

Roal,

and

before
shown

the

by

the City's Petition

Secretaries

the

drop

for the

O.S.P.D.

Chewne.

99 (162-5),for
Car., ii.,
from

entry

fairlycomplete
on
suspicion.
59

masters

of free

(1663-4),
p.

in 1660

timber

153.

list of three

for

to 35
a

batches

in 1668.

year,

etc.

STATE

PRINTING

THE

OF

HOUSES

181

Atkyns, law-monopolist in pre-Commonwealth days, and

author
of the
so
Original and Growth
of Printing, which
and
Considerations
followed
Proposals
slavishly
L'Estrange's
in 1G64, was
the
of
James
I.'s
on
strength
patent to his
of
Chancery the
grandfather contesting in the Court
Books.
This proCompany's right to print common-law
tracted
the
law-suit
afterwards
was
Company
alleged by
to be the cause
request) of the Quo "Warranto
(at their own
in 1670.
issued out against them
Although the Judges now
decided
hints) to secure
against Atkyns1 (as Roger North
their own
of Lords
rightof printing their cases, the House
after gave
some
Atkyns back his own.
years
The point of interest here is that when
the Government
the Stationers, the latter were
into final grips with
came
embarrassed
monopolies. Two
by these contested
years
later began the even
more
protracted struggle with Oxford

University for monopoly in

Although Roger Norton's
had

he

be

recommended

along

with

Norton

Mearne
Oriental
into

by

policy.
for.

As

Stationers'
With

Roycroft.

in

Court

these

this

first

elbow, any
of

letter of

and

for

of

or

obedient
the

loyal,

command

to the Stationers.

Viner, Abridgment, xvii., "20S

the

surrender

forty-one years

of

the

sole

Hebrew,

Kind's

May
of

1668

your
Greek, and

s.

Court,
Latin,

Reports,1256.
received in 1667 a grant
in
Latin, and all grammars
Hebrew.
Greek, Latin, and

monopoly,

printingof

21th

members

as

Modern

of his old contested

and
Latin, and became
C.S.P.D.
(1667),p. 496.
3 Ibid.
(1667-8),
p. 409.

Greek

Court,

be

Company.

We

On

new

hoped
anticipation

instal

recommendation

request you to admit

Printer
in
Roger Norton, our
1

that

default

Charles, in

'

in

might

reform

Corporations

on

Bex

'

step of the

loyal garrison

men

their

the

was

unique proceeding is really an

quote the

may

the

to

year

Stationers

of

Court

fortunate2,
un-

Hebrew
and
classics,
printer
has
been
his bookbinder,
and
stated,
Roycroft as,
all
and
intrusion
be
their
to
loyal,
printer
thought

great scheme
Parliaments, to seize

to

this

of

May

the

and

likewise

was

in

happiness
King to

King's

was

the

we

lawsuit

others, Mearne

two

L'Estrange at

of

the

stock.

"

the

and

the

Bible

the

Bible

Printer

in

in

he

SIR

182
Samuel

Mearne,

Printer
to

bookbinder, and

our

Tongues, they having

practicesin the Mystery
will
Company henceforth
your

that

for the scandalous

The

Further,

These

it'

to

Larkins'

as

in

were

wardens

of the

and

this

of

the

three
since

Cause

of

the

four

the

Act

and

proceeded against1.
Ralph Smith,

old

was

year

remembered

and

wares,

wild

Crofton's

printer of

as

intrusions,

Winter.

reorganised with something of

left, however
proceeded in a half

Stationers

able
account-

in Southwark.

Press

up
be

Commonwealth

printer of numerous
by L'Estrange as

Printing ;

be

'.

survey,

printers set
August to

our

much

speciallysignalised

secret

of the

Darby, Rawlins,

were

One

out

'

Press

fact that Norton

result

the

as

printers singled
contrary

of

the first fruits of these

was

already noted the

by the seizure of

himself

of the

abuses

July

of

survey

we

Roycroft

contributed

licentious

expect

and

Thos.

in Oriental

suppress

we

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

the

"

"

stuff.

The
Old

Good

and

hearted

With
some
hypocriticalway to set their house in order.
noted
above, they
leniency to the three prescribed printers
should
'lest
set them
they
suggested buying their presses,
places, as has been found by experience,and
up in secret
hazard
everything to gain a livelihood, being generally mean
had
people 2. As to the three prescribedprinters,Rawlins
Ibbotson
in which
Ann
(in 1666) bought the business
the
know
succeeded
her levellinghusband.
as
Darby we
and
his
He
widow.
Dover's
husband
of
martyred Simon
'

'

'

with

wife

of the

bravest
John

"S'.P.

April

Bom,.

Car.
,

imprisonment,

brief

will

Darby

impowered
many
2

the

quit

Thos.
Trade.

the

usual
and

the

four

asks
'

as

by

there

asking
Mayor should

the

treatment

the

of

lour

himself

Williamson

informs

Davies
He

that
the

Act

there
no

advises

be

Stationers

the

will be

supernumerics

the

thing happened, a
to
not
print

the
See
1668
(1663-4), p. 406.
August
(?) 1663 ; but obviously referring to this year.
typefounders should bring proofs of all letters cast to

after

the

bond

marked

and

with

L'Estrange

and

made

had

the

cases

(77).

244

to

itheir

of the extruded
presses
Printing to be disposed of that

up

as

Company

3rd

C.S.P.D.,

C.S.P.D.
that

Ibid.,

for

materials

with

forced

be

buy

to

In

interview

the

of

Fire3, but

the

before

ii. 332 (96).

,

an

stuff.

unlicensed
that

free

made

was

the

already noted

have

we

assertors'.

'brave

Winter

in

City

widow

Brewster's

will be

customers

so

'.
in

Document
It
the
that

proposes
Wardens
the

Lord

Endorsed
Council
against hawkers.
and
four others.
Warrant
for Roger Norton
notes
of a general Search
of the several printers summoned
8, I'. Dom.
Caw., ii.,332(96). An account

before

paper.

their

The

the

Act

of Common

of Stationers, 15th January 1672-3,

Company
right and propriety in their several Printing
historyof ten printers are stated in this important

of Assistants

Court

the

containing
Houses.

execute

of the

particularclaims

claims

See p. 193.

and

of

STATE
obnoxious
was

the

form

of

to

were

openly printing

If

the

ascertain

to

turn

we

purge
in 1673.
the

183

Apologies,Mass

but

we

may
themselves

of

degree

etc.

Attorney-General.

the

by

Books,

evidently, in

Government

issued

non-process

Stationers

three

Catholic

certainlyextruded,

was

HOUSES

PRINTING

protected, by

now

Darby

THE

by printing

He

the

OF

how

guess
when

we

eager
find all

of this

success

new

shall find after the first flush of

policy in the Press, we
zeal, nothing but disappointment. It is true that in October
with a large
seized in Southwark
was
1668, Larkins'
press
the
quantity of seditious books, but a dispute between
and

Stationers
should

the

secretaries

and

Koycroft, the
the

time

revived

had

Stationers
the

its

the

Morrice's

Surveyor and

Stationers
that

rivalries

disputes over

in

similar

the
wrangle over
Johnson's
shop, assured

at

of
despite the introduction
was
incurably selfish.
Company

old

openly

flaunted

the

between

Mearne
the

At

secretaries

validityof their

warrant,

the

who

to

as

that

the

same

Wickham

messenger

carry off the booty, and

Catholic
of some
books

seizure

with

King's

were

The

warrants.

Arlington entrusted

his

authorities

the

messengers
in the
as

"

of

case

that

Milburne, and

of

Taylor yet to come.

It appeared that the Company
monopolies against all comers
the

and

latest

the

Atkyns,
Speed l

"

Sam

transgressor

bent

more

was

Universities,

than

"

securing

on

in

carrying

King's wishes.
The Surveyor was
again reduced to such impotence that
the
have
been
made
another
to
to
appeal seems
by him
after
King in August 1669, for in that month, seven
years
that
L'Estrange's appointment, the King roundly stated
his appointment has proved ineffectual through the opposition
and
members
of your
of several
2,
warns
Company
them
that they
take
due
henceforth
to
are
cognisance of
and
credit
his commission, and
employ their utmost
power
the

out

'

'

'

over

their members,

him

in all searches

three

days

of

of Assistants
and

l
-

to

Law

means

An

'

for

instructive

Ibid., p.

this

notice

446,

no

and

further

discoveries
with

its better

11th

Sec

and

government

":S.I".D.

August

him

1669.

needful
to

are

The

undated

rough

draft

'.

call

on

agree
he
as

Within
a

Court
ways

propose,

April 1669.
subjoined
this letter by tho

document
of

to assist

such

shall

(1668-9),p. 280, 16th

("'. /'. Duiii. Car., ii.,264(25*)) is the

Officers.

him, but

when

given by him, they

to advise

case.

to obstruct

SIR

184

being instructed
return

for

that

Council

the

to

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

and

purpose,

or

of

Secretary

he

is

required

State

to

account

an

of

proceedings therein '. This letter is accompanied by a

in Williamson's
note
handwriting to the effect that the Act
for Regulating the Press
be supplied
has defects which
may
by orders given to the Stationers
Company, who oppose the
proceedings of the Surveyor of the Press ; if they will be
obstinate,they should be reported to the King and Council '.
In other words, the hopeful experiment associated
with
the names
of Mearne
and
Norton
has already failed,and
from
this letter we
date
of L'Estrange as
the intrusion
of the
of
Court
representing the King in the Councils
therefore
Stationers *. We
are
prepared for those stormy
'

in that

scenes

It

is

well

known

matters, there
to

which

Court

besmirched

him

interest

the

in

the

present

could

business
Charles

rouse

to have

seem

in

libels which

foul

The

Court,

eightyears.

next

indolent

things which

interest.

and

the

however

that,
certain

were

effective

most

characterise

had
this

awakened

case.

spring
followingyear (1670) the Surveyor,
various
inspiredby this fresh authority,submitted
plans for
reform
of bye-laws to be passed by the
to take
the form
In the

Stationers'

I. The

of the

Court2.
old

bond

of

"300

be

to

strictlyand

generally

enforced.
II. Loss of interest in the

of
any
forfeiture for offence.

the

right to print
III. All

'foreigners'to
At the
Company.

of himself, added

printing certain
In

April3

these

of

19th
1

Law

proposals,and

sure

his

May

Mr
to

seems

the

the

same

personal request

See

referred

Short

1663.

Rivington, 1903.
May 1670, pp. 227-8.
to a reproachful letter
Officers)are annexed
3
Ibid., 21st April 1670, p. 175.
Report
how
was
legally to force ' foreigners to take

to

1403-1903, by C.
~

C.S.P.D.,

grant of

well
to

His

on

the

This

to make

as

Arlington
demands,

Stationers
does

not

Worship/id Company

on

we

Company
seem

to

be

of Stationers,

R.

19th

'

be done.

as

wrote

monograph
from
the

Accoxoit

them

above.

to

of

for

papers.
officers had
reported favourably on

C. R. Riviugton in his beautiful

date
the Surveyor's intrusion

correct, however.

is the

bills and

to

letter

loss of the

Company's book,

supplement
grant, L'Estrange

new

and

subject to the rules of the

time Roger, always mindful

be

stock

Company's

proposals (approved by the Law

Arlington by L'Estrange.
and
The
Finch.
of Palmer
problem
This report said it might
the bond.

The

STATE

note, have

in

to

the

taken

to

represent the

it

King

the

was

Stationers.
he

had

for

the

seen

be
year
may
of his pretensions,

credit

at

supersessionin the
Government
rely first

year

lowest

of

had

Court

for

of the

Plague,

messengers
and
remodelled

the

appealed to, whilst

been

the

the

on

Stationers

the

Press, then

his

same

mark

water

with

Surveyor

Lastly all having failed,

halting fashion.
turned
King personally alarmed, the secretaries
the only man
who
had even
momentarily succeeded

called
the

again

the

of

185

together

Since his

loyalisedin 1668,
and

high

moment

clearing the

was

October

HOUSES
taken

swollen, and

somewhat

letter

as

PRINTING

THE

OF

to

back

in

in this diilicult work.

We

should

note

L'Estrange's
point of

the

new

view

as

shown

in

the

of

elements

from

case

letters of this

these

year.
in

First, despitethe insincere attempt made

to oust

Cabal

August 1668
the interlopers which
resolved
itself merely into a
that
and even
againstthe poorest and meanest
printers,
"

unsuccessful

the

"

trades

both

of

and

Printer

Bookseller

by deserters from other trades and people

like the haberdashers
were
adding to their business by a cheap
line in Church
books.
These
not
being members
persons,
of the Stationers Company, were
not subject to its rules and
penalties.
now
Secondly, the libellous printersand booksellers were
again overrun

were

studied
Press

in

the

Act.

They

by

made
of

treatment

then

was

it

the

out

Charta

Magna

much

to

of

The

the

turbed
dis-

attitude

of

offence

summary
these
of

masque
the
Nation

no-popery
popular in

of the

when

the

adopt

the

becoming vastly

failures

the

Warrant.

impossible
under

and

case

Search

1661-4, for

cloaked

was

of

bawled

now

General

Parliament

wares

niceties

which
and

Parliament.

Again
reckon

there

were

the

Stationers

with.

and

their

hostilityto
Eoyston's from

warrants
By their various
Morrice, Roycroft's and Norton's
as
King's Printers, etc.
all that the Surveyor attempted, and that
they circumvented
for a seizure was
made
was
impossible
secrecy which
necessary
"

"

while

these

trade

of

men

sent

round

their

emissaries

to

warn

the

and
under
their
approaching search
even
warrant
wrested
the messengers' seizures and carried them
to Stationers
Hall, when
they might be secretlyreturned to
the owner
sold by themselves.
or
"

an

"

186

SIR
The

Men

and

Bishops

like

ROGER

Parker

L'ESTRANGE

their

issued

for Bibles

number

of

and

In

the

contrary

were

of

cover

to the

meeting

the

by the Fire, set up

dashers
encouraged the haber-

created
and

books.

multiplicityof authority
pointed out
injurious to

since

blame.

to

were

"

was

the

as

"

real hold

any

Press.

L'Estrange
the King

move

Psalters

same

word, the

Surveyor long
on

under

and

irregularbooksellers

to sell the

too

which

licenses

patent-rightsof others,
demand

nominees

Court

was

emboldened

now

rescind

to

of Aldermen

these

ask

to

various

Arlington
and

authorities

to

the

in the
subject all irregular persons
trade to the rules of the Company
1.
It is significantthat
there
is no
suggestion here of
That
reducing the Trade to the limits set by the Statute.
hopeless attempt is,however, to be made again in 1672.
But the first condition
is to get the
of a purified Press
haberdashers
prohibited from dealing in books.
They cut
of sweated
Printers
of pirated
number
a
pricesand maintain
Hall itself are numerous
booksellers
copies. At Westminster
the most
who, though under
no
government, spread abroad
rule of the Press
is possible whilst
No
dangerous wares.
these men
elude
the law, and
the lopping of the Bishop's
licensingprivilegesis the first step towards a remedy.
it is only a
Thereafter
of bye-laws for the
matter

Stationers, and

to

in

the

of

event

quarter, of renewing their Charter

Crown's

the

In
them

refractoriness

any

such

on

terms

in
to

as

that

secure

interest.

the
case
any
to their senses.
it

Meanwhile

is

is calculated

Warranto

Quo

interesting

the

note

to

to

bring

Surveyor's

personal demands.
'

The

which

it would
which

charges
"200

charge

constant

are

be the work
amounts

more

year
Newsbooky and

am

all such

their

report have

salary

Proposed

letter

155, 19th May

1670.

to

deputy

rather

as

of

and

coach, without

porter than
and

year,

occasion

the

requires.

gentleman,
contingent
a

am

allowed

Arlington for his interest in

assured
by him, that your Majesty
privilegeof sole printing as Counsel
already stated you may lawfully do ;

Lord

by

me

less

"200

to

or

grant

moderate

of

is
the

added, sufficient
Court

of

Alderman.

to

secure

S. P.

Bom.

the
will

by
if

competent

Car., ii.,275, No.

SIR

188

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

with
the rambling title,
L'Estrange at Smith's
press
Neither
Thai
Temporalitiesnor Tithes is due to the Bishops,
etc. \ and
inciting the Lords Temporal to take away their
it '"forthe defence and
use
benefitof the
property and
and
the
the
(a practice)proved
Kingdom
reliefof
poor,
the
laws
and
by
practiceof 20 Kings of England, Judah,

by

authors

and

France, and

also

the

excellent

Majesty '.

that

Kings most
the King in

his

attitude

not

have

been

then

this

from

averse

for

account

may

120

by

the

There

is

the

Church,

to

to

evidence

might

ingenious proposal, which

that

fact

besides,dedicated

the

dauntless

Frank,
House,

between
though harassed
L'Estrange and Lambeth
and
in custody,
kept undischarged for 20 weeks 2,sometimes
and
sometimes
at liberty,to his real charge and
damage
'

'

least "605

at

last

at

was

suffered

remain

to

in

peace.
the
amongst

illustrate

To

the

Printers

we

cannot

Streater

and

Smith

Streater
and

when

arrest
*

he

20

of his

one

to

that

by

compositors
with

go

such

freeborn

were

5.

ivarrant

of them, in

with

was

the

and

attitude

of

engaged
Grover

an

uproar
subjectsand

The

False

Shepherd,
attempted to

constable

the whole

James

amongst
audacious, fell into

they

True

who

and

him,

cite

persecutors.
The

wrote

whom

most

with

their

to

than

better

L'Estrange'sdeputy

persons,

out

do

actually

refused

were

spirit prevalent

new

constable

the work

on

of

company
and
and
not

'6,

above
Carr4

Jim

began crying
be meddled

to

thereupon charged

his

to assist him, which

Majesty's name,
between
the constable
they refused and thrusting themselves
and his prisoner,the latter made
his escape '.
Smith, we must
remember, was both preacherand printer.
Act
in 1671, I had
Upon the severe
against conventicles
warrants
"140
against me for being taken at several times
I lost my
at religious
shop
protestant meetings, upon which
some

trade

and
1

above
Judex

Hart,

Cobbet's
2

See

C.S.P.D.

"i

The

Hist., iv., app.

Narrative
already

his

Carr

c.

Expurgatorius Anglicanus,

Pari.

'

six months

(1670),p. 322.
whom
Evelyn

pilloriedat Charing

Cross

for

p.

194;

the

is

tract

printed

in

x.

referred

to, chap, iv., 28-9.

Streater
saw
a

himself
was
exempt from
21st December
1667 :
jiilloried

the
'

Act.
saw

one

Carr

libel '.

that these warrants

known
were
to be
Hist., p. 613 : ' It seems
[State Trials, vii., 949, 956]. Possibly they might 'have been
of the Licensing Act, while that was
the words
in force and
justifiedunder
having
been
then
not laid aside '. The lawyers who
in
introduced, were
argued the case
5

Hallam,

against the

Court

the
6

Cons.

Law.

of Common

Narrative

referred

Pleas, 1764, certainlytook

to above.

this

view.

It

is

important

turbulent

in

side

their
the

the

of

from

forced

to

provide
Mr
to

that

the

lucrative
others.

to

and
him

Pepys,
retire

while

with

grant
source

coach

the
of

the

and

him,

and
of

the

line.

recently

papers
and

We

with

reply

Collections

doctrines

these
after

allowance

with

forced

elements

the

Scobel,

that

aspect

Brereton,

to

was

equipage

fighting

to

for

present,

of

again

blank

ransacked

villany

payment

is

Roger
from

the
For

Coke,

Husband

prove

fitful

be

to

on

legal

scrutiny.

L'Estrange

own

conclusion.

power

all

were

their

Ordinances,

and

to

Justice,

closest

lawyers

the

and

when

brief

return

which
rival

might

the

fall

shall

obtained

corresponding

of

spirit
persons.

able

many

struggle,
of

object

this

obscure

quite

enlist

approaching

Constitution,

broadsides

to

189

of

growth
of

part

were

the

of

Mirror

The

the

was

case

the

on

Party

Country

The

of

defiance

the

remark

to

HOUSES

PRINTING

THE

OF

STATE

of

was

to

that

of

Arlington

find,

however,
was

irritation

most

to

VII

CHAPTER

(1672-7)

l'estrange

Surveyor,
1670

l.
of

alarm2.

This

order

that

year

early

had

which

the

gave

Charter

their
the

"

in
and

Law

remember

enforced4.

in

R.

(C.

and

Williams,
(see
2

p.

the

Quo

Warranto

5th

The

the

and

No.
and

issued

See

of
and

63.

the
two

Finch

taken'

P.

only

seems

Slufiom

matter

L'Estrange

deal

Arber,

plead

with

issued

512a.

p.
to

xl.

v.,

xli.).

v.,

Rept.
1677,

with

terms

Warranto

Quo

/agisters,

March
to

"300

strictly

to

p.

year

The

be

came

last

7th

request

own

this

When

they

rs'

their

unlicensed

(1883),

and

loyalty
approved

of

to

was

The

Committee,

their

at

been

(1)

in

renew

over

April

till

263).
69,

p.

Libels

had

proposed.

were

Stationers

(Arber,

Rept.,

to

their

number.

Act

p.

members,

They
that

the

deadlock

the

in

Monopoly.

Law

the

in

dealing

(1908),
1690

9th
the

at

19th.

Bond

Brudenell

required

ii.,

was

with

Rev.

that

power

in

Press

the

pleaded

secure

of Co;/, of Stationers

reversed

was

pt.

instance

ii., 80,

Hist.

effrontery

connection

John

326)

up'

their

offering

which

Warrantos

Quo

'held
Records

Eng.

II.M.C,

had

at

reign
he

Rivington,

him

1684

this

Surveyor,

for

own

desired

Crown

printer

several

"

three

the

in

(2) Any

Thrice

became

the

were

mentioned

the

proposals
of

of

would

as

passed

their

over

them

give

Officers

may

Bond

terms

fortnight

they

19th

notable

proposals

opportunity

an

such

L'Estrange's

the
we

power

Court

Crown

members.

by

sufficient

not

the

on

in

and

time

same

Warranto

within

Surveyor's

the

Quo

the

of

party

Stationers

September,

At

imminent

Council

meetings

the

regulation3.

they

in

the

the

set

the

proposed
by

two

embodying

resolutions
better

issued

committee

now

and

the

to

and

other

was

Stationers

back

convened

which

quarrel

was

libels

"

the

go

They

each

to

the

of

must

we

August
of

heads

the

between

lords'

stationers

fully

understand

To

of

the

and

1670,

( '.S.J'.

have

to

Government.
others
and

enforced

There
not

to

Palmer

(both by

(1670),

I".

been

Members

print

is

and

190

in

grossly

the

on

seditious

reported

451.

p.

of

copy

such

S.

literature.

1670,

'

Foreigners),

that

such

and

seditious,
Bond

I'.
a

by

taken
Jjom.

Bond

Ibid., ii., 274, No.

"

'or.,

may

198.

be

L'ESTRANGE
is

lose

to

(3)
to

his

AND

interest

THE

in

All

STATIONERS

the

booksellers

supernumerary
become
subject to

the

rules

191

Society's common
or
printers,are

either

of

or

the

stock.

Stationers

to

discontinue.
The

last

and

Aldermen,
On
a

of

the

orders

given from
September, as a result
behaviour, the King

20th

of

effected

be

to

was

better

l.

Warranto

Quo

should

act

should

consult

sincerely
with

in

The

of
through the Court
the King to the Bishops.
of the Stationers' promises

ordered

conditions

their

the

withdrawal
that

were

resolutions, and

that

they
they

the

henceforth
to
Surveyor who
was
the
be
the
King's representative in their Courts, with
three
right to have a meeting of the Court called within
days of his notice given. The King as we saw, admitted 2
time
to an
interview, and earnestly
L'Estrange at the same
urged on him the carrying out of these instructions,which
that
had
been
Charles
genuinely alarmed
proves
by the
which
seditious
had
attained.
while,
Meanproportions
printing
the resolutions of the 5th and
19th
September had,
with
various
be
to
additions
into
passed
bye-laws, and
work
the
to
done.
see
L'Estrange was
of vital importance to
Pay being always a matter
the
that
to
note
in January
Surveyor, it is satisfactory
he
in receipt of certain
and
that
was
following
arrears,
his grant of the sole printing of all blank
legal
papers,
and

other,

became
it

remunerative

In

willing

was

indicated

already
shall

advise

seditious

Clauses

for

and
to

H.M.C.,

Quo

for

of

be

9th

shall
of

the

find

such

charter
other

others,

to

as

security of the
scandalous
pamphlets

communicated

to

Rept., pt. ii.,p. 766.

the

Order

King reminded
that
forgotten,

in

the

Clauses

the

on

this grant

grantee.

their

'with

that

annoyance

year (1671)4, the

to have
they seemed

renew

rescinded

Warranto

same

what
to

We

cause

to

of the

August

Stationers

he

'\

considerable

was

the

confirmed

was

Counsel

as

Government
and

Council

L'Estrange undertaking

against

libels, the

Surveyor
of

directions

of

of the

20th

to do

the

Press'.

March
work

said

1670,
by bye-

laws.
-

vi., 174.

"

C.S.P.D.
(1671), p. 35, 21st
Lordship'e particular account
to remind
Requests him
Arlington
of his new
grant, otherwise
His

connection,
*

with

th"'

Ibid., p. 421.

new

supplies.

January
for

months

1671,
to

L'Estrange
the

15th

to

inst.

Richards.

"50.
was
his promise to notify the
Lords
missioners
Comhe fill low his toll on the
papers printed in

of

SIR

192

ROGER

The

proposal of a
made
been
by

first

should

Stationers

the

annexed
that

viz.

Warranto,

Quo

Charter, it should

new

condition

suggestionor

L'ESTRANGE

"

in
the

to

every

be

order

noted, had
evade

to

withdrawal

member

the

of

the

of

the

Stationers

to
recognisances not
print, bind or
book
or
publish any unlicensed
pamphlet'1.
his offer to renew
them
of
The
the
King reminded
and
8th
26th
the
the
Charter
the
on
on
August 1671 2,
the
with
gracious
Company
seeming gratitude accepted
done
the
and
offer.
Thereafter
nothing was
Surveyor
with
the
relapsed into
lessening activity which, what
and
the
Smith
trouble
the
Frank
dispute with Mearne
and
the Rehearsal
more
more
Transprosed^, became
over
the
futile till Arlington's transference
to
post of Lord

into

enter

Chamberlain

in

which

on

the

"

"

had

legal authority

left him

acted, and

who

one

the

even

done

Joseph Williamson,

Sir

injury

withdrew

1674

Surveyor
of

coldness

the

'

him

then

exposed

to

considerable

Principal Secretary

of State.

C.S.P.D,

King is
Surveyor.
The

renew

September,

436-7, 14th

(1670),pp.
to

their patent gratis,but

so

as

and
to

September.
p. 451, 24th
advance
the
of the
power

the
Lord
24th
August the King ordered
See
suppressing interlopers, Ibid., p. 447.
Court
of Aldermen
of the
Order
referring to this injunction and ordering
an
at the expiry of their times,
all apprentices of out-dealers
to take their freedom
in books
used
'and
all lawful
to
to translate
foreigners being dealers
means
the
Stationers
(Notes and Queries, 8th
Coy. '. Ford, Mayor 1671, 1st October
Series, vi., 363).
3 The
of the mind
Rehearsal
Transprosedillustrates more
licensing of Marvell's
examined
book.
that of any other
of the King than
L'Estrange was
by Coventry,
then
stated
that
his
with
this witty libel,and
23rd
January 1673, in connection
drawn
had
to it till the first impression was
attention
not been
selling. Harry
at his shop the
the
Brome
told
him
Ponder
Surveyor and
was
printer and
was
Mearne
seized the second
protected by the same
impression. But Ponder
who
Anglesea told L'Estrange
protected Bagshawe.
Whiggish Earl
Anglesea
Parker
had
done
that the King had
expressed his displeasure at the seizure,for
him
He
directed
done
had
and
this
him
right'.
Roger
man
(Marvell)
wrong,
the
demurred
his Imprimatur at which
work
to lend
the
scrupulous Surveyor
the privity and
men's copies, without
with
other
that ' he did not like to tamper
and
the Surveyor's
allowance
of the author
',but at length agreed. The Warden
clerk
Stationer's
tho
the
but
Tokefield)
both
(Geo.
affixed
to
book,
were
names
excisions
Tho
were
not,
showed
however,
respected
more
obstinacy.
Surveyor's
for
the withdrawal
of his
excuse
an
in the
second
impression, which
gave
of the Stationers
of the arbitrarymethods
Anglesea's resentment
Imprimatur.
2

Ibid-.

Mayor

to

(1671),p.

assist

the

"

On

421.

the

Stationers

in

"

'

is

as

instructive

Rehearsal

as

Parker's

efforts

Transprosed (Marvell's

to

Prose

stop the
Works

sale

of

Marvell's

(1776), ii., 243

See

attacks.
and

269)

and

be noted
that
It should
App. to 4th Rept., p. 234.
Coventry M8S., H.M.C.,
Mearne
charged L'Estrange before the Lords' Libels Committee, 6th April 1677,
'and
pretended
with
saying that he had the King's order for licensingthe work
he had
'. II.M.C,
His Majesty when
other
none
pt. ii.,9th Rept.,
orders from

78b.

OI.H
\

II M

ST.
"I

llll

PAUL'S.
in

usH

| |.|;s

[Face p.

1Q2.

stated

claims

their

have

we

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

194

the

to

privilegeof Printing,

Printers, including
thirty Master
Rawlins, Winter, and Darby, three out of the four printers
be
to
noted
in 1668
proceeded
supernumeraries and
as

by

of

out

ten

some

'

the

against at
in

that

the

still retained

right or

the

father

from

set

to

power

print

license

to

to

by deed

for

example

the

Fire', Thos.

son

of

one

the

up
could
of

Master

be

this

list

bargain,

who

whom

Printer, but

transferred

gift or

Printers

Childe, and

from

Downing, Printer
Archbishop of Canterbury

the

Oxford,

of

learn

of Wm.

that

case,

one

University

the

to

least

at

We

assizes'.

next

we

was

note

not

only

but

that

'disabled

by

those

among

another

Printing House, was

able to
depute his license, or right to print, to Thos.
destined
Bennet, who set up in his stead, while Childe (still
for
do
Ratcliffe, Nat
to
good Whiggish work) worked
Thompson's partner K
could
still set
journeymen
Further, it is clear that
find
without
for themselves
consulting anybody2. We
up
were
Robert
journeymen
Battersby and Henry Lloyd who
in
1670.
into
1668
in
partnership
an
entering
uneasy
3 the
Stationers
Two
presented another list of
years later
it appeared
to the Secretaries,by which
the Printing Houses
reduced
to 23 (not including
had
been
that the numbers
list of
those
who
the
usual
the King's Printers), with
into
force.
the Act
since
had
came
set up
Darby and
take
much
It does
not
there.
Rawlins
penetration to
are
found

had

who

work

at

'

'

is interesting. He served
a
for Ireland, was
King's Printer
and
In
the
he
1667
free
City, 6th April 1666.
made
year
Company
'
The
in
1662.
said
actual
master
of
widow
an
the
printer
married
Ralph Wood,
Act made
in 1662,
since indicted
the form
of an
some
Winter
was
John
upon
years
issued
he
said indictment
was
by the King's
which
acquitted of by Non-Process
learn
that
he 'served
Of Darby we
an
Attorney-General, Sir Geoffrey Palmer'.
and
this
Mr
free
of
made
Peter
with
was
Cole,
City in
Company
apprenticeship
in 1665, and
hath
widow
Dover's
kept a Printing House
the year 1660, married
1

The
of

term

ever

of the

career

ten

years
of the

with

Popish

Printer

Wm,

Bladen

since

'.

Note

the Caveat, April 1676, that

to

the

Master, Wardens,

John

Winter

sometime

no

one

is to set up

Printing House

etc., of Stationers, S. P.

l)om.

without

Car., ii.,

given
Entry Book 45, No. 23.
with
3 C.S.P.D.
If we
this survey
1675.
(1675-6), p. 43, 29th March
compare
find that Flesher
and
Purslow
have
left their
that of July 1668 (chap, vi.,178) we
and
Coe have
to their widows, Wocombe
disappeared, and Lilliecrap
businesses
old
the
Stationers
new
out
was
an
offender). Only one
been
(he
by
bought
set up
(marked
master
printer is introduced, and of the old seditious group
Rawlins, Darby, Winter, Okes, the two latter are
contrary to the Act '),viz. :
tion.
with
out
for destrucfirst
the
two
are
while
still,
eight others, marked
deceased,
series of Constitutional
shall find them
We
busy shortly with the remarkable
find in Dunton's
we
Libels. Rawlins
gallery(Life and Errors (1818),p. 251),

notice

'

"

that the

perfunctory,and
the merest

was

STATIONERS

periodicalvisitations

these

perceive that

THE

AND

L'ESTRANGE

There

pretence.

of the

of the

maintenance

195

Press

were

legalnumber

23

books of the period

many
included
in the legal 23,

are

neither
printers'names,
the chargeable supernumeraries. At any rate the supernor
numeraries
harassment
rooted out.
were
never
beyond some
his
determined
With
the fall of Arlington,
successor
in connection
of the
with
memories
with
rankling sore
the Newsbooh, to do without
L'Estrange's services as much
as
possible1. Accordingly, though in February 1674-5 the
a
latter was
Secretary's Licenser 3 the
reappointed as
wholly dependent
Surveyorship having no legalauthority was
Secretary'sgeneral search warrant
on
a deputation of the
the effronterya year later, in concert
had
with
Williamson
the
Stationers that 'we
are
Secretary Coventry, to warn
of
the
that
out
Press
informed
come
daily many
things
licensed
be
to
deriving their authority
by some
pretended
to
from
one
deputed no
they have
', and that
serve
us
that he had withdrawn
in this capacity 8. This may
mean
but
on
L'Estrange's Licensership since February 1674-5
out bearing Roger's license 4.
the other hand, books still come
three days after the above
On 6th February 1675
warning
Williamson
of the
Oldenburg, 'one
appointed Henry
License
5.
Oldenburg's experience as a
Deputies of my
for
find him
29th April
Licenser
we
on
was
very short-lived,
what
he
of the same
regards and what all
year resigning
did
literature
of general
Licensers
regard as an intolerable
this point is interestingas
His
burden.
testimony on
all
of
writers, that even
competent
confirming the views
admitting the general necessity of a licensingsystem, it
which

bear

"

"

'

'

"

"

"

'

"

"

would

difficult at

be

work

L'Estrange,

as

real check

was

and

if not,

paying him
L'Estrange to

And

Roger

arriere due

'

an

(being "250
Arlington was
allowed

me

out

to

as

the

to

Licenser, if conscientious,
of

amount

literature

produced,

useless.
i". I'.

17th

/'

"-.

Car., ii., 432, No.

September

2, is a letter from
1683, explaining that there is

His

which

removed

devoted

so

in lieu of the Xeiabook

Majesty upon an allowance
till my
paid me
by His Majesty's order
Lord
and
"100
above
1674), over
a
(29th March
more
year
then
till 1683
be has only
profits of the Gazet '. From

from

me

year)
of

little.

Jenkins,

men

was

"910.

bad
-

"

:;
Ibid. (1675-6), p. 640, 3rd February 1676.
(1673-5),p. 571.
1676
13th
he
April
example on
Oldenburg resigned on the 29th

I'.S.r.D.
For

"

the

Ad

of
period.

Proposal*
for
Imprimatur during the whole
s
S. P. Lorn. Car.,ii.,Case F.,

licensed
his

than

find

to

that

the

on

worse

time

any
and

'

No.

73.

"

Trade

and

Mtremrius

Libraritu

bears

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

196

of the wits of the Royal Society,

a
one
Oldenburg was
who
laboured
under
double
the
foreigner by extraction,
suspicionof being a republican and a foreignspy \ suspicions
him
of loyal protest could
amount
that no
off,and
purge
which
to have
Licensers,
clung to all the Restoration
seem
Bohun.
That
Williamson
and
used
including L'Estrange
him
so
freely to translate despatches and to help in the
is perhaps sufficient to belie such
Newsbook
a
suspicion,
have
found
that
he
to
like Bohun
but
anything to do
sufficient
After
offence.
this unpopular office,was
with
complaining that he is the victim of those quos fidis causis
doubts
opprimcre innocentes Juvat,and who have insinuated
in the Secretary'sbreast,
of his loyalty to the Government
of the English Ministry
despitehis so frequent commendation
and
both
to natives
foreigners(as is well attested by 'our
him
of 'a partial
the name
friend Mr
Boyle') as to earn
'

Englishman

continues

he

besides

But

'

this consideration

of

further

have

account,

anxious

from

(Williamson)

freeingyou

allege,that

to

I do, yet certainly

as
now
resigned so soon
and the vast
of
of the employment
tenderness
expense
what
at first I imagined would
it requires above
ere

should
the
time

constrained

have

ease

before

studies

laborious

and

nice

so

please universally
performance
thoughts with my
difficult to

As

his

experience

Those

of

such

books,

exception of

that

unhappy

of

'

He

the

Masson,

was

always remembered

Royal Society

as

Life of Milton,
the
Society.

in

and

He

was

is

the

before

romance'2

Notes

other
it is
own

my

this office,

testium

has

he
in

came

as

in

to

mille

me

care

by Wren,

spy '.
iv.,625-b".
a

reference

whole

and

his

loco'.

rejected more

he did license. Williamson

books
the

preferring

with

satisfied

am

Licenser, he

as

already approved. On
'has taken
more
pains

that

must

task, wherein

is to

of conscience

allowed.

has

he

than
he

to

clearness

which

surrendered, who

genius and temper

the compliance

and

mind

his

of

have

to

me

be of the

myself to

declare
the

have

not

long

had

thought upon this

though perhaps I

"

persuaded
perusal of
him

than

Hooke, Boyle, and

Queries, Second
remembered

also

that
siderable
con-

with

the

perhaps

any-

"

the

other

Series,
as

very

Fellows
vi.

369.
,

capable

official of
2

S. P.

Car., ii. 381 (33). The

Dom.

told him

it would

Dutch

view

search

for

Romance

was

Tamerlaine, printed in
to Oldenburg
Bentley went

Roy

of

not

Charles

it,22nd

be

Holland,
to

Licensed

IL's

amours.

April 1676.

have
'.

author,
the

one

book

C. S.P.J).

L'Estrange

Hattigeor
Bromont.

again,

which

(167C-7),
p.
is directed

Les
'

he

80.

Amours

du,

Last

Saturday
refused, but
a
Hattige was

by Williamson

to

has

who

one

he

Finally

begs

termination
lack

not

of

The

Williamson

it is true

to

said,

the

it to

actuated
been
have
by some
may
But his granting it immediately to

and

of

the

calling in

of

time

time

warrants

the

until

to

secretarial

such

all

interval, and
from

who

Surveyor

special warrant

his

save

Libels

Lords'

still

addressed

"

Stationers

the

naturally aroused the

had
expressly demanded

great Patentees

certain

to

fall of

the

constitutional

Arlington
qualms.

office

an

Williamson

Secretary,and
Surveyor after

of the

hands

renew

time,

That general
Secretary'swarrant.
itself greatly questioned on legal

became

in the

grounds even
in refusing

been

has

it

was,

the

dependent entirelyon

speedy
of

lack

to

years.

many
the

loyalty.

efficiencyor

Surveyorship

warrant

due

Licensership is

his

of

province these
that
to give out

that

sustained

197

STATIONERS

THE

AND

L'ESTRANGE

the

In
he

Committee,

was

directed

"

by

books, but

for certain

search

to

the

own.

Surveyor

as

ment
resent-

this
occasional
general warrant
against the Stationers'
It was
useless.
then, during L'Estrange's
authority was
Mearne
and
that
the
Roycroft exercised
loyal
impotence,
the

greatest

King's
It

be

may

"

but

the

in

not

Licensing

Bill

all houses

down

sent

by

aroused

was

the

in

Lords

provided drastic clauses for

whatsoever
on
suspicion of any such

1675, because

breaking

ire

Marvell's

that

remembered

severe

November
'

Press

the

over

interest.

the

by

tyranny

it

Marvell, Master
L'Estrange's
pamphlet ', whereby, adds
much
amplified,to search any other House
authority was
l.
with
the same
liberty as he had Sir Thos. Doleman's
in the great
Bill was
the result of feelingaroused
This
session 1675
by such things as the Letter from a Person of
formed
the
to
At
Committee
Quality, already noticed2.
'

'

consider

Lords'

405, 17th

p.

this and

be

"

the

of the

forerunner

great

Journals, xiii.,20; Commons'

Journals,ix.,378; C'.S.P.D. (1675-6),
Doleman
was
November
Roger's father-in-law, Sir Thos.
(?) 1675.

groat Whig.

'to

libels

other

See

damasked'.

the

his

work

8th

April 1682

on

Council, he did his best to excuse

Trial
(State Trials, vii., 656-7).
be
daughter, Ann
Doleman, must

1679-80, ordered
by the Primate
to the
Clerk
As
lv.).
(Arber, Registers,
v.,
Succession

Oates'
The

halting testimony
date

guessed

of
from

at

the

Wakeman

L'Estrange's marriage
the

fact

that

it

was

to
a

his
case

of 'an
Litter of Libels,
old fellow
Whole
lasse' (Answer in a
marrying ;i young
born
Marvell's
Good
jest
(1680), pp. 2, 6) and that his tirst son was
Friday 1678.
its point from
takes
somewhat
the
Whiggish slander that Roger's wooing was

violent.
-

in

Hart

(Zndtr,

p. 206) says

it

it, it is impossibleto discover.

was

the

work

of

Locke, but

what

share

he

had

Libels

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

198

which

Committee,

immediately

sat

Prorogation L'Estrange'sgeneral
was
produced, but Roger informed
"

had

no

office'.

He

he

'

such

Arlington
Lordships that
of
out
Arlington went
to
by the Committee

and
his suggestionsfor the
new
lay before them
Bill contemplated. These
(1) The
suggestions1are:
'libel'

term

should

is notorious

that

extend

not

in

one

long-

their

invited

thereupon

was

the

from

warrant

Lord

since

power

after

to

written

40

libels

legal

'because

matter

it

Press,

to

comes

ever

severe

well

nigh as public'.
though by the help of MS., they are
libels
a
general warrant
(2) For the suppression of printed
from the King in Council, such as he formerly had would
admitted
suffice him.
the Stationers
were
they
(3) When
in Hall
to have
nothing to do
might be obliged tc swear
notice
with
libels,and (4) The harbouring of libels without
taken
to be
as
particeps
given to a Justice of the Peace
his old Proposals
words
criminis.
In other
he reiterated
1662.

of

head

coming to a
following (1676) 2,
was

notice

second

referred

nuisance

The

to

his

Coffeehouse-men

the

the

close, and

first
In

months.

these

in

in

to

January
to

were

Gazet

is

proposal

voluble

get

the

on

the
of
Department
it soon
Newsletter
and
appeared that in new
was
over,
than
carrier of sedition
hands
it was
better
loyalty3.
a
That
in the
Keeper North
Life of the Lord
passage
dealing with the Press, although in the latter part dealing
to
the situation
on
with
in 1680-1, being expresslytacked
take
to refer to
trouble
of 1676, we
the coffee-house
may
Muddiman's

subject.

reign

the

in

session.

this

As

'

the

to

of

business

lies

libels ', says

intolerable nuisance
and

North

4,

to the
an
days were
Court, especiallyfinding that the community of gentle and
that there
simple strangely ran in with them ; it was moved
and
Press
of the
be more
spies, who
should
messengers

'

which

in

(Cons. Hist.,

Jiallam

the

matter

'29th

till 25th

many

of

ch.

xiii.
,

Proclamations.

December

second
*

9th Rept., pt. ii.,66"i and

E.M.C.,

those

See

1675.

Proclamation
June
1676.

The
the

permitted
Lives

See

but
monopoly was
gone,
competitors. See p. :"28.
Lives of the Norths, i., 198-9.
His

h.

427) praises Charles

order
first peremptory

Oauset under
them

of

to

the Norths

his

date.

continue

letters

On

under

II. 's
to

moderation
close

8th January
recognisances

in

is dated

1676
a
"500

of

(1890),i., 197.
continued

till the

Revolution

amid

M.
Bcljame (Xe Public
Exwmen, pp. 138-141.
in his excellent
1881),
(1660-1744),Paris,
Angteterre
and
chapter on Coffee-houses
Newspapers (pp. 172-4) perhaps infers too much
to the Newsbook.
from the fact that Pepys makes
very infrequent reference
*

et les Hommes

de

lettres

en

"

"

L'ESTRANGE

His

committed.

like
printed speech, however, ran
wildfire through the nation, warning the people that their
The
at stake.
of
liberties were
at the bottom
Papists were
their miseries, 'wicked, hellish
instruments, hired to fire
Credit
houses'.
was
our
destroyed as the result of the
merchant
closing of the Exchequer 1671-2, 'no
knowing
'.
is
his
where
Trade
to put
impoverished through
money
in
that
times
France
French
'we
ten
our
tariffs,so
spend
the
and
become
of
must
France,
we
King
English revenue,
his slaves,as the Egyptians more
selves
excusably yielded themfor bread'.
to Pharaoh
Religion is going, and the
is a papist1.
presumptive heir to the Crown
be
This
regarded as alarming
eruption of what
may

Jenks

ROGER

SIR

200

sedition

by

happily

back

very bitter attack

Surveyor,3rd June, which

the
on
person
latter's
the
illustrates

of

profit. Besides
severity,this document

sources

and
charge of extortion
charges L'Estrange with the more
impossible crime of favouring the
old

the

L'Estrange

despite a

unknown

some

call

to

that

fighting line,and

the

into

Williamson

determined

serious

and

first

at

L' Estrange, addressed

Complaint against Roger

Williamson, 3rd

sight

fanatics.

June

to

2.

1676

(After referringto L'Estrange'slucrative grant of 1671

side
of the sole right in all blank
printed on one
papers
all legal and formal
documents
touched
only, a grant which
which

from

and

writer

free 3, the

it

the

seems

proceeds :

"

King's

Customs

not

were

that
well
by one
of L'Estrange'spretensions,to be
the illegality
understood
for
who
did perform the same
done for 8s. 6d. the ream
to an
they came
Upon which
agreement
some
years after.
to do by his pretended
for a pension, induced
with him
so

the

'At

Speech,followed

Jenks'

July.
search,
the Rye
with
loud, indiscreet, but
leaders, Buckingham
9th

to

C.S./'. J).

new

that

:!

See letter
'

it

by Jcnfo, his Case, for

(1676-7),p. 215.

House
sincere

affair

and

person.

especially,

were

were

rate

to

seems

It

is

which
Jenks
have

L'Estrange
was

been

in

altogether

important to note
of applauding

accused

ordered

was

examined
that
Jenks'

the

nection
con-

rather

Whig
action.

381 (252).
the
L'Estrange, 21st January, 1671 (quoted p. 3, note) in which
exaction
the
in
of
such
of
as
a
above,
anticipation
charge
suggests
the
not to exceed
limited by the reams,
so
well if the price were
as

S. J'. Dow.

Patentee

offered

was

C.S.J'. I).

(1676-7),
p. 352.
Car., a.,

ordinary

it

time

same

of

of the

King's Printers

'.

interest

and

Court

at

the

to

To

THE

his

aforesaid

which

others

many

considered.

be

to

are

out

....

(3) Quacks Bills and Books

(4) Ballads, for licensingthese when
hath but 18d. for his pains-

(5) For

winking

the

at

The

last

(but

such

poet

poor

of

spawn

conformity
non-

......

least)his seizingarbit- \
of fact the goods f
contrarily to his
pre- (

the

not

act

as

For

power.
licensingall books
for all

And

'

hath

He

in

for all

value

new

10

new

books

above

10 sheets

will appear
to be :
First, his illegalassuming power, which by Law
and
of
vested
right solely appertaining to the
"

of

Majesty, Secretary
Heralds

Bishops

incapable by

only
King's
Intelligence,

of

Law

to

pretensions
News

When

from

he

was

Societyevery

and

History

he

any
Press

of

these

and

the

to

more

terrified

hath

of the
for

Press

many

2 sheets

1663

grant

gave

him

the

he

years

had
100

good

but

the

taken

as

and

use

this, that

printer

poor

single-sheet,No.

(an ephemeral

-oppressor
Year's
Day

no

As

concerns.

by
and

1, 27th January 1881).

a

bribe

from

certain

guineas'.

all narratives
not
exceeding
Sale Bills,
Bills,
Quacksalvers
play-bills,
and
forms
the sole right of printing all blank
side of the papers.
His
printed on only one
'pension', mentioned
above, by
MSS.
to the
Revolution.
with
the Customs
agreement
was
paid down
of Lords
(Reports,
Commissioners,27, p. 416) an item of expenditure of the Excise Office,
for Coffee, Nowspapers,
1691, for two and a half years past. To the Door-keeper
Gazettes "nd letters; to Sir Roger L'Estrange and other incidents
"548, T_'s.10V1.
-

The

New

the

amounts

Parnassus
Arch

manage

of

management
service
therein, it

'

for

Heraldry, to the Judges for Law, to

for Divinity and
Canterbury and London
of these, is
Mr
L'Estrange being none

his

such

State

is

for

miscellanies, and
to

his

understand

that

whereof, if impartiallyviewed,

consideration

; the

those

to

strange

the

sheet

is equal
speeches that his concern
of Mr
Secretary of State's. The
vogue
in
his pretended merits
conquests, and
of surveying
of his present employment

the result

the

sheet

Is. per
Is. per

in

out

Press, appears

to

sheet

Is. per

the

constitution

sheets
.

management

the

reprinted

under

L'Estrange's late
the

to be

books

given
to

considerable

'

tended

And

Vastly

conviction

rarily without
of

the

numerous

books

(7)

exactions

of Stationers
by Contract
Company
of the English Stock1
besides presents
the Play-Houses

(2) From

(6)

annual

numerous

the

From

(1)

his

201

advantage
disso
illegalPatent
oppressive to the subject.

and

Crown
added

be
may
those
among

these

STATIONERS

AND

L'ESTRANGE

monopoly

of

'

mercuries, documents,
That
of 1671
Advertisements, etc'
of paper,

"

"

"

SIR

202
booksellers

desires

who

but

escape
'For

have

for

his

able to

own

hath

exacted

censure1.
he

service

directions

for

by

not

but

annum,

that

5s.

ream

per
for His

for

printed
Majesty's
as
collectingHis Majesty's Customs,
getting the Hearth
Money and Excise, and

immediate

be

been

satisfyhis avaricious
private gains suffers the rich to

not

many
years
whatsoever
everything

this

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

such

content, but

jure

quo

was

for

hath

this

thousand

many
been

done

reams

per

rationally

may

considered.
It is

'

of Excise paid 17s. 6d. per

grantedthe late Farmers
that part of His
ream
according as His Majesty paid when
Revenue
was
managed by Commissioners
notwithstanding 2.
'

The

seventh

Clause

of

this

indictment

the

taking of
fees
for
if true
not
was
distinctly
licensing books
In
the
which
of Reprints,
case
required a new
illegal3.
license (one of the
objections often quoted against the
Imprimatur) the busy Stationer preferred to compound with
the licenser, and
for ordinary books, the slipping of
even
a
guinea into his hands, \vTas notoriously said to satisfy
the
all sources
from
it appeared that
Surveyor. But
of his old and
new
L'Estrange was
by means
grants levying
tribute
form
of the Stationary trade.
conceivable
on
every
As
of nonconto the
formity
licensing of 'the numerous
spawn
that
matter
was
including Papist books
yet
"

"

'

"

For

example

an

3rd January
class

"

1676-7.

Hattige
having notice, turned
same

as

of his
A

called
the

high-handed

bookseller

had

conduct

Zigliac Amores,
man

out

of hia

and

shop

S. P.

see

received

from
the
for

Horn.

Oar.,ii.,390 (9)

Amsterdam

Ecole

several

des

Filles.

hours.

book

of the

L'Estrange

It is difficult

to

of
II., or the Duke
against public morals, Charles
It
is
that
in
who
had
unlicensed
the
forfeit
of
wares.
singular
York,
foreign
book
this reign Hart
(Quaker and his
{Index Exp., p. 195) could only find one
there
arc
as
Maid) prosecuted for pure indecency ; for blasphemy,
more,
Hindmarsh's
Paternoster
1681
(Index, 262).
Presbyterian
2
under his grant of 1671 as being printed on only one
side of the
This
came
in
1662
vexatious
denied
to
106)
a
(chap,
L'Estrange
v.,
monopoly
paper
enjoyed by Symcock at the beginning of the Civil Wars and complained of by the
Petition of that year so
Stationers
in 1628
and
Printers
See the
again in 1641.
In 1678
similar
referred
4th
often
to.
to
a
H.M.O., Appendix
Rept., p. 21.
and
made
Wm.
Paston
to
'except all matter
(Earl of Yarmouth)
grant was
aforesaid
by us granted to Roger L'Estrange Esq.' (S. /'.
things of the nature
Dom.
Booh 1, No. 5J,contested
Oar., ii.,Warrant
by printer Darrel, 1. Jac. 2 in
B. R.
See Viner, Abridgment, viii.,208.
:) He
exacted
before
the Libels
a
1677, that he never
swore
Committee, March
his demands
in 1661-2
It may
be remembered
that
for licensing books.
penny
Is. per
sheet
for
H.M.C.,
included
book
licensed.
pt. ii., 9th Rept.,
every
the
Commons
In
Press
79a.
the
their
to
Act,
1695,
objections
renewing
p.
Licenser's cxhorbitancies, Lords'
that the Act
did
limit
the
not
specially noted
Journals, xv., 5456.
say

whether

"

the

offence

was

AND

L'ESTRANGE
before

to

come

be

said

here

in 1666

had

his

Libels

the

that

than

Committee,

Committee

Catholic

of

of

him

of

books

in

already acquitted

great seizures

STATIONERS

THE

the

the

Commons

the

the

monopoly

in

great and

one

of

held

reselling
of anti-

moment

estimate
above, and
per ream
difference
perhaps be taken
may

later

need

more

charge

6d.

8s.

no

If

frenzy succeeding

the

and

Fire1.

Catholic

203

accept the

we

17s.

the

as

6d.

value

paid,
his

of

public department.

The

the printed
complaints does not mention
Professor
Catalogue of books {Mercurius Librarius),which
the name
of Term
Arber
has reprinted under
Catalogues.
1671-6,
During the years of L'Estrange's'late conquests ',i.e.,
find in these
were
Catalogues,which
directly under
we
evidence
the
damning
Surveyor's management2, some
Clavell's
of
Printer
either
carelessness, or
L'Estrange's
venality in passing the very type of libel he denounced.
could
for such
cretions,
indisClavell, of course,
always be blamed
the Surveyor could always plead
and
at any
rate
haste, or indisposition.
worry,
it is certain
that
in
that as it may,
Be
July of this
him
to approach the Stationers
year, the Secretary directed
and
insist
the
on
once
more
long delayed bye-laws.
would
in a few
months.
Parliament
meet
Already, what
held
with
Jcnks'
at
Speech and Accounts
of the Folkmote
in a very excitable condition, while
Guildhall
the City was
the libels of the previous year, Locke's
(?) Letter from
Naked
Person
Truth,
a
of Quality,Croft's and Hickeringill's
3
in
still
Marvell's
Divine
Mode
and
were
turning the
people'sheads with rebellious thoughts against both Church
There were
of more
and State.
rumours
dangerous libels newhatched
by the leaders and lawyers of the Country Party.
of

author

these

H.M.G., ibid.,p.

rs

(pp. 6-7)
the

that
the

power

79b.

The

in the

editor

L'Estrange

'held

situation

conferred

the

of

Catalogueof

Library, 1865,

Bodleian
the

office
on

Licenser

of

him

remarks

in

of the

opposition

the Hope
in

to

Press
the

Collection

ignorant

an

and

note

directed

intriguesof

the

Papists'.
lias scarcely given L'Estrange tho place which
Professor
Arber
was
really his
in this publication. In the first place from
lettor
of Arlington's (S. /'. Dom.
a
that the originalidea was
ii.,274 (5))it appears
his, and the quarrel between
-

..

Starkcy and Clavell for the printing of it,merely a printer'squarrel.

books
no
of many
doubt, the busy Surveyor left the consideration
The

appearance

of

Mercury) in 1668,
replace
gives him

to
Dunton
3

the

arius

.'/

marks

forfeited

New

high
the
Surveyor
a

Warrant
to
C.S.P.D.
(1676-7),p. 51.

and

the

L'Estrange'seagerness

to

book
use

search

practice

to Clavell.

Adverti.-cnients

of
his

monopoly

( 'lavcll became

(Lifeand

character

to

In

(The

of advertisements

great bookseller

and

Errot,207).

for

these

libels

29th

March

1676.

SIR

204
mouth

ROGER

after

L'ESTRANGE

the

referred to,
City midsummer
uproar
L'Estrange on the 14th July l appeared at the Stationers'
Court
and
proposed his two new
bye-laws, the substance of
which

was

I.

"

that

Regulative
"

unlicensed
any
said bye-laws be

conceal
the

of his oath

and

to

to

be

hereof

copy
the

kept

for

view

on

forthwith

for

to

in

to

be

to

interest

such

Societyprint
important

most

"

Mr

Company
of

the

delivered

whereof

The

"

of

freeman
every
with
the oath

all discoveries

forfeitures

thereon

to

printed

purpose
demand
'.

fines and

It

read

that

II. Punitive

work

book, and

be

and

Company

member

no

and

the

of

member

entered

its power

use

taking
printed

every

L'Estrange

'that

"

the

at

or

in

book

is to have

of

Common

inflicting

Stock

and

offences.

need

the
scarcely be pointed out that these are
substance
of his old proposals of 1661-2.
It was
the personal application of these
rules
which
annoyed the Stationers.
They were
quite willing to pass
of pious aspirations to be
general bye-laws of the nature
of unenforced
rules.
We
not
relegated to the mass
are
the
surprised that from this moment
Surveyor's relations
with
the
intolerable.
cordial, became
never
Company,
Whilst
be
assuring him politelythat his proposals would

the chief business

Court

before

withheld

was

the

from

next

him, and

Court

2,the

the

as

date

of

callingof

that

Court

bottle
of
a
over
suddenly decided
wine
taken that
was
by Roper, Mearne, and Royston, care
be graced by the Surveyor's
the next
not
meeting should
faction though preAs it happened, the Mearne
presence.
dominant
in
the
The
not
Master,
was
unopposed
Society.
Abel
and
of
the
to have
seems
Trimming kind,
Roper, was
the result,
advised
capitulation. Frequent bickeringswere
occasion
Warden
Mearne
on
one
decliningto give up the
hurried
convened
a
key of the Hall when
meeting was
by
was

the

matter

other

side.

Towards

appeared

the
at

with

made

G.S.P.D.

Ordered

delivered

General

be

to

into

Court.

the
his

end
Court

of
to

bye-laws.

(1676-7),p.
that

the

Court

by

Ibid.

demand

They

what
had

the

Surveyor again
they had
progress

reluctantly passed

the

590.

bye-laws and
particularlythe
debated
L'Estrange be the first business

intended
Mr

September,

Capers
at

the

now

next

AND

L'ESTRANGE

STATIONERS

THE

205

objected
eloquent delays ' were
them
informed
that
to the second
Punitive,
or
L'Estrange
the meeting
be no longer trifled with
that the King would
hand
and
if the bye-laws were
not
of Parliament
at
was
be
pestered with libels
passed before it met, they would
and
lie at their door.'
the blame
Upon this ',says Capt.
John
2, a leading member
(Mearne),
Seymour's information
the
of
make
accused
them
to
and
wishing
sprang
up
of
L'Estrange's slaves, and spoke disrespectfully
Company
the
L' Estrange threatening to report
the
King, but on
It
words, they were
apologised for by other members.
not so
now
appeared that the objection of the Company was
desired bye-laws, but the commuch
to the passing of the
municating
each
it specially to
member,
as
they hoped
to evade
it,by entering it into the bulk of their other byelaws, and then pretending ignorance of it'.
Regulative Clause,

but

such

'

"

'

'

...

is clear

It
the

of the

months

these

reflected the

the added

excitement

L'Estrange as the King's deputy attempting

free body into compliance3.
of

The

afterwards

Stationers

passing these bye-laws was

by the Surveyor, and that
refused
the
key for the
L'Estrange's proposals,was
quarrel with the trimming
the 4th

On
that

no

noisy

the

scene

summoned

Court

effect

of

in them
when
to

delay

in

made
Mearne

deal

with

purely personal

Master.
Stationers

entered

be

book

to alterations

the

the

December,

unlicensed

due

bully a

to

the

that

complained

with

company

merely

Council, with

Common

in

Court

Stationers'

the

etc., in

Mercers,

turmoil

that

in

passed
Clavell's

bye-law,
Catalogue,

'

though described as at the instigationof L'Estrange

attack
that
on
official,since he
as
an
was
surely meant
kept the key of the Catalogue.
that
20th
December
the
these
It was
shortly after
attack
to
nothing, an
against
negotiations having come
'

which

"

"

The

people

so

usual

long

ones
as

"

admitted

outsiders

by

traded

in

the

Surveyor

books,

"

.S'.P.

that

Dom.

they had no power

'
ii.,391, Nos.
'or.,

over

96-7.

the
is derived
from
proceedings of the two
App. to the 2nd vt. of 'J//'/ Rept., H.M.C., pp.
It
69a-796, and 66" and I/,and the corresponding entries in the Lords Journals.
is clear from
coincides largely with L' Estranges'
the fact that Seymour's indictment
was
merely the
Report (,V./'. Dom.
Car., ii., 391, Nos. 96-7) that the former
S. J'. Horn.
is the
Another
source
important document
Surveyor'smouthpiece.
of the Law
examination
of an
notes
Car,, ii.,366 (263),being some
by Williamson
Officers and
1676.
the Messengers, 20th December
a
'All mechanical
Carte, Life of Ormonde, ii.,522.
Companies were
entirely
the republicanside of the dispute '.
on
-

Libels

The

information

Committees

here

given

detailed

in

the

SIR

206
the

Stationers

which

nominal

These
to

charges

the

are

delivered

before

word

the

on

Samuel

King

1668.

municated
com-

is

Seymour
attack

grand

shortly

Committee.
this

strugglemay

In

1661

his

career

with

the

shown

the

sectarian

to

the

which

not
was

for

in

those

marked

the

the

From

etc.

Stationers

leading part
books

is

seller
King's bookunchallenged
denouncing

were

Tytan, Newcombe,

to

Stationers'

times, his record

Cavaliers

old

by the

monopolist

appointment as
pension of "6, was

when

took

as

the

to

for his

introduction

loyalty, he
Popish and

croft

Roy

Commonwealth

June

favour

patentee recommended

and

His

enough,

similar
of

John

protagonists in
that

clean

moment

time

of the

Lords'

Norton

interest.

the

at

the

was

with

in

in

basis

two

Mearne

Assistance

doubt

L'Estrange was

here.

along

without

from

accuser1.

desirable

no

emanated

be

be

L'ESTRANGE

Williamson, though Capt.

to

the

ROGER

conspicuous
seizures

of

of the

years

displaced the Surveyor

when
the secretaries
at a time
were
glad to get rid
very
of the impecunious cavalier.
He
fell foul of the Baptist
Smith
in such ruthless manner2
that, despite
Printer, Frank
the deep rooted
their views, L'Estrange
antipathy between
useful
as
a
seems
actually to have received Smith
ally
him
and
under
of
the
placed
Mearne,
pretensions
against
all fled
to whom
the protection of his tool Capt. Seymour,

Surveyor's declining

interest.

He

'

that
of

Arlington, we
It

interest.
June

to the

obnoxious

were

of

that

marked
the

was

year he was
read that
we

for

so

and

himself

old
of

son

also

as

having humbly besought

the
Trade
offices depend on
brought up his son, Charles, to
his

of

of

Page 207.
Chap, iv.,114.
Mearne's

F.

Smith's

In

in

regard
and

Trade,

etc.

Petition
Dom.

the

he

said

having
he

...

now

grant for
seller
offices of bookbinder, bookreceives

several

treatment, S. P.

bookseller,

our

for life, in
Stationer-in-ordinary
good skill and abilityof the said same

of

1674.

that

Stationer

the

and
of the

Surveyor's

greatest power.

that

us

grants, and
the

Fall

and
Stationer-in-ordinary,
'Whereas
he hath
by his humble
the said Office of bookbinding

and

surrenders

the

sworn

past and

years

many

of the

year

of Mearne's

year

May 1675
petition faithfullyexecuted
in

the lowest

as

with

1674

Stationers'.

to

new

consideration
Mearne

and

plaining
comArlington, and letter to
Cur., ii.,360 (149 and 150),February

SIR

208

Williamson

intervened

which

month

the

In

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

to have

seems

before

Parliament

collected, besides

the

met,

libels,which

in the Record
still repose
Office, a good deal of evidence
determined
of Lords
gate
to investifor the Committee
now
on
marked
period was
by an
had
the
foretold
Surveyor
printing,as
and
unanimity, puts it beyond doubt
of the Whig
leaders,and the prologue

eruption of seditious
which
by its concert
that

it

contemplated

their

to

work

the

was

It

line

the

in

of them

several

that

the

the

of

eve

place

to

was

this

of

blow

have

tected
pro-

We

confederacy.

three

the

to

meeting

bye-laws would

no

against

Government

already briefly referred

on

action, which

of

Tower.

is clear, however,
the

short

This

mischief

the

have

great libels printed

Parliament,

like

New

the

Parliament.

Whig

The
present
Gunpowder
up
commendable
discretion
a
printers first approached showed
in refusing to print,the fruit, no
doubt, of the rigours and
of L'Estrange at the Stationers' Court, but
an
menaces
Nat
who
found
in
afterwards
instrument
Thompson
was
Plot

to

distinguishedhimself
and

allied

though

mercenary,

employed

as

lived to be
of

favourer

to

the

workman

the

redoubtable

after

Whigs'

sedition

Robert

of the
Sheriffs

the

Stephens,

Press, a brave
Elections, and
'

He
left
L'Estrange's enemies.
that is, during, or shortlyafter,the
Thompson at this time
he would
not
printing of the Prorogation libels because
3, and using his considerable
knowledge
print such books

the

of

characters

of the

one

of

opponent

and
days Nat was
poor
printer of considerable
had
till quite recently

He

Ratcliffe2.

interest, Thomas
who

unconverted

his

In

dissent.

bitterest

the

as

annoying

most

all

"

'

"

'

of

the

which

subterranean

1677 {S.
attack

on

be

useful

the Stationers.
I
and
to

of this

end

on

career

of

Secretaries, but
that

discovery
so

certing
discon-

'they threatened

to

Roger L'Estrange to Williamson, 3rd February

very secretive letter from
refers
to the preparations for the
390
P. Dom.
(132))no doubt
Car., ii.,

morning.
servants

the

grateful
very
his former
employers

was

The

started
to

to

press,

am

in my

discovery

set the

I have
that

informed

for the
me

'

dissolution

the

of the

House.

present design.
'.

'

The

business

Stationers

Discovery

In
'

you
Some

few

in charge yesterday
against Thompson's
the Printing Houses
may
promise myself to see the

gave

me

moving

are

days

is doubtless

of
I

the

three

libels

referred

to

above.
7 men,
it appears
that Ratcliffe employed
of 1669
2 presses,
By the survey
apprentices.
'
:i
that was
A rogue
the
accompted
Obsewatur, 20th April 1684, i.,323:
very
them
'. No doubt
he wrought among
he was
scandal
of the Printing Trade, while
2

and

selected

on

the

principleof

'

set

thief to catch

thief '.

had

Robin

Honest

kill him'.

209

STATIONERS

THE

AND

L'ESTRANGE

reward, for he

his

however

office in which
an
Messenger-in-ordinary,
himself
the sternest
guardianof loyalty
as
distinguished
made

Press

until the

Plot,

was

he

attack

the

rather

or

City's rights,

the

on

In this character
Whig.
the
on
the enmity of L'Estrange, and
he
encountered
his noisy office1.
from
dismissed
of James
accession
was
him

turned

At

into

the

Revolution

For

the

Patriot

and

he

restored.

was

Battersby,

Marlow,

present Stephens denounced

the mercenary
printersof Marvell's
the exception of
Truth, etc. With

Bridges,and Thompson,
Naked

libels,Croft's

legal rightto set

but were
convenientlymaintained by great men
Hall, the brothers Sawbridge2, Wright and
they printed. Thompson
questionable work

Bridges,these

Godbid, but

Mr

sober

had

men

marked
specially

was

as

up

no

Masters,

at Stationers'

whose

Mearne

'

had

worked

not

free

for

of the

in 1672.
Battersby,as we saw, had entered into
Company
a
a
quarrelsome partnershipwith Henry Lloyd (who was
in 1672
a
mere
was
master
printer in 1672). Marlowe
journeyman. But from the Stationers' point of view, the
'

sorrier the
his

cheaper

hold

better

rascal, the

his

on

secrecy

the

and

work.

a
flourishingprinter,but much
Redmayne, once
who
fled
also of the adulamites
crippled by the Fire, was
and
the cruelty of the Stationers,
from
to Seymour
now,
valuable
evidence
of the party of the Surveyor, gave
as
one
against them.

John

Parliament

Trorooued

The

in

met

the

first week

of

February.
15 months

for

Committee

to the House

(ieo.

he

was

over

Seymour,

ch urges
It is

was

20th

included

chosen

Master

See notes
December

in 1675.
that

greatest bookseller

"40,000.

and

was

was

by Prorogation
moved
the

author

report what

they

ten

Bishops.

The

has

that
and
find

Earl

by Williamson
1676, S. /'.

(Life and Errors, p. 211) says

'.
Ho
years
England for many
and
about Printing" The Booksellers
Bom.
Car., ii.,366 (263),containing the
Dunt"ii

been

in

Rookes, and of the Law Officers.

pounding
', their comof the guilt of
Ring of men-Knaves
perfect indictment
with offenders, seizing,yet sellingforbidden
(Popish and Republican)
of

.Messengers Gammon,

Blundell, and
this

'

etc.

wares,

'

Errors, p. 253.

Sawlii-idge

the

immediately
inquirewho

it

upon

::.

Dunton, Life end

J.

'

is Dissolved

of this book

Printer

Considerations

libel Some

the Parliament

appointedto

forty Peers

The

left

be

the

read, and

was

and

contriver

'

13th

Question whether

the

the

On

LoroV

Journals,xiii.,51

Foxcroft, Life of'Halifa

i.,119.
O

SIR

210
of

Aylesbury

L'ESTRANGE

chairman, and

was

and

Albemarle

ROGER

the

included

Committee

Monmouth.

Any five formed

a
quorum,
and their labours
to begin Monday
were
next, at 9 o'clock
in the forenoon
at Princes
Lodgings, and to adjourn as
The
Committee
to
they pleased '.
was
enquire into
any
other
books
that are
of that nature'.
printed
On 1st March
Aylesbury presented his first report, which
resulted
in nothing more
dramatic
than
the
calling of
Dr
for handing The
Grand
Cary to the bar of the House
On
his
Question,etc.,to the Press.
Cary's refusal to name
authors
sentenced
or
employers, he was
for contempt l, to
'

'

be

fined

and

"1,000
of

specificcause
in

the
the

although

libel

another

Although

the

committed

The

Committee

Long

had

the

the

to

besides

"

Committee's

of

form

be

to

that

labours

which
"

Parliament

printers
"

Tower2.
had

the

was

been

sented
pre-

Dissolved, and
not

the

authors

felt to overshadow
all others
Cary libel was
of the suspicions of its high origin. Thompson,
because
its printer,was
too mean
an
object to occupy their Lordships'
to Denzil,
time, but if the libel could be brought home
the
conclave
of Whig
Lord
Hollis, or
lawyers, it would
with a weapon
in the approaching struggle
furnish the Court
which
might have anticipatedthe ruin of the Whig leaders
before
Oates
But
appeared on the scene.
Cary kept his
Charles
from
council despite embarrassing pressure
himself,
of York,
Williamson.
the
Duke
and
Coventry,
Secretary
Hollis
Whether
had
close connection
or
Shaftesbury
any
this libel or
with
not, the legal abilityand
knowledge it
tional
displayedraise it beyond doubt into the rank of constituin

"

hold, the

of first-class interest.

documents

the order
of the
Aylesbury's report was
much
it is singular how
their House
predominated
session
two
to the Lord
days later communicated
effect of

One
Lords

"

this

in

"

Chief- Justice

and

the Stationers
from
the

On
1

Marvell's
therefore

now

and

they

other
2
3

of

Court

the

of

of Common

Exchequer,
to

lend

their readiness
5th

March, the

and
to

Dr

would

Lord

Chamberlain, Baron

a
prepare
their aid 3. Mearne

to

new

Press
claimed

Act,
thing
some-

give satisfaction in this direction.

Committee
again reported on the

of Popery (Thomson's ed. Marvdl's Works, L, 545).

them
was
brought to the barre before
Cary, ;i commoner,
fined
them
notion, of contempt, when
"1,000 under that new

Growth

therefore

crime

Pleas

do

it '.

Journals, xiii.,54-5.
Il.M.C, 9th Rcpt.,pt. ii.,p. 79,
Lords'

note.

'

But
.

no

LIBELS

LORDS'

COMMITTEE

211

Prorogation libels,discovering the author of a fourth

who
a
piece of insolent dissent by a Eev. Sam. Smith
now
appeared, and did penance1. Thompson printed this
8th March
consumed
The
7th and
too.
were
by the Lords
and much
in reading the libels,
impressed by their treasonous
into the safe keeping of the
them
sentiments, they ordered
leave
to
Clerk
communicated
not
to be
anybody without
three
"

'

of

this

finished

This

for

concerned,
that

affair
a

this

the

the

time, viz.

and

Surveyor

could

long-threatenedcontest

chosen.
March

10th

nothing

of

friends

were

of

Mearne.
for

been

the

On

the

between

theatre

scarcely have

said

2.

Lords

the

as

Committee's

monopolising the

of Warden

better

far

so

'

burnt

be

to

Aylesbury's reports

battle

friends

made

be
copy
business

the

was

pitched

the

and

House,

days

two

"

the

after

Lords

had

burning of the libels

the mean
opened
printers Mearne
the attack for the Stationers
by declaring that Capt. Seymour
in Putney, contrary to the
had set up two
three
or
presses
chief
old offences
of 'his
the
to
Statute, referring back
printer George Larkins 3.
the 13th4, Seymour
On
replied that he printed nothing
the sole right in this
but Almanacs
(the Company claimed
of the present enmity), and these licensed
patent, hence much
by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This for his defence,

disposed so far as they

and the punishment of

could

the

with

"

'

which

the

became

His

year5.
friends

of

of

matter
tu

which

and

of

works

selling the

accused

attack

guoque

Osborne,
his witnesses, he desired
Warden, and the Stationers'

Dyer

great lawsuit

in

call

to

Clerk

ing
followand

Mearne

had

the

Master,

(by

the

his

dissenting divines,

two

1673

in

great vogue.
the

As
other

Eoper, Clarke,

name

who,
Lilly respectively)and the influential Newcombe,
and
at Williamson's
command,
as
printer of the Gazet was
therefore
against the factious majority of the Stationers 6.
and

'

'

Lords'

Journals, xiii.,64,

When

the

brisklywe
have

find

liberty to

11. M.i

search
itordered
see

the

'., jit.ii.,9th

::

Ibid.,p.

Ibid.,p. 75.

756.

for

by
MSS.

the
the

65.
author

Lords,

of the

of
25th

Growth
of Popery was
February 1677-8, that Mr

the

'

libels condemned

p. 71.
Cobbler of (Under

by

this House

proceeding
L'Est range
last '.

in March

Rept.,
The

and

the
B

Painter
See note

series.
p. 221.

he had
Besides
argued before
just emerged from a suit with the Company
the Cannoi] (12th May 1676} 'about
1604'
the printing injunction of King James
C.S. /'. D. (1676-7), p. 110.
Like
worsted
in this contest, bnt liko
Seymour he was

him

also had

his reward

for hi"

present sorvices,being made

King's Frinter

shortly

ROGER

SIR

212

L'ESTRANGE

On
partiesappeared in full force on 20th March.
his witnesses, L'Estrange in the
side Seymour with
one
the
other, Mearne, Sawbridge, Wright,
background ; on
Both

Taylor1,
to

The

etc.

either

convict

held
in readiness
printers were
against their
party, but chiefly suborned
mean

employers, the Stationers.

After some
preliminary recrimination, Seymour presented
his printed case
to it
against the Stationers 2,and annexed
Libels
list prepared by the Surveyor of
a
printed for some
and
eminent
in the Company
men
dispersed'. The feature
that L'Estrange had carefully
of this list of eight libels was
written
in the margin the names
of witnesses
ready to swear
The
enormities
and
real publishers of each.
to the
tumacy
concharged againstthe Stationers in this printed copy
are
merely the old corruption and bribery noted so often
by the Surveyor.
the grand field days of the
24th
and
27th
The
were
the
first day the Stationers
On
contest.
proffered their
printed paper of counter-charges,while L'Estrange'switnesses
On
the 27th, L'Estrange brought up
their evidence.
gave
Mearne's
to crush
legions,who
every unit of his little army
then
have
of
must
appeared overwhelmed
by the volume
his corrupt actions proved so circumstantially. But a rebuke
the
the
to
administered
30th, a rally on
on
Seymour
incursion
into the enemy's territory
6th April,and an
over
of his license,and
of the Surveyor's corrupt use
the matter
seized
and
re-sold by him
the old affair of Popish books
old

'

after

This
and

Fire, gave

the

last

with

the

the

to

the

contest.

the Stationers'
day (6th April) was
property,
for
for
his poor
a
Surveyor's plea
pardon

informers, the
from

turn

closed

contest

with

divided

honours

While

contumacy
against the Stationers,as also their tyranny

printersand
than

it

their own,

far

Surveyor's party had promised itself 3.

and corruptionwere
abundantly proved

victory the

their

and

hatred

of any
equally proved that

inveterate
was

over

the

other

meaner

authority

L'Estrangehad

11th May 1677 [S. P. Dom.

the
Car., ii., Entry Book 40a, p. 199). Tie became
him
introduced
and
indeed
to Young
of L'Estrange
intimate
Tonge in 1680.
the bulls and the bears,
resolved itself into a pull between
Stationers' warfare
The
at Stationers'
the great men
Hall.
versus
L'Estrange, Seymour, and Newcombe
after

Randall

Taylor

'

came

into

the

Milton

of English Bookselling(1889),p.
History
2

with
3

H.M.G.,

pt. ii.,9th Rept.,

notes.

Ibid., pp. 77"r-79".

inheritance

', says

Roberts

(Earlier

94).

pp. 76ct-Z*annexed

(77a)L'Estrange'slist of

libels

allied himself

to

Stationers.
drawn

the

10 th

from

of

framing

for the

We

the

defensive

Lords

which

we

the old Act

in

out

purposes,

the

The

gather that
spite of

counsel

heard

proposed
latter

the

clauses

on

eager

were

loopholesand

all its

legal

committed

March

Lords
the

select

that

to

Law

with

ment
engageof contest
was

scene

3rd

on

so

call the

therefore

had

in connection

April, from

set

Lodgings

Bill.

new

Stationers

to continue

had

should

Princes

to which

Committee

for

battle,especiallyas

shifted

merely

213

noisilyto
commission
of July
acting on Williamson's
ride
by an overbearing conduct, attempted to over-

subdue,
1676, he had
a

he

that

very
and that

the

and

extent,

some

elements

the

with

COMMITTEE

LIBELS

LORDS'

grave

*.

omissions

from

L'Estrange, however,
the

old

the

old Act.

the

side, contested

his

visions
pro-

fully demonstrated
that it provided no
penalties for the offences of prominent
The
had
Stationers
Stationers.
again and again evaded
L'Estrange'sinterference by saying that they had little power
Now
when
the business
their members.
over
might have
Punitive
been
and
Act, they calmly
righted by a new
of

advocated
The

Printers

effect would

in

what

also

were

have

it had

as

been

suggestionswhich
they covertly desired

their

here with

achieved

what

Surveyor had condemned

book-sellingfraternity2.
These
matured.
proposals never

and
the

in

Act,

the

mood

no

listen

to

forced

Government

was

recalcitrant

Society
the

approved by
L'Estrange.
It would
dealt

The

Press3.
1

back

body

Judges,

on

of
and

was

the

policy of imposing on
regulations perused
probably drawn
up

the

that the few

to conclude
wrong
the absolute
the Lords
achieved

real

House

proposals,and

restrictive

be

by

out

such

to

Lower

The

of

independence

an

"

delinquents, the

mercenary

and

by

punishments
Peace

of the

printers,had

Lords'

Journals,xiii.,13 ; H.M.V., pt. ii.,9th Rept., p. 79" note.

other
the
he entered
on
Ibid.,Roger demanded
things that he should
among
Commission
See the
of Peace, his authority being restricted
matters.
to Press
L'Est angefs Proposals to
able for the 1
important papeT
IC.S.P.D.
also an
demanded
authorised Deputy, and that
(1676-7),
p. f"90). He
-

his servant
:i

should

be

sworn

(Addressto

Bohun

the

Messenger

of the

takes
Freeholders)

Chamber.

view, but compared with

The
Parliament
frenzy any previous libertylooks mild.
having had the
leisure during a long recess
be the event
of these
to consider
severelywhat would
session
rescued
things (Prorogation Libels, etc.) in the beginning of the next

the

Plot

themselves
some

of

different
'

from
them

the

contempt

examples

of

and

their

delusion

just

of

resentment

these

and
boutefeus,

things

went

having

smoother

made

till the

ROGER

SIR

214
their

purchased

pardon,

L'ESTRANGE

whilst

the

authors

were

with

"

the

and
Dr
exception of the Rev. S. Smith
Gary (if he was
an
unknown.
The
the
Committee's
author)
following
year
forth
rather
of
labours
for
arrests
a
brought
heavy crop
the
search
for the author
of
libel,culminating in
pretended
the Growth
of Popery1, which throws its portentous shadow
"

all other

over

We
back

years.

surprised therefore
regulation by the Law

on

that

not

are

document

which

embodies

the

Government

Officers.

these

Made

The

fell

pretentious

regulations is entitled :
of the
Keepers or Wardens

by the Master and,

Stationers
Company, 1678 2.
of 19 Henry VII.3, and retailAfter quoting the Statute
ing
a
good deal of old stuff,relating to the elections and
internal economy
of the Company, the real gistof the matter
'

Orders

libels of these

'

is reached

Stationers
that the

these

it

11 where
page
denied
affirmed
and
on

old

1662

I. and

notice

II. forbid

given

is to be

to the

erected,

material, wages
freemen
within

Clause

V.

limits

or
or

the

the

purpose
to remedy which
"

Master,
be

to

three

any

presses

'

'

press-in-a-hole
supplied,with
', but

bound

discover

are

to

without

any way
of comfort
sort

be

(now grosslyexceeded)

the

No

etc.

in

'

Company
days.

more

of presses

settingup

of the

No

what

their

signaldefects

Popish Plot '. Beyond the

Joseph Browne, and Dr Cary, we

discovery of
Thompson,

of

it suited

as

"

submitted.

Proposals are

Clauses

had

Statute

is admitted

censure

cannot

set
are

of

to

the

up until the
observed.

Smith,

find

many

it

legal

imprisonment
examples of their

the

the
these
remembered.
of 23rd
votes
were
even
Among
Vindication
of the Two
(quoted in Fergusson's (?)Just and Modest
'
that
Mr
find
it resolved
Last
Joseph Browne
ought to be
Parliaments) we
taken
him
from
for
to
all the
offices
and
restored
were
places which
Dissolved'.
The
book
called
Hart,
Long Parliament
publishing an unlicensed
in prison, Browne
After
three
was
pardoned by Royal
Index, p. 210.
years
But

resentment.

December

1680

Warrant,

15th

December

1679.

the printers was

not 'pretended'. S. P. Dom.
Oar., ii.,
rigour towards
for the
the
Warrant
Book
discovery of
Messengers' expenses
1, p. 485, contains
Bedenell
and
to find
Thos.
'to 2 days spent with the Coy. of Stationers
bookbinder
said
book
0s.
0d.'.
Printer
of
the
the
out
"1,
2
exist
copies of these printed Orders
Arber, Transcript,i.,4 et seq. Various
This
1678
Collections.
in pamphlet
exemplification (the earliest we
have) is
in Hall
read
to every
remarkable
for
the
to be
newly
L'Estrange Bye- Law
admitted
member
of the Society.
3 The
which
is common
to all Stationers' Orders
to this Statute
reference
by the
at
old
Act
promulgated
Officers,and were
required the approval of the Law
the request of the Master, etc., of the Company.
1

The

'

'

ROGER

SIR

216

already filched

are

of

stampede
a yielding up

the

of charters

the

Song

new

general

the

First

of

is that

Praise

that

Charter

their

But

the Stationers'
Charter

We

are

to the

The

Charter

has

the

of the

also

loyalty

obtained

record

on

days

(after

who

Honour

Stationers'

Franchise

authorities

probably

feet.

Charles, the bountiful

marks

had

so loyal
they meet
royal

Their

period

clerical

Hall

which

is

truly

who

Great

longerin

no

This
the

Now

the

1684.

by
giftof his ancestors
humbly lay at his

Did

the

Company

singular

London,

The
The

had

And

rout.

Stationers

Verse
'

Stationers

"

for

of

ignoble

schools towards

Thompson
1676-7, printed and
of praise1 :

the

forfeit)

the

Nat

very

in

of

the

leading

in

even

place, the

followingpaean

in

the

took

offender

worst

composed

when

corporations,societies,and

humiliating thing
been

ignored,and

or

distinction

unenviable

L'ESTRANGE

factious

'

majority '.
disappearance

effectual

the
the

from

donor,

restored '.

the

of

government

of

Press.

find the Bishop of

again in October 1678 we
London
and
impartially ordering the seizure of F. Smith
Nat
Thompson, the stormy petrelson both sides. It should
In

and

July

remembered

be

that

of this

the

with

removal

of

Williamson

in

to
L'Estrange's deputation came
of
end.
We
find him
soliciting
Compton for a renewal
lucrative
privilege of licensing the almanacs 2, and as
of a sect
inducement
giving his Lordship information
Moorfields
Lower
called the Sweet
Singers of Israel or
that
Borlase
shows
A
letter to Dr
Family of Love3.
in gettingthe deputation renewed
anticipatedno difficulty

February

year,

That
183 Loyal Songs (1683), p. 134.
infer from
the
fact that
we
Company
Transcript, v. xli.
2
Ibid., v., lv. The
Bishop of London
1

judgment

the

ibid.,v.,
3

MSS.,
they say

('.,983 (18),20th

Rawl.

to

them,

that

see

been

has

them.
all

stay

present

removal
will

reversal.

an

in
the
he
4.

against
Arber,

right of licensing almanacs,

of

my
Sir

quickly be

commission

Joseph
over

'.

up

about

August
two

1678,

'40

50 together.

or

multitudes

and

months

The
neighbourhood takes notice of many
night, whom, it is believed, they take

promiscuous freedom '.

* Slowe
MSS.,82,f.
At

sole

was

the

liv.

thither

'

had

actually entered

was

there

1690

in

an

This
1.

letter

Marvell's

announces

Roger L'Estrange
of

Williamson

licensing

by

matters

whose

to

of
women

in

This

people

common

venticle
Conflock

among
and

death.

Borlase,

20th

of

is determined

State

deputation

February 1678-9.
by the
acted, but that rubb

In

to listen to the

not

aud
Stationers

the

over

advent

Plot

the

of

such

licensingof

the

enjoyed by

search

of

Coventry,

on

tion
separate incorpora-

for

the

With

l.

Company

difficulties

new

rights

same

217

old caution

demands

Printers'

the

for

urgiug his

he is

of 1679

January

COMMITTEE

LIBELS

LORDS'

things

came

ing'
'limp-

as

Pordage's Brief History of Popish Persecutions, etc.,

and
Bloody Narratives, Royal
Tonge's Jesuits' Morals
be
which
Martyr, etc., a feature of his licensing career
may
to
deferred
next
Scroggs he
chapter. Like Chief-Justice
relieved
In May he was
had to read the mind
of the Court.
by the expiry of the Act from these difficult duties, but not
before
he had
enraged the rabble by his partial licensing.
Dr

the

At

he

time

same

relieved

was

The

livelihood.

of his

publication of Chas. Blount's (Philopatris)Just Vindication

of Learning and of the Liberty of the Press, 1679, may have
in the final
to make
as
helped Parliament
now,
up its mind
expiry of 1694 his Reasons Humbly Submitted for the Liberty
of Unlicensed Printing may have aided Locke in this direction 2.
to in
Another
form
of literaryactivityalready referred
the
with
connection
was
exercisingthe
loyal Muddiman
it

to

was

L'Estrange'sold

that

apparent

within

matter

the

On

unreasonable.
3

warrants

this

kind,

not

the

after

assume

yet attained the dimensions

Popish Plot, but already it was

It had

of ministers.

minds

the

for

of
the
scope
3rd September

1677,

of

of

arrest

several

Kidd

of whom,

two

for

demand

and

bringing written

Act

Press

not

was

the

chief

so

signed

Williamson

agents in

Hancock, will appear

Giles

Plot Examinations.
Eye House
The
Prorogation libels being certainly the greatest
concerted
attempt in politicalcriticism of that age, it may
be desirable to conclude
this chapter with
some
description
work
of
the
of them.
been
has
As
as
said, they were
If reprinted with
eminent
lawyers as the party boasted'4.
in connection

again

the

with
'

'

'

Two

letters

Coventry, 10th

to

and

12th

January

II.M.c., 4th Rept.,

1679.

p. 236.
-

VerboUtlU

Hilger {Index der

Locke

Milton

and

welcher

durch

seine

wenigstens ihren
/'.

Falle

Dom.

n
'

combined.
Schriften

Biich r, p. 217) has

Im

und

vorbereitete

Car., ii., Warrant

ubrigen war
Intriguen,

given

him

as

es

dieser

selbe

die

Zensur

zura

much

credit

as

Charles

Blount

Falle

brachte,

'.
Book

1, p. 411.
all the witnesses

admitted
and
by Cary
to the year
be referred
1675 ',
Whig Party may
Ribbon
whence
Green
I 'lot (1903),p. 221). The
/'
-a Mr
ish
Club,
( 77
v
the centre
of the party
emanated
the
to agitate
for a Dissolution, was
decision
of pamphleteers who
the Government
devoted
keen ability to incite and defame
4

This

himself.

was

the

'The
Pollock

point

foundation

of

agreement

of

of the

'

'

[Ibid.,
p. 237).

218

SIR

the
a

ROGER

earlier libels of

the

list would
i. The

then

Letter

Present

"

"

discourses

(a)

The

being:
"

Debate

for

dissolving this

Parliament, 20th
letter

(b) A

from

iii. Some

practice.

"

Two

the

constitute

from a Person of Quality,1675

popularly
to Shaftesbury and
Locke,
Seasonable
Discourses1
concerning the
with
Parliament,
Imprint-Oxford, 1675

ascribed
ii. The

session

1675, they would

of constitutional
theory and
include
perhaps :

respectable volume

The

L'ESTRANGE

concerning
Parliament

Considerations

Parliament

is

November
the

1675.

Last

Session

1675

to his friend.

man

the

upon
dissolved

Present

Question whether
its

by

the

Prorogation for

fifteenmonths.
iv, The

Grand

Question Concerning the

the Parliament
v.

The

Parliament

Long

Browne

was

Prorogation of

(the Cary libel).

Dissolved

for

"

which

Joseph

punished2.

Plea
the Argument of all those
or
Young Man's
Englishmen that are between the age of 21 and 37
Parliament, who
for Dissolving this Present
by
their
not
reason
toere
of
capable of giving
non-age
their votes in the Election
(of 1660).
Jenks' Speech,24th June
1676.

vi. The

vii.

last

The

we

have

rendering of

mingled

the

with

already referred
whole
gospel

It

to.

was

the

to

anti-Papist hysteria,

and

excited

an

country

party,

demands

for

Parliament.

new

Plea
explains itself. It
Young Man's
and
in February
1677
the
out
came
was
selling when
Committee
Libels
was
sitting. The author is unknown.
The
Letter from a Person
of Quality is of earlier date
The

title of

concerned

and

the

more

with

the

attempted Parliamentary
It is
intriguesof the Church.

the

events

Test

of

remarkable

which

led

that

year
for its

to
up
the
and

portraits
Clifford ', of Shaftesbury (who
vehement
is the
the
of
with
his medley
of
Buckingham
angel of light) and
'

1 Printed
vii. and
at
length in Pari. Hist., iv., app.
Included
also in State
to
lxvii.,and ascribed
Shaftesbury.
of Charles II.,i.,65 and 69.
-

See p. 214.

vi., pp.
Tracts

Ixxi.

and

of the reign

LORDS'

LIBELS

'

'

COMMITTEE

219

'

and
eloquence
well-placed nonsense,
showing
well
he
do
'.
could
both
excellently
ways
Another
title believed
with
similar
a
pamphlet

the

'

of

work

between

Marvell

L'Estrange

their

relations

subject of

and

Mearne,

which

the

during

Prorogation libels, for they

Parliament.

and

twins

that

have

their

only

above

the

navel'.

new

Parliament,
is

in

wished
be

in

throws

light
the

on

Libels

but

one

Discourse

parts

writer

'

says
call

you

the

of

the

like

to

that

the
If

Parliament.

are

be

to

were

the

divided

are

is

this, it

urge
well what

consider

first

'

those

objections

new

that

that

states

are
army
and
united

Treating

if

properly termed
object" a new

more

standing

earnest

would

they

have

lower

the

danger

be

men

are

first Seasonable

The

standing Parliament

those

communication

period succeeding

remaining four pamphlets

Crown

be

to

l.

Committee
The

the

was

how

'

likely

men

chosen, and

difficult to be
not
they are
guessed
of quality,of Estates
through the whole Kingdom, men
and
of
the
best
affect
understanding ; such will never
A
ment
Parlianew
change or distrust the King's Government.

to

will
the

to

be the Nation'"1.
is

point

same

The

other

jocose.

more

discourse

'We

addressed

consist', says

the

author, of old cavaliers,old roundheads, indigent courtiers

and
latter are
true
most
country gentlemen ; the two
'

'

and

would

issue
probably bring things to some
of
uncertainties
were
they not clogged with the numerous
the former.
the old Cavalier
For
aged and almost
grown
his dotinggodly, and makes
past his vice is damnably
piety more
plague to the world, than his youthfuldebauchery
for he is so
much
a
bigot to the Bishops, that he
was,
forces his loyalty to strike sail to his religion and
could
nails a little of the Civil Governbe content
ment,
to pair the
let him
so
sharpen the ecclesiastical talons,
you would
numerous

which

he

behaviour
the

on

Roger

other

of Parliament
any

and

be

of

my

got loose

exasperates the

so

Lord

by stealth,
to

me

give
to

so

am

an

answer

/."//"/
into

1 to advertise

Animadversions

roundhead

increases

'As
A
(?) 1676-7.
Shaftesbury) crept

entitled

what

not

cares

Mearne

to

called

pamphlet
such
title,you are
questioned, leave

some

to

hand,

L'Estrange

Country (commonly
notice

of his

the

to

the

you

interest

world

to //""" Men

that

the
last Session

that

if you

take

of Shaftesburyor

interruption to it. If the business

it, etc.'. 1I.M."'., app. to 4th

comes

Rept.,

p. 231.
-

the

A'.*

Sitwell

meeting

(Sir George, First

of Parliament

after

Whiff, p. 14) for an

Prorogation.

the Long

animated

descriptionof

SIR

220

the

of
the

Crown

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

he

receives, so

but

can

diminish

that

of

mitre.

Upon

these,therefore,the Courtier

mutually plays,for if
motion
be made, he gains the roundhead
either
any anti-court
absent
them
if
will
to oppose
or
by telling
they
join him
for a Liberty of Conscience.
he will join with them
now,
And
when
any affair is started in behalf of the Country
the Cavaliers, if they will then
he assures
stand
by him,
bill
he will then
the
join a
against
phanatiques'.
'

'

The

other

three

which

tracts

the

engaged

lawyer-like productions,which
in hand.
They
soberlyto the matter

attention

their
the

of

Statutes

not

All

three

all go

selves
themback

III.,which
'

The

first

Considerations, etc.,'is whether

still in

are

repealedby

are

of Edward

Parliamentary practice.

case',says Some

Statutes1

two

the

to

foundations

in this

address

are

researches

Committee's

force, and

Act

the

that

in
laid

point
these

repealed. They

not

repeals the

Triennial

Act

'.

quote the

Law, The Mirror

repositoryof Ancient
is quoted a good deal.
of Justice, and Brereton
The Grand
Question is undoubtedly the greatest of these
libels,as it is the most
scholarly. No pamphlet of that
the
doctrine
of ministerial
more
clearly lays down
age
responsibility. If the King practicallyevade the Law
by
short Prorogations,it is much
but
cannot
to be
deplored,
be punished, as the law is a rule to
be helped. He cannot
him.
But
it is different
him, but not a rod over
from his
be punished, to break
who
the
can
commanding his subjects,
'

Law.

succession

'A

of

letter

2.

of Law

than

more

the
I

find

one

prorogued

She

was

The

every

Parliament
2

hint

Ed.
year

the

days

and

though

III.,cap.
and

once,

in

14:
more

Elizabeth, Parliament

due
year
mistakes
cannot

the

as

of

Dissolved

horror
and

time

over

her

Parliament

shall be
taken

one

In

year.
three

same

burned

Ibid., 4

holden
'

Long

the
be

to

only

mistaken

Prorogations comply with the

flies in the face
one
long one
precedent of a Prorogation for

short

while

Law,

was

with

of

alter

evidently not
others, for though
divested

was

is accorded

often

the

was

Browne

'It

to

if need

that

be' ; and

every
year, etc. '.
Exclusion
connection
with the

Parliament

35 Ed.

Plague.
Law

'.

viewed
ordered
of
shall

III.,cap.

his
be

10:

holden

Parliaments.

Such

was

L'Estrange induced Dr Nalson to change the

title of his ( l rand
Interest of King and
/"/","""/,
People (1677-8),to the Common.
because
'the
himself
showing
against the word, upon
King had declared
my
him a pamphlet called the Grand
(JulsHvh, etc.
(Nichol,Lit. Anec, iv.,70).
the

alarm

created

by this

tract

that

'

for

offices

his
Amen

their

when

Courts

Young Man's
necessity of
action

the

of

alarmed

which

1659-60, the

was

the

had

then

Government

If

this

turned

cherished

most

and

dissolve,prorogue,

rigour and

the

Thompson's
service

for

the

fortunes

and

his

people,

and

his

attacks

reason

we

The

art

are

of

the

are

is

late

the

whole

immemorially
Justice

invention

Trades
'

Nat

Charles

social
free.

fabric,

And

Pemberton's

altogether of another
other

of

performing excellent
well
so
Company

struggle between

law, than

the

was

Stationers

the

in

ing
break-

turning it finallyfrom

loyal

on

to

Hence

In

other

designs

seek

to

is

of

stir

right

will.

No

bodies

on

Printing

of
eye
; the Press

in

his

at

Committee.

Government

in

lose the

the

"

Libels

same

to

might

Prerogative

the

to

found

been

Parliaments

new

advantage

Crown

Stationers, in

Court

the
the

illustrates

of the

majority'

muse,

the

adjourn

energy
of the

the

power
'factious

of

to

aspect

the

in

their

had

continued, the

flower

that
to

most

clamour

the

from

this

in

remembrance

powerful means
feelingagainst the Burnp.

up

'

and

the

the

of

gives the direct cue

Shaftesbury in the

and

or

Parliament,

order

the

of

take

can

disfranchised

the

paying taxes,
of Buckingham

agitation

murmurs

it

people
question

questioned in

be

to

its

but

that

he

the

all

Majesty
sitting as a

makes

"

Plea, absolves

What

session.

and

jurisdictionis like

very
of England'

be

Cursed

His

their

in

voted

others

the

understand,

advantage

have

themselves

they

the

"

"

landmark

is difficult to

pleasure or

"

all

'

'

motto

neighbours'

221

like

not

was

ambitious

Its

removeth
shall say
'
What

it

selling it,

treasonous.

COMMITTEE

LIBELS

LORDS'

the

remark

consideration
and

Mysteries

2.

1
with
of Buckingham
and
Taken
the imprisonment
Shaftesbury in 1677, the
the
demoralisation
to mark
suppression of the Prorogation Libels may be taken
'To
human
of the
Whig forces.
reckoning', says Mr Pollock [Popish Plot,p.
if the
lost '. A
later
Oates
Titus
was
as
Whig Cause
225), it seemed
year
breathed
new
a
spirit into politics.
We
Modern
Case
of Stationers
1078.
might
v. Seymour,
Reports,i.,256-7.
have
added
later
to the list of
Prorogation Libels one
which, though somewhat
in the year
of them
all
Marvell's
venomous
(1677) was
regarded as the most
Juries to Petition, fo\ a N
Grand
able Argument to Persuadeall
Parliament,
list with
It " "ntains
most
of the
invidious
notes
1(377.
a
Amsterdam,
pungent
chief
Bennet, Williamson, Pepys, Sir George
'pensioners' including Sir John
See L' Estrange 's
Birkenhead, Coventry, Jenkins, etc.
Downing, Sir John
2nd
ible
Account
of E
edition, 1681, p. 5. Th"'
of the Growth
Argument is printed in Cobbet's Pari. Hist., iv., app. p. xxii., and Marvell'.the
l'iose Works
from
excellent
An
'loyal' side of
(1776), ii.,555.
summary
the
of these
the
of
the
four
1673-7
in
is
events
matter
Press
especially
years
Address
to the Freeholders
(1652), pt. i.
given in Bohun's
'

'

'

"

CHAPTER

POPISH

THE

Few

PLOT

the

approach
English history without
Popish Plot
activity of English
a

the

either

in

simple)
(if they

were

it

There

or

in

were

in

conflagration

very

of

the

position

any

the

order

of

belief

of

in
and

mind,

It

it.
the

If we
many
years.
may
vary the
billow caught the State ship at
this overwhelming
and

there
the

furnish

to

his

and

Israel

the

to

of

Tonge, from
study the wiles
wended

two
'

Plot
1

The

'.

the

Besides

What

suggestion
the

Catholic

side,

Alfred
H.

controversy

and

sources

Pollock's

this

Plot

Gerrard's
Who

Marks'

in

the

The

fact

that

birth

late

the

latter

it affects

Catholic

222

when

latest

Professor
two

works

Us

Newest

the

the

incredulous

(undertaken

an

Dr

momentous

an

that

the

Spain

to

to

remarks

The

Oates

I 'lot and

Popish
Godfrey I (1905) with

Killed
which

the

enough

trace

chapter, the

Popish Plot, 1903

historians),and
by
Was, has already given

trusted,
dis-

mentor,

the

path by
for

to

evening

with

worst

were

his

sent

the

modern

Pollen, S.J., in
lies

their

Andrew
See also
King.
Lang's
(Mistorlad
Mysteries, pub. 1904.)
Godfrey.

of

with

Whitehall

in

set

Mr

episode,

to

the

It is easy

which

Jesuits,

to

authorities

Father

viz:

interview

way

by

to

Gunpowder

(1903), and
Father J.
the

older

the

connection

the

delays

occasioned

controversy
Acton's

their

of

was

feelings it
metaphor,

wheel

board.

on

details

bald

the

at

men

mutiny

was

Oates

of

career

the

when

possible moment,

in

public eminence).

revolution

national

others

of

survived

excited

success1.

or

order, interest, and

for
foundations, and

every

effects

elements

the

were

the

majority of people were

the Plot
hysteria over
(if they

the

over

chapter in
impossibility of

great

real

of

state

up
the

to

the

of

of
with

morass

life

minds

tumultuous

feeling

stirred

L'ESTRANGE

OF

most

bottomless

The

time

FLIGHT

"

writers

traversing that

VIII

on

'

Plot

Lord

Gardiner's
from

the

Historian

Introduction
the

'

by
importance of
the
possibility

question of
Mystery of Sir

Enmndbury

SIR

224
had

almost

been

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

obsession

an

with

him

for the

better part of

twenty years.
Three

things by

for the

ex-surveyor
He
almost
1.
was

or

Protestant

at

first

doctor, and

triumph

guarded

2. In

the

Whig

elections
said

Halifax

tracking

things
"

and
to

his

Catholic

"

slanting' against the

great

"

in

attempt

London, and

the

when

Observators

hour

the

dispute

done, he
in

day

and

of

moderate

enough had been

the Godfrey mystery

in

claim

can

public writing,though

exposure.
debdcle following,in

for

down

we

in the field

first person
stand
in
a

that

months

for

the

'hints

mere

small

means

in this connection.

make

to

"

by

Salamanca

Sheriff

no

"

in

the

Oates'

of the

men

like

insisted

on

and

day

out

public service,

the Whig
ruin complete.
helped notably to make
of Charles
3. Shortly before the death
II., he received
without
not
importunity that monarch's
permission to
the great Plotter
dress
for justice,'to
Oates
prepare
up
in the first months
of James'
II.'s
for the pillory', and
in bringing Titus
to Jeffries' tribunal.
reign he succeeded
and

"

"

that

For

he

reason

shares

being pilloriedin Titus

after

written

Oates'

James

once

II.

Portraiture

Revolution, and

the

was

with

when

honour

of

of King James
Titus
absolved2
though un-

enjoying comfort

more

the

and

measure

publicsufferance.

of

It is

frenzy

interestingto
time

the

from

story of that

catastrophe

as

the

that
the

from

the

the

trial

London

of

madness

who

anti-Catholic

of

for

of the

the
the

madman

Popish

reads

the

point

of

Hubert,

Papists,will

admit

already present in
The
frenzy of the people in those terrible
suspicions,frantic beyond all suggestion, the

symptoms

nation.

workings up
Fire.
Any one

of the

given in, say,

self-accused of burning
view,

the

watch

were

nights, their
the
to
wealthy Catholics gladly surrendering themselves
the fanatic mob,
safety of a prison rather than encounter
and the solemn acceptance by all,judges,jury, and witnesses,
of Popish wickedness, not
of the probability
impeded by a
of several
libels)
attempts (besides railing at the witnesses
the
etc., about
Reflections,
a
printed pamphlet entitled
Trimmer
Proved
an
(1684),p. 5). There was
a
beginning of July 1679' {Ol'servator
the Plot (H.M.V.,
derided
11th
1st March
earlier French
tract dated
1679, which
Rept., App. ii.,p. 97).
2 That
but
the
He
is by Parliament.
was
by the Commons,
fully absolved
of Lords.
Stale Trials, x., 1330.
Resolutions
never
finallypassed the House
1

was

'One

as

of the

remember

first

in

alsiS-5

~-r~-

"""-

t/i

Id

^l-^agj

which

Koyal Proclamation
that
us
things warn

L' ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

colour

gave

to

225

this view

these

afforded

great conflagrationof 1666

the

"

only the genius of Oates and

of 1678.
lacking to raise it to the mighty structure
Tonge was
To keep London
ablaze, both in a plain and figurative
conscious
been
the almost
to have
policy of
seems
sense,
of

all the material

ultra- Protestant

the

From

Dissenters.

Plot

Popish

"

also the
party, who were
to 1678
that time, right on

by design or accident,
from
suffered
a
perhaps abnormal
popular feelingwas clearlyinflamed
whether

of

all

disasters

similar

that

London's

Trap

ad

Flames,

Crucem

in the mind

type

of the

the

over

libel excited

people.

The

Smith

Frank

title of

very
"

the

the

sufficient

was

the

to

the

seem

and

The

greatest anxiety

they, and
of the

named
all

rouse

fires, and

It would

terrors

last

beyond,
city

the

periodicaccounts
Revived,

because

Government,

of

number

by

and
that

true

Flames

last,played wantonly with

the

is

country.

London's
of

it

and

factious

"

the

the

especially
credulous
work

of

terrors

of

terrible a
as
of Trap became
Inquisition,and the Game
bogey to the vulgar of that age as history has any record of l.
in Williamson's
others
We
have, for example, among
of
we
a year, as
saw,
private collection of libels for 1673
London's
Wonders,
exceptional activityin this department
a
Catalogue of Eighteen Fires, all
printed by A. P.
the entire area
imputed to the Papists,and scattered over
His
from
of London,
Majesty's stables to St Catherines
in the City to the
from
the Tower, and
Bugg Row
near
The
numerous
prints of these,
George Inn in Southwark.
and of the Great
Fire, hung or placed prominently at every
also calculated to add to the popular
bookseller's shop, were
to
In short, it became
a
terror.
catalogue
party device
with
and
out
seud
the
in
them
fire
City
explanatory
every
2.
Catholic
notes
on
aspirations

the

"

"

"

(the translation called .1 Hut. of His Own Time (1727),p. 386):

lies that
at
to
themselves
these monstrous
familiarly accustomed
al
first opening of Oates'
Plot, they with a ready and easy credulity received
he published, they had
fictions ; for whatever
long before expected '.
2 See
Hall: 'London
has
Common
at the
'24th
./till/
June
1676,
Speech,
i

So

'They
the
his

Parker

had

so

such
become
to ashes, and
a
trade, that
firing is now
already been burned
and
the places adjoining, but all the
only London, the Borough of Southwark,
cities,the boroughs, towns
places of principaltrade throughout
corporate, and
the whole
Kingdom, are perpetually in danger ; so that no rational or considerate
man
can
us
promise himself, his wife, his children, or his State, one
amongst
in the consuming
night'ssecurity, hut they may all be devoured
names,
except
be
is
taken
'.
of this
A
and
effectual
some
course
pamphlet
speedy
copy
shows
how
in S. I'. Dom.
to be found
Car., ii.,Case F., a collection of libels which
much
to the danger of these
alive the Secretaries
were
pieces.

once

not

226

SIR

ROGER

Suspicions of
made

between
have

alleged to
One
of

of

of

state

iteration

affairs in
of

strikingpoint
opposed

men

There

had

which

wards
after-

was

the

the

Court

was

all

on

the

was

and

in

was

the

Government

plot
sides

of the

then
that

'

Laud

The

most

by

use

great

Popish hobgoblin '.

Habernfeld's

"

the

between

1679-81.
evil

theme

"

parallel

that

resemblance

themes

and

"

it

then

that

ancient

was

with

acted

had

zeal.

some

Yet

the

to enflame

anti-Court
those

the
under
up
this before the
'

with

parallel

commonest

"

1641

the

to

been

admitted

haste

the

L'Estrange's

damne'd

curious

with

connection

in

even,

the
of Hubert, and
urged on the execution
l.
and Fitzharris
hurry in the case of Coleman

indecent

same

Court

rife, and

fire, were

great

the

L'ESTRANGE

the

was

'

party revived

fears

'

and

jealousies

skilful incendiaries, Oates

Fire.

'The

Fear

of

leadingjealousy,which

which
and

phantom

2,

finallyflared
And

Tonge.

Popery', says L'Estrange3,

much
was
provoked (in

fear

1640) by pamphlets, lectures, and conventicles, still coupling

and
abominations
of the
Popery and Prelacy ; ceremonies
whore
of the Church
of England to
; by these resemblances
that
of Rome, tacitlyinstilling
affection
disand bespeaking the same
which
the people had
to the
other '.
to the
one,
In

the

Popery,

people

work

same

in

'
"

The

places

some

towards

goes
sedition.

sound

of

and

Innovations

of

great way with the common

They fear, they wish, they love,

not what; and

they hate, they know
yet against this terrible
their
lives
and
fortunes
nothing, shall they engage
as
if
their
souls
and
at
stake,
were
zealously as
as
ridiculously
if
fancied
these
of
innovations
as
to be an
same
they
army
flyingdragons, and the Pope leading them on upon
a
horse
hobbycould
'. He
scarcely foresee at that time that in the
he
would
himself
the proPope-burnings of 1680
grace
cession
in effigy with
Mme.
Cellier
at his side.
In the Character
of a Papist in Masquerade 4, he has the
"Seechap. vi.,166.
So Roger jeeringlyasked
Discovery, 1680.
3
Memento
(1682), 2nd ed.
4
The
Character
of a
1
2

Experience in
(1681), p.
which

if that

plot was

still

carrying on.

Discoveryupon

answer

50.

occasioned

Successor, 1681.

Settle

L'Estrange'sReply

to the

2nd

pt.

of

The

Character

of

Popish

story, this time

same

vein.

What

'

what

And

was

calamities

and

sins

consequence
of the worst

227

still in

but

event

original had

the

L'ESTRANGE

What

phansies?

but

What

phansies

but

the

after

fears

are

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

they

the

same

jealousies
again.

are

Phansies

Sum

of

them

of

people, and

of

crimes,
of

those

nightmared
were
hag-ridden and
phansies. They
in their
haunted
beds
goblins and apparitions, and
they had
images of those visions and illusions which

with

those

the

from

down
It

and

Press

these

on

was

those

and

crimes

miseries

were

effect

with
taken

Pulpit, etc.'.
jealousies and

and

fear

the

the

up

that

Marvell

liberties

are

fatally-endowed

the
of
on
eve
provoke,
his Growth
the Plot wrote
of Popery, which
L'Estrange ever
link
chain
first
in
the
the
of causes
afterwards
regarded as
led to the stupendous madness.
which
take
but
notice ', he says, in his reply to
cannot
You
of the Growth
that work
\ that the author
of Popery does
these two
the main, principally labour
things. First,
upon
the King is in some
cases
to insinuate
accomptable to his
people, and secondly, to provoke the people by suggesting
with

the

to

power

'

'

that

'

'.
power
the former
proposition he

stake,

at

make

to

their

of

use

their

souls, and

their

From

declamation

elaborate

wrought

the

up
his

odious,

against Popery
figure to a height to
is

business

next

and

florid and

when

make

tell the

to

to

on

passes

he

has

it terrible

and

that

people

this

them, and to possess the multitude

goblin is coming in among
with
the apprehensions of a former
conspiracy against our
religion and government'2.
the
Thus
more
were
people for twenty years, and
especially since the Fire, affrightedby the hobgoblin, and
with the possible exception
work
at all comparable
was
no
of Trap ad Crucem
to the Growth
of Popery in the work of
"

"

could

Oates

alarm.

of the

Account

An

Growth

of 1677 and those 0/1641,

cannot
help thinking that
their legend, by tho
receive
-

Ibid.,p.

4:

His
.

Bohun

(Diary,
into

The

author

'The

which

is that

talent

all hands

is doubtless

an

author

to

usher

confess, is

great

St

Albans

many

of

them,

'

most

Rix, p. 40),
about

better

of Knavery with a Parallel betwixt "!"" Reformert

"]
ed., 1631, p. 13.
Scott, Dryden, ix., 420:
and
the
Oates
to
Tonge found
people prepared
previous tract of Marvell'.
.

Lord

excursions,
Wilton

2nd

man,

the

had

have

not

the
honest

calls

Kingdom
Puritan

master
of

matter
are

of

and

libel
.

to rail down

'.

without

unmannerly

infamous

both

but

words,

wonder

Houses

then

vulgar'.
spread and
of

his

ness.
worthi-

So
persed
dis-

Parliament.

SIR

228

ROGER

in, and the hue

him

and

cry in the Gazet1 for the

great libel merely advertised

printers of the
of the people
section
and

When

relate

to

come

we

large
duplicityand

Government's

the

part played by L'Estrange

business, it will be found

Plot

of

literature

the

to

the

of

authors

Eomanism.

invincible
in the

L'ESTRANGE

It

Plot.

the

that

it

the

was

confined

not

was

of

means

his

becoming attached to the Secretary'soffice,in the character

of apologist and
glorifiedspy, and later on of a species of
So that it was
popularly rumoured
Royal Commissioner.
of
that L'Estrange had even
a
hopes
Secretary'splace. We
its
that
his
in
demands
noticed
at the close of
place
among
the Lords'

Committee

confined

being, however,
This
the

that he

was

of the

Commission

the

on

Libels

entered

magisterialauthority
relating to the Press2.

matters

far

be

his

Peace,

to

should

know, but in 1679-80

of the expiry of the Press Act, and therefore of his

granted

not

was

year

so

entered

as

we

"

the

of the
regular Commission
II. 3.
conferred on him by Charles
Peace, the highest honour
of this new
in virtue
It was
authority that he became
personally mixed up in the vast entanglement of the Plot,
and a rather important figurein all the succeeding troubles
We
shall find him
the Whig
debacle.
in
associated with
he

authority
"

October
from

was

1680

the

as

of both

be

made

thereof

to

Press

and

for the

discoverer

be

master

the

to

proof

the

humorous

Marvell's

of

of

Wm.

to

offered
in the Gazet
great rewards
others) have
(L'Estrange's among
M.P. '.
the
to
man
an
being
proper
go,
2
Chap, vii.,213.
:!
Luttrell,Diary, i.,39, April 1680:

county

allowance

service,

; this

but

subjects,

and

'allowance'

and

Middlesex
person
have

hath

they

will
referred

shall

II. and

be

the

the

Marvel], Prose

shall

(in

June
Three

author

Works

have

fifty

that

out

of
'.

of

it from

of

case

himself

full

Grand

the

to

if it fall

to

printer,
that

Account

publishers

authorised

author.

described

He

"

the

the

tracing
See

also

1678, concerning
four
or
printed
'as

near

as

it

was

(1776),i.,428.

R. L'Estrange is made
J.P. for
a
settled
him
on
an
Majesty hath
things (as he pretends)for his Majesty's
violent
animosities
amongst his Majesty's

'tis said
many
most

for

'Mr
his

destructive
prove
very
be explained
to may

Secret Services of Charles

L'Estrange.

writ

caused

follows:

printers and
"100, and

ceedings
prowhat

that

An

Argument

lately
the

libels,so

entitled

printing-house
Ramsden,
Esq., 10th

books

of

as

the

the

the

libel

notice

State

of
said

the

Seasonable

Press

he

or
journeyman,
author) to set up

letter

rewarded

of it to the

hander

of

been

against

give

Secretaries

the

called

aforesaid

libels
to

are

have

there

Press, of any

be

shall
as

jury, especially one

another

Juries, etc., the discoverer

pounds for such discovery
the

Whereas

scandalous

extruded

elapsed before

years

these
.

one

the

to

of Paper;/, and

the Growth

unto

hander

or

and

Parliament

of

'

1678

seditious

discover

shall

soever

several

two

some

March

25th

to

Houses

publisher, author,
evidence

and

Commission,

Gazet, 1288, 21st

printed and published
person

result of his present hardihood

on

James

to

the

Protestant

'.

interest

entry for this month

by an
II., p. 42, of a gift of "100

in
to

The
the

Roger

occasions

of

Sir

Charles

carried

horror

laid

Majesty,
of the
no

"

at

the

on

mercy.
There
are

the

subversion

well-defined

Commons

set

to discover
army
This
Oates' evidence.

also the

trials and

period

or

at

recover

to

the

and

established',
'

Plot '.

First

public notice,
lethargy of the
September, 1678.

and
and

period,October

to

first and

Royal

it to

bring

the

of the

have

of his

this realm

act

who

Government

His

in

and

of that

the

of

House

of disbanding

revealed

crisis

January 1678-9,
of

principalcrop

Popish

executions.

interval of the

in the

Meanwhile,

meeting

of

rate
any
from the

the

the

'

the

the

and

'

suspicion

Papists,

Parliamentary period, when

the important matter
aside even

follows

was

of

that

is

blame

the

phases of

Discoverers

'

the

destruction

oppositionof the Court

This period occupies August

Council.

by

the

of

and
the

the

despite
Then

for

But

Borlase

to

cleared

Religion within

three

attempt of the

letter

Rebellion,

intended

Protestant

true

may

critical trial

Scroggs turned), the

much
his neighbours.
as

be

events

total

of the

months

(when

sects

and

the

but

three

Irish

the

only plotted

not

all

at

going

notes

anti-papalfuel, which

as
away
in this

labours

MSS.

his

in

the

Wakeman

I. must

conniving

to

within

George

Surveyor was
The
point he
of

add

to

way
show
that
to

serve

him

actually find

we

of his

out

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

230

Parliament

new

Dissolution
in

anti-popular party,

ruin

of

April, the
had

designs,whatever

their

of

had

January
Popish,
time

these

to

were,

following the

period
shortly
Narrative
Oates'
Titus
by
the meeting of the new
for
of 15th April 1679, designed
band
invincible
but
Parliament
there appeared a small
of doubters, who
began at first in a cautious and deprecatory

and
of

then

Plot

synchronising with,

Narratives

or

ushered

"

in

"

besides

by

that

rvibb

at

present

removal

the

of

Sir

my

commission

Joseph

Williamson

of

of State is determined
licensing matters
deputation I acted, but that
by whose

received
hand
to my
I have
Since
MSS.
came
quickly be over.
your
of
taken
notice
the
the
thing
being
History,
give my opinion upon
Master
brought to me '. The other hand was Sir John Kemblc,
long before it was
the Faction.
See
The
scandal
of the Rolls and
got wind among
Privy Councillor.
Irish
unless
he
the
to
Rebellion
15
refused
license
Obse r rotor, i.,
:
L'Estrange
Ormonde
the
Carte
terians
'.
it
no
of
(1736),i.,is.)
{Life
might lay
Presby
upon
'full of confusion, mistakes
in talking of histories
work
doubt
refers to Borlaso's
critical
Rebellion
the
Irish
and
falsehoods
'. How
appeared in 1678-82 may be
an

will

order

to

'

from

seen
'

Charles'

action

in the

matter

Memoirs

of Castlehaven's

which

appeared

prosecution of the Popish Plot, a very unseasonable

and
canvassing such a subject '. (Ibid.,ii. 521). Hart, Index,
86 ; Memento, 3rd ed. (1681),p. 6.
See chap, iii.,

during the
for reviving

heat

of the

time
p. 252.

THE

doubt

cloud

to

manner

here

and

L'Estrange was
side,in the
and
in

first and

this

band

of
and

led

deal

of indiscreet

and

countrymen)

which

that

for

of the

abuse

Parliaments.

the

that
The

Parliament

new

of

October

in

into

writers

the

good

Bumpkins (citizens

Citts and

determined

who

Duke,

Government.

met

doubting

these

times

doubt

is little

for the

both

elections

chief \

the

hirelings of

paid

masquerade, etc., there

were
encouraged by the

popular course
in April 1679,
following year,

Protestant

of the

violence

the

in

efforts

violent

the

the

recognisedas

became

follow

not

Bedloe, suggest
Of
these, Pioger

from

alone,

almost

quickly

need

we

Protestants
their

prejudice there.

field,and

though
calling

and

of Oates

evidence

the

231

L'ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

increasingly
committed
not
only
of

return

they were
to a
position,but to the contemptuous
Popishly-att'ected
and
dangerous attitude
conveyed in L'Estrange's remark
that
citizen's skull
is but
a
a
thing to try the temper
that
from
of a soldier's sword
2, a natural inference
upon
instinctive
on
opposition to the trading classes which was
Thus
'

'

'

'

the

part of the
The

Church

of

sop

Court.

and

Council, composed of

of the

heads

the

quickly appeared fallacious 3, and either

the
left the Board, or
members
Halifax
like Temple and
counteracted
actions of Shaftesbury were
by Coventry and
the creatures
The
of the Duke.
latter, though nominally
of power,
out
really controlled the situation. So that while
of the
the other members
the part of Shaftesbury and
on

Whig faction, had

small

17th

on

there

November

to

still

was

trusted

in that

the

of

prosecute the
"

age,

base

"

of

of dubious

witnesses, with

the

of

purses

the

appointed

Lords

Discovery

of the

Plot,

be
evidence
can
any
prosecutionof the circumstances,

vigorous

House

and

if

examinations, intimidation, bribery,and

secret

and

committee

secret

allegedtorture,

gaol scoured
Treasury thrown
every

for
open

evidence,
to

the

informer.
On

the

other

side of the

Council

table, the

Duke's

men

Scott, Dryden, ix.,261 : 'The firsteffectual step taken by the Court to defend
other
in the Observator and
periodicalor
was
against popular clamour
the
had
effect
occasional
on
public mind.
which
of
a
publications
L'Estrange
great
But
during the first clamorous
outcry nothing of this kind was, or probably could
of
with
all manner
be, attempted ; while, on the other
hand, the Press teemed
1

themselves

narratives
-

Apology,

Assenters'
:!

of the

Plot

June

Sayings

Hume,

'.

in
p. 48, quoted
in- Requitalfor Dissenters'

1660,

96-7.
Hist, of Eng., viii.,

Mr
L'Estrange's Sayings (1681),and
Sayings (1681), p. 33.

ROGER

SIR

232
said

were

be

to

methods.

working

Hence

L'ESTRANGE
more

both

on

sides

secretly,though by the same

a
plots,Papist
crop of sham

and

recriminations
Presbyterian,and mutual
charges of trepanning, forgery, and every

form

which

of

introduce

Thus
1680

the

to

us

Cellier, Synge,

the

and

interval

sinister

the

of

names

Tonge.
young
between
the Parliaments

darkest
of

guile,
Dangerfield,

of

1679

and

period of unprecedented agitation on the one

doubts
of the truth
of Oates'
side, beginning with modest
plots before the
story, but swelling into counter-Protestant
On
and
meeting of the second
more
unruly Parliament.
the other side an
distraction
created
enormous
was
by the
device of petitioning
in the winter
(fora Parliament
1679-80)
and one
libellous pamphlet
the Appeal from the Country to
1
the City
achieved
a
splendid notoriety in this connection
besides
this contentious
Parliament
in
a
as
demanding
winter
of
(and therein voicing the wishes of the best men
the Privy Council, Halifax, Essex, and Temple), it bitterly
the Church
attacked
as
position,and the L'Estrange crew
the instruments
of Popery.
Like
the Growth
of Popery it
that
demanded
from
an
answer
L'Estrange, and here it was
Roger first took the libertyof saying very natural but nasty
things of the citizens of London.
the result of
extent
as
During this tumult, and to some
free by the expiry of the Statute
it3,the Press had become
was

"

"

in

May

to

the

1679.
Plot

But

on

December

July

was

the

Rome,

from

side

one

earliest of these

before

even

Harry

first number

the

3, and

1678

the

or

this date
other

Care's
of
last

newspapers
had
started

devoted
up.

The

Weekly Pacquet of Advice

which
of

the

appeared
fifth

on

3rd

volume

in

1683.

scarcely a newspaper
except in
Weekly Pacquet was
and form 4. It attempted in a rather
regular appearance
The

its

Scroggs at the trial of Ben Harris for publishing the Appeal : 'There was
than
this '. State
book
more
pernicious to set us by the ears
hardly ever
any
II 1st., viii.,119.
Hume,
Trials, vii., 927.
llerae'l
the Liberty of the Press,
iius Ridens, p. 80 :
For instance, there
was
denial
of
it
said to be a relique of
it
the
contended
how
for,
earnestly was
into
Address
to
dresst
and
words
an
Milton's
Old
were
argument
Popery,
up
'em
till at last their own
the Parlt.
for it
artillerybeing turned
upon
'.
of the Press
they complain of the Licentiousness
:f And
of the
!" a measure
Librarius
Mercurhts
admitted
into
popular
was
for
terror.
May
1679).
[Term Catalogues
Like
no
the Obsercalor, Care
Weekly Pacquet was
justly pleaded that the
1st vol.
'Their
to the
See his Preface
or
'pamphlet of News'.
newspaper
clamour
it was
but
an
that
a
intelligent man's
regard, as
pamphlet is below
1

'

if

sense

and

reason

were

confined

to

folios '.

popular-learnedfashion

down

Continent

the

on

his

History of the English

the

House

Besides

to

the

the

where

Dr

tion
Reforma-

had

Burnet

started

much

approved by
imprimaturcd by
flatteringly

so

so

hi'//
ret
Pacguetfrom Borne, there

Weekly Packet from Germany, begun

233

story of the

lit formation,

and

of Commons

Coventry.

bring

to

L'ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

the

on

3rd

of this year but concluded

finallyin December.
also born
Current
J. Smith's
was
Intelligence

was

September
of

out

time.

appeared on 14th February 1G79, and enjoyed a fitful

the
till the spring of 1682, when
but vituperative existence
Government
most
journals, and the fury
closing down
was
of the Plot was
expended.
It first

Harris'
and

also

this year
Domestic

Of

carried

begun
Intelligence,
with

on

but

the

on

July 1679,

7th

till the

hiatus

considerable

one

starting of L'Estrange's Ohservator in April 1681.

To answer
this vigorous Plot paper, Nat Thompson
into

the

breach

the

on

in the
Intelligence

with

side

Court

month, and

same

his
the

with

Ben

redoubtable

the

notice

should

we

stepped
Domestic

True

of title

change

spring of 1681 to the Royal Protestant and Domcstick

Smith
Frank
continued
into May 1682.
(jocosely
Intelligence
of
his
the name
called
from
sign, the
Elephant Smith
Elephant and Castle)1 did not start his Smith's Protestant
than
did it last more
till 1st February 1681, nor
Intelligence
in the

three

four

or

made

Frank

but

months,

omission

for the

up

(started February 1681) by

Democritus
Ridcns, and
by being active in other ways".
all in
of later date, but
Baldwin, Curtis, and Janeway are
of the faction,Harry Care.
league with the 'Little Luther'
the natural
of Eoger L'Estrange,
This man
became
enemy
by answering

the

chief

Also
to

put

on

the

Such

which

the

Green

Lane

Harris.

early

'a

Club
of

centre

[Examen)
Care,

its members

the

was

is noted
to

too,
were

Birmingham

of

name

1681.
whose

and

by SitweU
the

by

editor

12d.
to

S""e

F.

most

company
of

subscribe

the

for such

proper

'Political

with

Chancery

at

anglers

oi

paragraphs
Ben

Do

whilst
to the

Papers

Carfour

(First Whig, p. 78):

week

these

of
of

Parliament,

of this

L'Estrange's remarks

Smith's

connection

aes

business

trot his
advised

close

The

votes

mad.

as

September

communicated

were

and

2nd

described

Ribbon

End,

'"so

of

owner

Scott's

democracy run
Reformation Reform'd, occasioned

same,

Votes,

"'"

the

was

Dryden, Lx.,p. 209.

printing day by day of those numerous

be

only

of

fools'

the

He

Loyal party.

of the

Bromigham-Protestant

'

uses!

as

can

the

writer

such

liidcns

Heraclitus

in

prison,

Weekly

from

the

"".
I

fo" rvator,

'Pope-burning'
1CS6, where
Roger has printedseveral
he
resolutions
of
the
16S0) in which
Club, especially that
(1st November
himself
0
valor can
never
ligurcd. "The
forget the obligation- he has to
fc. c '.
the
g.
iii.,204, 28th

August

SIR

234
facile

could

pen,
judgment, and
of

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

them

give

air of

an

considerable

some

Pacquet of Advice,
of study as
a
history
That

of

it took

the

on

eloquent of the
heated
the question
state of public opinion at the time, on
of Popery. The grave
Weekly Pacquet was
accompanied by
sheet
of
remarkable
abuse
and
a
single
obscenity which
became

the

Weekly
unworthy

Church

Protestant

with

sion
posses-

his

bias,is not

grotesque

the

unerring

the

authority by

learning. Indeed,

despite its

Continent.

with

horrors

depict Popish

largelydevoted
L'Estrange. This part,

the

most

entitled

The

have

of

for

disgraced the
at

us

could

revel

the

on

in

the

Rome

Courant, and

be

did

not

based

was

had
'

on

we

"

the

at the

almost

must

which

of mind
time

same

stiff

so

that the mob's

remember
with

on

it is difficult

and

state

religionwhatever,

jealousies'.

Later

Courant

breath, the

attacks

Popish Courant,

connection

no

fears and

Loyal side recovered

Pacquet struggled on

scurrilous

Protestantism,

imagine

to

topic,if
religious

hostilityto
but

name

distance

this

to

is

mob

when

on,

the

but

dropped,
to stand

the last enemy

the

against

the Observator1.
The

Plot

interest,but
notice.

has

literature

the

This

be

may
the

on

it, but
Plot

was

and

Pamphlets

almost

the

Government

the

latter.
The

actual

as
was

first and

Defoe's

the

tribute

the

and

be

hellish

Care's

the

of Oates
of

the

of

waste.

study

to

that

the

Narratives

lying

and

former

that

by

as

already alluded
Parliament

new

Narrative, consisting of

eighty-one

of

a
complete
abridgment
design of the Papists, and was

only

an

significant additions
to

had

fact

the

by

lack

and

executions,

moved

meeting

to

of

matter

escaped

its inherent

perforce

given

Narrative

almost

has

of

amount

confusion

have

trials

much

as

classic

was

of
exposure
with
certain

been

much

as

Plot

its

to

vast

first to

crisis

has

prepared for
in April 1679.
This
articles,pretended to

to,

then

Popish

little notice

of the

ascribed

literaryquality,and
Writers

attracted

naturally

Weekly Pacquet

the

famous

in Introduction

document
to 1st vol. of his

(Arber, An
English Garner, ii.,618) : 'If they think
the
dull
and
that
work
(which the present scarcity and
mean
performance
for these
Collections
value
of these
plainly contradict), it remains
gentlemen
that
the
are'.
Defoo
admitted
the meannesses
Weekly Pacquet
to tell us where
The
Preface
to the 1713 reprint of Heraclitus
'was
the prototype of the Review.
libels collected
had
the
'We
have
not
of former
Ridens
venom
only
says:
the
entire
but
as
of Advice, Popish
Weekly Packet
pieces reprinted, such
Cowards, etc. '.
Review,

September

1704

submitted
with

Godfrey

before

to

sworn

the

to

which

it

was

adorned

now

created

addition, and

September
followingday.

1678, and
The

was

preface

remarkable

its most

with

Therein

of controversy.
made
his Plot

storm

235

27th

on

the

Council

L'ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

Oates
possible,
complete effronterywhich
the
reminded
King of the attempts of the Papists for a
the
at
to
embroil
Papists were
parties. The
century
of the late rebellion,they frustrated the Treaty of
bottom
missioners
into
their
Uxbridge in 1645, and they sent
Scotland
in 1650
make
matters
to
impossible there for
by
firing and
Tarquin '. Since the Restoration
young
best
towns
cities and
by aspersing,
plundering our
deriding, exposing, and
declaiming against the King's
by seditious preachers and catechists,set up,
person
to preach, in their
and directed what
sent
out, maintained
and
field
climate
other
at public conventicles
or
or
own
Government
impossible and fire
meetings', they render
the

'

'

...

...

whole

the

with

the

solelythe

work

Scotland
are

The

intermittent
of

had

that

the

personal safety of the King were

word
a
challenged,and that without

men

the

whose

statements

nation
It
would

as

not

was

allow

miserable
a

on

of the

par
to be

was

Bedloe

Fires, and

in

country,

disguise.
singularly

associated

with

rudely
Papists, was
from
a
man
proof
the
of
section
large

accepted by a
with Holy Writ2.
supposed that the other King's Evidence
of publication. The
all the
honours

Titus

narrative.

been

1679

of

were

Prance

of that

contumacy

the Catholics
and

late troubles

the

and

of 1666

peripateticJesuits in fanatic

belief that

current

loyal in

late rebellions

The

nation.

Mr

shortlyafterwards
contented

Dugdale4

himself

in

the

with

presented the

field with
narrative3

nation

with

Catholic Apology, 1666, for a list printed in red letters of

the Royal side during the Civil Wars, chap, vi.,172.
on
by
generally believed
Memoirs, ed. 1720, p. 339: 'Though it was

See Castlcmaine's

Catholics
8

who

suffered

Temple's
houses, by City

with
I talked
Country, by clergy and laity,yet when
the
of it, they
bottom
ought best to know
private, who
the
it was
not
King
only
they would
yet mysterious, that
say
believed
it a scene
it.
Upon three days thought of this whole affair, I concluded
From
unfit for such
actors a- I believe myself to be'.
a
(Coke's
believing source
Detection fl719". p. 239) we
told that the King 'not
the
arc
only countenanced
'.
the
but
ridiculed
Plot
So
Burnet:
Coke
the
In
to
witnesses,
plotters,
regard
swallows
them
whole
is even
classic precedent for
a
except Dangerfield. There

both

his

in

Did

Cicero

case.

.1

not

Narrative

and

for the Burning and

suburbs,1679-80.
4

and

friends
my
conclude
that
of

some

Not

the Plot

use

Fulvia

d on
Impartial Discoveryof the Horrid Popish /""
the
Loiulon.
their
Cities
ami
Westminster
urith
of
of
Destroying

Witness, as

L'

Estrange discovered,p. 238.

SIR

236

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

of the unheard
of Popish Cruelties Towards
Protestants
Besides
these, Jesuits' Catechisms,
Beyond Seas.
of an
old
taken
out
Popish Delusions, aud lying wonders
in Kent, only for diversion's sake ', exposed in every
book
bookseller's
the crowd
at the perfidy and
shop, made
gape
obscenity of Rome.
As to the framing of these official narratives, we
know
that the booksellers
had
a
large hand in their composition.
It is something surprising to find a creature
like Prance
to print
dispensinghis lordly permission to printer Dormer
his Narrative, very
Chief-Justice
much
in the same
style a
would
There
no
use.
was
question of the law monopoly
for them.
On
the contrary, they set up such
a
monopoly
in
dared
and
attacked
narratives
so
fiercely any who
the
have
challenge it, that we
amusing spectacleof the
late Surveyor complaining noisily of the tyranny
of the
In
Press.
small
a
see
perhaps more
thing like this, we
these
credit which
clearly than in greater, the enormous
It is still,however, early days
men
enjoyed in the nation.
Narrative

'

with

the
It

Dr

'Plot'.
from

appeared

Oates

which

the

assisted

was

seems

deposition

by

small

exaggeration,

an

of

forty clerks1,

of

army

however,

that

liar

another
if

think

we

the

of
'

'

Doctor
for the
even
security and secrecy necessary
that he was
to practise. But
it is certain
helped out in
the
composition of his Narratives
by his literary friend
Dr
Tonge, whose
long practice since 1672 in the Popish
Delusions
made
him
an
accomplished hand.
Department
Yet
Titus, if we
judge by his Trial Speeches, had a
may
certain
bold narrative
Tonge, no doubt, gave
faculty too.
some
literaryfinish to the Narratives, and helped them
into some
of order
and
sort
coherence, besides
suggesting
the

crude

for

which

historical
Oates

of

matter

had

the

Preface

little

knowledge,
L'Estrange mischievously suggested, too
in

1640

to

There

is

be

an

actual

of

observer

and
and

Epilogue,
being,
a

young

as

man

Popish intrigue

tlien.

suggestion that the document

handed
in May
not
to Dormer
1679 was
This
narrator
was
gifted with a wearisome
might be called garrulity,if it did not
1

1682

Young

no

Tonge's

Confessions

to

L'Estrange

in

T/te

which
his

Prance

very

own.

pathos, which
touch
Shammer

matter
Sltammed,

SIR

238

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

of this scandal committed

menage
As
to what
calumniator.
concerns
have

nothing
to

nor

to

one

any

to the hands

Mr

of

Bedloe's

common

evidence

to the Papists burning the

say ; nor
point in the pamphlet which Mr Bedloe

City ;
can

this I shall say,

knowledge.
in
that
several groundless and dangerous passages
are
are
it, and that the most
inflaming and seditious of them
date reprinted; that it was
contrivance
libels of ancient
a
drawn
set out by booksellers for profit,
up accordingto their
abuse
in the very
order and
direction, and in an
original
intendment; the citizens and King's witnesses
being only
pretend

speak

to

to

But

upon

there

propounded

as

reputation, and
Plot.

"

But

fearful

of

thousand

offending the great

is it to

contrivance

of

the

mentioned

Dugdale's

Dr

are

fools
doctor
his

Oates

mercenary
?"
shams

Narrative

was

gaining of

illustrate

to

", ye'llsay, "there's

story, and

of

use

the

trial of skill in their

diminution

herein

made

what

upon
invents

property towards

and

of booksellers
knave

trades, one

believe

it ".

vital

Narrative

booksellers

some

the

confirm

mourneval1

own

in

it

then

But

What

"

point,

say that the

and
scriveners

to

'

an

better

even

instance

of the

trickery of unscrupulous publishers.

Mr
off clear, with
Richard
'The
first impression went
Dugdale in the title page, as the composition of Mr
the
bookseller, finding the
Dugdale, the Witness, but
business
be
to
smoaked, the Witness's
name
being taken
notice of to be Stephen and not Richard, he very prudently
in the second
left out the Christian name
impression, and
made
it only Mr
Dugdale. And so it went for the Witness's
being only to find out a witness's namesake
again ; his work
by great good fortune he pitched upon an alehouse keeper in
off his project,and the man
Southwark
of that name
to carry
2.
told) is a very honest man
(as I am
the above
the time
At
quotation,the
L'Estrange wrote
-

'

Mourneval

"

Murray's New

Knaves.

(2) Transf.

the

of Knaves.

term
2

The

witnesses

set

profit arising
and

Eng. Diet. (1)A set

(things or persons).

of 4
from

these

Narratives

was

sufficient

Scott,Dryden, ix.,261.

See

booksellers.

4 aces, Kings, Queens or

L'Estrange invariablyuses

of

to

Examen,
having published

seduce

p. 260

both
ever
'How-

various
of
at
his pen,
the
sorts
captain was
the
is no
availes
that
has
small
of a Discoverer
(which by the way
as
good at the sport as himself, and I
sellingof the copies) she (Mrs Cellier)was
The
business
him.
ended
in a print (i.e.Dangerfield's Narrative
think
out-wrote
worried
Lord
scoundrel
in which
that
Keeper North) to the great gain of the
the streets, " the
small job for the printer, for the crying about
no
spark. It was
dexterous

narratives

L. C. J. North's

Narrative

"

in

time

of such

of
super-foetation

Plot Narratives

',

THE

POPISH

whole

pack

Press

had

Act

230

Whig libellers were

again loose,and in greater
enjoyed, not merely because the
they had ever
the Government
was
as
expired but because

of

than

freedom

L'ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

month
later
so
or
a
yet powerless to interfere,and when
Scroggs and his brethren did interfere,we shall find it makes

part

the

of

The

London

had

half

dozen

Thompson's
and

numerous

turning
of Popish

were

presses

spawn

the

out
or

morning,
Nat

while

immodest

less

no
'

judge.

greet him

to

hawkers1,

the

of

cries

in

Mercuries

Protestant

True

discordant

abroad

walked

he

venal

of that

impeachment

an

citizen,as

the

with

for

matter

'

Popishly-affected

broadsheets.
It

George

until

not

was

Wakeman

Protestant

forth.

words,

on

the

18th

as

much

the

'

witnesses

that

the

that

observed

been

by

Court, seemed

tampered

the

mob

from

outset, and

his

it

was

Scroggs

apparent

to

appeared

summing-up

invective

usual

his

storm

this

was

the

with

from

of the

physician's.That

been

different

fury

her

had

far

whole

as

Queen's trial
the

as

It has

1679.

July

It

trials of Sir

July

ambiguous champion
This
famous
trial,by which, in
blasted ',occurred
saw
they were

fore

brought L'Estrange to the

of sanity and moderation.
Burnet's

the

that

Corker

broke

tempest

of the

conclusion

the
and

these

in

manner

trials 3.

Bedloe, too, had

admonished

that

Wakeman
he hastened
him

to

was

to

made

his
'

bad

amend

hearsay
King was no

by affirmingthat

Sir

on

off' the
it

when,
that

evidence

take

stumble

being

on

Sir

direct

George

evidence,

George

told

himself4.
Oates' evidence

being an

was,

of

course,

subject to suspicion of

afterthought,as Wakeman's

name

had

not

its

appeared

Gazet, 1432, 7th to 11th August 1679.

two
things, (1)that such an evidence
Excmen, p. 185 : 'Posterity will wonder
to sustain
should be admitted
a
this against Wakeman
charge of high treason
as
;
bear
much
altercation
it did '.
it should
examination
as
so
(2) that upon a solemn
3
'Oates
See Roger North's
portrait of Scroggs, Lues, i.,196.
contemptuous
and
he
Chief-Justice
took
in
ranted
forward
with
as
a
swinging popularity,
coming
advice
He
to
side most
that
probably did not need North's
on
impetuously'.
trial.
make
him play his politicpart at the Wakeman
L'Estrange had the doubtful
honour
with
to be set them
to run
now
by their evidenceScroggs in the course
.1
L. C.
while
lied.
See
Year's
New
i
'.
Roger
ships
Only Scroggs stayed
i

'

.1
.

Scroggswhere

two

his

tender

treatment

of

the

evidence

in Coleman's

trial

is

of the Court
The
conduct
on
rigour to Oates in Wakeman's.
'was
Pollock
Mr
perfectly
(Popish /'lot,p. 310),
occasions', says
It was
certainly consistently partisan.
'Whereupon' (State Trials, vi., 643) 'Sir George said privately to
with

'

his

"There
fellow-prisoners,

is my

business

done"'.

trasted
con-

the
sistent'.
con-

his

SIR

240

inclusive
Before
verdict

the

on

been

this

from

was

Plot

the

History of

This

was

to

into
of

describe

trial,

despairing

the

work

probably published

in

Term

there

'Whereas

February 1679-80,

several

are

this

Catalogue,
In Harry

1679.

September

Advertisement, 27th

Booksellers'

in

attempt

nervous

Michaelmas

is in the

and

besfinnino-

well

Wakeman's

For

courage

first

3.

Broome's

be

new

direction
was

remarkable

Plot
and
reading
a
more
openly scepticalstandpoint2. As
better or more
man
courageously presented
the Protestant
side than
L'Estrange. His

result

said, no

view

side.

this

of

it may

other, put life and

party,
the
trials,from
has

effects

other

the

on

any
the

and

the

final and

September, 1678 l.

in 28th

on

declared

had

Oates

popular mind,

done

than

Council

remark

we

was

more

the

before

L'ESTRANGE

which

list
proscriptive

in that

what

ROGER

discourses
for the

that passe
in the world
pamphlets abroad
he never
of Mr
Roger L'Estrange, wherein

had

and

writings
hand

any

second
in the List, since September
all, etc. ', it occurs
1678, and it preceded Roger Palmer's Narrative
published

at

October

in
a

survey
have

we

look

not

Like

Gift, etc.

Year's

that

he

record

of

along

should

have

is

apparent
*

See

his

past by or
justly insist
"

Trials, but

the

on

slubbered

oV
Conspiration

I
.

be

to

upon

ngh U

rre,

d Londres, chez It. Bentley

sides,and

of

Castlemaine

that

methods

the

so

to incur

Six

4.

which

alone

'Mr

"

force

in

the

Did.

I 'lot,1679.

several

of

both

of Nat.
Biug.) says
attempt to be fair to
thought the King's Evidence.

So

of the
over

it observed

its sinister

surface.

Compendium

work,

been

right,
'.
home
then
charged him
Doleman, Clerk
in-law, Sir Thos.
2
Defoe, Review, vii.,297.
ridiculing the Plot '.
:: Sir
Sidney Lee (art. L'Estrange,
mere

that

so

Oates, Sir George Wakenian

urged
permitted his liberty so long, if you
This
is the
occasion
when
L'Estrange's fatherof the
Council, attempted to shield Oates.
'A
appeared, who
began with
party of men

Scroggs

"

not

had

by

with

described

author

later, the

.1 New

it

Oates

of

an^er

years

as

mistaken

be

to

days,

famous

more

many

caution

the

few

Roger had
trials of the year.
of all the
Although
entered
this work
in the list of sceptics,
must
one
in it for anything more
daring than hints and

glances.
much

by only a
important

1679.

'The

author

things which
their

business'.

the

of the

is

Plot

said

parties

There

History

the

was

victims

History

concerned

has

may
la

Histoire. de

an

traduite de VA ngloisdu sieur L' Est range par L.D.L.F.

Commiin
etc.. 1679, dedicated
Jardin i n Russel"tireet,
a%

d'un
cliampions Roger against l'autheur
le titre de Compendium
Libelle
certain
(qui) le traite do Phanatique',
public sous
who
'.
le veuleut
faire passer
and
the Nonconformists
Catholique Romain
pour
seulement
tres
il est generallement
As
for L'Estrange,
connu
non
un
pour
tres
mais
aussi
honnete
une
capable. II est officier
homme,
personne
pour
cela
revoir
les ouvrages
chez
le Roy
et outre
nommo
qui s'impriment,
pour
donner
la permission do les mettre
au
jour'.
pour
to

Ormonde,

in

which

the

translator

'

'

'

THE

PLOT"

POPISH

OF

FLIGHT

possible in these months

innoculating the public mind
The

'

the

witnesses

witnesses, and

rirst

dipped

my

launching out
certain

office

and

skirting now
bantering betwixt
as

any
of the

foundation
and

vouchers

there

was
.

meddling with
But

without

trimming
season

"

Narrative, and
the

upon

credit

sacred,

of

and

for

patrons
time

long

without

burning a man's
of
pleased God by a beam
all the intrigues and
into

vote

the

yet untouched,

as

since it hath

Providence

lay

no

was

by little to understand
safely communicate, but the

could

Plot

little

it remained

of

no

lingers.

people

man

the

upon
Earnest

and

Jest

witnesses, gave
much

as

of

state

then

led

managers
things when

slanting,
hinting and
body could perform in that

of

plot

there
into this subject, and
pen
into the abyss of the Plot mystery

little

the

the

was

sceptic desirous

ruin, but coastingand

the best

was

this

241

his doubts.

with

rabble, the

the

led

the

to

were

L'ESTRANGE

itself to

light us
recesses
thought I could not do better than to
lay hold of and to improve this opportunity of tracing it
from the labourers and the journeymen to their principals'
\
In his Freeborn
immediately after The
Subject,written
he
an
was
History of the Plot, when
smarting under
unsuccessful
John
Birkenhead's
for
Sir
application
post
of Master
of Faculties
he
leads
death,
relinquished by
up
to the circumstances
of the publication of his History with
the
old story of his thirty years'labour
for the
Crown,
his imprisonments and fortitude,a sure
sign with L'Estrange
of it

...

that

he

of his

in

was

low

mouth, and

and

water,

people that
very
', is a sad commentary

which

terminated

As

those

to

(in the Printed

together with

the

bread

large proportion shared

of those
block

'

now,

his

his

pursued

amongst

late

out
some

Majesty to
expiry of that

the

on

taken

the
Act

licensinggains2.

circumstances,

'

on
reflecting

those

errors

Plot)
of retrieving
the almost
inextricable
difliulty
the truth out of such a confusion
of tautologiesand forms,
the collection being so bulky, too, and the particularslying
1

L'Estrange,History of

to the
-

Trials

3rd Book

/bid.,p.

Dominions
and mean

ii

under

of
;

and

of the

Narratives

the Times

(1687),and

the

produce

another

To

Devilish

the Header

introduction

Observati
'I

defy

any

man

to

that
circumstances
Injustices
from any abv"
quick to see in these words
echo of
an
of the Caveat, 1661.
See Assmters'
!
any

has

suffered

so

gentleman in the King's

arbitrary,
illegal,
many

were
King's bounty'. His enemies
old Cavalier, insurgent complaints
(1681),pp. 32-3.

the

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

242

of Insurrection
to
next
to the work
scattered,that it was
set any part in its right place,I betook
myself to my friends,
so

digestedthe
my
papers, and
historical narrative.
And
not

into

neither,
nor

the

the

same

an

in

nor

words,

prisoners,but
fashion

entitled

The

of the

Pretenders

as

invader

of

into

there

else

man

no

rate,

made

of

the

letters,what
mind

fellows

for

the

to

go

When
others

he

which

was

the

of

bulk

all

take

but

that

upon

of

scandal

to

cramp
a

blessed

our

the

is this

up

Bacon's

he

merits

is

on

surer

eleven

Trials.

of that

the

and

ground.

shillingsless than
The

fact

publicationwas

that

it

very

all

books

they
A

are

the

commonwealth

is

industry that if I
go to forty little
of the

Narrative
the

brave
If

ceedings
proEarl

body
he

sedition, must
for

Plot

license

History

sold
the

King's

the

and

was

this

and

Government

It

the

Canterbury.

of his

if

as

At

because

master,

of treason

publishers of
urges

of

them

to

the

to

subject.

learning and
history,I must

Archbishop

system

to

most

complain

not

upon

stationers

King

him
bail

in
do

; some

bookseller

Bibles, and

their

print it,

author

forfeited

sermons

in

book

to

my
threaten

leave, forsooth, to write

draw

would

write

compile

Strafford,or

him

trials arrest

copy,

just

legalassignment

of the

twenty-four Letters,

to

upon
of

their

company

What

copy.

authority

former

descanting upon
the

made

witnesses

way,
This

story.

I authorised

the

by

have

to

have

the Plot, and

the

to

whatever

their

tell the

action
trans-

dialogues,

the

style and

their

were

Printer, for
out

it

of

shall

we

own

my
would

in

Bench,

proprietyl, and
the
bargain. He
puts
the squabble rests.
They

imitation

any

in

bookseller.

to

of

wonderfully
action,and

of the

History of

right to a
imprinted

an

neither

as

of my
he
and

of

whole

thoughts, and

my

at

half

official

was

only

much

in

over
a

'

the

crown,

publication

sixth

its favour.

of

the
But

Property Rights in the Trials is important.

Scroggs,
assumed
was
by what
authority that Arbitrary Power
The
friend
the seeing of it',i.e. the printed trial.
Lords'
of mine
to forbid any
sole
law
had
in 1668
reversal
left Edward
of the
judges' decision
Atkyns
assumed
in the freedom
by the press, property rights shared
patentee, but now
the judges began
later
share
in the
to
the general disorder, and
plunder.
of
like
witnesses
tavern
assiduous
mean
courting
Dangerfield,
By
printersgot
'In
possession of their lordly imprimatwrs. Viner, Abridgment, xvii., 207:
of printing Roll's Abridgment
being licensed
by the Judges,
arguing the case
admitted
Patentee
in Parliament
it was
insisted
and
of the
by the counsel
this
is
That
the
That
no
publick
stopping the
(1)
grievance. (2)
grant
Lawthe
by the Judges, is justifiable. (3) That
Impression, though licensed
the
Patentees
not
Judges' License '.
print law reports without
may
1

The

October

question of
1679, wondered

'

his claim

omitted

have

to

official trials,was

of the

the

As

denial.

L'ESTRANGE

243

nothing,and made good

subjected to a good deal

the defects

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

Plot

the

of

critical aspects

most

abusive

of

either

are

suppressed according as the writer believed, a

of the points charged againstL'Estrange's
further examination
on
History and the things charged by him and Castlemaine
the other writers, focus the main
disputes of the mystery.
is an
The
clever Epistle to the Eeader, which
plished
accomtime
model
of
hinting and slanting',at the same
of the
consciousness
certain
shows
a
magnitude of the
Plot mystery
in English History
a
feelingabsent from
heightened

or

'

"

almost
We

and
references
narratives.
contemporary
that
it is almost,
this, too, remembering

all other

should

though

read

innuendo,

omission, and

existence

of

would

of

tract

for

has

any
story, either

sins

so

believe

Plot

by
the
one

be

to

understood

is

in,
the

as

in

agitation (a judgment
follies).

our

miserably divided betwixt

everything and others nothing, that

world

whole

the

be mistaken

dangerous to

so

necessary
Plot now

by

augmented

the

But

will

yet

of this detestable

our

point, perhaps, in

been

not

English

mystery

Oates'

imagine.

difficult and

so

or

the

on

Incidentallyit proves
body of sceptics than

addition.

considerable

more

first

at

There

'

attack

quite l,the earliest

not

so

that

some

only

not

them,
Christianity itself is almost lost between
moderation.
We
are
place left for sobriety and
and
dreams
ourselves
imagination ; we
by
govern

truth, but
and

no

to

come

tale an
article of Faith, and
Coffee-house
every
A
raise invincible
fables
incredible
we
arguments.

from

make

fierce

be

must

well-affected, as
and

Popish dog

'When

handle

every
matters

the

mercenary
of Faith
fit

mechanic

every

sceptical treatment

Earlier

sum

effect

of

Nat

ditfident

is very

Queries early

man

being

of

heretic
And

controversy.
license

popular

State ;

and

judge
the

of

in

in his references.

1679, which

took

the

upon

very

Plot
in

and

the

be

found
of

Wakeman
There

The

decided

to

him

trial
also

was

view
a

in
Ben

was

Were

Nat
Harri"

the

ou

Sobt

to

princes

Government.

wake

is to

upon

laws

give

Trimmer
Proved
rives
Observator
a
onslaughts on the Plot fabric from 1679-1681.

witnesses.
various

of

damned

scribbler shall take

started
Ini Ilia nee, which
IrUelligenc(1st No. 7th July 1679). The
but

reputation

another

one

whole

Domestic

Tru-

get

the

appeal

and

the

were

but

to

callingof

if the

this

all

what's

violent

and

and

Thompson's
Domestic
18th

July,

Secuc

of the rascality ot ti
of the
capital summary

244
the

these

not
.

of

ground

ROGER

very

circumstances

L'ESTRANGE
of the

late

weighed, and
distempers, the

things duly

These
.

SIR

present

our

times

etc. ?

considering
of

compiler

the
this

Abridgment, reckoned that he could not do his countrymen

better office than
a
by layingbefore them the naked state of
view
at
of the
a
one
things, to give them
prospect both
of apprehension,and
of the vigilance,zeal
subject matter
needful
their behalf.
and
on
severity of the Government
end

which

To

whole

of the
have

itself

hath

He

much

one

either

and

forms

lives, either
truth

deliveringthe
material

one

as

relative

parts of the

into

notes

comparing

the

in

substance

of

prints that
proved to be not

his

own

have

In

account,
this

positionof
of

the Plot

or

comment

reader's

without

only

every

need

of

epistle,L'Estrange
the
as

clergy and
is visible in

in the

liberties and

course

indecencies

being
of

very
Court.

the

same

all passages

cast

here

with

the

upon

the

and

short

most

in

the

voucher

clearly
Admit

own

but

full, he

world

upon

'.
set

forth

the

only so much
decry violence

letters ;
trials,and fall foul

of the

of

extract

an

Coleman's

of

the

at

published, his
jot as correct,

been

more

own

the

ease

papers

which, being
intelligible,
find credit
and
thought might be useful,
its

simplicity.

especiallyfinding that

method,

warrantable
much

in all

proceedings.

contemplation, and
Having
time possessed of a most
exact
summary
in question, this reporter was
only to
this

'

abstract

the
upon
records to

point ; there is not

nor
a
flourish,nor

it will

too, that

compass,
his purse,

mislead

these

who

persons

it,opposing authentic

to

abstract

by clearing him of the puzzle of

and
interlocutories, that serve
only to amuse
man
by breaking the order and confounding the

well

as

concerning those

for their

any

historical

up

partial stroke in it ;
and
bare
a
plain collection, without
any
it is brought
of credulity
or
pashion. And

narrow

so

head

omitted

but

anything
into

and

rumours,

as

tincture

tried

in relation

not

drawn

here
of fact

been

or

wandering

hath

matter

hitherto

Plot

so

he

sectaries,who

of

the

encouraged

against the
claims to act as judges
in particular,
of Danby
in treason
trials, and in the case
the old
indulged in anti-episcopallanguage, besides which
by the expiry of the Press Law, and
bishops by their refusal to yield their

I.e.,The

quoted

p. 245.

Civil War.

Of. also Justice

Dolbeu's

animated

speech, Slate Trials,vi.,704,

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

246

'

to
immediately took
pen
writer
of the
the party's indignation against the
express
'little dirty pug
The
abridgment of the trials.
Harry
of
the
veriest
hack
the
accused
of
booksellers,
being
Care',
Plot Narratives,
the compiler and first begetter of numerous
author of the persistentWeekly
and the learned if scandalous
Pacquet of Advice from Borne and Protestant Courant, issued
he
his Damnable
Popish Plot \ in the epistle of which
with
attacked
L'Estrange by name
great ferocity. At the
other
combatants
were
time, or shortly after, two
same
have
breathing out threatenings against each other. We
Miles
Prance, and his
King's Evidence
already mentioned
After
dark
of the Godfrey murder.
(May 1679) narrative
had
in
notorious
been
and
Newgate, Prance
passages
formidable

One

called

to

upon

'

scribbler

life in

Ireland's

away
Wakeman's

swear

the

May trials,

in

July. Roger Palmer, in

has
been
closely as
following L'Estrange's History so

and

attempt

to

and

Prance

on

occasion

took

observed,

riddle

to

perforce uttered

17th

October

Thus

there

his

feeble

tortured

and

evidence,

irrelevant

replv

1679.
in

was

month

this

the

"

month

also

of

the

Appeal from the Country to the City, and of the

the
a
quadrilateralduel over
petitions for a Parliament
truth
of the King's 'evidence'.
Care's attack
on
L'Estrange in the preface to his History
Popish Plot is as worthy a piece of invective
of the Damnable
ambitious
exists in the language. His long and
as
history
famous

"

takes

the
of
thread
up
by inference convicted

from

narrative

the

Reformation,

King, Court, Lords, and Bishops

affection
for Popery, arraigned the Judges for their
of an
conduct
in the later Plot trials,and appealed to the approaching
He
attacks
Parliament
for judgment.
L'Estrange's
the
trials
of
it omits
Staley, the
Brief History, because
denounced
by Carstairs, the first to suffer,
Popish banker
Bedloe
to mitigate
and
Reading, who attempted to suborn
the
To
Tower.
his evidence
against the Popish Lords in
that
the
these
charges Roger had the very good answer
and

The

History of the
1681.

appeared

against our
We

know

should

Religionand
that

John

Lib

be

rti "\

people ',

which

Phillips, Milton's

Hence
productionjofthese narratives.
ix.,
seems
of
'208)
(Hist, l"ng. (1854),
commission

Plot (anon.) 1680, 8vo.

Popish
distinguished from

Popish

Damnable

This

to

write

his

may,

to

imply

that

had

Care
'

Popishl'luf, for

second

Damnable

not, have
may
with
collaborated

or

nephew,
L'Estrange's enmity.

Damnable

been

edition
Plots
Care's.

Care in the
See p. -530. Lingard
mentary
some
sort of Parlia-

the

instruction

of the

THE

PLOT"

POPISH

FLIGHT

L'ESTRMSOE

OF

247

lay outside the broad track of Oates'

not
Plot, and Heading was
brought in for his life. Care
of the
Court, which
was
now
ready for the vengeance
him
overtook
in the sentence
of Scroggs in July 1680.
But
the real front of Eoger's offending was, as we
saw,
that he had
indicated
the
slippery places in
conspicuously
the Plot
mystery, where, but for a good deal of winking
and
had
business
collusion, the whole
to pieces. He
gone
did not
behind
the
yet dare to hint that Shaftesbury was
in
scenes
Newgate, and working as earnestly as any, at
the patching-up and
rehearsing of the Plot story, drilling
the
various
in the
witnesses
they were
parts to which
driven
to torture
or
by what amounted
bribery.
But
he cast
that Prance
a
glance at the idle rumour
had
to be assisted
to the witness-box
by copious and longthreats
and
actual
continued
of
brutality. The treatment
this wretched
afterwards
his closest
to engage
being was
scrutiny. In the meantime, he hinted the doubt and passed
case

of

the

on.

Not

the

so

nobleman

the

he

he

was

trials, and

victims

Mr

that

he

had

on

the

for

Compendious
[/Estrange in
Lord

bold

as

stood
his

Catholic

than
religionists
a

trial for

high

Compendium of
of

the

faithful

the

wretched

frequenter

Oates'

of

encourager

Plot

the

as

episode

an

much

the most

evidence

[Popish Plot,p. 360) says

Pollock

courage

fellow

evidence

responsiblefor

down

chieflyimportant
clear

exposed the
merely known
a

been

break
1

his

This

of

unfortunate

-.

had

He
to

for

and
in the event
person,
But
when
in
at the time

History,

Prance,

Castlemaine.

anonymous
greater risks

took

other
any
treason1.
Plot

former

in the

'The

infamous

formidable

by

attempts

introducing,

acquittal of Lord Castlemaine

of Dangertield '. But

career

and
is
it is

wider

1666
onwards.
However
importance from
temptible
conhe showed
Countess,
remarkable
and
perseverance
his
is to
be
from
religion. Eis Compendium
The
distinguished
Histoi
with an
count
a
of the Plot,erroneously ascribed to
a

score

the

of

his

Bodleian

Dangerfield's Narrative
Castlemaine,

whom

Catalogue.
(1680), p. 23
I found

in

'The

next

day

I went

to

wait

on

the

his

I
study writing the C!
'.vm,and
time
read
had
to
some
part of a paragraph'.
Castlemaine, the 'witness'
wroth
continues,
with
him
for not
was
acting sufficientlyboldly in the work
very
set him
of Shaftesbury. His
chief
by .Mrs Cellier and himself, i.e.,the murder
to
was
scatter
duty, however,
frequent the factious coffee-houses, and
daily
reflections
and
Nevfle's (alias
Faine) libels '. Castlemaine's book bore no printer's
but the printer lay in gaol for it several
of the Council.
name,
months, by order
As
to
Castlemaine's management
of the witnesses, see
his trial,23rd
June
1680.
My Lord ', said the Attorney-General, 'these persons my lord Castlemaine had
the management
and
instruction
of at that time, and
all along at the Old Bailey
lord
C.
was
these persons'.
I
lemaine
present there, and did countenance
my
'

a-

also

remembered

chap, vi., p. 167.

as

the

writer

of

the

Catholic

Apology, 1666.

Sec

the

managing
that

prove

thirty

Oates

and

despised
St

forward

in

not

was

he

Certificates

the

from
in

England

evidence

with

and

Omer's

witnesses

young

ridiculed

Compendium1,

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

248

reintroduced

the

of

to

This
his

into

of

principal
He

Liege.

their innocence

of

Omer's,
1678.

May

from

municipality

St

the

firm

the

chain.

brought
behaviour

proof
dying speeches of the victims, and at every
point
strained
where
the
evidence, he
by
popular credulity was
Prance
offered
applied a bitter criticism to their exposure.
a

as

and

the

attack

best

been

in

brought

evidence, the
of

story

weakest

the

as

the

at

Plot

Godfrey's

danger

murder

in

when

moment

in

was

link

of

was

for

He
of

want

more

breaking down.
main

pillar

had

The

the

of

Plot.
There

are

touches

many

in

Castlemaine's

Compendium,

History,and since the author refers

it may
to the anticipationof his publication by L'Estrange,
that
before
be
taken
he
earnestly studied
Roger's work
But as has been
observed
to the Press.
committing his own
and
the extent
timidity of the ex-Surveyor's slanting and
hinting may be judged by Castlemaine's preface,in which he
confounds
L'Estrange with the other writers of narratives 2.
As to Roger's History,with the exception of the prefatory
epistle,which
certainly is brave, it is difficult to see anything
and
which
in it beyond a few innuendoes
additions
which

recall L'Estrange's

'

'

raise the ire of either

could
that

he

of the

marked

was

Party.

off the

course

He

by

out

Oates

with

the

Doctor's

Care.

Castlemaine

not, however,

was

or

the

man

coffee-house

But

it is clear

for the vengeance

to be frightened
threats

or

Care's

Freeborn
in the Courant.
His
note
increasingly scurrilous
which
finds a place in the same
Term
Stcbject,
Catalogue as
his History of the Plot, i.e.,Michaelmas,
1679, is a very
spiriteddefence of his conduct, with the warfare carried into
the enemy's country in the case
cited of the old libel Omnia

The.

Com

pen

din

in,

or

Short

Review

of

the Late

Trials

in

relation

to

the

been
the author
also have
of that
Castlemaine
(anon), 1679.
may
Vindication
of the Catholics noted
by Dangerfield and ascribed by him to
Wood
Dormer
to
soon
as
suppressed.
[Narrative,p. 17) referred
by Anthony
order
See Hams'
An
for seizing
for 24th
1679.
Domestic!; Intelligt
nc
September
the Compendium,
its author, and
printer.
2
See Anthony
Wood's
of L'Estrange's History, in the Bodleian
(in MSS.
copy
'collected and
written
on
by R. L'Estrange, 2s. 6d.'). By authority. Written
of another
the author
entitled
the author
of this book
flyleaf: He that was
was
The Freeborn
in September.
This came
Printed
out
Subject,London, 1679, 4to.
after Sir George Wakeman's
Trial '.
soon

present Plot

'

Comesta

by Lord

speech delivered
which

but

Duke,
Plot.

'

apply
A

the

noble

the

to

lord

hint

the

at

glance

the

only

not

King's

to

the

denounce

the

towards

lukewarmness

is the term

L'Estrange

rather

would

this year (1679) and

than
anything else the

Catalogues of

Term

almost

will illustrate

next

'

fanatics, and a
late Parliament, in

conduct.
the

at

in

ventured

Supererogation

to Charles'

Lucas

249

the

of

favourite

Belo1, long the

L'ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

better

L'Estrange's license to
needed
after Trinity term, 1679, and
not
accordinglyClavell, always eager to increase his profits,
of writing. There
threw
wide his lists to every kind
is,for
and
succeeding issue one huge
example, in the Michaelmas
Practice
class of the Privilegesand
of Parliaments
type,
and jurymen to assert the right
barristers
dialogues between
of records
to
of petitioning. Here
are
Petyt's Collection
essential
of England were
the Commons
an
ever
prove that
the Bishops'
attacks on
',and numberless
part of Parliament
There
not
are
lacking
right of judging in capital cases.
eloquent appeals on the royal side of the argument, whilst
ammunition.
for political
Strafford's case
serves
anew
Histories
and
half
Plot
Side
dozen
a
by side with
find in Clavell's Catalogue a very determined
narratives
we
stood to
alone
Dissent, the party which
growth of clamant
"Nonconformist
Here
win
are
by the pursuit of the Plot.
and
of Baxter
Quaker's
Pleas, the works
Calamy, and even
old
voices.
drown
the
to
Burnet,
Pleas, enough
persecuting
the
takes
the
of
Commons
10th
vote
on
January
as
we
saw,
agitationsof party
the Catalogue was

at

this

moment.

'

1681,

for

toleration

hopes,

Dissent,

to

as

certainly the

and

little writer

the
vote

their

climax
was

But

of
by every
party.
the signal for a general alarm, and
disgust of
claims
which
so
was
insolently at
pushing its
forth

First

Roger

makes

published
some

the

after

excusable

of

conformist
Non-

trumpeted
it

was

the
a

also

party

time'2

of

and
now
(1679) reprinted.
Belluin
'a Bello', the
printer's error
and
Tim ",
their
See
against
Wood, Lift
King.

fire, probably in 1667

play on

the

'

'

being the war waged by the Faction

'.
it in the Englishman'sBirthright
ii.,458, 'only Roger L'Estrange answered
2
Sec the J"
tween the I'vp^ and a Fanatick,and a Sober Discourse
of
th Horn it " 'avalier with the Popish t 'ouranter,both printed for Harry Brome, 1680,
and
admirable
offered
of the
as
a
general affronts
by the mob to the
summary
local gentry and
In
of " hurch
desecration, etc.
clergy at elections,and for cases
the latter,pages
8 and
is cited
the
of a Church
at Rothcrham
in
case
9, there
East
the
is an
Anglia, where
Living indeed
by
appropriation and managed
that the High-fliers
Fanaticks, these religiousbanditti '. It is not so well-known
Tantivies
and
of that
the
Protestant.
name
L'Estrange, their
repudiated
age
dislike in a dozen
guide, discovers this indiscreet
places, and the Cavalier in this
'

250

SIR
Whether

danger.
before
half

the

L'ESTRANGE

this be
of the

meeting
for the

won

those

ROGER
so

writings', and

angry

even

Parliament, the battle

Oxford
and

Crown,

not, it is certain that

or

L'Estrange,
then

'

the

of all

manager

entering into

exile, was

an

was

perishablegratitudeof the Church.

To
return
to the
Oates-L'Estrange duel of the winter
1679-80, we find that the latter followed up The History of
the Plot by a Further
Discovery of the Plot, with a letter to
Dr
Titus Oates, and
Discovery upon Discovery, the former in
that he was
time
January 1680, at the same
busy with a
work
translation
the
latter the
and
of
Cicero's
Offices,
carried the quarrel
works
These
1680 \
probably of March
with Oates to the breaking-point. In all companies, in the
when
he frequented,and even
taverns
they had met casually,
shall
Oates'
we
forthcoming, and
Eogue and Papist was

his

inheritance, and

the

'

'

have

'

Parliament

The

added

in his frown.
of these

peculiarannoyance

the author

fastened

on

the

charged

the

Doctor

all the late troubles

this

Accepting

'

works

to

Titus

that

was

in his Narrative, where

that

passage
Papists with

being

of

at the bottom

disguisedas Fanaticks.
dares

who

('as

statement

what

deny

the

') with obtuse logic,L'Estrange in his letter

Jesuits
to Oates, urged the rooting-out of all priestsand
by
would
such
and
naturally arise from the
means
as
ways
of the shortest
and his depositions',i.e.,
reasons
by the means
Doctor

avers

'

with

way

the Dissenters.

Discovery upon Discovery,Roger pursued this slight

advantage, and had he kept to this cue, 'grounded upon
Oates' evidence
',it might yet have been well with him, but
he now,
though not for the first time, took upon himself to
commend
Catholics
in rather
the
terms, reminding
warm
his

In

himself

and

his

of certain

readers

in

passages
exile he

his

own

life,

had
experienced
England and in
Catholic hospitality
2. This generous, but dangerous, warmth
he repeated several times, neglectfulof the danger of such
'.
Protestant
warmth
in one
who
scrupled the word
both

where

in

'

'

I do

pamphlet
word

'

at this instant

avow

to the

ingenuously gives his

reasons

why

Protestant'.

(1679) they

did

Parliament

that

now

in

As

openly
would

to

the

boast
make

contempt

of

in

and

the

streets

clergy

world,

that

see

'

the

never

met

a singular disgust against the

last election
the
clergy" 'After
that
a
coffee-houses
they had now
off their
surplices,and they hope

he

has

the

leave

should
bo pulled over
their gowns
day when
1 See
i.
Appendix
2
Ho
refers (p. 30) to his eight-months' stay in the house
as
1651, where 1 was
kindly received as ifl had been at
to

their

'.

ears

of Cardinal
my

own

van

Hesse

father's'.

THE

with any
in

or

PLOT"

POPISH

the

of

Church

he

found

good
him

with
But

both

this
the

'

in the

Salamanca

noblemen
at

occwr

'

'

Doctor's

when
and

embrace, stabbed

an

scandal

of

Popery.

to be feared
more
fury was
of L'Estrange. Although

and

included

not

was

name

the

"

of Castlemaine

case

of

they say', and

of what

without

see

scarce

members

scarcelycomplain

tender

be

the

among

the ties of nature, honour,

by

'

251

candour, generosity,

more

could

poisoned dagger

former's

the

He

Borne'1.

could

of

than
initials,

better

he

whom

'

L'ESTRANGE

OP

born

was

people who
ought to

thai

manners,

some

people since

word, of

FLIGHT

in

that

such

list of

gentry as are in this Conspiracy, ivliose names

phrase in this proscription
present the last significant
and

for the
trial of Castlemaine
in May
gave sufficient latitude
This
it
1680.
trial is chieflyinteresting for the evidence
o

affords

of

Oates'

mind

tide, and

stinging and
Lord

My

'

the

of

turn

of those

noticed.

have

we

further

the

the

effect

sceptic narratives

',said Castlemaine,

'

on

which

I have

for

day, and your Lordship may very

desired
it. The
well remember
reason
why I have so much
and
trial is because
I thought it means,
the best means,
a
and the only means
to show
to the world
innocency '.
my
By this time, Mrs Cellier, the Popish midwife, agent for
ushered
in by
Lady Powis, had appeared on the scene,
Pangerfield'streachery, and the discoveryof what goes by
long

the

wished

time

of the

name

not

enter

business

fully
to

Plot.

Meal-tub

more
was

for this

be used

here

Into

than

for the

to

ruin

this

matter

need

we

Cellier's
say that Mrs
of both Castlemaine
and

now
acquitted, but vengeance
L'Estrange. The former was
delayed both
was
being prepared for L'Estrange a vengeance
which
could
be long
not
in the hope of a Parliament
now
too
plot-learned to prowithheld, and because
Roger was
vide
Protestant
would
listen
to"'.
such matter
a
as
even
jury
have
of the amenities
in the interval
Pictures
we
practised
and
almost
all
of the
between
Oates
L'Estrange. They are
tavern
school, the doctor's spacious by the toe of Pharaoh
with L'Estrange,a crowd
of supporters
oaths,actual encounters
the name
either side and
of Traitor flyingbetween
them.
on
will
But one
more
particulargem
perhaps bear quotation here.
"

'

'

'

'

'

Apologyforth
WBoan

ii
.

fasten

upon

p. 271

pretending to

'But
hives

him'.

pamphlets(to
the
attempts

1681

Pr"

the

"Plot")

were

cried

prove

false

the

oj
there

out
what

old
th

(To the Reader).

knight was so plot-learnedthat
Norths, i., 201: 'As for open

enough

was

upon

as

so

published by

many

the community

Catholics

but
.

shameless
impudence,
resolved should be true'.

instances
were

some

nothing would
opposition by

of

had

matters

is

that

but

ask

but

be

shall

suspend

him

Roger's writings,he
with

has

told

the

fit to

think

not

be

to

only

Mr

allow

ruffled

the

across

over

do

with

thumb

Next

the

to

that
his

he

and

father

Meal-tub

with

Oates

concocted

that
was
exposure
of his subsequent

one

Faction, through
to

alternate

of

uncle

use
joiner, made
supply his wants,

Protestant

neglect

his

retraction

this year

and

manager
before
stated

imposture,

an

and

that

helpingit out, and

the letters known
as

Pacquet. His testimony was

that
enabled
Court, and
might have
parliament with equanimity. Whoever
building on sand.
Tonge, however, was
from

in

others in

Windsor

unnatural

have

finger and
and
action
not
to be expressed '.
Plot, perhaps the most
dangerous

look

employed

was

in

his

the

on

Fellows

shall

the confession
Popish Plot, was
of Dr Tonge, the scribe
of Simpson Tonge, son
of Oates.
man
Early in the year this young
that the whole
the King in Council
plot was

attack

at

I did

because

the

as

square,

Court

outer

business, and

my

his

Oates

Parliament.

next

boys
Cambridge, Squire L'Estrange (says he) We
Parliament, twisting his hat about betwixt

his

Parliament,

If the

speech
prisoners
got.
of the
the
Master
garnish or foy,
A
of a Parliament.
Bishop shall not
for refusing to officiate according to
with
a
Parliament,
presently threatened

degree,the lawn sleeves are

I was
walking awhile since
Whitehall, innocently upon
cap

the

of

for his

but he is
the canon,
if the University shall

not

when

1680

Committee

him

he

of

Minister

threatened

Oates

course

crisis,and

October

actually sittingon

was

newcomer

Prison

to

come

Privy Council
complains that

in

Uphraim, written

Zekiel and

In

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

252

his

windfall

built

relatives

learn

and
of

Simpson

on

him

cut

confessions, we

face

effect

The

the

to

to

party

the

his

of

off; and
that

the

Colledge, the
Court's
imprudent

Stephen
the

leading him

to

on

affirmation, which

course

be

must

He
in the Plot
was
parallel even
mystery.
ruin
would
described
well
whoever
as
a
Fireship, who
had
Roger L'Estrange, for his
anything to do with him.
of the earliest public men
hauled
into his
sins, was
one
net1.
So early as
informant) Tonge had
July (says one

without

quotation from
Examen,
p. 271.
Shammed,
1682; 1I.M.C,
dated 10th December
pp. 246-9 ; and Tonge's narrative
for the Oxford
lavender'
Parliament).

account

See

the

in

full

Tlw

Sliammer

Also
app.

1680

L'Estrange's
ii. to

(though

11th
'

held

own

Rept.,
up

in

ROGER

SIR

254

L'ESTRANGE

(4th October) he
affidavits
to
hurriedly pressed from
Ely and Choquex
the
effect that he was
to
only recently known
Ely and
introduced
for literarypurposes,
to Choquex
by Newcombe
that he had
rather avoided
Tonge's confidence, and warned
The
the others
against having anything to do with him.
now
matter, planned for the meeting of Parliament, had
and
the
toils.
before
the
in
Council,
L'Estrange was
gone
The
of
that
Parliament
be
best judged
temper
may
by a perusal of its severities to all grades of Catholics, its
and
death
of Strafford,but
proscriptions,
by the lamentable
also on the other hand
by its fatal leniency to the Dissenters.
All historians
House
far overare
stepped
agreed that the Lower
of its authority, and
the boundaries
scarcely even
this overweening temper more
in 1640
manifest.
The
was
of the
extent
Council, though purged to some
popular
as

third

element
the

It

man.

introduced
and

storm,

in
to

which

individuals

in

was

to

Oates,
and

malefactors.

Council

Orlando

between

Council

saying

he

that

brace

and

would

prove

him

'

The

Parliament,
of the

October

as

her,

the

friend

Dr

L'Estrange,

there.

were

Oates

1.

accusers

pillory,and

chief

afforded

other.

there

on

Justice

of

counsel.

took

the

liberty

Rascal, which
to be

the

both, and

call him

to

Doctor

desired

owned,
he

might

'.

Whig

up
of
threat

his
two

6th

with

Oates'

Rogue

Roger
a

of

newspapers

circumstantial

and

attacks

to

'

and
Dr

in

bend

L'Estrange, was
Young
Tonge's
in
against L'Estrange, penned
in.
Very high words
passed
Mr
L'Estrange, the latter telling

times

be secured
The

Oates

Dr

thousand

as

handed

was

the

Oates'

subornation

charge of
Newgate,

from

once

the

were

son,

association

Bridgeman,
apparently

present

the

and

Cellier, fresh

humiliating

in

now

of

to

those

encourage

confronting each

of

partiesan opportunity
and the Tonges, father

forced

was

happy
L'Estrange were

preferred. Scroggs

Mme.

that

April 1679,

seem

The

vain

report
and

Madam

of

the
the

7th

October

matter,

together, but

make

not

gleeful

forgetting to

omitting Oates'

Parliament.

paper

of young

Luttrell, Diary,

Tonge's Sham-Plot

i., 57, October

1680.

'Mr

',says Hancock's

L'Estrange

was

before

the

forward
in
and
Council, being accused
by young
Tonge, but he going backward
His
his accusation,
and
well
of
Mr
he
was
Majesty's speaking
L'Estrange,
Puritan
in the Days of the Stuarts by Lady
acquitted'. See also Cavalier ana

Ncwdigate-Newdegatc

(1901), p. 111.

paper (an old enemy

Mr
L'Estrange and
denied
stand

it, by

to

Pilloryx

the

anything

; but

them

to confront

the

of

reason

were

many

Mrs

Cellier

would

bruises

she

received

Mr

Wednesday

next

being seized,
but they
summoned,

it,but

of

255

'

Committee),

Collier

Mrs

knew

they

Libels

the

at

L'ESTRANGE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

THE

Tonge

not

in

brought

will be

'.

of his
amounted
to a dereliction
charge at most
of young
duty as a magistrate in not informing the Council
in refusing to take
him, and
any
Tonge's dealings with
the
in
of his part
a previous disclaimer
depositionswithout
for
better matter
But
affair.
Koger's recent writings made
of his
a
prosecution,and that reinforced by direct evidence
being a Papist,proved too strong for him.
to
to direct him
far encouraged Oates
Council
as
The
so
should
bring in a bill of charges against L'Estrange,who
to
be secured, and meanwhile
then
appointed a committee

Oates'

'

'

writings2.

his

examine

to
have
referred
the
more
writings we
prominent in their places, with the exception of the most
The famous
offensive of all.
Appeal from the Country to the
far beyond the limits
had gone
City of the previous autumn
of the ordinary libel, and
being written with singular force
of
believed
it was
by L'Estrange to be the last work
:?
Marvell
Andrew
dissecting
gained a reputation. Whilst
it
Court
and
the
of
the enormities
Church,
paid flattering
time
the
the
same
reminding it
City, at
compliments to

these

Of

"

"

the

that

repeated

and

others.
clear.

denied

any

He

printed without
'

M.

in

information

her
is

which

"

elicit

to

'King's evidence'

'evidence'

in

August,

Prance

from

is not

business
and

strem;

trial
her
Sec
probably the truth.
which
vii.,
(StatiTri""/.-; 1183),

Collins

Thos.
the

on

particular,it

Madam's

with

trial

right men

of

methods

dispersal

and

prices

the

1203.

The

Weston."

'Baron

her

In

vilified the

she

used
associated

1680, printed by

curious
p.

which

became

sending the

done.

torture

mentioned

with

connection

some

Libels,

Roger
not

was

libel,September

affords
of

how

the

of

of

were

Defeated in

stories

her
Just

quite

nothing

libel,Mali:

her

For

and

for

if

Parliament,

to

get tired

would

country

Cellier.

Kinp: hath

set out

proclamation

that

all be

no

license.
I

"

heard

never

it.

was

close confinement

under

the

when

King

set it out.
'

Weston."
and

Ho,
the

Term,
May 1680 does not
L'Estrange's case

however

It

seems
:;

to

Charles

Marvell

have

ix., 361-5)

been

Blount

'8 death
took

that,

dcuy

Proclamation

to

was
one

for

you

came

enforce

something
of the

later

out

enlarged

were

towards

the

the

general

more

than

examples

the

day

first

end'.

of

Proc.

The

Trinity
of

12th

license.
an

of

by

examination

Trial

by

the

Council.

Council.

the author.
{PkUopatris) was
Koger.as we saw, announced
20th \xtgusi1878 (chap, riii.,
Compton.
216) Scott (Dryden,

it to

be

Ferguson's

who

'tempted

Jerusalem

to

sin'.

256

SIR

threatened

the

ROGER

Court

L'ESTRANGE

with

destruction

if

continued

by

the purpose
of Parliaments.
It
prorogations it defeated
impetus to the Petitioningagitation always the
gave wide
"

violent

most

To

irritant

the

to the

Court

famous

piece,L'Estrange had written in

two
Citt and Bumpkin, for which
parts his equally notorious
he was
he displayed all
now
chieflycharged. In this work
the hatred
of the rich Whig community
sufficient
to which
reference
has already been
made.
Over
and
the
above
abuse
of the
Rich
Churles
of the city and
', the caricature
the exposure
of the
methods
used
country Whig
mouse,
answer

'

the

get signaturesto

to

because

special offence
It

the
in

with

sects

of

this

about

was

Petitions

wherein

he

Adamites, Ranters, and

as

consult
Then

displays
what

he

the

brings

the

Elder's

and

evil

all the
as

John

or

rabble

Popery
of

sects

counsellors

upon
Chairman.

Presbyter
are
only Swash

Petitioners,which

and

Colchester

the

maid,

Committee,

not

jointlypetitioning,and

scandalised

had

Roger

The

cartoon,
'

Parliament, gave

truth2.

time, too, that

his rude

Masquerade,

their

for

the Mare,
Quaker, and
petitioningagainst the Bishop, Service Book, Popish Lords
counsellors'3

rather

"

beastly production.

the

for 1662
and
1666.
opening of Parliament
Charles
vol.
i.
From
the
II.,
Appeal
temp.
citizens
the
to imagine
the
whole
Town
in Barnes,
are
top of the Monument
and
and
crowd, troops of Papists ravishing their wives
amongst the distracted
See Sitwell, Fird
Whig, p. 47; and Hart, Index, p. 206.
daughters'.
2
and
The
'endeavouring to bring
charges of 'running the Plot into a sham'
made
the
off.
the
most
King into jealousy of his good City of London, was
The Dialogue between
See one
of the
most
piquant replies to Citt and Bumpkin
the author
declares
(1680), where
Tom, the Cheshire Piper, and Copt. Crachbrains
fond
is of that
in France, as
he
that
'if (the offence) was
as
Government, they
without
doubt
be
would
him, for he would
put to the question, that
anger
of such
a
grand designs in agitation (as Roger's
discovery might be made
and
if it proved all a staff of his own,
I dare
as
swear
Presbyterian-City-Plot),
broke
wheel
for endeavouring
would
be
the
1 believe
he
to
this is, then
on
bring the King into a jealousy of his good City of Paris '. As to L'Estrange's
should
be occasions',
will find
hands
for Petitions) if there
hint, 'Heads
(i.e.,
vile than
to do as
this writer
Bumpkin
charged
asks, 'Can
anything be more
with
Smiths
and
till up
sheets
himself
to
Walkers, etc., to
withal, namely
1

See

the

King's speeches

is included

The

in

at

State

Tracts

'

'

"

the

amuse

husbands

Nation
in

'

Libellers,p. 6.
all in

the

same

numbers

with
West

the

Indies

Upon

hand

"

'!

several

ay,

Stei

and
also

Rolls, there

for

women

Short
were

to

Answer
30 names

under-write
to

whole

sometimes

for

their

of
together
Litter

'.

Cheshire:
the
'on
right hand
aloft, he sets a
he sets little
consult, opposite in the left hand
the
them
the
Alderman
Isaac
capital letters of
Pennington and
Pope, under
that
Solemn
according to his usual scurrilous
way
league and Covenant, under
he scoffinglywould
of
v.
seem
Ixx.,
5, which
a
Jeremiah,
chap.
piece
Holy Writ,
! There
to apply to that
combination
Covenant
wicked
or
',a bitter fool indeed
cartoon
still preserved. See Bodleian
several
are
(Qough
copies of this celebrated
:;

cabal

Epistle Dedicatory
of

rascals

as

it

were

to

Tom

in

THE

EXPLANATION.

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L'ESTRANGE,

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THE

OF

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

L'ESTRANGE

257

before the
adjourned examination
Council
in the matter
held, when
was
L'Estrange'sinnocence
of young
unanimously upheld,and the King apTonge was
peared
particularly
emphatic. 'The charge of the Sham-Plot
fallingto the ground (without one word of Mrs Cellier as to
of mine) Mr Oates was
pleased to present me as
any concern
Prance
with an oath
l. Here enters
a person
Popishly-affected
that Eoger was
familiar
and witnesses
to swear
a
figureat
Hence
Prance's
Mass
House.
in Somerset
subsequent woes.
exhibited
Information
'After
Oates
this Mr
an
against
Bulls
and
for conveying away
me
Popish books that had
been seized and locked up ; whereupon the Messenger of the
oath that the name
Press (Stephens) discharged himself upon
the 13th October

On

the

'

of L'Estrange
'

The

blow

next

saying

not

was

at

mentioned

as

will

me

be

(as

that

Coffeehouse

Will's

at

much

so

in that

informed) for

am

there

business.

is

Plot'

no

of

"

his denial.
to witness
adjures Heaven
In the last place I am
books
to be questionedfor my
(14th October 1680) 2.
If there had been only the Council to encounter
though
the
and
the
driven
storm
Council
outside,
a
by
necessity
of tacking a
have
weathered
point L'Estrange might
which

he

'

'

"

"

through.

there

But

the dark

was

of

Parliament",
Weston, and in

menace

Scroggs and
their
which
noble lords had already declared
subject of L'Estrange4.
which

shortly to

was

on

and

Cat. if Prints

Brit. Mus.

Maps 46, f. 204).

set

souls

the

on

vol. i.,Satires,
p. 623,

Drawings,

1080.

No.

poetical Explanation which

The

Clark

for

H.

is

Brome)

as

'Well, but

what

Short

production.
Henry Care

Answer
In
'

to

the

at the
'

He

How

they

Litter of

Mus.

picture (Printed by Mary

this excremental

means

Whole

Brit.

the

accompanies

"

insects

Of human
See

bitter

!'

storm

Libellers,
p. 3, for

there

copy

swarm

fret and

is

an

MS.

defence

note

'a

"

of

this

on

Mr

touch

couplet,
deals

Frames

takes
in sonnets, articles,
notes,
histories,Impeachments, enters Votes

'.

charge in Danby's fmjimchment, "Tis true he was

acquitted'
'from
being in the Plot at the Council
L'Estrange,
Board, and
says
he was
from
so
(36S1 ), p. 29.
being a Papist',L'Estrange a /'a/"i."f
Ephraim, October
L'Estrang '" Case in a Civil Dialogue between Zekteland
1

The

fourth

Prance

of

1630.
8

'Nothing

can

this

bind

.-"

Oldmixon, i.,612.
who

now

of the

'Such

religion
"

writings"a dangerous rank

but

(Lucas) Speech in
a

disappears,being
Protestant

Proteus,

Parliament'.

Hue

and

Cry after

1680.

November

one
one

who

(.1
of
has

the

the

greatest

traduced

Papist,and

House

/'

the

deserves

villains

qf Lords,November
1680,
)is Roger L'Estrange
earth
the bugbear
upon
'

"

King's
of all

men

evidence
to be

by

his notorious

hanged
R

'.

258

All he had

L'ESTRANGE

SIR

ROGER

stood

for in the last

twenty years, his rigorous

of the Press, his scoffs and

gibes at the
yet partialconduct
of
the Prerogative,
'true'
Protestants, his preaching up

remembered.
now
City, etc., were
On the 30th
October, Shaftesbury reported that the Plot
of his apostasy and
Committee
having received information
him
misdemeanours
other
', and having thrice summoned
that
he should
be
in vain, their Lordships recommended
of Peace, and
not
permitted to
put out of the Commission
be employed
the Printing of any
license
more
books, nor
in any
more
public affairs'1.
the final word
who
The
against L'Estrange
men
gave
Richard
certified
Fletcher
were
appropriately Stationers2.
R. L. Esq., at the Halfthat
about
three years ago he met
in Cheapside about
Moon
Tavern
licensing a book entitled
the

defaming

'

'

'

The

of Geber,

Works

Arabian

an

and

Prince

Philosopher,

guinea for his license '. After which, over

that he was
a
a
Roger disclosed to Fletcher
that the Sergeantordered
Catholic.
Thereupon the House
the body of the said Roger
attach
forthwith
at-Arms
L'Estrange and bring him in safe custody to the House '.
L. a
gave Mr
bottle of wine,

and

'

But

as

"

the

and

hue

cry raised in
citizens whom

little Whig
every
defamed
he had

the good
journal informed
obscure
Roger L'Estrange was
already skulking in some
lodging in the 'grey metropolis of the North'3.
On
Queen Elizabeth's
Day (17th November) there was
"

1680, xiii.,6, 30.

Despite the expiry of
Journals, 30th October
booksellers
still protected themselves
by giving an
1679, cautious
The
occasional
we
expiry of the Act
guinea for Roger's Imprimatur.
was,
His
the
deliberate
Whigs,
on
Majesty
part of the
'notwithstanding
saw,
Parliament
it seriously to the
recommended
Chancellor, at the
by the Lord
to the Freeholders
Address
(1683),pt. ii.,12.
opening of it'. See Bohun's
2 Informations
and
and
taken
Craven, those of Prance
Mowbray
by Clarendon
On
Fletcher
the
the
and
30th.
the 25th
on
27th, Mrs
on
October, of Bennet
with
there
was
Curtis charged him
refusing to license several books, wherein
books
the
which
especially two
anything against the Papists ', more
upon
licensed
first sight were
by the Bishop of London', L'Estrange a Papist,
books
The
Character
The two
were
of a Twrbidani
Pragmatical
February 1682.
Jesuit"
licensed
by the Bishop's Chaplain, 15th October 1678, and ^4 Letter from
1

the

Lords'

Act,

in

'

'

Catholic

Gentleman

to

his

Popish

Friends.

See

the

Portrait

ere

of Roger

Journals, xiii.,629-30; and E.M.C., 11th

L'Estrange (1681),pp. 3-4; Lords'
Rept., app. ii.,167.
3
11th
Sergeant-at-Arms
Rept., app. ii., p. 167, 6th November.
H.M.C.,
find
28th
cannot
Castlemaine
on
he
October) or
(denounced
reports that
is
It
Fountainhall, Historical Observes, ed. 1840, p. 32.
L'Estrange.
and
the
the
of
of
almost
observable
none
English nobility (even
King's party)
Duke
of York
in Scotland
to visit the
few of their gentry came
during his abode
other
for fear of offending the
faction,only it was
reported Roger L'Estrange,
here with the Duke
of the Press, was
the Licenser
incognito '.
'

THE

usual

the

FLIGHT

PLOT"

POPISH

OF

and

procession

monster

ESTRANGE

L'

Tope

259

This

burning.
-

celebrated

occasion

mind

Protestant

borne

along

rabble

*.

See

1083,

hoots

the

of

the

26th

L'Estrange's

Tike

'

Was

ran

No

was

needs

'

30.

Though
For

L'Estrange
Processions

of

[Hist,
of

long
writing

of

Godfrey's

Times

Funeral

or

when

go
his

this

party

my

pamphlets
(1687),
and

p.

master

Sam's

between

carries

broom

follow

seller,
(Book-

"

'!

met

tree

Rome,
he

strives

Devil

drives

Nichol,

Lit.

Artec.,

i.,

43,

"

built
and

the

his

from

Hue

'.

Brume

iii.

'The

he

procession.
bk.

Dunciad,

fatal

all

for

must

with

stage-manager

Rutins,

Franco,

which,

matter

Roger

flies

away

Scotland,

Satins,
Strange

or

coach,

verses

the

set
and

the

'scaped
haste

Together

Heraelitus

better

'

Tike

explanatory

Rope,

having

And

Settle

The

gallows

devilish

For

Political

away

'Yorkshire

Hangman,

Thus

behind

last

of

cartoon
foes

The

tail.

ever

When

In

Sat.

on

'.
his

under

Brome)

Harry

seen

Cellier's

Mrs

and

..tioo-house

I.
the

"

Yorkshire

(October)

inst.

was

jeers

Division

about

Roger

Cellier,

and

Procession,

with

foot.

Mrs

Drawings,

"ml

favourite

Old

Strange

the

broadsides

long

"

After

Cry

Prints

of

various

Altered

vngely
and

Cat.

Mus.
besides

its

consort

amid

field

ment
Parlia-

Armada.

under

inseparable

Smith

the

of

distempered

the

to

enemies

its

his

to

(Brit.
629)

p.

and

with

L'Estrange,

as

triumph

destruction

the

sitting

was

great

as

23),

on

for

'I

burnings

their

me

roasting

liked

never

of

hopes
Popes

the

Pope

'.

the

'.

Hobby-horse

aud

CHAPTER

THE

OBSERVATOR

last

The

word

vindication

shortly

was

but
him

done

of
the

'

2,

The

London4,

"

H.M.C,

'

11th

10th

coachloft

with

sword
had

of

carried
Pole

them

'.

Bristol,
Care

was

libel'.
5

This
whom

love

p.

the

Heraclitus,

near

spoke

with

trace

as

any

lurking

Edinburgh5,

Oates

ladies

consoled

Mr

'.

had

as

L'Estrange's

himself

remedies

many

damosels,

her

Bear,

that

his

etc., for

Court,

and

have

could

afford

in

Newgate,

with

then

were

17, Colledge

'

was

which
more

"

wive's) never-failing
dubious

some

white

your
and

the

'

you

Nat,

Roger

up
but

they

say

probably

viii., 259.

260

the
See

persecuting.
is the
the

details.

hat,
under

canonical

Thompson's

hung

Popish

for

coat,

in

up

'

not

letter

button

his

{and
lay

Thompson

wrapt
is

this

to

ignominious

rooking

Madam

Orange's
and

Strand

Commons
of

ruin

'.

i., 144.

you

Thompson
the

vacant

(Boltinglasse)

Gentleman

'The

as

lady

Vaultinglasse
into

numerous

nation,

towards

with

2:

just-asse-ship's gold

suspected

Chap,

etc.,

the

At

where

your

Mm.

him

Brome

Faculties

from

167.

lantreloe

at

Intercepted,

Roger,

excuse

left

his

whole

after

turned

ii.,p.

App.

Memoirs,

1680.

February

the

to

brought

difficult

steps
have

night
for

is

it

Letter

had

appear,

Harry

of

Vaultinglasse

exile

infamous

the

Ailesbury,
See

his

Answer,

himself

against hanging
3
Seemingly
1684.

Lady

the

had

for

Mastership
1679,

with

apart

Act

payment

in

final

wife

though

practically

to

all

Short

Sayings.

the

for

not

words,

Press

and

did

his

other

the

he

report.
he

sent

"

In

in

that

ruin.

Rept.,

play

doubt

know,

of

despairing

entrusted

we

him

now

seem

is to

This

Council

Sayings

immediate

His

certainty.

the

no

death

of

course

before

as

get

and

his

of

cause

in

to

enemies,

lantreloe

'

statement

would

for

failure

His

the

financially,

best

his

was

Committee

expiry

water

JOURNALS

with

bailiffs.

Birkenhead's

through
him.

of
the

his

his

the

plea

low

works,

called

Estranges

troubles,

very

had

L'

WHIG

L'Estrange

examination,

the

public

of

writings

says

on

in

his

that
so

"

be

to

THE

October,

when

of

For

had

14th

examination,

reading

AND

we

of

IX

laced

band,

petticoat

counterpart
author, see

the

on

high-flying

chap,

you

Mayof

parson

Trials,
of

old
and

They

gown.

(in effigy)
State

Friend,
'The

"

viii., i.

Fitzharris'
x.,

290.

where

doubt

no

of

triumph

and

the

his

enemies

satire, and

scurrilous

Smith's

Votes

Roxburghe

Ballads

Frank

the

and

forwarded

Brome

evidence
of the

the

had

in

of
late

The

frenzy,

editor

of

ITEstrangc,

to

and

ballads

hundred

rage
and

cartoons

symptoms

kindly leaning

him

before

of

form

Commons.
a

of the

evidence

the

other

those

of

the

in

261

JOURNALS

WHIG

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

public opinion on Roger L'Estrange

in these
months,
provoked several diatribes of an almost
if Mr
Giftbrdian
vehemence,
though it is to be doubted
of all the particularsof his case1.
Ebsworth
aware
was
For example, as was
hinted at the close of last chapter,
with all its toyish
in the Pope-burning of 17th November
Mrs
Cellier the honour
of the
with
', Roger shared
jollity
Ponders
He
is described
in Nat
issue as
first Pageant.
fiddle 2.
in black, standing bare-headed, playing on
a
one
devoted
This pageant was
to the Protestants-in-masquerade,
and
The
seventh
the Plot-sceptics,
Presbyterian-Plot men.
graced with the Pope's effigy. 'In this fatal
pageant was
from
out
sets
Whitechapel-Bars,and
Pomp, the Procession
on
through Bishopsgate, through Cornhill, Cheapside, and
its
it receives
to Temple-Bar, where
Ludgate, till it comes
cartoons

of

state

'

'

'

sentence

in

be

to

burned
of

remembrance

God
the

before

her

days, and
days against the Pope

Curtis, and

Smith,

that

age, the
the
was

and

our

Such

and

the

from

issuing

accounts

and

cheerful

his emissaries,
'

3.

Procession, by largely
the
of Ponder,
presses
cuts, the

thrice

was

victories

the

artificial Fires

by wonderful

victim

and

; and

Throne

for

happy

gives us in our
solemnity closed with fuzees
By the actual indignityof

circulated

Besse's

Queen

held
in

reading

delight of
tion.
up to reprobaRoger's London

Budget.
default

In

i
-

Brit.

of

single

of

scrap

intelligence from

Roxburgh* Ballads, iw. 220-2.

Cat. of Prints and
Brit. Mus.
Dravrings,i.,632 (No. 1084).
See also the cartoon
Rome's
Jimi/in;/ match, 1680.
(No. 1091, pp. 659-60, in
Mus.
the dogs
Cat. of Prints and
Drawings, Division 1, Satvres.) 'Among

Treachery, self-interest, adultery, and ambition, the last wearing a cap and
'. No.
1095
", i.e., R.L.S.
represents him (Roger) 'to be the Provincial
here
in London
when
another
of the Jesuits
it ; he and
cur
called
they burned
Gifford
that fire,hiringand
managed
paving those carrying it from hon
The
Club
house'.
Green
Ribbon
financed
these
Processions.
See Sitwell, First
;ire

"strange

Whig,
aimed

pp.

78-82, 104-7.

came
.

pamphleteer
of York

"The

heaviest

and

Last
L'Estrange' (ibid.,
p. Hi'.)
frame
with
a
a
single person
'

at

'

Sir

Roger L'Estrange,

(ibid.,
p. 115.)

some

the

hardest
of

shafts

if North's
.ill,

upon

King

it, which
of

France,

of

club

satire
served

memory
some

and

said
some

was

the

were

him
the

Duke

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

262

cite what
exile, we
L'Estrange during his Northern
may
in
the imaginings of his enemies
is perhaps as interesting,
London, by the familiar device of a counterfeit letter. One
of these, dated
10th
January 1681, is not too clumsy in

wit, and

its rude

is

of the barbarous

idea

Honest

Harry

(it is addressed

Brome), According
wrote
long since, to
you
go, but the grief
squares

my

and

think

to

into

fever.

for

of

skeldry
enraged me.

so

fate and

wicked

my

the

received
which

of

that

that

that

'twould

that

or

in

made

between

it

burn
more

writing of dialogueswould
take

look

themselves,
jackets.

their

Those

furious

vigorouslymay
and

power
do it ;

to

we

gentlemen

yet

believe

that

the

so

Press

tike '.
Yorkish
See his Dialogue, between

:!

Duke

Speechof a
and
'.

Noble
the

The

everywhere.
numerous
Among

are

widow,

have

to

brush

that

at

so

on

go

repulse if the interest

Popish Party are able

it will

not

the

beside

the

at

be

saddle.

brave

this

easy

so

thing

that

of

the

comes

helm, these

things

and

Richard

Baxter,

The

or

Vncas'd

Casuist

(1680).

of York.

Duke

children

stream,
let the Citts

and

can,

the

I sat

of

friend

smooth

so

Speech too 4 ; 'tis

plain English,but

; when

'

The

1
J

we

some

Duke

put the

Peer's

speak

Liberty of

find
and

to

begun

brains and
my
English had done.

Westminster,

at

me

out

chance

may

master3

for you
I had
your

with

any other dialogue

Scots, if they but smelt

knock

all

my

of

durst

we

perchance

matter

any

plaguey

waters

to

blood

or

patientlyas the
with
always run

so

Things will not

are
puddling the

we

the

it

Towzer1,

had

but

for he told me
papers,
than Citt and Bumpkin
2

Baxter

and

wrote, for those

never

of

even

now

my
fatal

ever

would

are

bed

musing

was

before-heated

Blue-cap,

I had
was

tedious

lie in

to

picture

put my

and

be

Kichard

forced

whilst

they

and

long

...

me

to

prove

the

horseback.

jack-an-apes on
Jocky
dialogue between
coming

"

damned

confess

I must

my

mine

Londoner's

North.

have
promise, I should
have
how
given you an account
and
in, and
affrightof heart I am
journey, had so tired me, that I was
to

of

reflexion
interesting

an

Duke
The
answers

pjleanor James.

F.

Peer, printed by

Queen.

'This

aimed

King

at
is in
to

the

mateh
the
his

Smith, 1681. A violent

with
a
Portugal lady

hands.

speoch

is

'

one

Not

from

like

to

His

Bishop made

without

that

remarkable

have

guards

Restoration.

the

before

Crown

against

diatribe
not

him

'.

Printer's

never

I would

were.

them

to

I tell thee

that

answered

life.

fain

am

I intend

believe

I dare

when

write

to

in

where

terrified with

so

silence

myself

it

got into

am

my

History

new

license

cold

railed

myself

hear

often

in

wrote

never

I will

Popish Presbyterian Plot 2.

nobody shall print it but you.

country

have

would

again

of the
and

Appeal \

the

as

bleu-caps againstthe scribblers,

them

make

to

bad

been

them.

got from

be

London,

I have

of these

hatred

in

T been

I tell thee

it, but

the inveterate
that

Had

libel.

dangerous

pitch, whatever
fast,they could never
almost
as
Speech was

so

263

know
squeeze,
you
they laid hold of,

like

fingers were

my
stuck

it

given

have

JOURNALS

WHIG

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

at

asked
by a Pride-mouthed
rogue
profoundly. I was
I
I was
the other
an
Englishman, whether
day, because
it the S.R., and
knew
K.L.S. or as they term
shewing me
like him, and
asked
if it was
not
the picture of Towzer
me
the life?
I would
drawn
from
if it was
willingly have
most

dashed
write

I wont,

as

learning

to

employed, I
Bagpipes, which

be

Scotch

the
upon
set up instead

of the

learning to speak through the nose, and

be
by heart the Scotch Covenant, (that) I may
last

at

and

put

vizard

that

on

well

as

now

am

will

Churches.

in

organs

also

am

I cannot

Hal, since

But

I must

because

play

to

endeavour

if I durst.

teeth

his

out

getting

am

proselyte

of

that

as

the

Protestant.
I

long
of

some

and

Justice

Scroggs
I thought to fight 4
that
black
prophet Dr

madness

remember

than

Appeal from theOoumtryto

the

when

I, from

said

I did

I think

'Twas

away.
resolute

ran

500

or

(Dates

men.

told

once

Votes

all the

saw

Bless me,
sent
me
; God
you
of a Parliament.
the clutches

Resolves

fallingunder
more
wisely
a

great expectations. I

have

us

again,for

shall sit

Parliament

if the

know

to

at

me

City. Sec chap. viii.,255. Diary ofNarcissus

'
About
1679.
Lv.Urell,15th October
See chap, xi.,
A good hit.

this time

out

the

1685,

he

came

Appeal ',etc.

true

hit

reason

myself

whilst

and
like

was

Printed
a

Printed

Tell

We

upon
list of the Westminster

charged upon mu
though I was morally

were

Nem.

Con.'.

vator, 30th

as

the

certain

to

had

before

House

See

of

unanimous
that

the

Lif
author
quotes L'Estrange's strictures
maliciouslypatched together '.
with

March

complain of
post brought me
every
Freeborn
a
Englishman

him.

charm

ordinary

than

in Holland
Votes.

Obsi

In

also.

more

us

(Frank

thing

was

says

Smith's

'

of

both

Printed

and

and

Votes

the

opinion

".

of the

other.

mouth

these

some

Votes)
it works

and
of the
That

Votes

'

as

'

snaps

was

the
one

is

stopp'id

otherwise, my
vols. (1721), i.,xl., where
'

Abhorrers

peasant and

French
the

;, '1

'..'"'

have

Printed

Gazettes, Towzers,

in

Commons,
sense

on

it

the

of discourse

SIR

264

Whitehall

him

great

as

Scots

but

be

name

is in

it.

believe

prophet

as

have

write

else

nothing

acknowledge
the
Shipton, which
If you
please,you
by stealth, for if my
I

it will

send

to

now

stuff

sell whatever

this

accept

have

you.

Year's

New

as

"

your

am,

R.L.

Street, Edinburgh,
\0th

January.

10th

January,

date

of the

Three

days

Parliament1.
in

of

date

momentous

of the

Petition
It

the

to

of the

of

counsels

referred

Commons

sway-boat.
Mayor and Aldermen
the
King for the

this

at

was

Roger's supposed letter,was

votes

later the Lord

offensive

either

the

the turn

marking

their

shall

we

friend,

High

as

reverence.

therefore

you

him.

Mother

know

it, you

to

Pray
I

faithful

to

I did not

have
in
you
this letter which

set

gift,for

the

about, Well, Sir,

assure

print

may

L'ESTRANGE

hat

twistinghis

Parliament,

ROGER

time

the

that

presented
sitting of

Government,

desperation, or encouraged by
and
to grasp
pluck up courage

popular auguries,began
There
sedition.
firmly the stinging nettle of dissent and
is little doubt, though one
manifestation
of violent
more
due
in the Oxford
whiggery on the part of the people was
elections,that already in January to an observant
spectator
the elements
of reaction
and of the ruin of the Whigs were
that
despite the desperate efforts of those
present, and
to

excellent

election

Harris,

agents

Curtis

Smith,

and

the

rest.

shows

Nothing
enraged the

the

Among
Whig
one

was

author

Faction

of the

virulence

the

'

clearlyhow

more

than

attacks
fardel

the

of lies

L'Estrange had
and

continuance

referred
'

much

increased

above.

to

which

pouring

was

from

out

pursued him into exile,there

presses, and which
folio piece called
Mr
L' Estrange'
s
Sayings, whose
clever

was

precisely

those

the

enough

to

which

passages
of the

cull

from

Roger's

most

were

works

calculated

to

chosen
are
fury
people. The passages
with
sufficient brevity,and
the comments
are
apposite and
of the City. Mr
impudent enough to hit off the humour
L'Estrange's Sayings is mainly interesting to us, however,
arouse

Printed

Printer
'

Your

by

for the

subjects

the

City.
were

King's
The

Printer

most

Roycroft,

offensive

extremoly surprised

at the

succeeded

who

part of
late

the

Petition

Jas.
is the

Prorogation '.

Flesher
sentence

as
:

266

ROGER

SIR

L'ESTRANGE

of the

recent
so
as
King in 1661, and even
1680, for neglecting
and
the
Cavaliers.
L'Estrange
As to his disclaimers
of a Popish bias, amongst all the
'

wrote

never

sixpenny volumes, he
line against Popery, though he had translated

his

of

swarms

stitched

one

Father

and

tomes

that

Bona, the Jesuit, to render

party

more

acceptable'.
The

writer

Roger's

excellent

work

translation

surely calculated

This

brief

against Popery1.
of

waspish folio
been
to have
written
just before
Parliament
(25th March), but
until the beginning of April2.
still

Langley Curtis
sittingof the

the

probably

was

It

to

seems

Continent, but

the

on

candour,

mere

Colloquies(1679),

of Erasmus'

but

L'Estrangewas

in

mentioned

have

might

printed

not

that

assume

have

we

seems

Oxford

sufficient

Hague in February, and

probably very shortly after the printed letter to Ken,
1st February 1681 3. Dissenters' Sayings was
certainlyselling
the week
after the extraordinary dispersal of the members
from
Oxford, and is as intelligentan
anticipation of the
Court's
be imagined.
line of action
can
Putting
new
as
in
aside Hudibras
such
fine things, this work
and
few
a
evidence

of his

its year

other

dealt

book, and
of

have

abundance

time

the

Lex

of evidence

Bex, Calvin, and

in every

little
be

to

sure

And

already alluded
broadside

Erasmus'

and

such

as

to

the

on

in

the

as

in that very
first Procession
p. 2.

occasion,

satirical

drollerywas

'

We
year.
for
it became

clergy, and

Rutherford's

as

supposed

were

find

to

place

L'Estrange's work

was

studies.

orthodox

more

any
the

of this

that

show

dissenting library,so

found

claimed

Beza,

close

the

to

the

of

than

Dissenters

partly responsiblefor

persecution at

vade-mecum

the

at

doubt

no

was

the

blow

severer

recrudescence

from

return

1680,
of the Pope, 17th November
L'Estrange figured. See Curtis'

Trial

in which

deserve

Sillyfancies
found

to

be

as

not

effectual

refutation,

serious
to

the

down

bring

gravity of argument'. Care was the Little Luther'.

8 If the
falsified that little reliance can
date
1681 is any
so
guide. Dates were
confessed
himself
to
be given to them.
post-dating.
L'Estrange
s
to take
at the Hague, that he intended
A respectful notice to Dr Ken, then
Romish

the

'

being

hawkers

reply

to

cried

Essex)

his kennel

date

'

Luther's

as

the

Doctor's hands
rest affirmed.

with

fearful

oaths

that

he

had

and

the

"Here's
the

the

Porter

withabromeat
of

Roger's return

answer

to

Harris'

Peer's

not

been

at

January talks
February, gives a

for 25th

Indulgence
out
of his kennel
',and again on 11th
again came
picture of a porter that ' went along with a sheet of paper
picture called L'Estrange'sCase Strangeh) Altered,and as

Prance

as

Towzer

humorous

the

from

sacrament

Mass,
of

pageantry,

(supposed

Petition"

the
still subjoined, " Here's
'stail " '. Towzer's Advice
to 20th February 1681.

old

in

his hands

often
to

dog Towzer

to the Scribblers

be
come

seems

the-

as

Roger's
out

of

to fix

It

with

the

Observatory

JOURNALS

was

guide of the Inferior Clergy,

due, his claim

also

now

267

admiration, and

and

trust

title to be the

author's

largely its
and

with

quoted

was

WHIG

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

'

what

on

Long after
find eminent
Churchmen
his bitter life was
referring
over, we
Dissenters'
and
doubt
no
to him
as
an
ings
Say',
injured memory
this
contributed
to arouse
championship.
dissenting fathers and trenchant
Apt quotation from
called

France

the

almsbasket

'

Church.

the

of

'

which

work,

in

started

February,

lighter fashion, while

turned
to raileryof
the Papistsl.
We

the

in

is this

which

fact

timed

when

imminent,

His

as

his

of

to

ferret

numerous

and

Guise

the

Government

out

of

Justice
and

Harwich,

added

him

Clement

Sir

strugglesnow
official

claim

became

Rye

to

be

able,
consider-

discovery,when

special activities
Peace, urging his brethren
the

all forms

suppress
gatheriug round

numerous

'.

indeed

the

any
Taken

almost

an

his

after the
he

Sayings

those

as

Whitehall

at

man

driving

movement.

of the

appears
constituted

which

tion.
destruc-

their utter

and

of each

occasion

great

Middlesex

Roger

Observators

increasingly so
writings

is

to

in the forward

L'Estrange

figurein

and

of

such

Armiger,

dissent

and

magistrates
and

tion,
sedias

Sir

brother

'

my

'.

The

forces

elements
and

'

to

in

Dissenters'

gives

apologist, it

Government

regarded

the

for

end

to

was

then

revolt, and

importance it may possess

the
in conjunction with
tracts

contests

which

strugglefor
signal,and

the

gave

pulpit
neglect

every
the total

to

of that

April

though

that

us

Dissenters

forefront

the

into secret

Whigs

the

anvil

same

tells

Burnet

brief, fierce

several

It

in

Declaration

King's

after
the

thus

are

exposures
of the
appearance
Heraclitus
Ridens,

the

the

beating

was

reinforced

was

Restoration

Flatman's

Observator.

of the

first number

of

this

republication of his earlier

Presbytery, and very shortly by

of

was

of

the

by

in

idea

is the

comment

of

driven

conspiracy.

to

the
into

be

and

the disbanded
destroyed were
opposition set loose by the Oxford
coup,
which
a
was
as
easily construed
secrecy
met

There

was

above

all

an

account

to

settle

1
209-11.
See the preface to the reprint of Heraclitus
Oitm Timet (1828),ii.,
and
(1713). 'Deadliest
Weekly
(the
Pacquet, etc.) produce the sweetest
poisons
most
The
herein
descendants
of
of
the
healings honeys.
some
persona
for their predecessors' turbulent
mentioned
and
havo made
factious
large amends
.

behaviour

'.

City, the home

the juries must

the

with

nominated
that

as

would

the
the

Dissenters
Lord

of
of

remember
Russell

at this

Clarendon's
'

furnished

the

the

writer

refers

recalcitrancybefore \
year

Party and to make

was
designed. This
wished

all the

in

Times, and

late

the

acknowledge
the

of

part

against that

by

these

the

all

were
now

and

indiscretion, which

and

common

that

up
both

could

ruin
have

raised

were

to

to

much

so

in

heat

their

pulpits
particularly at the

vented

was

most
conversation, and
and
this drew
of Parliament-men,

election

Country

their

Upon this, the greater

prejudiced
already much
both
sharpened and furnished

themselves

delivered

he

success

sums

the

under

did.

he

services

Clergy, who
party, being

papers,

the

was

writing,

week

that

Clergy apprehend

had

in

copiousness

considerable

it drew

as

him

portraiture.
lived

for 4 years
he published 3 or 4 sheets
title of The Observator,all tending to defame

the

Speech

features

certain

recalls

inexhaustible

an

the

on

no

description of

his

unfair, and

too

had

with

of Considerations
but

had

Burnet

that

so

verdicts

to

Observators.

kindly 2,

earlier

who

man

the

the

case

Burnet

and

very

is not

period

such

'

Sayings

to

reason

Sir

after

outburst

that

chosen

so

Harris'

Ben

which

in

passage
Manager of

trial of

be

sheriffs who

Its

Ignoramus.

L'Estrange as
all those angry
writings is placed before
but obviously refers to the
G. Wakemen,
the Oxford
Parliament, and particularlyto

The
'

of

College'sfirst trial,or

in

returned

by the jury in
be impossible.

shown

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

268

much

and

hatred

'

them
3.
upon
It is thus
possible to

censure

the

use

two

Dissenters

parts of

verdict
of mere
harmless
(the
a
selling the book
They at first returned
shout'.
After
some
a
Appeal) 'at which there was
great and clamorous
fi hisi ase, State Trials,vii.,926.
the desired
verdict,
brow-beating,they returned
Also his Twenty-four Soher
Queries (1680),and Triumph ofJustice quoted at p. 271 of
1

famous

this

Sir

chapter.
to
-

make

out

G.
a

Sitwell

case

(First

for the

Court

Whig, Introduction) attempts,

of Jury-packing
account
on

not

and

fully
unsuccess-

Ignoramus.

See chap. xi.

Own
Times, ed.

Coke
1823, ii.,211.
(Dedection(1719), p. 247) has a similar
the Court, the Tory party set
honour
To
same
period.
referring
passage
to ridicule
their writers to work
the
Popish Plot and L'Estrange as pensioner of
is party judge,
in defiance
of it, who
the
out
weekly or oftener
party, comes
the
licenser
rifler of the Press, while
and
his antagonist Care
(who wrote
Weekly
of
the
and
Court
wherein
discovered
the
frauds
and
he
superstitions
Pacguet
and
sentenced
for
is
not
printing
convicted,
only thereupon arraigned,
Church)
that
it was
ordered
illicit^ or
of the King's Bench
without
license, but by order
::

to

should

the

book

was

needed.

be

the

burnt

'

'.

Coke

is wrong

in

his

'

without

license '.

No

license

Sayings1

as

made
progress
the
Dissolution

of the

index

an

JOURNALS

WHIG

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

269
the

by

Court

of the
Oxford
policy from
is marked
Parliament
till August of the same
year, which
the 29th.
of College at Oxford
on
by the execution
The
lacking in
preface to the earlier part is not
makes
that crude
salt which
L'Estrange a characteristic
in

their

new

writer.
the

Among

'

of

transmitting unto

of

men

the

speaketh,for
This

is the

the late
and

their

comfort

band

with

say

White

laid

are

and

embalmed

din
his

before

into the
and

with,

at

reader

fancy

may

bugs

and
to

man's

to

see

gotten

all their

sees

and
masques
and
artificial thunders

devils

they fright fools

be

more,

dresses

habits, their
false
and

fires 5,

children

hand, than

near

like

Extract

be

to

of

no

bones

much

this

In

and

myself
Mr
Roger

too

himself

he

Pym

with

funeral.

own

shifts

distance,

serenaded

and

his

; their

scenes

the very

nay,

But

past aching.

to

disguises,their
of

with

when

enough

tiring-room where

fanatics'

change

be

shall ye

time

of his future

(Saints' Everlasting

Baxter

well

do

may
head

my

inviting a man
Collection, the

or

Mr

Eev.

Sayings, etc., looks, methinks,

L' Estrange'
s
the

contemplation

in the

having

Pale, what

the

side of

militant,

that

martyrs,

wrong

ed.)3,"Then

This

4.

the

on

man

the

Rest, p. 101, 3rd

"

covenanted

of

of the Kirk

sufferers

the

-,

testimony

is it for

to

opinion very considerable.

of
that has perfumed the memory

ointment

sweet

being dead, yet

He

is in my

motto,

whole

the

state

generationswith

King's Judges

finished
a

After-times

in their

famous

latter age, the invention

the Apothegms and Sayings

of this

curiosities

paint

and
Canvass.
have here laid open
to you the mystery
You
the
of the work
to the very
springs and wheels that make
motion
play, their deeds of darkness brought to light,their

The

'

1)

Words

iivu

exposed, their pleas

souls

very

Grand-

Jury

advertised

29th

in

August
r

for

2nd

NonconformiMe
Anglois i'o.hs set
first advertised, I
1683, and was
reference

The

promised
of

reply
s

one

Of
to

of

White's
that

that

these
'

palpablehit

The

first
1681.

November

'-..."'
.

old

'

"

notorious

second

The

o""4,11th

to the
part dedicated
second
parts first

and

The

tion
Transla-

French

is dated

'

uu

June

1683.

See chap, iv., 118.

Regicides' Speeches.
this quotation was
impugned, but Roger in a subsequent
has
Brome
Reader
be
a
if the
not
yet satisfied,Mrs
his
service
'.
impressions at
is reallya belated
s* Saying
une
(1643). 2

the
of

accuracy

edition
book

to

ed.

1681.

Le

'-'

varying

L'Estrange(1681),3rd

London,

together

still

conscience

"

by Roger
of

and

tract.

at London's

Flames,

etc.

ROGER

SIR

270

their fortunes.

with

The

minor

but

66,

Here

we

opposed

the

to

in

mirth

part, and

who

do

not

and

agree

revolution,

ordinary round
blasphemers, eikonoklasts

and

the

even

chapter are

vulgar,but

had

started his excellent

as

with

sEsop, the

his

idea

ascribed

was

second

great

venture

affords

of the

appearance
volumes
a
are

remarkable

of the

treasury

vivid, English. In February John

some

(which

the

three

and

an

Heraclitus

Ridens, and

of

history
Flatman
have

it may

of

catching up this witty journal

his
to himself) that Roger undertook
in journalism. This
publication on
for
dition
opportunity
glancing at the con-

Press.
after

Shortly
expire in May
libels,had
These

Swiftian

and

it is

Observator, whose

April

(a
(a

impossible not to admire both the skill

the masterly castigationof the comment.
than a fortnight
elapsed between the publication

first

with

"

like

"

blood

are

etc.

end

play as Crab
(a cobbler),Pace

people

as

to each

more

of the

main

effect.

comments

Little

of

this first
the

the

at

elaborate

an

regicides,and

biting parts, and

of quotation and

been

in

besides

together

motives

all innocent

atheists

with

the

here

drawing'.

own

includes

Mellish
(a tailor),

Dissenters

employments,
The

have

quoted

Elizabethian

an

themselves, whose

among

their

slumped

provided

are

picture of

13th

this

personae
of
mechanicals

feltmaker), Hobson
tinker),etc.1.

and

life of

of Dissenters

dramatis

rude

of

the

to

word, you

one

Bastwicke, Burton, Case, Calamy, Baxter,

characters
the

in

little Parliament

numbers

part

Or

Picture

Dissenters'

L'ESTRANGE

sayings

the

deliberatelyallowed
Government,
1679,
pestered by swarms
taken
the opinion of the judges2 as to
Press

Act

was

to

the

the

Gangroena and Catalogue of Errors

day as White's
Century, both
obscure
storehouses
of
all the
of an
most
and
free
not
frightful instances
occasional
to
hold.
indecency, on which
was
L'Plstrange
glad
lay
2 The
judges met twice" immediately after the expiry of the Act, and again
books
at the
that
were
beginning of 1680.
They decided
(") all scandalous
scandalous
Law
whether
of news,
or
punishable at Common
; (b) all writers
false news
not ' if they are
and
(as there are few others) are indictable
punishable
that
account'.
State Trials, vii. 930, 1114.
Qazet for 5th and
Also London
on
17th May 1680.
The
For
proclamation of 12th May 1680
suppressing the Printing and
Newsbooks
the
continuance
and
of News
Publishing unlicensed
Pamphlets
whereof
of the
as
would, in a short time, endanger the Peace
Kingdom
has been
declared
by all His Majesty'sJudges unanimously'.
The
Proclamation
of 31st October
1679, against seditious libels offers "40 for
discoveries
and
a
pardon to delating hawkers
(Procx. of Cftas. II., 1671-9.
Bodl. Subt. 31).
Arch.

published in

1644.

are

Two

quoted
works

from
as

Edward's

famous

in

their

"

'

...

THE

OBSERVATOR
the

of
legality
could

Jeffries

such

had

that affair'1.

persons
did not

This

the
intelligence,

JOURNALS
and

newspapers,
been

that

to
public
expose
the affairs of the Public

from

or

WHIG

the

concerned

King

of

growth

new

expressed by

as

AND

he

as

of

no

their decision

ever
whatso-

person

knowledge anything
without

that

license from

thought fit to

the
with

entrust

refer

mentary
only to Parliawhich, now
temporarily

course

barm

'

271

on

relaxed, was

strictlyenforced during many

years of the next
But
it practicallyincluded
almost
century.
anything of a
It was
the most
politicalnature.
flagrantattempt at Judgemade

law

time

it must

80

decision

be admitted

level

the

of

judgments
English law.
a

that

babel

of

uttered

but

Sir

Law

same

no

1679,

Courts

to

they boldly arraigned

the

just

G. Wakeman

King's

term

the

with

tongues, and
in the

Michaelmas

sympathy

in

cause

accordance

trial of

libellous

vindication
of

The

in

the

At

the party writers had in 1679of moderate

politicalcriticism.

Hustings,

delivered

Shipmoney.

on

beyond the limits

only degraded every

not

the

the

far

gone

They

since

we

Court
fail

can

raised

saw

reading Scrogg's

one

Bench

of

course

the opening

at

extend

to

some

the

the
other
pestered judges2. On
hand,
whatever
ground or
for a
prescription the King had
and
the
monopoly of News
right could only be argued
Star-Chamber
on
precedents there is no doubt
at all of
the
hardship and
cruelty of the batch of Trials which
to

"

"

followed
Such

this

vindication.

was

Ben

publishing
Such

also

the
was

Observations
Harris

was

December

in

case

the

Appeal from

Spring

of

1680

for

the

Country to the City.

the case
of Frank
Smith
for printing some
the Trial of Sir George Wakeman3.
on
fined "500
and
kept in a miserable state in
caused
in

1680)

considerable

his

Protestant

hiatus

(April to
Intelligence.

Domestick

State Trials, vii.,202-6.

Ibid.
See also the Proceedings of the

to examine
:;

famous

which

Newgate

Harris'

the

Stat

conduct

judges.

of the

Trials,vii.,926

et seq.

Committee
appointed by the Commons
State Tracts,U
mp. Chas. II. (1693), pt. i.
See Harris'
Ttoenty-fi Q ries for some

libel law, appropriately addressed

to Scroggs. Query 20
is significant of the
tumult
of these
trials ' whether
it be
crime
against
any
Law
that
the
the people shall give a shout
and
if it be
of joy
breach
a
it not
when
rebuked
a
of joy was
why was
great shout
made
by the

useful

comment

on

the

people

because
the

of

Popish

Smith's

the

Traitors

Narrative

first great
class.

the

speeches concerning

brave
'.

'

and

attempt,

The

sufferings

elsewhere
since

the

remind
trial

of

Justice

of

these
that

us

the

'

at

in

are

Confederates

'

to

the

of

some

in

narrated

men
we

trials"of

the

Frank

midst

of

extirpate the

SIR

272
Smith
Court

ill to

too

was

taken

was

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

and
his wife's
appear,
sufficient composition.

as

to the

apology

which
Encouraged by this success,
was
augmented by
Harris'
in
seeming penitence
Newgate, and ignoring the
hems
of the rabble, the Government
proceeded in July to
the
trial of a
far more
able
culprit,the brain of the
faction

in

Care1.

the

Press

It is

this

man

and

others.

writer

that

pity

is

and

derived

the

the

from

Harris'

In

of

half

little

their

stuff,Harry

knowledge

have

we

scurrilities of

of

L'Estrange

the

ex-Surveyor's
hand.
He
had exposed the Appeal as the most
dangerous
libel of the times and
Care it
urged a prosecution. With
was
they might have selected any of half a dozen things
he was
the indecent
which
writing then
Popish Courant
Sir
accompanied the Weekly Pacquct of Advice, and which
Francis
for the
defence
described
the
Winnington
as
Satirist against Popery, and
thought to be very well liked
case

we

see

"

"

'

until

this

fault

but

indecency,

gross

Judges

the

at

found

was

again

the

were

of

same

Scrogg's reference
by

his

5s.

friends

are

and

in

sentenced

More

that

'

gaol
and

for

want

been

as

in

of

the

of
'

See

Whig

all

Our

forsaken

and

him

tractable

written

as

in 1722

no

time
concern
any
do
what
then
For

Care

pilloryand
that

pay

be

may

they

as

convicted

was
a

large fine.

henceforth

labour'?
'Such

might

no

one

an

order

closest to the

was

1680.

men

we

Settle,to Curtis

Scroggs:

'Harris

sent

must
and

to

refer,
Carr

me

'.

that

his

give him anything ', which

Defoe
in 1682.
L'Estrange found
been
inspired by Scroggs' remark.
and
for scribblers
printers when

as

have

expose

themselves

and

what

thanks

iii.,40 (ed. 1868).

evidently beyond the competence

party

rendered
has

had
him

passage

'Do

parties
they suffer ?
have
they for

Works,

Defoe,

Hallarn, Cons.

eorrecter

and

themselves
Printers

to

would

man

informer,

an

which

at

their

to the

case

Shadwell

State Trials, vii. , 1121.

Hid., p. 1126, L. C. J.

more

'which

for Collcdge (1681).

Lamentation

To

:i

be

print the

'

the

to-day

their purses

3.

Judges
Weekly Pacquet 4.
Frank
Smith's
trial already referred
meeting of Parliament, 16th September
1

of

Harris, left

man

"500

free

ordered

important, the

should

might

'

unfortunate

acclamations

stand

to

conduct

as

its

not

was

only as contempt of Court and not

the King's Monopoly of News.
Here
tumultuous
hems
which
provoked

to

of their noises

fault

the

on

trial, such

they had

if

piece

The

But

infringement

an

it'2.

reflection

Wakeman

heavily punished.
as

in

was

Hist., p.

613.

of

the

Court'.

274

SIR

he

'

says,

had

ROGER

put that

not

ink, and

pen,
occasion
the
it

the

'

'.

for the

the

and

best

others, upon

to

Governments

Shaftesbury

prohibit me

journal was
a
gaol. The
deprecate the

from

yet had

of

to

high

of

one

fact that
of

wrath

',is sufficient

still

were

little

as

Nat's

June

issued

as

in power

to

show

l.

Ridens
in February 1681,
entry of Hcraclitus
resumption on 9th March, the Court was in better

the

Nat's
to

case

have

Court, and
of

men

With

is

that

to

me

upon
has to

he

paper,
March
From

present and

that

badge

which

goodly list

was

L'ESTRANGE

their

meet

certainlydue
in

to

numbers

though the palm of wit

the loyal journals,they were
matched
quite overby Harris, F. Smith, Curtis, Janeway,
enemies.

But

Banks, etc.2.
There
these

of

was,

course,

the

Whig journals, which

hunting on the
organs
not lost sight of 3.

same

liveliest recrimination
is

discreetlyveiled

side.

The

commercial

between
in

modern
side

was

1
For
of ill
account
F.
beside
to
set
an
Smith's
Narrative, see
usage
to his 183 Loyal Songs, 1683.
This abortive
Thompson's Preface
Burning of the
in May
of 1659-60
Rump
1680, is the old business
repeating itself. Some
loyal
doubt
them
to a
L'Estrange no
gentlemen
inciting the Prentices
among
of disloyalty.
In
demonstration
1680
these
visited
Nat's
February
persons
in Fetter
house
the 16th :
on
Lane, and the result was the offensive advertisement
the City of London
Several
apprentices in and about
(not well understanding
what
Petition to his Majesty for
they did) having been persuaded to subscribe
a
the sitting of Parliament, afterwards
his Majesty resented
understanding how
of proceeding, have upon
further
their way
consideration
their dislike of
to show
what
in solemn
to sacrifice
the Rump,
that the
manner
they have done, resolved
the
walk
in that
not
keep in memory
practice of '41 and
present age may
Waller
acted
the
as
honorary
precedent '. Nat was refused "1,000 bail offered.
secretary of the Plot witnesses,scouring the City for crucifixes,Catholic relics,etc.
hatred
he aroused
The
not
suggested that his services were
quite honorary.
2
Resides
ran
these, Smith's
(John) Current
Intelligence
fitfullywith some
others
of the
There
during the early months
were
bickerings between
year.
-

"

"

"

'

Banks

and

Smith

as

to which

owned

the

true

Current

Intelligence.But

all the

and
have
Harris'
Domestick
to
a
journals, Whig
quarrel with
Tory, seem
also
class
existed
of journal which
was
a
Intelligence for its ' falsities '. There
for only a few numbers, and
was
on
merely an attack
Heraclitus,L'Estrange, or
Nat
See for example
News
Thompson.
from the Laud
of Chivalry, containing
the
Delectable History if Don
Roger de Strangemento, Knight of the Squeaking
fiddle,which ran for three of its promised twenty -four numbers.
3 F.
Smith
1st February
with
the
opened his first number
high resolution
which
recalls L'Estrange's first news
both
'whereas
the
pamphlet,
public and the
booksellers
are
frequently imposed upon in buying things twice ; at first a sheet
and
afterwards
the same
two
or
Harris his hamestiet
again reprinted in Ben
I n/elligeiiee,
this is therefore
to assure
thai in this weekly Intelligent
the Header
such
shall avoid
like clandestine
we
practise of invading the proprietories of
any
others
and
could
not
abusing the public '. Unfortunately Frank
keep out of
to attend
the House
trouble, and in his first number
prints the order to himself
for printing a Noble
Pi r"s Speech. He was
ordered
for trial,
but was
ignoramuted.
Jeffries (Lards' Journals, xii.,729//)in
Again in August he is up for trial before
connection
with
the
Show.
See
publishing of Colledge's Rarec
L'Estrange's
"

Notes

on

Steplieti
Colledge,pp.

13-15.

his

Besides
started
his

in

in

answered

Ridens,

Stript Naked.
The
safety of

these

Harris

than
the

at

with

bound

to gaol.
back
way
thincr that strikes us most

with

up

missed,
dis-

sooner

no

Parliament

and

'

of

being
drops

Smith's

L'Estrange addressed
In other
April 1681.

Observatory 13th
found

Weekly Discoverer

paper
public in his first

the

before

in turn

"

chargeof being present

', while

Bethel

sheriff

on

for

election

Southwark

frequent
four days

arrested

was

with

already-

Discoverer

The

by

had

journalistswas
assembly was

Whig

Oxford

the

Parliament, and

side

March,

Ridens

Harris

Weekly

his

other

the

Ben

275
in

Smith,

Heraclihis

new

which

with

February

from

answered

of

pursuit

JOURNALS

Frank

paper,
the

own

Democritics

WHIG

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

words,

Frank

had

his

The
Commons

the

that

of the

freedom

entire

the

the wit of the

and

1713.

with

the

century before

the

up

these

removed,

was

month

the

on

two

or

side

one

print the

to

be

balanced

by
sufficiently

was

Heraclitus

republishedin
displayed the lightnessof
to

of the

impunity.

Flatman's

other.

wise

It

that,

for

of numbers

weight

bound

Eeports

with

House

consciousness

was

Press, and

allowed

were

proceedingsof

witty

cause

Parliamentary

prohibition on
Whig Printers
The

popular

is the

was

volumes

two

touch

and

duodecimo

irony,which

with
the more
dullness, while
prefers in its combat
weighty Observators long preserved their right of place in
loyal libraries. With the exception of Harry Care's learning
and
wit1
in the Weekly J'acquet of Advice, there is
no
nothing to set against these Koyalist journals, and when
reinforced
who
these were
by the wits and the venal muse
scarcelythought the moment
yet auspicious the disparity

wit

"

"

"

"

became

that

marked

so

Shadwell

even

and

Settle

appear

makeweight.
during these troubles, obscure but
figure emerges
Robert
Stevens, or
important in the history of the Press.
attempts
insignificant

at

One

remember
Stephens, we
L'Estrange against his
Libels

Committee.

reason

of his
made

was
1

the
the

he

So the
work

old
a

of

reward
the

of Stati

is much

Trials,vol.

historical and

who

man

Nat

master

knowledge
Press
Messenger,

Editor

there

As

the

as

the

vii. (1713) :

controvcrsical

time
"

the

services, and

by

of the

when

Press, he

North

tells

In the argumentative part of

learning. In the other parts

'. Defoe
but
attempts at wit are
rarely successful
the Weekly Pacquet the prototype of his- R

made

to

at

paths

secret
at

Thompson

his

for

useful

was

took

another

view

when

chap, viii.,
2Zi.

SIR

276
it

us

decided

was

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER
to

that

augment

Now

service.

Nat

was

marked
became
a
man
working on that side, Stevens
and
ing
deliverinstrument
in
to the Whig
as
printers,
Scroggs'
those warrants
against Harris, Smith, Care, etc. which
afforded matter
for an
impeachment, he participatedin the
also

"

wrath.

Commons'

"

Since

then

the

Printers

him

regarded

as

their prey.

February Lee, Smith,

In
had
with

from

warrant

the

Council

peculiarlyevil

offence

of

which

was

libel

Harris

heard

to arrest

them

and

The

prophetic

that

Stevens

in connection

Vision

of

threat

that

the

Maid,

the

if the

King

be
to Oxford, he would
persistedin removing the Parliament
15th
poisoned on
May.
Thinking it best to anticipate
of their liberties
the old charge of invasion
matters, on
(by Scroggs'general warrant) at eleven at night, taking a
constable
they repaired to Stevens' house with the threat :
We
have good Sheriffs and
good juries', mentioning their
said
authority. Stevens
through the door evidently
Damn
authority'. The interest of the case is that in
your
when
the
whilst the good Sheriffs and juries lasted
July
with
examined
the damning thrown
in, it was
charge was
for the seizure of The Royal
the use
of Jeffries' old warrant
Charter
of Confirmation granted by Charles /., and also of a
of the
hawkers
warrant
new
(6th July) for the arrest
His
who
to
sold an
answer
Majesty's Late Declaration,
in
that
advanced
was
against the Messenger. Stevens
vain protested that he had
to Parliament
already answered
his
retorted
that
for
the
x, and
Scroggs misdemeanour
was
good enough against Mrs Cellier and
general warrant
2. The
Mr
Whig journalists
Turner, the popish bookseller
the Whig
sheriffs. Harris
had suffered
in league with
were
in return
for sheriff Bethel
the previous year, and
now
humour
of revenge
on
Bethel, willing to satisfy Ben's
ment
the
was
Messenger,
unwilling to have any abatevery
and
Sam
Harris'
of the Fine, for F. Smith
sake, by
the
In
of
club
'.
addition, Stevens
same
they are
reason
fined "20 for using Jeffries' warrant
against a pamphlet
was
'

"

"

'

"

"

'

'

'

of
It

(Eng. Cons, in the Reign of Charles

Amos

Scroggs' general warrant,

names
2

neither

Hallam

having fallen
Secretary of
in 1764'.

to

the

II.

(1857),p. 245) prints

Messenger,

29th

November

copy

1679.

printer.
of Scroggs
{Cons. Hist., p. 613) that the impeachment
check
was
put to general warrants, at least from the
Pleas
Court
of the
of Common
till the famous
judgment

libel

nor

truly remarks
through, ' no
State

addressed

THE

OBSERVATOR

(June 1680) on the Proceedings of

Choosing Sheriffs.
the
But
days of good sheriffs

drawiug

to

close

Whig

party

Moore

in

and

October

Midsummer,

of

their

in
'

senselessly

saddle

the

to

encountered

the

the

when

of the

side

and

revived

Robin

ing
follow-

the

Rich

in

of

era

conversions

authorities

and

the

and

mayoralty,

repression was
of
these
one
unhappy
badly. Scarcely were

new

the

entry of Sir John

the

Sheriffs North

were

of

fortunes

the

his

on

good juries

and

them

about

Hall

Common

the

With

1681

however,

was,

order

with

its Press.

iniquitous election
Stevens

and

277

JOURNALS

WHIG

AND

sight.
who

men

the

new
'

changed

most

persecuted Whigs, and thus

augmented authority of the

Surveyor.
latter

The

had,

as

we

ventured

saw,

during the early days

fusilade
a
greeted with

of

Though suspected of
nothing till his neck

Heraclitus

Parliament
with

and

Smith

Harris

were

still,however,

were

Benskins, and

long

not

safe

was

Baldwins

"

Oxford
world

delighted his

he

Sayings

was

greetingsl.
really did

Ridens, he
that is, till the

Then

and

week

or

Observator, just when

perforce closing down 2. There

the work
of the Janeways, Curtis's,
and
so
quite enough to answer,

Bethel

Slingsby

as

in

he

where

kindly

very

first part of Dissenters'

the
first number
of the

the

later

so

of

London

to

return

1681,

February

dismissed.

was

to

and

Cornish

sheriffs

remained

of danger,
Mayor, the balance
other
is
the
side, as
despite the Court, really lay on
and
the
shown
by the successful
prosecution of Stevens
of the Observator
Nat
and
shortly
Thompson
presentment
Frank
Smith
after, whilst Colledge and
as
were
we
saw
triumphantly ignor -amused.
and

Sir

It
called

Patience

was

forth

Ward,

the

threatened

the

second

presentment

referred

part of Dissenters' Sayings and

the
point of view of the Press
equally
Word
Concerning Libels and Libellers,addressed
Tory Lord Mayor, Sir John Moore, no less than

the

be

"

Their

noted

numbers
that

too

are

besides

Hi

great

"

from

instructive
to
an

the

new

attempt

It should
quotation ; see pp. 256-264.
Essex's
to
suspected of the answer
Parliament
might be held at Westminster)
for disemboguing Popish venom',
certainly

aclHus,he

Speech (tothe King, asking that the

which
Nat
'that shore
Thompson,

which

to

for

was

printed.
'
-

'soon

To

set

wrote

up

count

erwriters'

the libellers

out

was

of the

North's

advice.

The

pit'. Lives,i.,200.

Observator
So

and

Heraclitus

Eachard, i.,1009.

278
to

SIR

give his Lordship

the

the

during
choose
Civil

of

matter

the
out

period
one

War.

of that

his

cue

in

regard

topicswhich

of the

The

alarming

assembly

the

gave

Indeed, if

Libels,judge the
endorse

of

of

treatment

forces

had

in them

as

"

it is easy

to

of
possibilities

semi-militarycircumstances

and

Tory journaliststhe
we

of those

borne

was

the

from A
may,
brought into play

the

public mind

Parliament,

opinion
that Civil War
was
only avoided
by
Parliament.
King in suddenly dissolving
must

the

agitated the

Oxford

which

two

or

talk rebellion.

we

to

Press1.

Whig
In

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

out

at

occasion

Word
on

Concerning

that

the

adroitness
These
trials

occasion,

who

historians
the

to

think
of the

forces
of

sisted
con-

Colledge,

of
unparalleled freedom
speech in all assemblies, an organised use of the Penny Post
the
for circulation
of
inflammatory tracts and menaces,
bills in
of London,
dropping of treasonable
circularising
convenient
places, and prophecies of dire catastrophe.
and
in the Press
It was
suspected that all these motions
were
strictlyorganised by the
private and public canvass
riot
leaders of the Faction, and at a singal given, the whole
of agitation would
are
change its objective. To-day we
familiar with
those methods
the ordinary tactics of party
as
warfare.
in 1681
But
they were
regarded by people like
3
L'Estrange as portentous signs of commotion, and the first
Plot, which, it was
eagerly hoped
stirringof the Protestant
by the Court, would
eclipse the old Plot.
the organising of
Of these signs the most
alarming was
breadth
of the
the length and
Petitions
and Addresses
over

Hetherington,and Shaftesbury
"

an

'While

those

libels

go

scot-free, the

and
(i.e.,Observator
papers
business
is only to vindicate
the
and
sedition
of the daily libels

authors

Heraclitus, and

and

Government

from

and

publishersof other books

whose
Intelligence)
calumnies, malice
forgeries,

Thompson's
the

sented
Care, Curtis, Janeway, Baldwin, etc., are Prethe
and
for
the Bills found; as Mrs
Brome
Observatoh,
b
y a
particularly,
of
hear
certain
see
nor
grand-jury who, according to their oath, could neither
time
almost
stall is
hand, while
anything on the other
yet at the same
every
and
furnished
with
covered
and
coffee-house
pamphlets (both
newspapers
every
Treason'.
See Ketiyon MS8.
Schism
and
and printed) of Personal
written
scandal,
'Presentments
were
(Reports,Commissioners,34, p. 129) 1st September 1681.
Mr
made
Heraclitus, and
L'Estrange, and the bills found
against Thompson,
against them '.
'-' The
in 1680 was
charged by both sides as the vehicle
Penny Post established
letter
often
so
of sedition.
'The
a
Project for carrying letters for a penny
of the Popish
mentioned
in the Tntelligi
"""
is,as Dr Oates says, a further branch
Harris'
alias Paine'.
dexterous
invention
Plot. It is the most
of Mr Henry Nevil
of
Protestant
Nat
denied
in
27th
March
Intelligence
1680,
Thompson's
Intelligence,
2nd
April 1680.
3 "'ee
L'Estrange'sWord Concerning Libels,etc.,pp. 2-4.
of

THE

land.

writers

Tory

such

the

means

and

to 1640

rulers
It

Civil

to

the

warn

of

England.

the

decided

altogetherneglected

their

had

meetings

resounded

and

business

proper
almost

Riots,

against the

cause

Hall

of late her Common

that

back

minds

men's

by

l.

attitude,her Prentice

her sullen

subsidies,had

279

country that

introduced

been

particular sent

of

noted

was

in

JOURNALS

WHIG

had

War

when

1659

refusal

then

hastened

Petitions

London's
and

AND

OBSERVATOR

side.
At
impassioned speech
wholly on one
first the Court
relying on a policy of
ignored these omens,
Ignoramus
suppression applied at the right time ; but when
juries protected the seditious, and the Secretary'swarrant
no
was
longer, since Scroggs' impeachment, of the same
of the enemy
validity,they had perforce to use the weapons
and
passions. Opinion
appeal to the same
quarters and
demonstrations
the
be
such
at
must
as
tapped
source,
be revived, loyal gentlemen must
roasting the Rump must
the Prentices, and
descend
once
more
by feast and
among
flatterywin back their noisy loyalty,abhorring addresses
the
be anyhow
to meet
concocted
must
lying reports of
with

'

'

Parliamentary Petitions

filled the

which

of

columns

Whig

journals'-2.
this

In

Observator

the

work

invaluable

an

was

agent.

admonishing and encouraging

might be heard
loyalapprentices at Sadler's Hall, as he had done more

Its

author

the

furtivelybut
from

Venison
From

the

in

Norwich,

petitions,discredited
voice

before.

years

etc.,

rival

of

news

came

side, and regarded as the

The
the community
by the other3.
Parliaments, the right of Petitioning,
the

on

of

twenty

cause

regaled the youths.

Windsor

Bristol,

unanimous

same

one

obligation of annual
the burden
in the West,
became
the raisingof the Militia
into tumultuous
their way
of Whig talk,and found
petitions,
of
who
all
the
impeded
and, more
proscription
dangerous,
in by threo
ushered
The
Parliament
of 1640
was
Observator, i., 36.
Lords
(2) In the namo
callingfor a Parliament.
by twelvo
(1) At York
another
and
from
of the City of London.
(3) By the Scots to the same
purpose,
of
in
the
tradesmen
of poor
thousands
decay of trade by
London,
complaining
1

So

Petitions

Bishops'and
'

Let

time,

as

lie and

them
may

be

done

North, Lives, i.,"200.

Popish

accuse

with
North

Lords'

Votes

'"'"

Windsor

commended

'.

of Peers

the Mouse

I
at
and

the

same

unjust '.

notes

for

Examen.

pamphlet, preserved
See the Loyal Intelligence,
17th April
Court
were
(19th May) the Petitions
gone
in the

declare
while we
they are
weary
demonstration, that all they say is false
prepared some
(Lord Keeper) himself
till

and

19th

into

and

May
most

1681.

'At

Hampton

especiallythat

of

280

SIR

the

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

free

was
now
sitting of Parliament
appended to the
petitionsfrom York, Taunton, Southampton, etc.1.
As to the particularcauses,
there was
the excitement
of
Fitzharris' case
which
had
blocked
the Oxford
proceedings,
and
fate it was
whose
be
victim
claimed
to
a
as
by both
when
Fitzharris was
removed
after a conparties. Later,
fession
favourable
the
extorted
the
to
imminence
Court,
by
of death, the trial of the Protestant
Joiner
occupied the
mind
from June to August, and raised to the pitch of
public
the
and
frenzy
questions of the duties of Grand
Petty
trial with a change of venue,
Juries, the legalityof a second
and
of
conduct
lastly the whole
question of the inhuman
Trials.
Treason
There
also the dark figureof Shaftesbury
was

behind.

Although

it
first,

stand

soon

A
with

doubted

not

was

for

Government

the

his

that

selected

the

'

the minor

dangerous pilot would

life.

glance at the Observator from May to July

what
desperate zeal L'Estrange flung himself
how

turmoil, and
ferocious

far he outdid

temper had

exile,and

by

the

London.

In

Julv

of the

victim
'

been

howl

rendered

of

that

rather

amused

into

the

Heraclitiis.

vicious

more

derision

are

we

the merrier

will show

his late

by

greeted his

return

find the

to

His

to

author

Observator

appealing to Sir George Treby, Jeffries'

in the Recordship of London, for protectionagainst
successor
the Whig junto in the Press 2.
of Colledge'sacquittal,was
the critical
July, the month
in
the
between
the
moment
two
struggle
great parties,
between

the

Abhorrers

one
letters,

two

When

from

and
his

the

Addressers.

patron, the Earl

Janeway's Vox Patriae, quoted

M. Beljame says (Le J'i'b/ic et

in

L'Estrange'sWord

les Hommes

of

Gaxette

de

l'approbation
contradicted

Londres

d'en

haut.

ne

Une

discutait
telle

pas,
presse

et

e"tait

une

lecture

ne

to

ruing Libels,etc.

"'one"

V Observator

have

Yarmouth,

de Lettres,p. 172) that

'n'"5tant pas entre" dans

les moeurs,
manquait de lecteurs'
d'opposition n'avaient qu'un droit de parole precaire,
parmi eeux
la

We

and
du

the

'Les

paper
news-

Journaux

Gouvernement,
qu'avec
froid ',etc., he

discutait
peu

attribute
the
in
turn
North, Eachard, and others, who
the
Observator, Heraelitus, etc.
popular tide primarily to the
Eachard, i.,
Heraclitiis
with
1009:
others
'were
some
L'Estrange and
thought to have
tide
stemmed
the
of a
with
little more
a
popular current, which
help and
might have been very pernicious'.
success,
The
vain ; though
that Sir George
appeal was, of course,
Roger declared
had
a
given him all the satisfaction
gentleman could expect. Observator,i.,21,
1681.
The
22, 8th and 11th June
enmity between
L'Estrange and Treby (who
has
been
described
by North
(Lives, i.,275) as 'no fanatic, but of the fanatic
of later growth, and
from
the
refusal
of Sir
arose
party as true as steel') was
Lord
Russell
of the
when
he
George to admit
L'Estrange to a view
papers,
briefed by the Court
was
to write
his Considerations
Lord
Russell's Printed
on
is

Speech.

by

282
That

they pretended
of him

use

as

Session's

dissolved,

the

information

best

abuse

is

to

tool

set

to

of

none

scandalized

'My
not

Lord,

within

that

considerable

many

but

if he

hand,
different

these

Not

there

among
but that

in

all

For

little.

almost

men

will

Your

his

Lordship
right
judgment.
me
presumptions, as proceeding from my
I promised to render
Majesty's service.
your
these

the

best

rather

break

to

malevolence

get

methods

previous

"

of

The

"-'
3

his

to

Lordship
late

how

point of good
My Lord, Yr.

am,

R. L. S.

'

Colledge,the

towards

Observator

the

Observator

October.

Hall

Justice

of

No.

the

on

at

Old

'trimming'
Moore

was

Mayor
to

be

who

for

his

punished by

of

of
a

their

the

really

irritated

them

effective

hate

August, the day

Oxford, presented by
31st

Bills

true

Bailey, that

Rye

to

found.

It

Thompson,
Broine

Joanna

refusal
the

heat

contained

27

last act

(publisherof Heraditus),and
out

the

to

Petitions3, which

Whig

on

him

against

beyond endurance, and as the

the three
Tory journals were
which
Colledge was
hanged
for
Grand
London, and
Jury

promise.
my
Servant.

clamour

the

skit

humorous

keep

strain

to

forgive

zeal

the

raised

Tooke

affair,and

this

agree,

of the
Faction, and the running exposure
the City Petition,
comment
of Petitions, and
on

of

darling

in the

of

ventured

Obedient

Most

The

had

have
than

manners,

Hon.'s

I could

account

soever,

so

has

Majesty

His

and

but sweetened

were

is

he

part

own

credit

and

compass.

This

loyal gentlemen in the City,

these
headed
hotof such
and
not
authority among
power
Methinks
fellows.
Lordship might find some
your
x
Sir R. Cl(ayton ?) who, as I am
to engage
told,might
the juncture,
to his majesty upon
servant
very useful

are

way
be

their

suggestionin

pity

this is

occasion.

of

many

of interest

them

keep

to

the

upon

The

with.
And

bailed.

made

only

turns

own

rest

gain

great

instruments

some

people

It is

"

the

rind

(Here follows a curious

signed R. L. S).

but

their

I could

but

Monmouth,

up

serve

that
gross
at it '.

so

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

on

the
was

Ben

(publisher

repeal certain bye-laws and

(State Trials,ix.,420).

Plotters

Add.
MSS., 36988, f. 168.
Repeated in the Word Concerning Libels,etc.,pp.

12-13.

283

JOURNALS

WHIG

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

presented for maliciouslyprinting

Observator),were
and seditious
three scandalous
and
papers
publishing
Introduction
and
the
Advancement
and libels
tending to
Extirpation of the
of Popery, and
to the Suppression and
Protestant
True
Religion within His Majesties realm'.
'

of the

The

this

of

date

"

"

Nothing
as

whose

had

Those

the

saw,

we

action
'

journals

indicted

of these
were,

its promoters.
angered the Faction

treacherous

By

Ignoramus
and

Harris

of

the

than

more

attacks

juries,which
and
Smith
by

Heraclictus)
"

should

that

the

on

boast

(to quote

laws

the

completed

and

Plot

of the

ruin

was

vultures
wary
for that defection, which

pieces,the more
Harris
preparing
to

an

attendance

dropping
Bolron, Mowbray, and

evidence

King's

the

Already

Board.

the

on

later

days

further

from

him

dismissed

Council

of

order

Three

Whitehall.

significantejection from

Oates'

with

coincides

presentment

life
thy (Charles')

secure

Ignorami

made

are

and

reign

vain'.

for the jury's

L'Estrange's demand
the duties of
his refining on
for their verdict, and
reasons
The
was
and
Grand
duty of the former
Petty Juries.
sufficient
alleged was
merely to certify that the matter
ground for a trial. The Petty jury decided on the evidence.
of Colledge'sLondon
the foreman
jury,
But though Wilmore,
obnoxious

Equally

was

reportedto

was

be

preparing reasons

to

the

meet

criticism

never
were
enquirers like L'Estrange,the reasons
of his arrest
before Colledge's
forthcoming, and the news
the sanctity of
notion
of
shock
to
is
trial
our
second
a
Justice.
Especially hypocriticalis L'Estrange's constant
himself
he
talk of Justice
arraigned by the mob, when

of anxious

second

The

1681)

the
But

the

are

bitter
of

Jury

charge

that

his

'to

sarcasm

unknown

London

', and

attempted

made

odious

reflections

had

he

and

Halls

Common

Council

Common

of

the

to
on

City.

this famous
City ', he
lip-homage to
pays
the fanatic rabble
forget the late Rebellion, 'when

while

cannot
tore

with

Grand

the

Sayings (29th August

Dissenters'

of

part

dedicated

is

friends
refute

violence.

such

excused

the
now

he

Government

presented

inflammatory
comments

'

and

to

and

libels'.

pieces by the same

practised again by

Some

score

publishers'names

of them
he

methods

that

hundreds

with

notes

presented

as

of
and
we

284

the

to

saw

October

Mayor

new

his

on

should
of the

be

Whig

although by October
closed down, scarcely a day
that

remembered
had

papers

their
to
passed but
printers contrived
this class apart
single-sheet libel. And
the

in

office

into

entry

l.

It
most

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

substantial

more

ambitious

class

There

libel.

vent

altogetherfrom

to which

published by Baldwin,

this

of

one

was

new

some

more

Roger

gave

It

in his Lord
was
Mayor's list.
place of honour
The
Ancestors,
of our
Rights of the Kingdom or Customs
touching the Duty, Power, Election or Succession of our
a
Kings
gallimaufry of fragments ', says Roger, first
in
favour
of
Cromwell's
proceeding
published in 1649
and
of the discourse
stress
resting
Government, the main
these two
on
lawfully put
points,first the late King was
to
that
the English monarchy is not
death, secondly
the

'

'

"

"

"

Hereditary but
The

the

Kingdom

is

learned

sedition

in

Bights of

series

new

Elective'.

of

of

one

earlier of

the
the

which

hand

of

the

plainly discoverable, and which

tions
several sly variamade
L'Estrange rightlyconjecture from
in the latter
and
additions and many
things omitted
of a bookseller
or
printer
copy, that this is not the work
for profit,but
and
industrious
a
disposition of
regular
for some
other
matter
purpose'. So with the Narratives
series
of the Fires, and Reprints of the ever-fresh Painter
the Protestant
of satires2, once
more
appearing to alarm
vulgar.
denied
work
The
was
by
publishing of the above
of
Baldwin
'one
in Janeway's Mercury, but the taking
or
exclusionist

lawyer

was

'

of

two

Baldwin's

morning, posting
the

at

servants

up

o'clock

one
'

title-page went

the

on

far to

Sunday
discount

denial.

ing
publicationof such works, bearthe impress of research, and of Settle's and Fergusson's
alluded to, the discomfited
work
again
Whig leaders were
It is clear that

makes

in the

out

This

work

1G82:

'

Character

Settle's famous

no

mention
second
was

Order

the

Concerning Libels,etc., is

Word

The

it notices

with

of
week

of a Popish

Fergusson's equally
of

thought to be Thos. Hunt's.

Ap. of Canterbury to

No
Protestant
Postscript,and Hunt's
series,p. 343, actually ascribes it
2

See Smith's

Current

Plot
to

later than
Successor
No

famous

October, preparatory

of the

2nd

not

for

See
damask
'.

because, while
it
(publishedby Starkey),
October

Protestant

Plot, which

Shaftesb\iry'strial

Arber,

came

in November.

Registers,
v., lv., 8th April
of Si ccession,Hunt's

Dowlmar,

Hazlitt,Bib.

L'Estrange.

21st February
Intelligence,

1680.

Collections

and

Notes,

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE

directlyresorting to the Press

Party "fortunes.The conviction
Parliaments

with

election

of

during

was

years'limit

three

the

1675-7, that

long intermission

last

the

We

ruin.

remarkable

crop

of

may
of

the

done

had

King

with

precipitatedtheir

which
it

the

repair

to

Whig mind, and

1682, finallyproduced those councils
in

havoc

working

that

for the

least

at

"

1676-7

in

as

285

JOURNALS

WHIG

was

"

Sheriffs'

the
of

tion
despera-

remember

Parliament,

constitutional

libels

results,
fears now
produced the same
appeared. The same
than
the
much
ransacked
to prove
more
and
history was
also the
There
Parliaments1.
were
obligation of annual
rights of juries,the law of succession,and presentlythe great
of the City,its Privilegesand Charters, with the trump
case
Sheriffs.
the right of the City to elect its own
card of all
Whilst
the grand jury of London
plottedthe destruction
of the
equally
1681, it became
Tory journals in October
important for the other side to silence the Protestant
before
Shaftesbury appeared for his life at
Intelligences
the
Old Bailey. In the end, and
probably as a result of
resumed
course
a
L'Estrange's solicitation2,the Council
it had
not adopted since Scroggs
which
for obvious
reasons
Shaftesbury's trial
was
impeached. On the 17th October"
four Whig Pressmen, Baldwin, Vile, Janein November
was
"

"

and

Hancock,

the

men

marked

way,
A
Word

Concerning Libels,with

to make

the list look

out

one

most

prominently in

Popish printer thrown

were
impartial,

summoned

to

in

Whitehall.

following the example of the work

noteworthy that
papers
not
were
charged with the newsjust quoted these men
seditious
the
with
but
for which
they were
responsible,
for Fergusson'sNo
pamphlets which they issued, Baldwin
3
Protestant
Plot, The
Tendency of Addresses, etc., Hancock
the Election
for a work
on
of Lord Mayors, etc.
the
in
effect
of
these
meant
The
men
summoning
It

was

"

"

men
employed to search
gibe {Observator,i.,83),that 'there were
ancient than
Parliaments, that
to find out something more
in a
unreasonable
rather
Parliament'
was
as
a
serve
pretence to take away
may
downwards.
Alfred
from
in
research
that
revelled
King
Historico-partisan
party
Parliament
of a
the
The
other
despair in the Whig mind
point referred to
attack
the
on
clearly responsiblefor the
City, was
coupled with the successful
and the rest.
of West, Bourne,
trust the confessions
Whig conspiracy, if we can
1

The

Records

Whig

and

Histories

"

In

the

Observator and

his

Appeal

/"" //""

Lord

Mayor.

by the Libels Committee,

writer
and general
that of a newsletter
February 1677). His offensive trade was
news
and
and
the Courts
suppliedsavoury
Whitehall,
penny-a-liner. He haunted
We
of
the
hatred
L'Estrange.
to the
journalists,thereby incurring
particular
when
news-writers,
L'Estrange
find him in 1684 before the Council with his brother
See chap, x., 329.
at last got the Council
to the dangerous trade.
to attend
3

Little

Hancock

(son

of

the

Hancock

examined

SIR

286

of

resumption
and

it

it

rule

of

retorted

the

that
the

turned

had

the

out

Press

by the

since

tables

Secretaries,

Heraclitus

and

them, they had

on

libertyof the

the

monstrous

begun
They

Press.

failed

was

which
the

Titus
Thus

was

and

Dunton
for the
the

On
returned

four
'

infallible

'

making

cause

these

challengedat

now

was

the

expelled from

with

surveillance,
be

license

Their

scene.

when

to

L'ESTRANGE

against
effectivelyto cripple their opponents, and now
their turn
offended
to feel the weight of an
authority,
had been
in abeyance since Titus
Oates
appeared on

to cry

had

the

was

Observator

ROGER

chief

offenders

Harris

Ben

the

moment

Court.

in

under

Council

gaol, and reported

'Elephant' Smith,

'loyal discoveries'1, with

the eve
of flightfor Amsterdam,
there was
on
deep dejectionwhich fell on the Whig ranks.

26th

the

October

against the

Sessions
of

sets

two

ended

with

offenders

in

true

the

bills

Press,

had, however, to proTory. The Government

ceed
little hope of Tory juries till the
warily. There was
1682, but
swearing-in of the Tory Sheriffs in Michaelmas
being taken, and parties preparing for
already counsel was
had
narrowed
down
the strugglewhich
to the
question of
and

Whig

who

choose

should
The

trial

London's

of

Sheriffs.
in

Shaftesbury

only for the feverish canvass

popular journals, but for the

November
of

not

force

which

which

for

waters

of

thought

of

students

as

bad

good or
politics for

it safe

to

entry
to

on

appear

we

The

the

the

on

mingle

century.

memorable

party opinion in the

literature

was

is

may
with
venal

scene

of

deplore, but
the
muse

muddy
now

Dryden, Otway,

scene.

the

Lee, Behn, D'Urfey espoused

Tory side,while Shadwell
and, for a time, the uncertain Settle,did service for the Whigs 2.
in 1680,
perforce more
thorough than on the occasion
repentance was
the
to
appealed
Scroggs against
neglect of his own
party. Seep. 271.
in
has
informed
Luttrell, Diary, i.,127, 18th September 1681, notes that Harris
lmpes of Liberty.
2 Beljame, Le
de Lettres,etc.,p. 188, praises Shadwell's
Public et Lcs Hommes
all
the
others
ratted.
when
See Shadwell's
Dedication
to Bury
nearly
consistency
could
recant
in the worst
of times, when
/(///":
I never
ruin
was
designed
my
and
life was
sought '. Dryden (or Tate) celebrated
L'Estrange in the second
my
and
of Sheva.
Achilophelunder the name
part of Absalom
1

when

His

he

'

'

Sheva

Than
Wakeful
Who
For

as

none

for that
which

In

vain

To

enflame

Observes

cause

his

our

youth

factious
the

and

loyal zeal

more

Judah's

crowd

shoots

lion

for the

have

still combats

in his age

danger did
priests the cant
with

while
their

he

shown

crown

with

Treasons

engage.
revive
watchful

as

eye

they fly'.

AND

OBSERVATOR

THE
Another

which

element

new

WHIG

JOURNALS
of

out

grew

287

the

Prentice

periodic party dinner, with which an anxious

how
to deal at first 1.
Government
Nor
scarcelyknew
was
the matter
of toleratingOpposition feasts settled finally
till the
least in Scotland
at
beginning of last century.
The
Government
in 1682
for
was
scarcely to be blamed
useful
for party
vents
not
recognising in these occasions
feeling. It is interestingto find L'Estrange an increasingly
prominent figure at the loyal feasts2.
of these
In the midst
round
went
struggles the word
that the intractable
people on whom
L'Estrange and others
had
lavished
all their abuse, the Dissenters, were
again to
that scarcely twelve
months
be persecuted 3, and
after they
feasts

the

was

"

"

had

reached
had

At

the

from

dissolved

been

of

favour

when

for

ment
Parlia-

their

favour.

being

chivied

in

passing votes
Apostle Oates was

their

time

same

denied, his very

pillar,his Doctorate
name
him
in registers to prove
a
forger, humbug,
had
done
the
Dissenters
worse.
Colledge

to

post

hunted

round

highest

their

foi

cheat, and
much
harm;

the

unfolded

of

page

Oates'

life

did

much

4.

more

only Janeway's Impartial

Now

Protestant

Mercury,

and

their way,
Care's Weekly
on
Heraclitus,its work
laid
down
the pen.
But
done, had
L'Estrange had at last
vocation
which
found
his me'tier,and
not
a
only attracted

Pacguetheld

order
heart

on

it, for I
i7! a

(""///

feast, 'those
like

were

grand

to

Cabal

Heraclitus

where

Halls
do

their

told

was

litter'.

of

them

committees

had

for

before

sate

to

their

the

Judges'

riot', is quashed

nie

in

sequestration.

call

places" to

those

given

and

insolent

'so

feast,
ticket

Church

by a friend
dictator
(Shaftesbury)resolved
skilfully
expatiateson the scene

some

in

now.

chose

Whig

[ had

'

Government.

of the

money

The

65.

Heraclitus, No.
of the

the

applause, but

the

and
to

be

of

the

great

pomp
doubt

I don't

remembrance

by

had

set my
there
tho'

proposed
as
they
but

the

those

glorious
the Tory feasts because
Luttrell
the Court
(i.,212) 'disliked
times, etc.'.
thought
He
late feast of the Whigs'.
fit to prohibit the
gives a list of ministers, etc.,
Tho
date of the
present at the great Tory feast of 9th July 1682.
prohibited
ticket
of
For
1062.
to
19th
of these
a
a
dinner
ono
was
April
Whig fe;i~ts.
copy
see

Sitwell's First

deal

on

pp. 121-2.

Tavern

dinner

(3rd part

Bohun

on

of

the

was

'""/"

of James
tht
to

eve

Address

is to

the
King, since no money
urges
the Treasury
by putting the laws
he

Diary, i..

Luttrell,

th"

Macaulay, chap, iv., quotes

Fountain
:i

Whig,

182 and

212, has

this -ubject.

be

against

to show

his

prominence

at

the

11. 's tirst Parliament.

Freemen, pub.

had

factious

from

Dissenters

the

to

15th

October

Parliaments,
utmost

stretch.

1682)
t"" till

Nor

alone.

* Observator,i.,89:
'And
Why they'lltear
baptism.

Not

lJr Oates

him

to be

so

cries one,
much

as

not

Titus

they

now

the

Mr

man

Oates

Oates'.

arc

hunting

limbe-meal
says

of

before

another,

and

registers for Dr Oates'

with
him.
they ha' done
now
they will not allow

ROGER

SIR

288

Bench1.

He

of

out

favour.

the

Court,

its

servants,
1682

Nat

he

of

had

than

Such

was

struggle

of

rumble

the

Whig

the

event

but

early
favour,
Behn

at

protect

days.

By

the

flattered

not

to

speak

Dryden

laurelled

even

those

of

stood

that

Altogether
with

brighter

lurking

before,

and

laws

dreaded.

once

things

and

him

his

he

Edinburgh,

in

the

at

had

expect.
the

of

aspect
Sheriff's

the

of

to

"

"

him

year

to

reason

any

failed

were

and

resumption

made

reproaches

and

Court

and

poor

fellow-worker2.

sixty-five,

party

in

Hague

Cavalier

these

D'Urfey

rhyme

for

which

office

old

But

only

the

starve

sunning

him

looked

He

the

him

him.

not

call

to

let

was

for

from

of
it

Thompson's

stooped

age

that

escaped

literature,

of

back

come

Murmurs

both

February
of

had

L'ESTRANGE

the

had
failure

of

could

only

the

nation

that

which

in

swift

ruin,

bring

the

ominous

methods

to

of

more

apprised

recourse

issue

the

and

Plot,

had

the

when

election,

House

Rye

chiefs

affairs

and

complete.
1

For

(hostile)

Tort/land
Observator

Oxford,

"200
Joanna's

and

collection

See,

at

least

the

one

lyric
'

Not
With

in

tribute

Loyal

From

"200

of

gift

Magd.

from

the

News

"90

"250

from

Coll.,

Wood

from

an

from

"100

(Life

Cambridge,
Oxford,

of
;

Bristol,

from

"960'.

from

Danae

Cambridge,

totalis,

summa

New

see

be

not

'

Songs

and

Absalom

(1683),

Epistle

his

AcMtophel,

contains

references

many

to

true

health

Tory

forgetting
Tony

and

to

and

L'Estrange

Thompson,
Broom,
Bethel,

who

Paulin,

the

and

Ignoramus,

boon
did

never

Herac/itus,
slight

Alderman
and

us,

Wrightus
Titus

'.

to

the

L'Estrange,

and
Lord

(iii., 83),

"20

"

Here's
And

period,

would

Judges.
the

183

the

"100;

gentry'

Who

Salisbury,

from

"150

notes

showers

"170

tribute,
1682,

August

besides

Golden

Norwich,

other

by

Thompson's

from

in

this

at
'

1682)

Norman,

courted

yearly

Hi., 26),

Norrys

emoluments

Roger's

of

S.

for

be

to

Madam

Times,

list

(printed

Whirls.
and

SIR

290
his

Pope,
constant

the

of the

suffered

mind

death

his

at

Justice

Chief

which

by

to

made

him

the

him

for

to

mortuis3.
for
witless
a

taken

had

the

attack

on

darling

his

after

put

were

which

him, and

to be

had

martyr

Smith

True

in

Lord

the

laneous
miscelBallads

Protestant

vindicated.

Without

which
degree of success
Roger
it is sufficient
Stephen Colledge,
the

on

of his rude

butt

Colledge papers

from

his

belief

month

Aaron

Shows, and

Brief Notes

his

that

say

had

measure

in his

in

The

judicialmurder

attempting to
achieved

called

was

of Earee

this

Protestant

prepared by

North

bundle

last

doubts.

disposal,those

left

dying speeches

at

L'Estrange
these

all

"

two

that

silence

to

and

and
above
songs,
Protestant
made
him
the

word

His

Faction.

public

L'ESTRANGE

speeches

tavern
use

the

of

ROGER

memory
ridicule

of

2,made

had

who

one

it

impossible
the
decorous
maintain
attitude
prescribed de
The
ment,
performance no doubt pleased the Governfirst of

it is the
to

attempt

cope

series

which

with

Halifax's

trial

the

finishes

with
Letter

powerful

to

Dissenter, 1687.
In

the

briefed

Shaftesbury
the

by

Dryden

as

prose,
From

this

time

Observator.

forward

as

have

to

now

remote

very
been

taken

rule.

No.

is not

branch

illustration

some

famous

in

from

does

chief

he

of

in

verse.

English

the

pen

of

work

no

of

movement

so

renewed

Caution

Long

there

obviously

fallen

that
him

is

fiercelyurge
persecution, undertaken
word
of Shaftesbury's acquittal. The
seems
that
Parliament
been
a
was
passed round
had
a
nd
Declaration
the
King's
possibility,
of non
announcement
as
an
Parliamentary

the

month

the

in

onward,
And

attack

to

demolishing

was

receives

politics but
the

Government

Obscrvator

therefore

was

remembered

as

such.

See

thrown

Chas.

to

Lesley's View

the

of

winds.

the

Times

The

(1708),

124.

be ungratefulif I did not

Brief Notes : ' I should
chap, ix., 260, note.
in divers
he (Colledge) has done
of his emblematical
me
acknowledge the honour
the
with
six
Towzers
and
He
has
world
L'Estrange with four
presented
pieces.
The
He
have
been
the
author
of
of
'.
InterceptedLetter to
gallows
pair
may
at his trial,
P. Smith
printed. Dugdale's evidence
Roger L'Estrange, which
See State Trials, viii.,595.
Dugdale produced the Intercepted
Ralph, i.,627.
the author', the
he was
Letter of which
printer being Curtis
'Colledge told me
'
cheated
him
of the gain '.
of some
his wife, who
or
s
Macaulay (i. 192, Popular Edition) speaking of his pursuit of the Rev. Wm.
the malice
'From
of L'Estrange
who
diod
in Newgate, is more
Jenkins
severe
Such
and
the
house
of
the grave
no
mourning
was
no
sanctuary.
hiding place,
oracle of the
the
at this time
the spiritof the paper
was
was
(Observator)which
Tory party and
especiallyof the parochial clergy'. See Observator for 29th
2

See

"

January

1685.

did

year

without

end

not

and

his

show

to

the

It
reduced.
Party was
charge advanced
against

chief

to suborn

attempt

an

was

On

evidence.

King's

the

against

Tonge

1680

October

L'Estrange in

291

recalled

taken

was

Oates

the
the

that

be remembered

may

which

PLOT

which

adventure

an

peril of the previous year,

desperate straits to which

HOUSE

RYE

THE

AND

PRESS

THE

young
occasion
he

that

Upon two full hearings before his Majesty and Council

could
Tonge could
(in despite of all that Oates
say and
to be twice
acquitted
swear
against me) I had the honour
L'Estrange,
judgment of the whole Board'1.
by the unanimous
we
pretended, and Dr Choquex and Captain Ely2
as
saw,
(Tonge's physican and manager) had borne him out, that
which
circumstance
the accidental
brought L'Estrange and
a
Roger's part to know
curiosity on
Tonge together was
in the
from
Choquex something of Rupert's achievements
the publisher of the Gazct,
in Flanders.
Newcombe,
wars
him for this purpose.
had introduced
Young Tonge's original
father
and
it need
his
Oates,
charge against
scarcelybe
'

says:

added,
So

disgusted
the

of 1681, where
Towards

condition.
other

side

mood

to

the

being lost, it

make

would

to

was

of

was

rumoured

been

the

of

all

evidence

to

year,
that

and

final

very

welcome

the

during
miserable

hope
he

from

the
in

was

confession.

His

the

to

Plot.

that

very

all

those

the

were

lie in Newgate

reduced

end

contrite

have

him

he

his

deny

allowed

had

Court

whole

and

affirm

he

did

often

fabrication

Letters, etc., which

Windsor

lying narratives,

and

collusion

of

that

was

fession
con-

Court

as

severity adopted against the

justificationof the new
of their treatment
Dissenters, and especiallyas a vindication
in close association
with the evidence
of Colledge,who
was
it was
not
to be bought at too great a price,
gang 3. But
done
be
to alleviate Tonge's miseryand
to
nothing was
a

'

till all

drawn

was

out

of him.

In

short, the

'

rather

mean

i
Shammer
Shammed
(1682),chap, ix., 46, 52; Prance, L'Estrange"" Papist,
submitted
29
to the. King
; Luttrell, Diary, i.,39 ; L 'Estrange 's Appeal humbh/
p.
33.
and
the ThroEstatt /(1681),
p.
'
2
1680
(but ' held up in lavender
Tonge in his Narrative dated 10th December

for

Oxford

the

belonged
patron
him

to

in the

in Zekiel

ii. to the Wth

from

him

matter

Earl

of

of free

1680.

He

subornation
Countess

mainly
was

once

to

Ely

who

L'Estrange's

blamed

L'Estrange merely for abusing

perplexed intrigue in /f.M.C,
App.
and Ephraim, and
the
Shammer
Shammed,
the
the
information
following is chiefly
newspapers,
the
Catholic
already befriended
Choquex
by clearing
postage.

Ephraim. Sex the

Rept.,pp. 247-9, Zekiel

ami

which, apart from

L'Estrange had
of a charge of being
:' Old
Tonge lived his

drawn.

the
imputed
whose
Chesterfield,

Parliament),

the

whole

found

with

fireballs

last

months

in

in his house.

Colledge'shouse

and

died

in

his arms,

292

SIR

course

invent

intention

of

The
'

This

extracting piecemeal, all he

it mattered

"

for

occasion

with

"

knew

very

little

him.

Season,

for

L'Estrangel.

from

came

Christmas

',i.e.,the

charitable

and

little which

however,

overture

time

good

L'ESTRANGE

doing anything

first

excuse

of

adopted

was

could

or

ROGER

letter to

made

was

Tonge

the
from

'Your

Loving Friend, R. L'Estrange',27th December

1681,
in which
the latter suggested that
and
Oates
Colledgehad
the handling of him
before
he gave
his evidence'
against
I
ask
no
questions nor do I desire
L'Estrange in 1680.
anything from ye ',the writer lyingly says, though I should
be glad to find any
instance
of your
conversion
and
that
the Truth
of the whole
matter
might appear'. In other
words, L'Estrange sought to clinch his Brief Notes on Stephen
and to show
to the world the cheat of the conspiracy
Colledge,
'

'

'

against him
This

King's

in October

mischievous
Bench

was

used

and

Oates

to

force

30th

December.

uncle

and
first,

on

my

desired

to

me

accuse

have
to be

him, and

father and

affirms

Titus

that

'

the

If you
afterwards

you

Oates, when

beyond the seas ; my

of (Houselife)2 Queen

father

Plot

he
and

Elizabeth, and

had

the

known

by Colledge
would
falsely,you
what
I
forgiven me
petitionto the King,

was

returned

he

from

answer

'

and
pitied my weakness
done against you '. Enclosing a
presented by L'Estrange,he asks the

have

sooner

for

by

the

letter had

Prison

how

1680.

writ
out

latter to intercede
contrived

by

the

second

much

of

of the

book

my

time
it

out

writ

North
(Examen, p. 271) was
good enough to
the
from
first an
intrigue was
attempt to entrap
'
After
of the
famous
L'Estrange.
Dangerfield's sham, Symson
Tonge, son
of trade
Dr Tonge, put himself
in the way
to
by endeavouring
trepan somebody
to level most
other
and
seemed
or
directly at Sir Roger L'Estrange, but the old
fasten
him.
But
so
Knight was
plot-learned, that nothing would
yet he
upon
assistance
nettled
and
the
and
at the
was
Tonge had
attempt
encouragement
the
Faction
in all their
News
and
from
Pamphlets, by which
they sought to
if he had
been
defame
him as much
as
a
shamplotter in earnest, and thereupon
The Shammer
entitled
himself
the trouble
he gave
to print in a quarto pamphlet
adorned
with
all the circumstances.
Shammed
And
(1681), the whole transaction
there a complete
the low politicsof this sort may
observe
that would
see
one
any
This
rascal had
Oates' plot construed
of such
sworn
by
knavery.
young
process
But
in gaol, the saints made
it again to and
fro.
his father
then
and
unswore
in diet
and
clothes
'. L'Estrange says
(History of the
ample provision for him
'In
December
there
1681
to me
from
Times
came
a
(1687),chap viii.):
person
in the
Shammer
Young Tonge in the King's Bench ', but of this no mention
of his ' falsifications complained
We
Shammed.
perhaps regard it as one
may
Pollock
of by Mr
(Popish Plot).
2
Holinshed.
Probably the first and second volume of Chronicles, firstcollected
by Raphael Holinshed now
newly augmented 1586, by John Hooker alias Vowell, Gent.
from Tonge'sdescription.
It is singularthat L'Estrange could not identifythis work
1

take

An

the

important
view

that

point, Roger
the

'

THE

AND

PRESS

THE

by Hooper or Hooker,
against Campian and
and Tonge) first writ at
Oates
and

the

where
.

"

swore

(Oates
by

They

Plot"

293

and

Konie

Jesuits.

other

written

was

afterwards

Jesuit's letters

of the

one

the

from

came

letters,and

Greek

in

that

PLOT

HOUSE

RYE

went

hands

father's

in

my
the wicked

Fox-hall,

to

The

'.

uncle for debauching

King blames
him, and accuses
Colledge l.
this
to
pitiful appeal places it
L'Estrange's answer
cruelly playing with his victim.
beyond doubt that he was
to
You
be more
must
particularand clear before I presume
Petition

the

to

'

undertake

the

office

the

indicates

He

',i.e.,of intercession.

be desirable.
discovery would
Without
noting all the letters of this correspondence
which
suspicion on both sides prevailed,it is sufficient
11th
spondence,
January L'Estrange closed the corresay that on
where

points
in
to

after
with

'

I dare

final

not

appeal

youth 2,

wretched

the

the

trouble

to

presume

from

in

King

your

affair '.
after

Meanwhile,
2nd

receiptof Tonge's second

the

had

January, the thing

in
Intelligence

Tonge,

the

form

of

on

Thompson's
complete confession by young
taken

of which

confirmation

in

letter

air in

Nat

letter

of

latter

the

to

published in the Intelligenceof 19th January.

The
negotiations having fallen through, the Plot party
and
awoke
to the dangers of the intrigue,
seemingly made
He
for the final denial of this extraordinary being.
a bid
taken
one
was
day out of the Prison by a Printer, and at
the
his return
talked of something to be published toward
middle
of the next
week
concerning L'Estrange. This visit
in his pocket
presentlyinto clothes and money
put him
and
be left to time
further
must
by a providence which
scrutiny to unriddle '.
Nat

was

'

Now

the

whole

party

The

alarmed.

was

for 6th

January is loud with angry

Printers'
by L'Estrange. The
19th
bore
fruit on
January
agent
"

cries of
visit
in

"

the

When

by
'

the

all

10th

threats

I have

all

week

have.

January

tion
suborna-

new

Curtis
form

committed
Petitioner
to Newgate,
was
your
and
promises forced your Petitioner to deny
7 nge.
Petition of Sim
Shammer
Shammed, p. 26.
'

or

of

and

great
and

am

1682.

must

with

cold

work

barefoot

sitting
very

and

hard

almost

on

the
for

naked

ground

to

to him

Colledge came
the

Truth

make

his

Tonge's

against the Ob$ervatory published by Curtis

Vindication

and

Popish Courant

'.

peggs,

Humble
as

I do

is
day, which
halfpence
'. Tonge
to Roger
L'Estrange,

three

SIR

294

doubtless

written

by Care.

notice

of

Tonge's

before

in

December

this

In

Narrative

the

of
and

1680,

Vindication

printed

Plot

held

for

over

have

we
a

year

Oxford

the

*.

Assembly

issue

The

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

of the

whole

affair was,

as

saw,

we

renewed

appeal by L'Estrange for the protectionof the generous and

of this City from
at least 300
scandalous,
loyal governors
'

'

rank

and

'

notorious

lies that

bareface

against

published

wretches

several

these

self.

single
appeal was

my

have
the

From

into debate
taken
gather that this
on
Thursday
by the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen
9th
last,'i.e.,
February 1682 2.
This business had scarcelydeserved the importance given
it not
illustrated
the despairing methods
to it here, had
of the
Faction
to
keep alive the Plot and destroy the
Observator

chief

we

of the

agent

Another

spread

the

over

most

tedious

down

Oates

of

that

"

entire

and

the

is

persistence,and the detail with

out, he pursued these wretches, we
when
1680
days in October
they
the

before

Council

which

with

had

the

hate,

must

recall

those

dark

him

into

exile

swore

it

in, week

week

which

the

hunt

Roger

understand

to

the

To

which

to

is

"

forms

Observators.

task

himself, and

L'Estrange

next, and

the

the

of

Prance

and

Prance
and

year

discission

dedicated

already

Press.

Torv

affair

'

ambition

his

was

to

well.

stand

of the

had

then, Prance

Since

made

Taverns,

in

April

to

of

his

story

new

of

year
which

habitue"

as

and

gibes against
(1682) as a reply

this

villany

time,

to

incursions

various

L'Estrange, and

time

from

Observator

the

was

attack
on
iteration, published an
serving up with much
going
L'Estrange,re-affirmingall the old charges. Without
the

into

employed

This

divers
2

narrative,with
L'Estrange was
of

members
To

Sir

(1681).
Whig. Yes,
"

private thing,

'Tory." The
the

other

side.

for

See
yes,
my

of

altar

in

its order

to

informed

print dated

and

his

Allies

Tory

heard

bookwoman

Ncwspeoplc,
In short, by

talk
told

must
ye
hook
or

of

"

such

me

know,

.1

make

to

silver

substituted

there
are

1682.

letter, but
were

most

by crook, that

to

concerning Libels and

Word

February

18th

he

somehow
February 16S1 was
dispersed
copies of it were
Shammed, p. 4.

Shammer

See

1672, when

2nd

several

that

the

say

House,

Somerset

at

Obs"nktor, i.,100,
I

having,

that

to

Queen's silversmith,

Convention.

that
Moore

John

Libellers
'

the

as

for the

antipendium

stifled.

Prance

accused

Observator
was

scandal, it is sufficient

endless

of

I
of

none

suppose
'em
to

them

letter

is to

of
be

it is
be

counsel

got.
for

stifled '.

brass

AND

PRESS

THE

for silver

ill-vouched-for

stories

against Prance

to

the

he

reiterate

Nat

attempt

it

life

the

story and

made

the

mystery.

But

her

pension

had

from

blood

of

and

obscure

Nat

to

but

tradesman,

the

Thompson
in the

line

by

winter

longer dangerous, and

stood
in the pilloryfor
the
Plot ', Roger took

after
their

'

this

in
to

used

torture

the Plot

time,

took

"

as

over

of
of his final exposure
first
Mrs
Cellier who

foundation

that

at

295

L'Estrange circulated

of

toe

no

was

it the

after Castlemaine

"

to

other

some

which

stories

accomplice
the

on

of fraud

Prance

When
his

and

were

Cellier's

Mrs

1678-9.

There

PLOT

HOUSE

destroy his credit

prudently left it

Shaftesbury to get
of

RYE

*.

screws

meantime

THE

even

enjoying

dangerous line, was

II. 2.

James

the part allotted to Prance

to discuss
necessary
than
without
his evidence
in the Plot, further
to say that
fell to
the
House
Somerset
theory of Godfrey's murder
It is not

of that
Bedloe, the only other witness
branch,
pieces
which
and
zeal with which
explains the venom
being dead
the
weak
points of his
Tory pamphleteers fastened on
the
case
evidence, and
by the
part played in Prance's
"

"

between

balances

the

But

chamber.

torture

we

Plot

imagine

to

are

and

Fraud

steadily inclining towards

though
and
jarring encounters
Coffee-houses,
when

Plot, and

business
his

also

and

rose

Psalm

the

or

'

But
Olsermlors

for

be

to

will

no

silver

incessant

the

met,
credit
he

in all Coffee-houses

sung

in

Prance
even

house.
of

the

suffered

(quoted

is he

Popish

hea"l

fairlyeven,

silversmith's

the

fell with

anti-Protestant

An
That

Sec

two

that
complaints were
Observator's persecution3.

Song for L'Estrange

Qbservalor, i.,129).
.1

the

bitterest

financiallyfrom
1

and

L'Estrange

past

1682, when

latter,the

wherever

drove

L'Estrange

Prance's

and

still

were

the

between

taverns

during

with

treason

see

brazen

screw

'.

April 1682, i.,117-25.

-Charles
James
11. and
II.
Secret Servia
Camden
Soc., Pub. January 1687
April 1688, Mrs Cellier got "f.O and "40.
:!
Luttrell,i.,178, April 1682 : This day being Easter Sunday, Mr Miles Prance
Mr
the sacrament
at St Giles ( 'hurch-in-the-Fields,
Roger L'Estrange received

"

and

'

and
one

what

protestingthat

he

swore

about

L'Estrange

beintr

at

Mass

was

true,

and

took
himself
to rebuke this contentions
denying it. Baxter
use
upon
of the Sacrament, much
to L'Estrange'aresentment
'. Chalmers
(G"a. Biog. Diet.
version
Psalm
of this story.
See the
referred
(1818), p. 209) quotes Echard's
to
p. 10, note.
the

other

'

Strange
To

cheat

the
the

Sacrament
world

and

did

take

blind

the

State

'.

who

Those

too

were

to

say
of

taking it

But

to

and

roots

and

it

his

fellows

was

ramifications

Faction

for the

open

credited
dis-

till

Tonge,
they began the

waited

pieces1.

serious

more

The

quickly

was

disappearedbefore

had

the rest

'Plot'

the

mistaken.

are

deep and numerous,

that L'Estrange and

Bedloe, and
work

that

imagine

however

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

296

in

the

to

sense

one

'

the

Plot ', was

The
newed
republic attention to other matters.
1681, was
a corollary
persecution,begun in December
the
attack on
of the decline and
fall of that frenzy,whilst
the Corporaattacks
the city,the preliminary of similar
on
tions
ablest
the
all over
the country, necessarily withdrew
withdrawal

of

left the

and
Whig apologists,
This

forward

policy of

the

'

'

Plot

Court

rather

naked

of defenders.

prudent,and
politically

was

pulpit eloquence of the clergy who

nourished
the Observator' s bi-weekly diatribes.
Song
were
on
So long, however,
side.
and wit were
enlisted on
the same
of Shaftesbury were
a
as
good sheriffs remained, the men
in the City,and Whig might well say in the Observator
power
of April 1682 : 'Though the Protestant
joiner is departed,
London,
have architects left yet ',and Tory sadly answer
:
we
it

was

aided

by

the

'

'

'

I confess, is

good

covert

'

2.

the

Whilst

London

mob

was

referring to the City

violently factious, Tory writers
to praise, the governing part of it'3.
able, after 1681
were
trials of those Whig
The
printers presented in October
1681
in May 1682, when
Janeway and Sam Harris
came
on
appeared at the Guildhall, the latter for printing Treason in
Fitzharris
suffered.
Though the
Grain, the libel for which
and
Graham
Burton,
trial was
conducted
by the notorious
for
and
evidence, Sheriff
though "50 was
publiclyoffered
Pilkington'sjury returned a bland Ignoramus.
Two
months
previous, a significantthing had happened
in
The
of Langley Curtis.
in the case
Attorney General
Justice
Jones
to prosecute him
February 1682 had moved
for publishing in his Mercury of 7th February the old votes
of 10th January 1681, that, 'they ought not to prosecute the
still

'

So

Titus

of King

O.ates, Portraiture

Lonsdale, Memoirs
; Bohn, Charles
and
of a long time
discredited
now

II. and
no

more

James
James

II., 3rd ed. (1696), i.,

'The
Popish
II.,p. 450.

thought

on

'.

But

to 16S5.
2

i.,119.
Observator,

:;

IVyden, Medal

"

'Sedition

Thy

has

nobler

not

parts

wholly seized
are

from

on

infection

thee
free '.

this refers

183 ;
Plot

rather

298

ROGER

SIR

Another

and

tribe of

new

by

rewards

men

did

began
their
every
will

delators,induced
under

on

offensive

old

the

to

trade

their shameful

Conventicle

These

Act.

their

and
governed, and the historian
governors
is
he
look
closely in this direction when

of

doubt
the

enumerating

take

to

rise of

the

was

operations to the Dissenters, but

shirked
who
constables
the magistrates and
discord
and
treachery invaded
duty. Thus

limit

not

to spy

no

disgraceful feature

more

offered

class

L'ESTRANGE

finallyexpelled

disgustwhich

of the

causes

the Stuarts.
was
persecuting movement
inaugurated,we saw, in
November
1681
Justices, and
by the action of the Middlesex
it was
kept alive in the Metropolis by their frequent
But for any severe
resolutions and admonitions.
operations,
for a general pursuit and hounding out of the meeting folk
in the city, we
Shute
wait
till Pilkington and
no
must
the
longer nominate
juries. It is this that gives the
candidature
for the shrievaltyin this
of Papillon and Dubois
since London
importance and popularity. Never
year such
that
sheriffs had
enjoyed the privilege of electingits own

This

office been

so

canvassed,

or

been

much

so

written

to

prove

elections.

Despite L'Estrange's
disprove the practice of
numbers
of
those
brought up in different
charges that large
not
companies to vote, were
livery-men in the legal sense1
doubt
is no
that
there
not
as
probably they were
of
the
choice
the electors.
Dubois
were
Papillon and
L'Estrange had nothing further
Against these candidates
that
the
than
in June
to
were
Tory candidates
urge

or

"

"

better
because
in

at

that

multitudes

and

Chatham,
revival

that

candidature

The

men.

moment

in

of the

French

Protestants

is

interesting,
settling

were

England2, establishing fisheries

as
weaving at Spitalfields,
French
by
persecution which

and
of

former

at

Dover

result

no

of

means

of Nantes,
of the Edict
suddenly in the Revocation
the
and
indeed
English
synchronised so
closely with
little
doubt
in
the
leave
popular mind
persecution as to
came

of

an

understanding

the

between

two

Monarchs.

few

Companies were
Carte, Life of Ormonde, ii.,522 : All mechanical
entirely
of Assistants
of those
Republican side of the dispute, and the Courts
and
virulent
fellows, etc.'.
Pago f"24 : ' Some
Companies called up all the mean
the
Assistants
of
Clerks
of
Glovers
kept out of the way, and the Courts
Coy.
the
out
list '.
books
be
for
of
refused
let
their
to
a
seen
making
absolutely
2
While true Protestant
emigrating from Norwich, Gloucester,
Englishmen were
Dove's
etc.
Answer
to Dr
(See A Modest
Sermon, printed 1682.)
1

on

the

'

of

French

work

which

Apology for
have

may

real

persecutionwas
L'Estrange's
preface
For
whilst
paying a
of

England
to

tribute

the

favourite

"

arouse

In

(a

before

it

them

would

the

preface

that

their

in

the

of

sympathy

of any Dissenters
at
the Edict
of Nantes, 4 years
on
in Holland
(though a Government

universal

upon

dare

sooner

that

"

permitting

no

revoked) :

founded

was

is

commentary

was

the

clamour.

Catholics, and

belief

had

Churches.

France, there

notable

they

parts,

where

some

the

to

Nonconformist

Church

four

especiallywith

"

struggle with the

Foreign Reformed

that

in

tion
transla-

in France

with
language a re-union
King-and-Bishops-men
against dissent

attacked

all

notable

in

Protestants

calculated

was

published

moderate

been

299

PLOT

veiled

advocating in

'

HOUSE

the

raging,but

"

is

RYE

before1, Roger L'Estrange had

months

THE

AND

PRESS

THE

swallow

to

license)an
crucifix

Anabaptist

than

utter

one
'

word

Protestants, the
against the State ',and as for French
author of the Apology piously laments
the imperfectionsof the
of a royal authority to establish
French
Presbytery for want
'.
and support them
in a more
regular form of Administration
The
word

curious

state

with

Protestant

accidental.

of

L'Estrange

mind

which

Anabaptist,
and

his

class

here
or

the

confounds
is

Dissenter,

not

and

actively disliked

As
to the
text, he is unfortunate
repudiated the term2.
remember
in being contradicted
we
by his author 3. When
its preface were
also L'Estrange's
that this Apology and
which
orthodoxy
apology against attacks on his Protestant
Prance
to prove
he was
particularlyanxious
just then when
was
preparing to
repeating his charges and the Church
how
it
contribute
difficult to see
her guineas4 it is not
"

"

It is dated

1681, and
find

is first advertised

in the

Obscrvator

for 13th

August

1681.

those
need
to class it with
original there is no
fictitious translations
of which
made.
frequent complaint was
a Observator
of covering all
Defended (1685): 'They have
gotten a trick
the cant of the Protestant
Religions but Popery under
Religion'.
"'
Pt. ii., 31.
Countries
In Protestant
such
as
Holland, the Catholics who
the Dissenters
there
and
His
arc
are
'may openly and frankly own
religion
out
connived
at without
than
of their houses
Frank
which
is
more
being hunted
',
Smith's Narratm
(q, v.) will testifyfor English dissent.
*
is a Discourse
that the University
Luttrell,J"i"ri),
i.,93, Juno 1681. There
of Cambridge
have
collected
of the
Masters
and
of that
Graduates
University
the sum
of "'200. which
to
a
they intend to make
Roger
L'Estrange as an
present
of his good services he hath
done the Church
of England.
acknowledgment
Pope's
sneer', says Sir Sidney Lee, 'in a letter to Swift
that the Torj Party "never
him sixpence to keep him from starving" (Pope, Works, Elwin and Courthope,
gave
used stronger tenm.
vii.,5), does not eeem
wholly justifiable'. He might have
well treated.
Roger was
very

Although

we

cannot

the

'

would

received

be

But,

the

at

it took

four

might

and

of the

hideous

Delator2.
disease

these
had

been

trade.

lucrative

little

with

the

was

Chichester

generallythe
of

him

story, for it
Observator

brother

his

that

before

this

painful

his

man

of
more

change,
a

compared

offences

Stockdale

burning

was

ing
break-

The
comes

the

as

party that

Conventicle.
of

of

one

both, but

on

of dissent, and

occasion

the

on

the

taken

be

and

Capt. Brickley's windows

was

whilst

was

this

does

suspiciouseye

of the

rendezvous

certain

hot-bed

more

no

over

of

was

were

may

theory
L'Estrange and
perjury and debauchery are venial
conventicling3.

it

author

The

England. This
persecuting resolution

the

with

dream

tragedy of

The

admitted

was

office looked

Crown

then

It

vicious

of his

all

suggested to

1681

interim,

L'Estrange,

Chichester,

bailiff before

the

lagging superfluous
of the Apology into

for

now.

happening

was

the

In

and

English history
of

that

him

Apology1.
persecutionwe saw

widespread as

so

what

December

in

Informers, Habin

typicalof

the

result of the

Nowhere

seem

date

in

do

There

ostracism

guineas, but only

bitterlypointed to the
One

thesis

re-union.

Catholic

Church
he

the

developed

the stage, had

of
definite terms

on

still

then

was

to

allies.

its Court

by

work

Church,

the

do.

to

its wild

from

Observator, which

of

Apology

expected

itself abandoned

saw

crusade

Tantivies

'

valuable

such

doing
for the

awakened

had

'

Highfliers and

'

was

five years
have
been

or

Church

the

but

any
he

Anti-Dissenting

the

it

by

moment,

leading
harm

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

300

into

the

of

the

Defended.

-Justice
Saunder's
Observations on the 22 Car. II. cap. I. (Conventicle
by which Dissenting Pastors escape, and
Act), where he discusses the means
of the
Informer.
the legal methods
copious classical allusions
Fergusson, whose
has
several
of
him
'Scotch
nervous
Tacitus',
L'Estrange's soubriquet
gained
the blackest
character
this
'Roman
Historian
He
the
on
on
pest.
quotes
passages
exitio repertwm et paenis
deiatores genus hominumjniUieo
of Tiberius' reign, those
2

modem
the.

Lord

See

Chief

nunquam

Quakers

there

by

8
worse
worse

that

'

which

(1682),from

'cruel

informers,
idle, extravagant, and

of
company
Mancatcher.

Trials

See the Cruel Case "".t

per praemia eHeiebantur'.
that 320 died in jailsince 1660, brought
it appears
who
conceal themselves, and a
often
impudent women

satis coercitwm

Such

the

were

than
than

do
a

I take

to

informers*.
evidence

the

Tippling-house,as
personal debauch
other

I take

Schism

in

See
the

also

Hickeringill's

Rosewell

case

(State

to take.
that
that

day" Sunday) to be much

breaks
Christianity to be
odious
and
excess
beastly

(which) is only a
of the
by the loathsomeness
spectacle
hounds,
'Hawks,
dice, drabs, drinking, etc.', Roger
sins ',and that at the age of seventy-six.
Good-Natured

keep
Accompt Cleared, p. 7.
catalogues in the ' Roll of
S e his JEsop, 1692 ed., p. 336.
serves

whose

Judges blushed
Conventicle
(even upon

(1684),vol. xii.),even
Now

merciless

women

men

sober

PRESS

THE
and

Pope,

Habiu

he

though

THE

AND

not

was

HOUSE

PLOT

301

the

to

swore

RYE

guilty of the riot

persons
This
stirred up black feeling,

present.

Sunday morning, 6th August, the two brothers

with
enter
to
seen
were
slightly fuddled
brandy
Chichester
for a good day's hunting, the rabble of small boys
his sword
pelted them, when Halsted is said to have drawn
and

when

on

"

"

and

slashed

according

their

to

and

great Whig, Mr

settle

with

"

the

used

house, that

stick

head,

of

stones

who

local

Habin

blinded

had

with

closed

"

the

upon
there-

gentleman

old

his

to

scores

windows.

enemy's

to

moment

window

"

by pain, passion,and

break

to

urchins'

Habin's

Farringdon.

his

the

came
Farringdon's coachman
up
the
master
seemingly with
encouraging

that

and

"

Farringdon, and,

he

brandy,
At

account

one

of

broke

for the nearest

made

One

clothes.

informer.

In

Habin,

him

the end

from
Habin

Bishop's house, where he had gone, after

shelter and protectionwere
and the
refused by the townsmen
Mayor to the social leper.
The
murdered
by Farringdon's
inquest declared him
lay dying

in

the

coachman,

who

hasty verdict

This

Bishop,

who

On

12th

the

did not

please the Government

excellent

an

saw

the

August

Town-hall,

in the

fled.

had

and

chance

inquest

attempt

an

of

was

made

or

the

strikinghigher.

by

order

to

obtain

re-opened
a

verdict

an
against Farringdon. After
extraordinary tumult, the
case
was
adjourned till Monday, when to the frantic delight
of the people,the jury gave a verdict of Ignoramus*.
This tragedy was
complicated by the charges of another
informer
of wounding the Bishop's
against local Dissenters

horses.
Without
that

it

chatter

further

became
in

enquiry

Whig

this

Tory

affair,it may
formed

ceUbre, and

cause

and

into

circles for months

the
to

come.

be said

staple of
It is

that in the Townhall of

interestingaspect of the case
Chichester on Saturday, 11th August, among
the two hundred
who
be called
men
might almost
special
spectators were
correspondents to the Press.
L'Estrangeand Thompson had
their correspondents there, and
Curtis and Care had theirs.
an

1
was

The

Pastor

taken

after

of

the

the

Rye

execution

postponed

November

'82.

to

'Hilton,

Cavalier and

the

For
Grand

Conventicle
Plot

and

"

Sam.

Pomfret

condemned,

but

escaped.

"

at

The

coachman

Jeffries' suggestion his

under
date
in hope
of
See
Luttrell
16th
discoveries.
reference
sec
parallelin some
respects to the Chichester
case,
Informer'
of Middlesex, and the indignation of the rabble.

Puritan, p, 99.

ROGER

SIR

302

be taken

varying reports might

Their

earliest

the

L'ESTRANGE

That

cases

in

Delator

some

system

record

on

the

sense
was

of the

on

as

Special Correspondent1.

Government

trial at

was

L'Estrange to substantiate
Observator's
day to day reports in two
is that all
The importance of the case
of a case
discussing the pros and cons
have
before
would
passed unnoticed2.
Habin

The

event,
'

which
'

election

of

case

came

close

on

the

really settled the fate

the Tory sheriffs North

that

aware

Chichester

is shown
and

of

setting

of

constitutingone

by

sum

the
the
the

up

separate pamphlets.
London
which

heels

of

the

of
and

is

seen

few

the

to

years

political

Whigs

Eich

to

be

"

the

succeed

busy days for the

months
and its author.
For
Observator
previous what time
the cautious
could be spared from
pursuit of Oates, Tonge,
and
to proving the
Prance, that journal devoted
Mayor's
of
sheriff by the
ancient
one
right to choose
ceremony
The
force and
opposite party with much
drinking to him.
learning proved the antiquity of the citizens' right of
each
Democracy and autocracy confronted
choosing both.
other
Already the complaints that Sir John
nakedly.
Pilkington

Moore

was

and

too

Shute.

often

on

These

road

the

were

to

Whitehall

to

receive his

heard 3. The
Court in
were
Secretary Jenkins
The
in the City.
truth
was
jealously watching events
hall
Guildrebuff's to its policy by Ignoramus juries and
many
clearlythat the
presentments of its champions, showed
the only breach
Sheriff's Election
was
possiblein the City's
The re-orderingof the Charters would
later.
defence.
come
orders

from

Observator, i.,192-200.

declaiming {Observator,i.,225) against 'your parboiled Justices that

the information
that side where
of a Conventicle
on
happens to be
of the
Prosecution
of Dissenters
presented ',Roger asks all people bringing news
On
the
other
to
side
to
an
boycott
attempt
bring adequate testimonials.
'
This
is to let all good people know
informers
made.
that
Mr
was
Hone, a
Mr
both
Informers
of them
Brightwell, a cutler, are
bookseller, and
against
both
in Cornhill.
You
the Exchange
God's people, and
are
shopkeepers under
desired
to avoid
them, You may think ivhat lime of day it is with them when they
other
take up this trade'.
Observator, i., 226.
Among
persecuting tracts see
tlie
Groioth
I!'marks
of
Nonconformity (1682),ascribed,probably erroneously
upon
I can
less than
(but see Appendix), to L'Estrange. It had great effect.
say no
both
and
it written
to deceive
to provoke the
I think
Magistrates in the Springtime
Virtue
and
Moderation
of heat
ferment', says an
a
answer,
anonymous
2

are

Whilst

still blind

'

(1683),p.

17.

The
that
Duke
of Ormonde
the
was
Carte, Ormonde, ii.,522-3 :
person
with
him
twice
thrice a week
or
; he generally dined
inspired him with courage
Court
the
about
now
happened, and was
during the contests which
only person
'.
occasions
these
He
175:
i.,
on
Observator,
employed
'Whig.
(Moore) acted
to
the
himself
duty of his office in giving up
contrary
implicitlyto the
of Sir L. J.' (Leoline Jenkins).
and
conduct
Government
:i

'

"

"

THE

PRESS

Before

this

attempt

AND

as

for the

arrest

Nevil

of Nat

final

the

renewed

the

foe.

as

At

the

of the

out

the

"500

in

over

case

*,and the charge

Miles

and

delays,Nat
to stand

next
appear
his friends were

old

in

pillory,the

the

general satisfaction

that

was

on

the

in

suggestionsof
before

When,

term.

Prance

ridiculed the whole

"

Prance.

to

took
under-

Michael

was

Brought first
King's Bench, 7th April, the defendants
in the

torture

lawyers,

junto.

Nat

the

forward

brought
of

Farwell

and

Nevil

"

Plot, and

of the

idea

of

authors

the

issued

Council

Curtis-Care

Godfrey, brother of the late Sir Edmundbury

letters to
the publication of certain
was
which

show

were

Catholic

the

against Popish

mover

prudent

embarrassed

was

two

303

Some

Press.

time

same

and

Warrants

the

and

Thompson

crushing

chief

The

friend

by

Farwell.

and

PLOT

made, for the Government

much

almost

HOUSE

finallyto reduce

impartialitywas

of

electioD,

famous

made

was

RYE

THE

20th

the

Bar

were

bound

after

various

June

sentenced
the

only ingredient lacking to

not
to stand
L'Estrange was

by

their side.
made
popular triumph, the last use
by the
the election took
place four days
Whigs of good sheriffs
dashed by the final fall of the Whig journalists.
later
was
1682
On
26th
saw
we
Janeway
May
brought low, and,
the
make
used
discoveries 2.
still,
Secretary to
worse
by
Curtis
'.
But
in
the
week
Care
still spoke through
of
latter
the
Council
Nat's
was
trial,the
questioned by
cerning
conlibels and
his Mercury, when
he made
various
his

this

But

'

'

"

"

'

submission.

him, and

on

lust of battle was,

however, too
3
Nat's pillorying
his jubilation
too
over

The

i
Poem
Mrs Aphra Behn's
the completion of his 3rd

'

And

with

Who
A
It

excellent

L'Estrange (1687),congratulatinghim

disdain

save

those

authors

transferred

innocents

on

hate

his

(Godfrey's)fate

vile estate '.

now
brought Nat
L'Estrange (VaV.

which

article

the

to
"
.

the

Letter to M.I',

to

pillory. Sir Sidney

has
/;""""/.)

with
the
Plot.
in describing Roger's connection
Discovery on Discovery (chap, viii.,'250)to be the work

ascribes

boisterous

vol. of Observator.

just

sacrificeto

insinuation

this

was

in his

the

on

Sir Roger

to

strong for

He
of

blundered

not

only

the

other

makes

Lee

what
some-

his

side, but

L'Estrange.

dubious.
See Thompson's Loyal Intelligence
16S2.
knavery, 12th June
dates
Luttrell.
5th July 1682.
5th April and
3rd and
Diary, i.. 176, under
Nat, of course, says nothing of his pillorying,but Care's Popish Courant gives a
Mr
of Rye
House
humorous
account.
Goodenough (the Under-sheriff
fame)
all spectators not to throw
hard
stones
commands
how
or
things '. 'Behold
any
the
like a couple of Jesuits
of the
comment
they look ', was
joyous rabble.
'
and
when
Upon which the small shot began to fly with rotten
dirt,and
eggs
-

His

for

'

discoveries'

an

account

however

were

very

of his tricks and

"'

'

to

On

ROGER

SIR

304

L'ESTRANGE

tolerance.
keep him within the scope of the Government's
8th August he slipped away
to join his brother-in-law,

Frank
in

and

Smith, in Holland,

the

country, where
Still

libel l.

notable

he

on

his return

busied

secreted

himself

with

himself

yet

more

his

extraordinary wife kept at the

its
task, and for a while the True Protestant Mercury mended
But on 28th October
the Tory Sheriffs being now
manners.
find her at the King's Bench, where
in the saddle we
this
bold Whig spouse
questioned the truth of the warrant, and
authority of the Court', refused to discover her husband's
whereabouts, and was
consigned to jail2. Thus, on the 14th
October, the True Protestant Mercury flickered out, and though
Harry Care still forged ahead with his Weekly Pacquet,on
'

31st

October

on

fled to

had
(falsely),
and

Smith,

gnashing

libel,he too, it was

join the Mayor of Goatham,

Dunton,

of teeth

extinguishedin

of

indictment

an

whereat
the

amongst

the

'

there

Elephant
weeping and

was

'. Baldwin

brethren

proscriptionfor

June

rumoured
'

libel

had
on

'

been

Dauby

3.

at the moment

when
the
perished Whig Journalism
invaded.
Thereafter
the
City'srights of free election were
could
Government
proceed to forge chains for the City, and
libellous
Press
would
rude
no
interrupt the work.
Only
to bless
L'Estrange'sObservator and Thompson's Intelligence
Thus

them

they hit Farwell,

they cried Thompson Farewell, and when
had
dirt thrown
!
ten times
more
Thompson
Thompson
Ben
Harris
in a
Farwell
that
'. Heraditus
at him
(No. 78) complains that
ahuse
either
'.
So
did
suffer
least
from
similar
the
not
or
gentle
simple
position
'
be
thrown
would
to
Luttrell
17th
nothing
:
1682)
They
permit
3
4,
February
(i.,
'. Heraditus
to tell of the
at him
on
preparations for this event
'Dick',
goes
laid up
in store
to
have
rotten
another
to a porter, ' how
you
eggs
many
says
to
bestow
you'd make
holiday to-morrow
Popish Nat ? I knew
pepper
upon
An
him'.
by Hallam
important point remarked
(Cons.Hist., p. 720) is that the
of the alleged libel ',and
to be given as to the truth
Judges ' permitted evidence
so
opened up the Plot Story. By 1742 (the date of Viner's Abridgment, xv., 88)
'
libel though the contents
true is not to be justified'.
that
it is declared
are
a
1 Julian
50.
the Apostate, see
p.
2
Hart, Index
Expurgatorius, p. 254.
3 See
The
Coin-ant
final word
Care's
in the
Weekly Pacquet, 27th April 1683.
1682.
had dropped 15th December
4
be admitted, however,
that
It must
they did their best to silence these too.
November
1682
16th
to
Nat
Thus
under
an
illusory
promise
gives
pressure
'
stuffed
with
libels
The
close.
(being) every
day pestered with
Kingdom
and
scandals
the Church
to
duty to publish this my
Crown, I thought it my
pleased
that
But
informed
Protestant
authority is disbeing now
Intelligence.
Loyal
it
would
be
in
desist
I
to
am
regard
willing
very
therewith,
very
and
their
in defence
of them
writ
inexcusable
who
have
for me
Authority,
ever
He
ever,
'.
in disobedience
to their
to continue
now
lingers on, howjust commands
they
they

hit

Thompson,

cried

Farewell

'

"

"

"

till the

Observator

eve

alone

of

the

continues.

Rye

discovery, 20th

March

1683.

Thereafter

the

ROGER

SIR

306

L'ESTRANGE

His
own
impression of the mob
they passed out'.
The
is piquant.
Ohservator was
at a loss for a
beneath
of
what
the
Reader
understand
kind
descriptionto make
could
think
and
of nothing
spectacle he had before him
in Michael
the picture of the damned
liker to it, than
piece of the Day of Judgment '. He had
Angelo's famous
to be quiet at his coign of
seemingly not the good sense
pointed at 4 or 5 bawling rogues there in
vantage, but
what
the crowd, with
can
fiery gestures and contempt we
mob
fact
the
drew
of
it
for
the
attention
to the
imagine ;
hate
down
their
of
them.
the object
that
on
was
lolling
Whereupon a good deal of pent-up fury was showered on the
hard
with
insulting head above, and it might have
gone
important business been in progress
Roger, had not more
Stones
below.
thrown, and it was
were
suggested by the
as

'

'

'

incitement

to

mob

the

could

the

was

which
the

proceed

brief

but

decisive

in

its train

brought

years
unheard.

perished

able

several

The

writers

all the

assertive

remarkable

Bishops

But

in the

and

midst
had

like

their
of the

voted

of

election

justify
investing

liverymen
of

Sheriffs,

that

suppose

had

Marvell

the

fallen

and

on

certainly
This

the

side of

Capital

in

on

were

Inn2.

first
Hickeringill,

Sheriff's

Liberty

notable

most

judging

power

proceedingsof

perhaps ablest
Esq., of Gray's
of

to

the

and

right

away

that

absolute

the

whom

Hunt,

wrote

man

the

creatures

Thos.

own

to

not

are

Hickeringill,
Petyt,Doleman,
most

be termed

might

disturbance

so

to their

mantle
of

calculated

application of military

We

1.

four

next

train-bands

and

was

undoubtedly the

clear, but

meet

not

which

sufficient

was

this step or not is not

the
with
of Guildhall

that

do

to

there

Whether

riot.

Faction, that his appearance

of the

wiseheads

cases.

crisis,and before the Court

City's Charter, he raised a

earned
him
eloquent protest in a work which
the undying enmity of L'Estrange. In the Defence of the
and
this Fracemaker
Charter, after describing Roger as

learned

and

'

1682.
Observaiors,Nos. 210-222, 23rd September to 12th October
'the
Hal)
that
the Common
Council
was
were
quite aware
Whigs
of Liberty ', see
last resort
Ohservator, i., 353.
2
Hunt's
Postscript to the Bishops' Rifjht
of Judging in Capital Gases (1681),
drawn
have
fine onslaught on
made
a
L'Estrange, Filmerism, and those 'who
the youngsters
to question the
truth
of the same
Out
of the
Popish Plot.
mint
or
came
Poprry
(L'LVlmnge's) loathsome
print entitled, The Committee
in Masquerade'.
Bastwicke
Hunt
finds
See chap, viii.,256.
a
place with
and
Prynne in Defoe's
Hymn to the Pillory, 1703 (Lee's ed. 1868, ii., 605).
Petyt is 'Mr Huntscrap Petyt' in Heraditus, No. 18.
1

That

See the
the

THE

of the

Scaramuche

vain

youth

'

For

They
he calls

and

Conscience

City Fathers
public theatre, by which
exposed aud reviled '. To
the

on

confound

is strongest when
for instances
of

and

'

you

', not

'

to

free

'

example

classical

when

communities,

to

he

poet '. But

our

are

belongs

it

and

ancient

on

in

offices

great

your
Observator

the

fall of

the

in immoral

prohibit such exhibitions

to

drawing

fallingfoul
lipshowever),

and

toll in

to

falsehood

and

trust

307

fear,Religion rules,
pious fools,'

Heaven's

all state-bells

are

'

nation

of the

coupletl (put

Dryden's immoral

of

PLOT

HOUSE

RYE

AND

PRESS

THE

their

appeals to the researches of

and of
his friend Petyt for proof of the rights of Parliament
We
the City to choose
its sheriffs.
gather that one proposal
call a Parliament
the
Court
to
was
by
emanating from
nomination
a
preposterous suggestion which, however, was
institutions

attacked, and

are

"

almost

realised

for

provision
pay

them,

bankruptcy

and

men

they

City

almost

are

Credit

the

undone

already by

signalfor

which

movements

the

issue

in the

resulted

the behaviour

the

of

Sheriffs'

Election

the

was

and

hour

persecution. This
1

The

a
4

since

West

fact

said

Constantine

they
'.

Speoch
were

Exam,

of

methods

is of

at his execution.

parcel of
of Bourne,

to

the

for

Clergy

See p. 312.
had
ruined

that

rogues
6th July

republican
the

1683.

Slide

dissenting
be trusted

4.

scrupulous
a

while
was

smaller

lived,for

relief from

importance,

Spanish Frw.r, Dryden's malevolence

Six
Arnold's
Chief Lives, p. 167.

See pp. 361 el sen

Russell's
So Lord
'

the

the
gave
the chief

where

the
sectaries
and
placed on
passed round, especiallyin
zealots,the word was
had
assassin group
which
Shaftesbury, while he
head, and
Fergusson for Secretary, that the
with one
not to
ministers
two
or
exceptions were
They were
regarded as garrulous and timid, too

-Johnson.

Whig
particular

of those

that in London,

3, and

insurrection

dependence

by

the

had thundered
author
for
our
against whom
Apart from the quarrels and recriminations
learn
the examinations
from
conspirators,we

trials,that

seize

customary

classes

years.
many
of the various

to

location
dis-

',etc.

interestingto note

so

and

the

'

children

and

In the treasonable

riot, it is

'

neglected, marriages
stock
there being no
orphans dispossessed,

'as

of

is most

London,

Quo Warranto,

the

to

wives

null, and

rendered
to

due

trade

of

pictures a dischartered

he

when

eloquent

Hunt

II.'s Parliament2.

James

in

raging
on

the

remembered

the people ever

Trials, xi. 414.

SIR

308

discoverythe
under

conclusion
Plot

concerned,

there

placed

peripateticpriests of dissent,

reached.

was

this

adjusting accounts,
to them, along with
second
Indulgence.
But

and

for examination

up

anxiety to entrap them, on the whole

guilty,so far as actual knowledge of

of not

was

had

surveillance, the

obvious

an

L'ESTRANGE

Government

close

with

ROGER

comparative

their

the

time

innocence

was

discreet behaviour

one

were

When

two

or

in

for

came

credited

regard to

the

suspicion fell

whom

on

the

from
whom
emanated
the
advice
heavily. Fergusson
the heart and soul of the conspiracy.
was
quoted above1
almost
of the dissentingclergy
alone
was
Stephen Lobb
he gave
doubtful
a
approached by the conspirators,when
with
blessing to the project. On the Rev. Joseph Mead
Owen
and
Drs
Collins, suspicion fell more
heavily, and
of July before
examinations
Charles
though the tortuous
than
and his Council
failed to elicit more
proof of a general
with the conspirators,
association
with, however, an absolute
certainty of their guilt,L'Estrange set himself to make
"

"

their

There
and

manifest2.

treason

however,

were,

who

schoolmasters
class whose

were

under

the

Forbes

incurred

of

the

Surveyor

Gloucester

fined

in

did

great

Of

work

the

the

'

come

James

Gloucester

aliases

officers of

'

and

men

nation
once

was

was

of the

obscure

enflaming
the

most

Fergusson

as
as

are

darker

the
and

wandering

true

layer
brick-

Catechism,

the

associate

Cobbler, under

L'Estrange, Forbes

and

preacher

first named

The

well, and

disguisesand

in all the

their

cautious

same

of Wallis
of

in

mind.

knew

surveillance

time

Press3.

Children's

new

stirringup

he

Nesbit, whom

the

unaccredited

These

sounding and
way,
the ultra-Protestant
dangerous.

Keach,

for

1665

again busy.

assistant

the

to

and

Anabaptist
and
Johnson,
Benjamin

dissent

time

from
of

lay preachers
suspicion. They

the tobacconist
London, Hicks
Nesbit
alias
preacher of Bristol, James

of

and

now

than

more

had

movements

notice

disbanded

few

man

trade.

the

and
or

special

fully entered

Although

he

Pastors
were
'sillyand weak '.
generation that preach with their teeth as
of Ipswich. Mr
Mr
much
their
Case,
Calamy, Dr Burgess, Mr Ward
as
tongues"
Corbet
and
Dr
Owen'.
John
and
Laborious
Baxter, Mr
the
Catholique Mr
the
With
exception of the last, none
Observator,i.,193, 28th February 1682.
much
suspectednow.
of these
as
so
patriarchs of dissent were
3
and
Ushers
Schoolmasters
a
teaching school without
Ohscrvator, i., 106.
1

State Trials,xi.,410.

These

license.

are

The

Nonconformist

L'Estrangc's 'new

correspondence with
any
insurrectionists
the
Scotch

denied
with
doubt

he

that

directed

who

is

of

the

Scotland
in

Scots

the

309

acquaintance

or

there

London,

dozen

the

of

one

PLOT

HOUSE

RYE

THE

AND

PRESS

THE

the

in

of

is

no

capital,
pedlars

Scotch

operations
army
Bothwell
after
that descended
Brig1.
on
England
the
Plotter
But
of all these Rob. Fergusson,
',has come
down
to
posterity as the lago of the Conspiracy. His
biographer quotes a rhyming broadsheet, Iter Boreale,3rd
the
July 1682, to show
part he already occupied in the
he was
familiar
months
before
to
But
public mind.
many
the public through the
Observator, L'Estrange recognised
He
the evil genius of the Faction.
in
Scotch
Tacitus
was
Appeal from the
supposed to be the author of the famous
Countri/ to the City and the three parts of No Protestant Plot,
the
and
the last so
1682
most
recent
eloquent
as
May
of Shaftesbury '"'. In anticipationof the adverse
vindication
'

'

'

of

Sheriffs' Election
before

infectious

whose

'

the

was

republican

Charter

some

that

on

of his

secret

1
1

'

"

Tory,
"

What's
You

2 years

mean

ago

mind

mind

through

all that

of

was

from

daring

and

doubt, the
Burnet

witnesses.

the
rival

rivalled

he

of

in

verdict

fierce
without

Sydney

has

industrywhich

Observator,i.,99, 15th February

meeting

the

houso

destroyed, so

'.
congregation is dissolved
and
of the
See also the Examination
of Forbes
Scotch
and
in
and
who
went
1682,
England
167-1,1675, 1678,
and
swords
Car., ii.,428 (45) and
pistols. S. /'. Dom.
the Plotter (1887), p. 79.
Jas. Fergusson's /
ton

republican
Sydney's
no
parallel
at

pedlars
about

Gloucester?

beat

up

about
there-

by little

little

that

436

is

1682.

the Scotchman
that was
of Jaa, Forbes
become
his quarters
Be had
Cromwell's
emissary.

and

throws

modern

more

man

his management

with

connection

4, but

without

See chap, vi.,169-171.

Whig.

in

Press

which

aloofness, and

he

was

Association

to

name

was

man

quality in

public

believing'.

all matters

most

his

odium

the

for

popular

of

referee

occurred

name

month

proceeded
his
nobles
to
was
delight.
topple down
in everything,knew
everybody, the thinker

Altogether he was
and
inspirer,the
whose

the

to

levelling.The

brain, and

his

to. it

referred

lyesbleeding
Corporation suffers

symbol
and

the

in

poison

Whole

He

above

ballad

the

in

reflected

Scotland, and

into

journeyed

had

1682, he

midsummer

who

with

that

into

came

two

edged

(49).

:i

'Much

of

it stolen

from

Popcr.t/',Dryden, Epistle
* Own
Timet, ii.,358,

to

your

the

deal

author's

pamphlet,

Whigs, prefixedto the

Medal,

called

the

Growth

of

310

SIR

in that

That

busy

age.
Bourne's

of

seize Mr
that

L'ESTRANGE

is

tion
interestingpiece of informato tell them
'Fergusson desired me

that

night when

one

ROGER

taken

have

must

we

should

he

be

must

care

that

met,

we

L'Estrange, for

great

an

find

to

and

strange papers
the

secure

to

party

Paper Office

Whitehall'1.

at

As

the

to

kind

of

thread

one

Liberatores

the

to

through all2.

ran

meted

Fergusson

encouragement

others, it differed according

but

with,
the

the

to

talked

he

man

They

out

be

to

were

invaded
all civil
tyrants who
and religious
of character, he addressed
rights. As a master
himself
to the various
appetites of his instruments, to the
Patriae

from

commercial-minded

more

the

Excise, and

the

ambitious

Constitution
there

"

This

and

to

rather

than

the

some

to

the

draw

to

Goldsmiths,

Bankers

and

Plot

remodelling of

the

be

to

inferior

far

the

to

left to

being
Fergusson

selfish

men

Bill

timid

and

humoured

were

of

'

of

popular election

lords,who
honours,

dividing
of

the
fool

credulous

Lords4.

At

by being

allowed

which

'

the

proves

the

Sheriffs, the demand

for

Rights
of

the

Parliament'.

leveller

the

to

patriots

mere

revolutionaries

from

called

kind

a
up
of the

urgency
annual

complete Liberty of Conscience.

further
the naked
passions which inspired

Parliament, and

To
these

wild

Chimney-money,

cry of the fainthearted

in their old places and

these

see

the

Bench,

was

themselves

see

time

the

the

spoil. Thus,
ballad quoted 3, West
for holding with
the
same

of

'all

"

the

out

the

on

Judicial

indeed

was

wished

raid

lawyers

were

last

promising

understand
wilder

of

men,

should

we

read

it is stated

7th July, where

Further

West's

'Sir

that

tion
Examina-

John

Moore

flayed and stuffed and

of their illin Guildhall
set up
as
a
perpetual memory
deeds '. The
Lord
Keeper's body was to be similarlytreated,
whilst Parliament
itself was
to contain
interestingspecimens
had of applying
Discourse
of stuffed Pensioners.
Some
was
of the Colleges
and
half or two-thirds
those revenues
of one
of the people's
in both
Universities
to public uses, in ease
and

the

Sheriffs

Tory

were

to

be

'

'

taxes

5.
dwelt

We

have

State

Truth, xi., 419.

Ibid.,pp.

'

Who

on

the

passions which

underlay the

Plot

409-10.

would

all

Examination

"

Ibid.,ix.,420,

of

nobles to his ninepence bring '. Iter Boreule,1682.

our
Bourne, 6th July. State Trials, xi.,414.
"

THE

AND

PRESS

because

afford

they

THE

L'Estrange had

laboured

had,

seen,

as

have

we

of

view

RYE

to

all those

fatal

for

311
which

hopes

He
years.
particularlyobnoxious

expose

proved

PLOT

HOUSE

himself

twenty

attack
His
Whig rabble at the Sheriffs' Election.
of Ignoramus
on
Colledge after his death, his abuse
poor
juries,and incessant
girding at the Dissenters, had caused
him
to be
singled out as the chief provocative agent of
the Government
hence
Fergusson's anxiety to seize him

the

to

"

and

his

first step
a
as
papers
the
natural
that on

therefore

those

examinations

exhaustive

the

in

the

of

discovery
of the

It

Revolution.

Council, presided over

himself, L'Estrange's services should

clear that a
Apart from his zeal, it was

active

life

sedition

had

in

been

spying

Pulpit, had

and

Press

in

spent

vast

be

tioned.
requisiwhose

man

the

on

knowledge not
the most
hopeful

this

no

was

one

the
well

so

Government

imperilled

an

channels

fitted

the

as

is

It

first

turns

Publication, and

of

of

agents

of persons,
but of their habits, and
methods
of using prisoners towards
discoveries.

only

that
commonplace
a
suspicious eye on

and

Plot

Charles

by

was

for

Assisted

ex-Surveyor.

Guise ', a Middlesex

brother
fellow- Justice, and
by his
Temple,
by Charles Hanse \ a Court lawyer of the Middle
and
browbeat
his
enemies
old
himself
to harry
Roger set
His
in the Press.
operations were
not, however, confined
concerned
himself
that
to
a
as
Magistrate
sphere. He
'

with

several

this

time

onward

certainly
various

an

with

main
we

of

Whom

"

from

besides

instruments

Committee,

1689.

of

his

mind
for

to
which

that

and
We

3.

shall
The

fines,and

from

paid,
despite
a

find

form
the

of

that
pay

arrears

for
able assistant
King as an
brings the lawyer into association

the

See
Trials,ix., 951.

arbitrary rule.

State

if not

as,

spy,

money

recommended
afterwards
commendation
a
Burton,

dread

those

"Murder'

him

failinghealth 2.

he
and

regard

to

discoveries,and

and

Government

furthest
was

seizures

are

active

symptoms

not
was
pay
he demanded

Graham

of the

his

examination

before

the

involves
Ma
L'Estrange and
-i.,203 (1742), which
the
and Graham.
principal
They were
guilt with Burton
Moore
and
instruments
against Stephen College'. In the affair of Sir John
were
the Sheriffs' Election, thev
equally criminal.
been
Mr
R. L. hath
1683 (i.,252) :
lately very
Luttrell, Diary, 5th March
indisposed with fits '. See chap, xii.,2.
;
Jenkins
Ei begs Mr
8, J'. Bom.
Car., ii.,432 (2)" 17th September 16S3.
Lord
Clare
for permitting
fine levied
"320
for the King's (third)part of the
on
find
to
in the
Old
It is instructive
in the
Conventicles
sixteen
Play House.
the
revival
the
inflicted
of
Emperor
seventeenth
this
by
penalties
century
for
of houses, used
381 A.D., on
owners
Theodosius,
propagating the Arian
Iler Invaders, i., pt. i., 368 (ed. 1S92).
heresy. See Hodgkin's Italy and

Set also

Hanse

in

Gentleman's

'

common

'

his

on

in

allowance

Newsbook

of the

next

competitors

those

the

did

not

his

bitter

Observators

vengeance.
of constructive

come

outrunning all

were

Charters.

presently

shall

we

the

addition

in

"

of

Government's

course

of Russell

condemnation

treason, has given rise

office

till March

up

requisitioned

was
pen
defence

in

"

The

of

which

services

of his old

recovery

when
the Stationers
year
in the rush to surrender

Besides

enumerate,

the

"

that

glorifiedform; but

to

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

312

to

by a
libraryof

process
tion
execra-

Late

lawyers
since.
eminent
men
Amongst
part then, and more
sideration
will be found
Roger L'Estrange's Conjustifications
The
Sheet entitled
Printed
Speech of tlu
a
upon
Lord
Russell', etc., printed of course
by the faithful

Mrs

Brome.

and
took
these

the

which

in
justification,

eminent

most

'

This

popular

more

was

of

form

an

(An Antidote against Poison) credited

of the Court
lawyer
to L'Estrange1 but
really the work
Shower.
Sir Bartholomew
Roger's pamphlet has obvious
controversy
borrowings from the Antidote 2. The immediate
the
'Murder'
when
the
Revolution,
was
prolonged beyond
vindication

admirable

well

the

recommended

Committee

that

known

Burnet

reversal

who

"

of the

verdict.

Tillotson

with

was

It

is

Russell's

of

suspectedof the authorship

prison was
confessed
the printed speech, though he himself
never
But
certain
turns
than
more
drawing up a few heads.
Court
the
regarded as the limit
expression and what

of

artful

adviser

ghostly
of
to

L'Estrange's
2

the

As

the

pen

become

in
any

the

put it beyond doubt

to

p. 102

Observes, ed. 1840,

Historical

'

which

"

looks like Roger

'.

attempt

Conspiracy.

ensued

"

equivocation3,seemed

Fountainhall's

in

to make

Antidote:

heats
heroic

of

the

doctrines

deluge
general rising
'That

Christian

drawn

in

of
of

did

armour

'

not

'

responsible for
necessarily have
this might
affect him, because
of
by the pencil of the author

blood

Julian

which

Johnson
must

to the
practiceof the ancient
Johnson) and is not unlike
'We
Considerations:
author'.
the
same
so
shamefully practised by
of a
in several
which
to the paper
now
places looks like the character
come
itself,
fortunate
Theatre, or that of an unprimitiveChristian exposed to the lions in a Roman
The
several other close likenesses.
heroic
in the field,etc. '. There
are
in State Trials,is., 710.
.1 ,i/itlote and
its answers
to be found
L'Estrange's
are
12 and 13, 1884)
Historical Society (Reprints
tract
was
reprinted by the Clarendon
The
with
tho editorial comment,
;
pamphlet here reprinted is extremely scarce
See Mr
it was
Airy's note (Burnet, ii.,379).
published by order of the Court'.
Lnttrell says Burnet's
Ralph, i.,725, notes
authorship was
generally assumed.
L'Estrange's attempt to involve Burnet.
:i
the
so
equivocation cue
Sprat, in his History of the Conspiracy followed
and
L'Estrange. 'PresbyterianCasuist' is the term
strongly indicated by Shower
other
See among
the Speech was
the popular belief.
he uses.
That
Burnet
wrote
the
printer
notices the libel A Satyr on the Ghost
of the Lord Russell for which
Russell's
1683.
fined "6, 13s. 4d. (Cordy'sMiddlesex
Records), 12th December
was

Julian

(Rev. Samuel

Christian

'

the

of

surveillance

and

seizures

the

with

connection

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

314

disaffected.
information

Any

head

this

on

gleaned

be

must

from

unpublished papers in the Record Office,and

these, though fragmentary enough, give us frequent glimpses
not altogether
of our
busy author in a character which was
For
novel.
during the great period of the Surveyorship

the

hitherto

1662-5,

the

with

familiar

himself

made

he

that

saw

we

Newgate and the Gatehouse, with almost

authority of a Secretary of State elicitingdiscoveries
of threats
booksellers by means
arrested printers and
the trade and lends a helping
he extends
Now
bribes.

and

ins
the
from
and

of

outs

to

the

Government

are

over,

he

still acts

the

closingmonths

hand

of

In

Whigs.

the

first of his

the

and

time

his

all

absorbs

business

Oates

the

successor,

City spy on
Charles' reign, and
a

as

seizures

the

When

round.

all

faculties.

the
29th

1683

June

compiled
also had

the

of

books

five

to

and

letters

of

bundles

the

In

accompanying

papers

Council

Minutes

taken

June

1684, from

which

11th

from
Dr

the

Sprat

to which
L'Estrange
History of the Conspiracy1,
for his History of the Times (1687),and which

his

access

Council, delivered

to the

Blathwayt, Clerk

over

Sir

to

Joseph
number

find a goodly
April 1687, we
from
Roger L'Estrange to Secretary Jenkins.
During those first sessions of the Council in July when
ing
batch of traitors was
taken, we find Roger pesterthe main
ineffective suggestions
with
somewhat
the Government
2nd
On
July and again on the
ancient information.
and
Williamson

5th, he

used

who

In

Joiner2.

Protestant

bad

some

Coffee-house

Richard's

at

petty informations,

in

handed

one

some

15th

on

the

in

the

first

of

case

language against the Duke

the

in

other

company
it
case

the

of
'a

was

late
I

paper
write

the

L'Estrange and Sprat, who should

rivalry between
1683, the former
Conspiracy. On 8th September
History of the Rye House
spiracies
and Con'
Insurrections
all
the
to
had
Jenkins
of a plan he
digest
informed
model
Historical
into
an
return
his
since
3
Majesty's
in the
Kingdoms
of the
writer
ascribed
by the
therein
making good the facetious intention
date
of
the
29th
is
September
Scotland
letter from
(chap, ix., 263).
Counterfeit
Dr Sprat to
and
the
Informations,
from
to publish a History
of Council
the Order
S. P. Dam.
Car., ii.,438 (182). Cibber [Lives(1753),m., 23b-/ ),
write the same.
of
to Dorset
letter
expressinga distaste for the task, says
to
a
Sprat's
referring
i

There

some

was

'

the

of
some

reason

tho

executed

he

most

relatives

popular

men

these

orders

in the

nation

engaged'. L'Estrange

wise.
choice was
a S. P.
Dom.

427 (159).
Car., ii.,

with

so

were

had

much
either

no

such

reluctance

was

because

many

had
themselves
or
delicacy,but the Governments

concerned

AND

PRESS

THE
had

reckon

several

of

by me
expressly

the

to

enclosed
victims

duty
l. Again

standing

send

in

September, when
hot

of

first batch

the

clue

the

of

traitor ', whom

Marsden,

Rev.

so

originalhere

the

on

con.

with

identical

was

is

non

pointing
question that

Honour

your

'

and

in

now

315

PLOT

HOUSE

to

Marsden,

or

surmised

years

despatched, he

was

Ralphson

RYE

Conspiracy

it my
'

THE

one

Roger
of the

one

fetches
this,
conspirators. To
prove
down
various
manuscripts and breviates of that conspiracy,
which
show
that
more
recently
Ealphson, against whom
seditious things (words I mean) might be proved
'many
in league
who
in the pulpit',was
the agitatingparson
was

Rymer's

he

Plot

'

'

with

the

Scots

resolved

reconcile

to

in

emissaries

June

'

1663,

when

was

against the

dissenting sectaries

the

it

Royal Interest'2.
It is not
the

to

same

clear if his

breviates

mouldy

before
but
Government,
remember
must
zeal, we
had

men

been

smiling
that

Roger's

at

in

service

of any

were

the

cases,

many

Forbes,

the road

for twenty years, as

that the ramifications

on

quarian
anti-

of the
Fergusson, Crofton, etc., and
Northern
during
constantly kept open
Conspiracy were
of
Government's
the
this whole
persecution,
policy
reign by
the
reinforced
from
and
the
discontents
over
constantly
there
became
more
Border, as the pressure
insupportable.
had
How
wide
that secret
can
become, we
judge
society
from
taken
the informations
by the Scottish Privy Council,
at Edinburgh 8.
and the trials at the High Court of Justice
To
task

of

that

which

siftingout

Not

8. P.

with

Narrative

comrade

the
Defoe's

remarks

should

and

here

the
"

but

next
since

entanglement,

Menzies

some

us
we

Murray

or

dissenting piece.

36.

Ralphson,

121, 7th September 1683. This

in his imprisonment.

in his
told

Introduction
that

in

deserved

day,

execution
1 writ

Northern

probably was

the

entrusted

was

See

Delaune

of

not

and
continue

Court

It

bundle.

(1706).
be pilloried,
though
'The

we

this

'

Guise

Scotchman

the

Car., ii.,427, Nos. 29

Dom.
Car., ii.,432, No.

8. P.
arrested, became
-

of

papers

brother

'

piece of the

one

concerned

the

in

Dom.

his

and

L'Estranse

this Mr

our

respect
it
"

books

Delaune's

to

to

we

our
were

burnt

were

Ralphson had
1665, see C.S.

now

latter's

conformists
Plea fur the Non-

education
sent

the

back
with

as

to

scholars,
our

Fire, and

finement,
conwe

supersedeasby death to
'The
I'. /". (1664-5),
p. 246:
a

in March
place'. For Marsden
See Cavalier and
others
Marsden
and
in London'.
are
Agitators Atkinson,
died last
in Newgate,
Puritan, p. 98: 'one Mr Ralphson a dissenting minister
Thursday of a burning fever '.
of Scotch
s
numbers
11th
State
York,
July, 'Great
Trials, ix., 451-487.
Examination
of
Dom.
flock
'.
8.
I'.
to
45).
Car.,
427,
(No.
ii.,
us
pedlars
in in 1674, 1675, 1678, and
1682, and who
Scotch
pedlars in England ' who came

abetter
chief

went

about

armed

with

two-edged

swords

and

pistols'.

316
and

his wife

and

whose

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR
who

passed

house

the

for

husband's

her

in

London

in

Lady Kildare,

absence

became

the

This
man
dangerous characters.
of
the
Scots
the
with
associated
was
moving spirit
closely
James
Nesbit, already alluded to.
conspirators in London,
Nesbit
schoolmaster, and the familiar of the agitating
a
was
leant
parsons' in the City, the few dissenting clergy who
of Stepney, and
Plot
to the
Owen, Griffel,Mead
an
ear
of
exiled
the
Next
to
Argyle, Gordon
Stephen Lobb1.
branch
in the
Scottish
Earlston
the principal name
was
of Johnson
of the Conspiracy, and
Nesbit
under
the name
rendezvous

of

the

most

"

"

held

him

Nesbit's

as

Nesbit

of the

informed

in writing

to

the

by

associate went

Scotch

the

in London.

movements

of

name

Menzies

Whilst

Murray.

confederates

the

used

cant

meaning, Murray
in May informed
the Northern
meetings,under the metaphor
be
to
of
was
speedily
marriage, that the Insurrection
opened in England.
letter
On
the discovery Menzies
a
fled,but in October
addressed
to the
his wife
him
to
was
intercepted from
the 6th L'Estrange
Golden
Bell in Bloomsbury, where
on
admitted
She
had
her committed.
seized her papers2 and
in March, 'just to time
that her husband
to London
came
the execution
of the
Conspiracy,' and that 'he intended
of

for

disguise his

to

commerce

Carolina

'.

Harwich

mentioned

he

present, however,

At

plotters awaiting

treasonable

ship

in the

other

with

was

the
and
Germany
interceptedletter aroused
for

of

name

Eoger's

accordinglywatched.

suspicionsof that port, which was

Fergusson the Observator of August regretfullyremarked
know
had escaped a month
before3, from what
port we
not.
know, L'Estrange nourished
as
we
Against this man,
of the
one
plotters with the
a
no
personal hatred, and
possible exception of Hunt, did he seek from the earliest
persistence. At the time
discovery of the Plot with more
his urgent despatch to
have
the pursuit was
hottest, we
"

"

Examination

Which

in the

movements
P.

'

Dom.

'

Information
3

Car., ii.,427 (36).

Nesbit, 5th July 1683, S. P. Dom.
notices
other
Carolina
the
a
on
project, and
paper

semi-cant

See the
two
language.
papers,
Car., ii., 133 (41 and
61)) the latter

3rd and

6th

of

October,

Menzies'
being Mrs
Roger L'Estrange '.
Observator, i.,398, August 1683.
of Fergusson then?
Observator.
There's no news
ing
and
Not
word
Trimmer.
a
yet what a deal of hunting, setting, and search-

(S.

1683

of

included

Coram

me,

"

'

"

has

really

there
'tis

sentiments.

been

about

that

But

man.

great providence'.

Such

were

I believe

he's got

supposed

to

be

over

Mr

the

water

Trimmer's

and
true

seems
Secretary, which
notion
of Fergusson's double

the

marvellous

of his
the

escapes

Government

not

were

HOUSE

RYE

THE

AND

PRESS

THE

to

PLOT
if the

that

prove

true, at

in

the

least

popular

the

treachery being

be

317

the

secret.

lBthJuly

Old

Gravell

and

sea-commander

and

is

lately removed

that

It

(I

is

lives

miles

an

Estate

purchaser

of

Friston

has

Street,

Broad

very
that
and

daughter
arm,
'

and

that
person
in Old Gravell

With

pardon,my
have

might perhaps

people to

Johnson's

Johnson

is with

at

lay great weight

his

country

for

fanciful

this Information.

upon

picture

historical

same

akin

to fact
8

category

in Ft rgusson

the

Fergusson

of the
back

Car.,ii.,427,

discovery,
with

of

her

to

this
with

243.

See

the
girl,whom
Lady Russell.

waits

there

I
prevent him.
Your
honour's, etc.,

to
"

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER
from

12 miles

some

No.

Mr

the

'.

border.

Essex

Shrewsbury

Stanley Weyman's
would

novelist
There

like

is something

to

in

see

of

her

the

more

the Plotter.

Plotter,pp.
Fergusson is
Bath.

under

:!.

time

is not

there

is in Norfolk,

Saxmundham
8. P. Lorn.

house

possiblyFergusson

and

sea

'

bundles

Greyney at the White

and a very loyal man.
Land
conjectureis that Fergusson's daughter
some
things to give to her father and
that Fergusson
of them, and
take care
her

But

passage.

yesterday Fergusson's

is Thos.

saw

lies for the

Friston
a

Captains are

all his secrets,

show
his head.

repass with
pass
house.
into Johnson's

enter

to

The

Lyon

for

Land,

with

and

to

seen

was

so, is that

him

makes

which
2

in

now

great credit with

so

seen

'

is

he durst not
his person
too when
is
have
several
houses
These
backways ; my informant
of these two
houses,
confident, that Fergusson is in one

and

her

map)1.

Gravell

these

not

street

new

Smith

Old

near

quite finished. Both

(or were) disciplesof Fergusson and of
him, that they have been still associated
a

Camden's

Aldebrough (as in
Capt.
solitaryfarm.

in

and

Saxmundham

from

from

told) a

am

in

Lyon

got

He

it, being

some

1683.

Fergusson's congregation

formerly.
to

White

the

to

of

member

distance

He

town.

Land,

Essex

about

door

lives next

'Capt. Johnson

in

of

agents

Estrange to SecretaryJenkins.

"

Hall,

cause

There

170-2.
is

In

earnest

very
a

good

his

letters

to

his

wife

desiring her to
sketch
of Fergusson
in

'La

on

take
in

the

eve

Hannah
the

tract

Conspiration faite

to
L'Estrangc (seeAppendix),
dc
Prddioateur
quantity de
scditieux, authcur
II., 1685.
le Roy
et
ses
libelles
contro
ministrcs, eloquent inquiet, adroit,
deffamatoires
implacable du Roi '.
malin, et enuomy

erroneously
conire

le roi

ascribed
Ch.

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

318

Fanshawe

Ayloffe and

share

of

the

busy

widespread correspondence

whose

Magistrate's attention,
and
name
brought him

for

in

came

of

notices

numerous

strange

men

and
were
Country l.
the
information
having been brought to L'Estrange, they
now
despite Messenger Stephen's protest (he had
were,
special
'senselessly'changed sides) brought by Jenkins'
Various
in High Holborn.
to his house
papers
messenger,
the
referred
likewise
to the ex-Surveyor, and
seized were
of
small
committal
and
numerous
fry
examination
There
besides
were
of the
conspiracy referred to him.

City

in the

and

with

suspects connected

all those

dealt

he

person

Those

possessionthe

in his

having

L'Estrange,much

to

Unfortunately

before.

referred

papers

'

referred

which

papers

to

connection

of

Minutes

did

Wm.

was

dozen

the

of

trace

no

to

as

Council.

the

be

to

Press, Blathwayt

the

Arlington

as

we

'

Plot

have

this

in

to

had

opinion

this

in

whom

Council, already referred

the

of

Blathwayt, Clerk

with

Press, of

the

and

Roger's unparalleled knowledge

sought.
The

taken

Argyll'sbooks

signed
con-

years

and

books

correspondence.

L'Estrange to Blathwayt \
'

"

have

Prints

The

together bundled
letter and

The

The

Minister

It bears
and

Durham

He

has

to

men

letter

written

violent
1

the

letter

are

Pacquet.
enclosed

here

Certificate

Certificate is

of young
ministry. The
and

in

old

an

likewise

are

of

date.

ancient
'

up

1863.

received.
papers
Those
be laid hold of.

Notes, and

Sermon

shorthand

the

with

July

all the

carefully perused
nothing in them to

I have

'Sir,

] 4th

be

in

entertained

is the

whimsy

in his banishment

to

of
his

tion
recommenda-

and

of form

only matter

the

exercise

fanatical

of

the

Scotch

congregation,rude

enough.
date

in

nothing

information

that

the

time

in it that

they

arc

1683.
Car., ii.,433 (143)),17th October
a 8. P.
Dom.
Car., ii.,428 (39).

of the
I

see

present
useful

lurking at Hitchin,

or

concerns

Herts

at

remarkable.

(S. P.

Dom.

But

AND

PRESS

THE

to the

reference

PLOT

HOUSE

in it with
passages
itself. Yours, etc.,

noted

yet I have

RYE

THE

alphabetical

some

Paper

319

"

L'ESTRANGE'.

'ROGER

extending over
L'Estrange with his powerful memory
years' sedition, and his
alphabeticalreferences
twenty
was
admirably suited for siftingout the inferior characters
of
for example, the servants
of the Conspiracy. There
were,
the two
next
most
Fergusson in London,
dangerous men
and
for College at Oxford
Aaron
Counsel
Smith, would-be
Plot-emissary to the Scots, and Richard
Goodenough, undersheriff during the shrievalty of Pilkington and
Shute, and
general counsel for the disaffected. The servant of the first
of these was
Samuel
Starkey, nephew of Starkey the Whig
Term
bookseller, Clavell's
competitor in printing the
the
irritation
to
Government.
Catalogues,and a constant
the goodwill of his uncle by being
Young Starkey earned
'

'

"

"

useful

dark

the

in

schemes

pretended dismissal
growing detestation
was

from

taken

back

his

mission

October

6th

might have been

of Armstrong, Grey,
July is quoted here
confederates

custody.

the

in

that

useful
and

after

of

account

on

because

the
A

but

latter returned

discovery,he

letter
for Sir

to

rest.

of

the

His

was

of

Jenkins
x

Roger's rigour,

discovering the

in

the

the

when
On

Scotland.

complains

he

service

his service

into

and

master,

gentleman's seditious associates,

of that

to

1683

his

Smith's

from

into

naturally ordered

of

whereabouts

information

light it throws

of

5th

on

the

Press2.

Information of Sam

Starkey.

Smith

clerk) caused him to write

(when he was
several
Queries for the Better
copies of writings called
Establishment
of Laws for England. He made 7 or 8 copies.
Smith
told him
the friendship of
he valued
to be secret
as
his uncle
(the bookseller).
He constantlywent
with Aaron
to meetings, and
thus I
'Aaron

'

"

remarked
such

proposals
laid

ministers

in, and

were

these

upon

.^. P.

Bom.

Information

delivered

to Mr

and

papers
before
the

what

that

sermons,

Car., ii.,433 (43). Sir Roger Harwich,

to

not

Roger L'Estrange.

Endorsed
'the
Starkey, 5th July 1683.
original
"S'./'. Dom,
Car., ii.,427 (00).
Attorney General, 9th July 168o'.
of

Samnel

consonant,

(the Queries)and the

congregation the dangers they
of persecution was
likely to

as

cloud

they were

aforesaid

320

SIR
the

obscure

Gospel

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

of Christ

Jesus

would

and

pray for the

(meaning, I conceive,

confounding of those hellish instruments

the King and the Court)".
Simon
Mayne (son to Mayne,
the
of
late
Thos.
one
King's Judges),
Haselrig (kinsman
.

the

to

late Sir Arthur

Queries ;

Haselrig),had
Harrington x (brother to

Dr

so

is talk

There

containingan
and

then

and

Castle

treasonable

how

of

account

the

letter,burnt
the

of the

copy
late Sir
a

Whigs

were

James) \
by Starkey,
kept hot,

of the Elephant
goes on to Smith, the bookseller
in Cornhill, how
had before the Council
he was

"

'

of

each

for

printing the Association and Queries upon it that Smith

denied
it stifflyand
and
true
bravely, was
trusting and
Then
he set forth a dialogue betwixt
ought to be valued.
him"
in Council
and
the King
and
commends
the
boldness
and
in his answers.
It
audacity of Smith2
also says he was
pleased at the Satyrs (a libellous paper
the King and
Court) and told Mayne that "Dryden
upon
writ it and
assassinated
was
was
suspected to have
one
from
his
Will's
in
Coffee-house
Covent
coming
night upon
"

...

'

Garden

'

".

overheard

'He
others

what

as

they

ancient

"

an

Goodenough,
master, but

him

appears
of his

L'Estrange heard

his credit beforehand.

earliest,and

like

the

and

Faction

consistingof the
'

the

day

decided
1

List
Nat
Aaron

to

before

was

Starkey's bore

out

Francis

Lord

of

the

upon

of

profound

who

served

himself

busied
the

is

one

Jenks3,

Green

Ribbon

at

of the

between

connection

mentions

blast

to

company

Goodenough,

Shaftesbury's trial ',when

{seehis Narrative). Mr Henry Starkey

Wade's
Lists [sk Sitwell's First
Whig,
Smith,

man

directed

enough to ruin his

than
Starkey. When

It

Cotterel, stationer
one

looked

information

booksellers.

famous
my

order

Harrington

release, he
Hartshorn's

the

being

to, Hartshorn,

thought to know
less ingenuous

was

and

'.

referred

servant

Oates

directed

Smith
say;
for the Cause
and

consulted

other

Smith
to

were

stickler

parts ", they

The

that

the

Three

it

Legs

etc.,
was

in

according to Dangerfield's
in Dangerfield's and
both
209) along with West, Bourne,

Club
appears
p.

etc.

end of
but on
returning towards
(Old Frank) had fled, as we
saw,
Smith
Sen. was
seized, 3rd
by L'Estrange's order, committed.
His
March
and
1684.
report
son
daughter (Eleanor) in Messenger Steven's
S. P. Dom.
their indictments
till next
sessions'.
(15th January 1684) 'traverst
Car., ii.,436 (35).
5 Of Jcnki1
Speech fame, June 1676. Sec chap, vii.,200.
2

this

Smith

year

was

the

Council

were

We

see

the

hand

the

Parkhurst,
These

were

men

Sermon2-.
but

interfered

was

debt

confessed

Monmouth

the

said

Dunton

Starkey

bliss

July and again on 29th September.

of L'Estrange in the proceedings. Besides
and
Queries),Dunton,
(Printer of the
great Presbyterian bookseller, appeared l.
accused
of printing the
obnoxious
Plot
8th

Cotterel

Starkey,

he

refused

take

to

fled

New

to

The

for

Shower

the

latter

which

sentiments
The

Conspirators.

increasinglyto

was
'

Julian

first

Johnson,

appearance
Russell's Speech

blamed,

inspired

of

part

'

Curtis, the children

publication of Lord

printers was
the Apostate, the

the

of this second

cause

Julian

and

and

examined

authors

and

and

intrepidchaplain, Darby5,
the

collect

4.

had
absorbed, and
Chiswell, who
absorb, the greatest trade in London,

of the

after

to

L'Estrange

were

Press.

and

England

'

seditious

it,

At
this
examination
says 3.
in the Strand,
great bookseller

appeared Lowndes, the

Mr
'is nothing but
against whom
Common
Seargeant to his prejudice
In September the four Stationers

of the

in

matrimonial

printing.
by these examinations,

to

with

also

Russell's

hand

Dunton's

Rising he
humorously

he

as

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

322

this

we

saw,

Russell

as

and

famous

tract

by
the
out

came

the
eve
ready on
from
withdrawn
the
of
judiciously
discovery, but was
carefully stored till
publication, though the copies were
Julian ',Darby
the omens
were
more
auspicious. Besides
admitted
printing 20,000 copies of Lord Russell's Speech, and
in

had

second

1682, the

summer

been

'

was

'

Minutes, 8th July 1683 (S.

Council

Parkhurst
Will

Truth

1682

for

said

(S. P.

Out'

Plot

the

Sermon

bis wife

where

Amsterdam,
5

S.

fellow.

information

any
the
desire

humbly

conveyance

messenger
for 50 or

Jenkins, 7th September

6 The
Protestant
True

when

she

Nothing
20th

is

more

November

treated.

NigM-

refused

Curtis

Walkers

to

1683,

advise

may
60

with

which

persons

1683, ibid.,ii.,432

Mercury,
of

remarkable

was

(244-7): 'Darby is
order
produce an

shall

inform

and

Starkey, ibid.,p.

for

her

than
on

sentenced

of Bloomsbury

called

Sermon

been

from

outlawed

210.

in

Notes

MS.

He

fled

by

to

him.

met

Car., ii.,433

Dom.

P.
If

secret

Dunton

'a

printing

Gar., ii.,428 (138)).

and down
sold up

Dom.

Cor., ii.,428 (147)). Starkey had

Discourse of the Laws
of England

Dom.

Historical

printing an

P.

was

J. Selden, Esq. (Hart, Index, p. 258).

3
Life and Errors, p. 79.
4
See his character, ibid.,p. 213 ;

to

'

in the country
when
the first part of Julian
carrying on his Mercury 6. He denied, however,

Curtis

for which
husband's

the

for
for

me,
can

most

he

direct

(117).
(10th June
whereabouts

inveteracy

of these

dangerous, desperate

searchinghis house,
has

pp.

280

and

least)a
Roger L'Estrange

to '.

at

indicted
1682) she was
(Hart, Index, p. 254).

Darby

men,

his submission, 1st February

for yet
21st April 1684
on

(Hart, Index,

for had

1684,
another

283).

was

was

tried

lightly
libel,The

PRESS

THE

Hunt's

AND

THE

Postscript. Johnson
stated

Sir William

Jones, approved it.

shulHcd

of the

out

of

History '.

all

things

'

never

'

the

took

it

it ',

tradesman,

{Julian)

for

the

knew

'

'There

conformist'.

323

authorship of
great Whig lawyer,

Chiswell, like

read

'

be

and

He

matter.

He

to

Hunt

PLOT

the

admitted

Julian, and

that

HOUSE

RYE

quite true l.
Although L'Estrange does not appear
by name
the
we
reasonably conjecture that
scene,
may
questions were
suggested by him.
put his

to

These

with
the

it

to

name

which

"

examinations

the

need

the

Stationers.

for

was

settled

in the

and

final

drastic

mind
action

Company

of any
Press
another
made
an

Stationers

very

informed

were

and
and

Smith,

but

great

ottered

Parkhurst,

less

'

like

men

Act

reign. In future, it was

Company, not approved by
the

new

one

finish

time,

same

granted.
the History

There

was

one

put

together.

Care

of

It

the
For
of

extension

the

Charter

John

had

found

very

first of

Phillips2, in
in

salvation
the

S. /'. Dom.

trials he

in

and

was

to

include

not

of

than
October

the

office.

in and

resolutions

all the
that
with

rest

Harry
Milton's

Narratives,etc.,
the
discovery. In

Plot

mentioned
of
in

as

one

who

discoveries3.
this

conversion

was

There
under

.Minutes

of 29th
September 1683.
January 16S3-4, S. P. Dom.
Oar.,ii.,
the King and
Government
and
conformity to
principle. Dunton
{Li/'jand Errori, p. 204) :
bottom
of a title page
does
at
the
it '. The
name
sufficientlyrecommend
of Chiswell's publications given in the Qentleman's
Magazine, liv.,179, does

Jenkins,

lengthy apology
He
of
-130" (31).
is b hearty lover
the Church
of England is his avowed
Hi-

and

Plot

numerous

the

Curtis,

take

called

collaborator

Car., ii.,433 ((311). Council

us

list

could

obnoxious

promises
suing for grace, with
is something peculiarly mortifying
i

to

was

templated,
con-

officer of

no

be

the

moment

any

practical purposes, these

this famous
Company.

Weekly JJacquet fame,

nephew,

at

Crown,

rumoured

was

the

proscriptions

Larkins.

announced,

more

man

and

"

Chiswell, Dunton,

than

resistance

the
At

ment
Govern-

include

to

late

that

'

leading

In
October,
necessary.
that a thorough purge
was

body, enfeebled by the

like
prosecutions not only of men
and

this

connection

"

rebellious

'

in

hopelessness of expecting
the
on
general attack
corporations

of

in

of the

absence

The

in

obligation

no

was

piece

author

15th

Julian.

Phillips,the supposed writer of The King's Evidence Justifiedand some

other
stuff
the
of his
score
Whig
by the party upon
prized very much
the
that
been
feet
of
at
Milton'.
having
brought up
great Gamaliel, John
-

'J.

Heraclitus,p.

64.

A'alcot's Information

State Trials, ix.,449.

SIR

324

L'ESTRANGE

of old
expense
It has
been
Care.

at the

peril,and
like

Whig

writers

and

such

in

ROGER

'

ratted

'

*.

said

But

made

as

way

associates,of
he

that

had

ment
instru-

nearly

said

change

main

all

such

things,

of nature.

out

seem

the

balm

to
wounded
brought no
one
breast.
alarmed
he had been when
as
Nedham
Eoger L'Estrange was
became
in the same
His
eligiblefor Court favour.
way
revengeful spiritlies patent in the letter he addressed to
1683.
the Secretary, 25th October

The

rumours

application for

his

General

that

that

hope

I have

way
will

to

him

certainlyknow

I do

I will

and

honour

duty, I
obliged to

in

this,than

as

him

me.

pacification
Petition,that his

his
to

as

what

see

consideration

upon

reason

right with

offer that

to

to

thrown

of

sort

himself

set

AttorneyHonour,

some

answer

of

report he
what

of

he

to

of

my

to

this

hands.

their

to

your
Sir, Your

being,

make

very great discoveries,

it. And
besides (with

and

in

For

to

your
Professions

is

if

Honour,
and

Honour's

to

it

very

diverting
scruple

should

would

your
affec.

most

ministers

offer of
very
I will make
no

things, wherein

appearing in
many
transfer
an
importunity
answerable

examining him.
is privy to.

else

nobody

as

him

of

person) there
his Majesty's service, his

of

be

occasion

can

character

Council

learned

this office out

he

certainlyput

your
respect both

his

and

have

upon
L'Estrange and

to

to Mr

your
villain has

that

my
be

that

to

great

scandals

authority and
such
questions

this

ask

can

me

written

say.

Upon

'

certainly making

leave, I beseech

give concerning

has

be to go

would

is

Give

this

giving him

of

Pacquet)
I have

may
end

other

no

the

favour.

doing
he

of

all the

after
for

me

upon

it.

about

think

to

writer

(the

Care

'

not

obligation
obedient

Servant,
"

what

Upon
do

we

from

came

see

not

Save

Care's
it

that
2

"

was

P.

'

not

Bom.

but

know,

L'Estrange
Beljame,

Shadwell.
Defence

Care

terms

in

all for

the

ROGER

received

was

from

the

it is clear

Le

preface

belly'ssake

Public
to

'.

Car., ii.,434 (192)

abuse
that

et les Hommes

his Lex

'

L'ESTRANGE

Draconica

into the
which
his

de

2.

loyal camp,
publicly

still

lust

for revenge

But
Lettres,p. 220.
he protests

(1687);where

of

hand, and

his

lie at

having

'

It

it.

by

ruin

successful

to

by

managed

'The

desired

long

as

and

preference. As

for
now

"

that

and

than

more

dischartered

ever

repeated

their Trade

of

interest

he

so

nothing

himself

"

ago,

for

sedition

be

might

and, sooner
of things,was
contrary

old state

officer

Crown

said

had

he

of

seed-bed

this

see

which

Charter

new

L'Estrange,who

of

wishes

to the

1670.

believed),the

later (as he

or

in

that

as

of the steps to be taken

stalling
forethe Company
was

complete submission,

to

hypocritical pretence
proceeded to demand

same

that

Stationers, and

the

reduce

to

325

seemed

greater prey

lie heard

that

PLOT

HOUSE

this ', he

in

end

in October

was

the

with

other

no

and

Another

satisfied l.

not

was

RYE

THE

AND

PRESS

THE

State

the

of

are

diametricallyopposite for the worst books bring them most

of these affairs,
profit,and there is a mystery in the manage
that
and impose upon
which
will certainlymislead
any man,
all the secrets
of their
is not thoroughly acquainted with
"

'.

business

The

reasonable.

found
the

for

such

with

and

manner

afforded

Company

above

2.

I do

"200

well

may
the

which

year

shall be

as

him

year
be

Company

propose
to that

this

Press, and

his

not

office,
recommending myself
already of 20 years' standing,which

prospect of
any
though I have a Patent
the

allow

to

Crown

of the

upon

me

limitations

establishment, which
"5,000

enjoys by the bounty

constitutes

and

power

his

of

purpose
of
out

will

in order

them

be

may

to

own

keep

to

pleased to appoint a standing

Superintend the Company in such

Majesty

his

of

',he proceeds,

way

His

be this.
officer

'

short

The

'

sole

the

of

overseer

clear
I was
while
it was
so
as
never
Majesty knows
It is no
of that duty.
vanity
supported in the execution
for a gentleman
to pretend to any
extraordinary Faculty
of that qualityand, therefore (being sure
in an employment
II. 's

sort of peace
was
probably arranged.
reign, however, some
in his
Letter
Halifax's
Z'x
lo a
Dissenter, and
They
appeared against
far
Care
went
Draconica
beyond
L'Estrange's limits in publishing a list of
made
for Parker's
clear case
and
a
plea for
persecutions which
religious bonds
1

In

James

both

imperfections
reduced
'

to carry

reply to
-

From

him

and

low

his books
Halifax's

the

the

for

fury
a

man

after
tract

sec

Monopoly

of

circumstances,
of

him'.

his

For

story

the

and

capacity'.
in

in various

Church

"

ru

with

MSS.),

books, Bibles, etc.

of

himself

esteems

connection

H.M.C., 1th Rept. ( Pi

love

unhappy

Defoe

his

bottle,

unworthy
Roger's feeble

p. 5056.

the

betrayed and as
be betrayed by me) I take the

King

is

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

326

that

it will be

when

I shall

submit

that

of my
of Your

hard
have

to

else

anyone

which

much

"

Happily
advice.
the

Jenkins

But

less

real.

the

had

At

this

that

credit

and

the

finish

constant

fate

affec. Humble

Servant,

L'ESTRANGE

sufficient

the

'

reject this

to

sense

Stationers

moment,

readily

as

and

never

fears
my
do it and

can

the

been

ROGER

of the

reform

shall

a-going,I shall

reap
hitherto

obliged

he

speak

to

hand

the

may
has

endeavours, which
Honour's

freedom

find another
the

set

that

certain

now

to

was

Company

be

none

again

was

Oxford
over
by their perennial dispute
Jenkins
like Williamson, was
their monopoly
in Bibles.
Oxford.
other slight things
to
Among
closely attached
Dr
was
Wallis, who
delegated to plead Oxford's case, had
done
service
in correctly deciphering the
secret
spondence
corretraitors'2.
of the Whig
The matter
On
dragged on through the winter 1683-4.
the 23rd
March
the Stationers
1684
presented a petition to
the
their History
recounts
King, the preamble of which
and
Without
Privileges from the Incorporation by Mary.
in full, it may
be
said
quoting this lengthy document3
all appointthat
the veto
it asks the King to assume
on
ments
the
and
him
asks
to
confirm
appointments of
encumbered

the

with

present officers

Norton,

traditional

loyalty. The
appointed directlyby

be

Towse,

Clerk
the

and

and

the

Hills, all

inferior

In the

Crown.

men

officers

are

Charter

new

of
to

the

besought to insert such clauses,as will for all time

seditious
make
printing impossible. Finally an important
clause which
foreshadows
the Proprietary Act of Queen Anne,
1710, asks for the sole rightof entering copies in a book.
the
A
more
peroration it would
abject apology than
be impossible to conceive.
that lists of
One
result of this proscriptivemethod
was
for transmission
the loyal and
canvassed
to
disloyal were
the Secretary'sOffice.
There
is,for example, a paper dated
5th April 1686 subscribed
by three Stationers (evidentlythose
proscribed by the chief Stationers)presenting a list of the
King

is

present

assistants

'

October
1683, S.
lbul., 437 (101). The
Arber, Registers, i., 4-20.
i
3

llth

with
I'. Bom.

the

character

of those

Car., ii.,433 (65).

Stationers

Orders

were

that

exemplified

are

or

Ibid., 434 (74).

in

1684.

See

PRESS

THE
have

factious

been

'

their

THE

AND

which

to

have

we

PLOT

HOUSE

RYE

put

327

against

cross

names
.

Attorney-General no doubt
compromise. The degradation of a

rival

these

From

lists the

arranged a comfortable
great Society could go no further.
There
was
one
important official who
dimittis

months

few

after

had,

(or Stephens), the messenger,

Stevens

turned

'

saw,

we

as

a.

Charter

the

settlingof

the

his

received

had

Sheriffs'
of the
the
time
senselessly about
The
and
acted
Election
injuriously to the Government.
full of charges against this
Observators
of 1683
are
poor
the
when
in the
that
Whig
pursuit of Hunt,
as
man,
Hunt's
his time, informed
wife,
lawyer:;,he whiled
away

Whig

'

most

babbled

and

his

contested, as

He

Argyll'sbooks, and
timely warning
gave

any of the Faction

the coffee-houses.

when
in

that

clear

it became

Mayor's warrant
Obserrator, L'Estrange hunted
Howe,

persuaded by

out

bribe

of

20s.

danger
September
in

In
bent

ing
follow-

on

the

extirpation of

the

poor
declared that

to

seizure

the

was

was

to

bookseller,who

factious

Eobin

Lord

his

out

town4.

over

L'Estrange'sright to

saw,

we

of

1683, when

all

warrant

one

Stephens was
alone, despite

him

leave

wretch, John

warrant5.

his

renewed

The

the very month

Governor
Crown
year.

first

not

was

his

produce

'

patent
1684

December

out'.
lately turned
:t
L'Estrange and the pursuit
1684 (N. /'. Dom.
Oar., ii., 436

blind

the

resort

than

more

fury,

that

prove
the last

20

to

years'

(i.,323): 'Robt.

Stephens,

messenger

is

Press

Let

conspiracy'.

him

See

Jenkins, 18th January

the
is privy to
Hunt
Chambers.
Thompson's
Loyal

letter

(79)), 'without
friend

his

search

Hunt.

of

February 1683, says

1682,
Loyal InteUiginee, 1st March
20th

Jn;

of

"200

of

to

in

him

make

Car., ii.,437(129).

Luttrell, Diary, 19th

of the

and

newspaper,

ever-ready

S. J'. Dom.

in

in

on

came

was

the

of

Obserrator

to
asking Jenkins
Stationers
at
a
salary

he

when

the

here
and
there
L'Estrange wrote
to
destroy Stephens' credit, then

Obserrator

of

prosecution

that

to

doubt,

Lovel's
Hunt

has

fled

to

Holland.

See

also

the

for Steven's

character.

April 1683 (i.,323 and 325) : a rogue that

was
aocompted the very scandall of the Printing trade while he wrought among
for notes
How
this glavering fellow conic
against Care,
them.
often has
to
me
that would
1
him
instances
and
others
!
those
certainly
give
Curtis, Starkey,
4

See

Ob"

rvators

for 20th

and

reached

have
6

Howe

May 1685.
Liberty -"/

'em, but

the

'

23rd

devil-a-bit

ever

heard

of them

more

'.

despite his present treachery to be tried with Baxter,

of /,'-"
His case
is quoted by the author
Humbly Offeredfor the
Blount.
("has.
who
Unlicensed
was
(1693),
probably
Printing

had

the

L'Estrange himself
ii.,433 (149)). Such

honour

"

took
was

his

Information.

his notion

of

18th

justice.

October

16S3

(.b'.1\

Dom.

ROGER

SIR

328

L'ESTRANGE

spiteof all this Joanna

and the Observator
presented for a second
But while nothing came
of the Peace.
'

standing

Robin's

l.

fate

was

In

he had

that

one

lovers of virtue

true

disturber

Presentment,
he

1684

missed
dis-

was

will

triumphant

therefore,his conversion

sense,

as

of the

rejoice

at the Revolution.

gloriousresurrection

indicted,

was

time

December

In

sealed.

2,but all
to hear

Brome

In

not

was

so

senseless

as

here that
interest
to note
Fergusson's. It may be of some
'Popish Nat'
Thompson, Stephens' old employer in the
also his
of 1677, had
days before the Libels Committee
from
world.
dimittis
in November
1687
gaol to another

pilloryingin July 1682,

his

Since

his life had

half

been

Stephens' dismissal he
libel The
for a
committed
Home,
was
Prodigal's Return
denied
the King's supremacy3.
which
One department of literature,
constantlyunder L'Estrange's

spent in prison, and

the

at

of

time

the very vehicle of sedition,now

readers can
Modern
scarcely
presented itself for correction.
and

lash for twenty years

how

understand

and

long

the

ground with the printed

treatingParliamentery matters
what

then

was

this

L'Estrange had
the

Now
1

date
the

Penny

his letters

to

18th

October

1683

in

Secretary
was

and

connection

Observator

with

in

verse

in

on

no

the

on

Both

Howe.

his

show

Whig

news-

Jenkins, both of
former
deplores
great danger) of "20 for
the
to
that
of Hunt,
in a mean
light ; Howe's
to

The

Duchess

of

(150),see

also

the

Car., ii.,433

score

him

monopoly

of this kind.

of

race

new

was

Stephens

defames

attack
indecent
S. P. Lorn.

an

and
lawyer friend Chas. Hanse
Lorn.
Car., ii.,433 (151)).

his

forwards.

Roger

enabled

(S. P.
charges (evidentlythe

presentment,

crime

Post

hands

loyalMuddiman's

in the

even

in

bias towards

decided

days of
protestedagainst the immunity
; but

case

See
law

the

greater freedom

Its
it

gave
sedition.
In

called

the

not

was

sheet4.

contested

Newsletter

the
obstinately

Portsmouth

Dunton,

which

Life and

Errors, p. 220.

loyally '. At the time

trail"
The
of Jeffries.
the West
Rising he
II.
and
"50
Services
Charles
Press
annum
was
(Secret
qf
messenger's salary
per
Cam.
James
II.
Soc, 23rd January 1683),besides expenses.
8
The
Observator
(i.,325) in which
Luttrell, Diary, i., 176, 381 and 421.
his paper
is of some
importance for the History of the Press.
Roger defends
His
of May
down
1680, and so the
Stephens 'threw
Majesty's Proclamation
His

successor

was

Thos.

Monmouth

of the

Saywell,
journeyed

who

acted

'

more

in the

into

"

Bill

'.

found

was
4

See

chap,

Mr
v., 155.
of the
news

J. B.

Williams'

instructive

article

on

the

Newsbooks

Rev., April 1908) does not

Mr
treatment
their History to the present date.
bring down
Stanley Weyman's
of Mr Brome, the Newsletter
objection
writer,in Shrewsbury is not open to so much
See also Aubrey, Lives of Emiru tvt Mm
his portraitof Fergusson.
as
(ed. Clarke),
de
i., 15; North, Ekcamen, p. 133, and
Beljame, Lc Publicet et les Homme*
Liters
Times, Clarke, iii.,180; Lady
l.lje and
(1881), pp. 174-5; Wood,
has
Newdigate Newdegate's Cavalier and Puritan, introduction, pp. viii.-ix.,
is a collection of Extracts
Xersl, ii, ,-.
the
work
This
some
on
general remarks
and

letters

of

Restoration

(Eng.

Hist.

from

series

of Newsletters

in 19 folio vols, from

1675-1712.

failingtrade

commanded

were

Courant

that ' the coffeehouses

paper
ivritten
more
to take in no

Cotton's

from

learn

We

translated.

the

serves

Haarlem

the

letters, and

his

Blackhill

Mr

letters.

his

by
with

coffee-houses

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

330

last

summer

for Hancock's
shillingsand sixpence a week
of clerks are maintained
by
letter was
given. Many scores
letters'.
the Industry,and several of the Post Office clerks write
this
the incessant
When
remember
wrangles over
we
to
reason
think, had
we
question, the Government,
may
the
on
congratulate itself on being able to lay its hands
Three

'.

news

'

offenders.

chief

the

in

loyal L'Estrange'

'the

exile,the butt

miserable

was

To

claim

that

not

beginning

the

Charters.

may

we

contributed

of

'great

from

offence

Whitehall',

at

man

period

the

just returned
jeering wits and an

He

little.

had

he

of the

he

Now

nation.

the

chapter,

this

by

marked

enemies

At

seventy-two.

now

was

had

their

yield up

to

race

Government's

of the

this rout

to

and

other

each

the

in, when

set

now

turned
out
as
to be
schoolboys were
tumbling
the
loyal corporations were

and

bluecoats
very
little Tories,
over

great repressionhad

of

period

literaryadversaries, of
Johnson,
places
\ and
Care, Hunt, Phillips1,Hickeringill
him
altogether outside the pale of civilised letters and
of Mr
comrade
the true
him
Bayes.
makes
but

vindictive

his

of his

treatment

famous
1682
(modelled on Eachard's
Phillips'Speculum Crape-Govmorum,
dedicated
a
in
the
(1670),
the
Clergy
and
Occasions
Contempt of
Grounds
of
jwas described as 'by a guide to the Inferior Clergy.
letter to R. L. (Estrange)
Lives
Godwin's
See W.
of Edward
in Care's case,
Roger's wrath.
as
Hence,
second
time,
a
1690
after
'ratting'
In
John
and
Phillips (1815), p. 223.
II. and
Charles
Secret
his
in
History
of
L'Estrange
Phillips viciously attacked
the
with
buffoonery of
of R.
ridiculous
L'Estrange
II. : ' The
James
pen
his bantering acquirements'. Lives, p. 273.
2
gifted and voluble of the earlier
of All Saints, Colchester, the most
Rector
struck
fiercelyas
so
and
at nothing
himself
Erasmus,
on
Whig clergv, modelled
1

his

Imprimatur. Although
friend R. L ('Estrange)from
the

Reliearsal

E.

Gregory, Father
H.

Greybeard

1673, is described

as

'a

in

letter to

Reflexion

upon

of Marvell's
work, and
admiration
much
Transposed', it shows
I had
'.
the
Press
of
the
for
key
'keeping
attack on L'Estrange
that
might
open
all others, but
above
on
you
purpose
(R.L.)
you
'

in

him

written

an

to

Press-door

being
Truth

and

let

in

me

guided solely by
in the

marked

our

forehead

(pt.i.)made

matter

with

"

Imprfmaiw

R.

L. ".

The

honest

old

the
joins
not
the

booksellers

so
imbibed
a
prejudice against books
sale, have
His Naked
of
brand
be
Infamy'.
to
it
a
constraining
Libels Committee, 1677, while
Lords
for the
saw
we

the

at Doctors
Commons,
of his appearance
cause
with
him
brackets
Observator
The
Jeffries.
8th
June
1681,
'Julian
Like
'
see
his recantation
For
,
Marvell
and
p. 353.
Julian ' Johnson.
attacked
by L'Estrange, Hickeringill
Bagshawe, and others of the Whig Divines
See Roxbwrghe
of Albemarle.
the Duke
was
chaplain to a distinguishednobleman"

the

second

part of the
and

Ballads,

v.,

220-2.

same

the

was

furies

the
of

XI

CHAPTER

(1684-9)

WHIG

THE

DEBACLE

IT. 's reign, we

of
Charles
see
closing months
the
Government
a
as
spy on
L'Estrange in three characters
and
the rest
of Oates
conquered City, as the tracker-down
of Mr
their evidenceships ',and as the vehement
of
exposer
the
Trimmer
Whig Eevolt) in the Church.
(in other words
able to compare
In the first of these capacities,
are
we
the

In

"

'

with

lucubrations

fearful

his

reports of
reports, but who

less

the

nervous

does
not
sign his
City spy, who
probably Atterbury, the chief of this department.
imagination makes
'every bush
L'Estrange, whose

another
was

bear
after

acquiescence.
'

he

has

the

notion

of

information

'

of

men

honour,
the

at

be

timely

dark
other

nigh

makes

party
as

for the

these

of

minimise

not

the

Faction, but

the

moment

the

City advices
in

the

ffout

and

was

therefore

considerable

timed

Sidney.

of

case

portending damp

tremble
not

inveteracy

further

Whigs

had

to

prevent

The

writer

indebted

visits ',rather

for

than

his

personal

"

such

finds

of

to 'some

observation

the

that

see

clemency

from

sufferine

or

does

even

in

lay

hopes

writer

into

inevitable.

earliest

The
any

to

sense

the

accepted

"

task

Government's

his

other

The

sink

should

doubt

No

discoveries.

and

plots

the

the Government's

his and

generation'scontumacy,

sullen
'

that

conceive

',cannot

enemies

ever

all
in

of

consequences
recovered.

Their

and

noises

the

they

meanwhile
were.

are

doubt

331

spiritsof
that

resolution

interest, and

shapes

the

upon

he

diverse

cannot

but

desperation, if they
in tbe
being so much

this

them.

frightfulto
as

huffy
not

but

and

The

bold well-

thousands

of

SIR

332

letters
Duke

of

Monmouth's

Gazet

of

his

hath

to the

complained

in the

Duke

and

that
All

'

can

and

my

most

and

the

In

the

his Grace

how

it is to be

of it,that

King

news

retracted

Sydney is to be pardoned upon

of Monmouth's
clearing of his word to the King,
the witnesses are to be questioned.
I say the best I
people are inquisitiveand anxious.
that Col.

out

than

more

humble

Nov.

publication in

submission

is

enclosed

The

I know.

sure.

With

"

duty,
L'ESTRANGE2.

'ROGER
'

the

the

Gazet K

next

"'Theygive it
the

disclaiming

declaration

of

quarters with

all

into

sent

are

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

30th, 1683'.

February

of the

next

Roger

year,

the

continued

same

it to

include
querulous vigilance,extending
the
late
of
of the most
dangerous branch
Bristol,the scene
his
Sir John
old
retiring from
Knight was
plot, where
town
and
work
of harrying Quakers
Anabaptists. 'The
of itself, writes
L'Estrange,'is not right, and as it had
him
it is without
been what
not
(Knight), so neither will
anxious

and

it hold

when

it is

It

him.

without

is

that

known

the

magazine and I am
hath
declared that Knight and
not
that disappointedall their designs 3.
the men
Thompson were
of
confirmation
later Roger had
A
month
two
some
or
in the
the importance of Bristol
report of Holloway's
for their

Bristol

conspiratorsintended
if Rumsey
misinformed

'

capture

St

at

communicated
belief

that

his

the

in

Eustatia

to

report

was

the

evidently in
Secretary,

L'Estrangeto

My

forbear

heart

is

so

suggestingto

set

your

upon

the

growing habit of
degree of familiarity

some

here

"

Jenkins.
'

'

mediately
im-

That

news.

shows
which
tutoring Jenkins
in their relations,is observable

he

Indies, which

West

this

Honour,

thing,
that

8th

that

if this

Ap.
I

1684.

cannot

providence

i
it was.
See the Gazet under
As indeed
date, and Foxcroft's Life of Halifax,
i.,401-4 ; Burnet, ii.,406-8 with Mr Airy's note ; Sprat, Hist, of the Conspiracy,
Appendix, pp. 137-140; Ralph, i.,789.
a
S. P. Bom.
Car., ii.,434 (152).
:;
Richd.
The
Rev.
Thompson is
Ibid., 436 (225), 28th February 1684.
'
and
in 1680
the
was
Tantivy who incurred the displeasure of the Commons
Sec chap. ix. 260.
bracketed
with L'Estrange as 'fled ' in the letter from Scotland.
,
'

could

be

kept

DEBACLE

WHIG

THE

private

so

inkling of it beforehand,

that

as

333

good

some

should

Rumsey

that

men

have

no

know

both

well, are
strongly persuaded
Rumsey
very
from
the
be
a
gathered
siftingof
great light might
of many
towards
the making out
matter
things that
and

Holloway
that
this

in

the

given

for

hitherto

are
'

It is

'

the

upon
Of

reserve

the

dark.

Rumsey

himself

keeps

yet

l.

of

state

that

granted

the

in the

City

of

spring

1684

find

we

20th
The
advice, March
by side with an anonymous
well
All
suburbs.
in City as
low
as
Whigs are
very
2
constables
Sunday beset with
meetings being every
12th March
1684.
on
L'Estrange's fearful report to Jenkins
faces come
There
new
are
certainlya great many
lately
taken
to town, full and frequent meetings, and
some
persons

side

'

"

'

"

'

notice

that

of

of Cromwell's

one

brewer, and

bold

business

any

broken

as

"

have

to

Manly, the
Majors, Wildman,

mischief

here, but

understood

be

cannot

and

desperate

fellow.
'

There

ordinary. Perhaps a
diligentsearch in the
fields to take
make

two

or

abroad.
1

"S'.P.

is

late

he

whose

He

Spittal-

houses, might

has

has
lass

lodged
stirred

never

is, only

L'Estrange'searlier

and

in

communication

the
of this

Dom.

his
Car., ii.,437 (73),it maybe
It
is
the
ho
that
to
note
the
first
to
interesting
Secretary.
was
apprise
report
proposal that the
prepared Holloway's dying speech for the printer, the naive
bo made
should
West
Indies
an
asylum 'for all religious folks' being marked
14th
left out'.
in Roger's writing 'to be
on
Rumsey's
complaint to Jenkins
he
in
than
with
of
loaded
'had
been
he
was
more
that
guilty
Holloway's
May
ironic comment
on
L'Estrange's feverish desire to get Rumsey's
narrative' is an
latter
The
full evidence
was
probably the most
ingenuous
against Holloway.
the
seduced
He
of
few
of
the
one
by public motives.
conspirators, and

important

seizure

made

greater

he

no

incriminate

than

submission
one

any

by it. His
April, have a

4th

is dated

"

April, 8. P.

and

that

man

than

more

walkers

night

Moorfields
and

young
St.

what

knows

Car., ii.,437(91). As

Dom.

Vere

in

months

Nobody

what

of

walk

of

about

stables

There

discovery.

that

men

strict account

account

an

three

of

taken

is notice

with
he

the

the

verses"

9th

pathetic sincerity.
1

now

But
Nor
Of

But
2

S. P.

Dom.

was

an

prisoneram

death

of

of the

inveterate

suffer

'

fear

exception

to London

rhymster

Rumsey
"

written

come,

yet a friend to Rome

Rome's
adherents, Tories, Popish tools
Englishmen, the most besotted fools
friend betray.
I will no
not

afraid,

rather

not

choose

Car., ii.,437 (66).

to gang

up

Holborn

Nor

excuse.

may

wretched

way

'.

"

in

who

did

could

Newgate,

house
This

is visited

person

sometimes
the

longer.

unusual

An

reflect

which

leaves

his

of

the

seizure

of

two

or

and

coach

hours,

three

in

servants

only

There

is

something

exceeding busy
these three
days '.

brewing

back

report

particular

to

your
convenience

good

hands.
Sir

than

more

Nevil

and

other

no

ordinary.
Major Wildman2

and

and

forward, up

and

(of his letters)

rest

your
fall into

Cox, H.

Bernardeston, Dr

are

the

recommended

have

in his

seen

Holloway.

among

some

upon

I would

Sam.

constantly

week

is also

nerves

stand
with
self,and if it may
liking, I would
beg those may
'

thrice

or

clothes.

in man's

woman

stays commonly

He

attack

before

days
'

street'1.

next

few

like

twice

who

Wildman

by Major

looked

he

saying

was

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

334

down

within

Holloway and Armstrong created an 3

unparalleled dejection in the Faction, and a corresponding
The

relief in

Court

followed

was

the

circles.

well
in

the

that
Law

fates

of

the

Bernardiston
Carrel

and

the
Courts

the

to

have

been

one

the

on

it

did

and

take

not

flare

ready

be

to

coat

without

the

gown

sometimes

canonical

in

shy of
very
candle
he
hath
"

being

habits
noticed

and
"

converted

sometimes

insomuch

own

to

rebellion.

into

not arrested
S. P. Dom.
was
Car., ii.,437 (229). Why Wildman
Wildman
and
See
on
Macaulay
mystery as Fergusson's escape.
of
12th
L
iv.
earlier
information
of
See
also
an
'Estrange
History,chap.
1684
by speech and report
(Oar., ii., 436 (183)) of a Lodger 'who
goes

this

prophet

who

in
its

into

deeper

first occasion
were

libel

for

Scotchman,

was

way
have
possibly

could

convicted

deeper

time, many

same

which

Such

was

the Faction
year4, drove
brooding counsels, which
At

be

deceptive.
slightestmovement
to

which

calm

months'

three

"

computes

foretell,would

the

eagerly canvassed, as if it carried

those
trial
notably of
Party. Every new
Papillon,and the thirty-two writers whom

party construction,

the

But

understood

of Parties

state

another

or

of

executions

that

is

into

as

great

Danvers,

February
goes
in a
upon

for

black
the

exclamations, crying,
bringing
in late'.
and
look
"God
damn
what
do
Goes
out
at".
comes
early
ye
ye
Hallam
not
walk
too
late '. Of Wildman,
must
(Cons. Mist.,p. 464)
Truly, ' men
which
familiar
to the general reader, but
remarks
occurs
not very
name
a
:
petually
perand
restless spirits,who
dark
for almost
half a century
of those
one
Government'.
of conspiracy against every
delight in the deep game
8 The
of the
Gentleman's
vii.,203, raking up the evidence
Magazine (1742),,
'
and
Murder
L'Estrange)
Committee, 1689, says : they (Graham, Burton, Hanse,
evidence
become
offered
one
Cragg a pension of "100
quarterly, if he would
'.
against the E. of Macclesfield, Lord Delamere, and Major Wildman
s S. /'. Dom.
Car., ii.,437 (583).
4
Bohn's
Charles II. and James
II.,p. 184. See Stale Trials, x., 126-7, for a
servant's

"

'

'

note

to the

'

same

effect.

broken

out

into

there

Trimmers, as
party ready

that

on

abused

Whigs,

wealthier

the

1659,

in

Cavaliers

against the

been

Court

the
and

common

charged against

was

it had

as

them

meet

It

platform.
just

to

of

sagacious section

was

335

DEBACLE

WHIG

THE

weary
had
been

too purse
proud
conspiracy they
not
main
The
to move1.
body of dissentingclergy were
that
admitted
to
conspiracy, and already Fergusson the
of reproach
harvest
in for a
arch
coming
plotter was

that

late

the

in

"

"

from

the

the

trials in

Two

of his

element

sober

party.

own

the

of

interest

the

focussed

autumn

beyond their
best hopes. In the lirst of these
acquitted,and
Hayes was
in the more
important, Kosewell 2, the fanatic preacher, was
the second
and
counsel
both
allowed
on
day of the trial
that, as in Wakeman's
spoken so civillyto by the Bench
and
it was
interpreted as a signal from Whitehall
case,
nation, and

the

in

that

months,

the

of

confirmation

event

he

cheered

Faction

of

Charles

rumours

turning

was

the

II.'s

of

Duke

the

from

away

closing

York.
October

In
two

which

and

November,

important letters of
throw
some
light on

have

we

for

the

anonymous
the City in

example

alluded
to,
spy
these last months.
'

'

Since

I have

London

in

so

known

anything,I

in
wary
If 3 or

very

of their

little of
hath

Rosewell's

long

so

as

news,

knew

the

to

if two
shall

rest

the

Whigs

the

18th

is

how

away,

They yet
only arraigned
.

he

of their

more

walk

discourse.

because

case

time

October.

29th

managing their discourses and

afternoon
4 be together in an

Company.
the Exchange
talking of
upon
party join them, part of the
desirous
soever
they are to hear
say
and

never

or

one

November

for

his

trial.
'Nat

Thompson's

it is

say

wonder

commitment
he

should

is upon
the stage; they
be
committed
for printing

which
Popish books, and that there are Whiggish books
also printed, which
he hath
give the greatest offence, and
"fellowfor any field
it appearing that
he is a mercenary
that
1

pays
Bourne's

Fergusson
half

him

well.

Information, 6th July 1683 (8. /'. Dom. for., ii.,427 (223))
to be expected from
the rich old citizens,and
fore
therenothing was
he taken
must
dozen of them
and
out
houses
of their
hung on their
.second

said

sign-posts'.
2 State
Trials,x., 147, 23rd

October

1684.

that

observe

do

'

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

336

such

of

great number

are

as

little
have
and
of England men
outwardly good Church
this juncture speak more
at
of preciseness do
in them
the
than
plainly and resolutely against the Government
to espouse
is a mighty party that seems
There
Dissenters.
the

of

cause

which

happen

of

Observator

with

What

gout,

'

writer

had

who

"

of the

'

ridicule.

enable

may

Philips
"

have

from

of several

make

to

takes

proposed

had

contrivance

him

and

life

'One

to

the

to

the

papers

he

1684

November

privy

been

which

narratives

indication

of these

author

the

the

to

against whom

Trimmer,

Mr

questions to put

certain

Jenkins

an

dare

ones

reference

all his shafts of angry

home
dread, a wretched

approaching bereavement,
3rd
On
a
gloomier view.
to

have

Englishmen ',we

great

the

in

that

said

be

mighty party of
turning
was
now

rise of the

and

say the Court

'
in the face K

scarcely

Church

Good

Parliament

need

It
'

should

of Portsmouth

Duchess

the

unless

reconciled

be

never

They

die.

to

look

not

will

Russell, and

Lord

Essex, and

of

E.

all appearance
and
of York

in
Duke

the

late

the

great

is

dated

'

discovery 2.

"next communication

The

when

1685

3rd

February

was

creating incredible
"

dismal
from

one

of the

news

anxiety

in

all

him

seizure

King's fatal
parties.

duty of that
of yesterdaymorning's
Immediately upon the news
a
accident, there was
great stirringup and down,
confluence
a
to another, in the King's Bench, and
No

'Sir,
season.

we

for

is unseasonable

time

the

1684,
letter,26th November
Car., ii.,438 (203). See another
alluded
to, repeats his distrust
the writer
where
noting the issue of the two trials
them
for '.
he took
than
more
easily managed
of Whig
they are
calm, though
'.
the
of
King
more
reverently
On the 29th, They speak
There
is an
-i S.
Phillips,Milton's nephew.
J'. Dom.
Car., ii.,43S (213). John
the
Observator
(1682),by
Horse
Flesh
for
the
MS. note on
fly-leafof a pamphlet
' This
Writ by Mr
Phillips
T.D., B.P., Chaplain to the Inferior Clergy'sGuide.
Dom.

S. P.

'

'

the

poet

was

in

answer

silversmith

should

been

have

to several
and

as

silver '.

Observator
writer

'

of
his

old

to Mr

Prance.

Prance

This

they
by Sir
a great incendiary '.
of no
principles,
Like
Care, Settle, etc.,
Oates, 1680.

pretends

adds,
great parts, but

The

of
Roger L'Estrange, a man
Vindication
excellent
wrote
an
Phillips
he
ratted
most
shamefully, abusing
'

in relation

observations

the

'

made

These

comrades

brass

screws"

Observators

in

were

on
a
poem
Laid
Plot

when

writ

the

death

of

Open (1685),

Popish
Smith's
See Wm.
II.
Intriguesof
John
and
Philips (1815),pp. 204-8.
Lives
of Edward
Godwin's
quoted in Wm.
to
L'Estrange's noble
Don
of
(1687),
translation
Quixote
his
dedicated
Phillips
'
certing
all very disconwere
successful
These
rattings
friend, the E. of Yarmouth.
mind.
to Roger's vengeful
Charles

the

'

contracted

'

have

barred

myself the

all
effectually

and

Plot

itself and

Plot

until

was

I have

But

undertake

the

very
infinite

to

vision

Bedloe's

need

We

of my
life,and
there
But
was
which

work
and

Godfrey
I

so

order

to

in my

eye.

possibly
part

drawn

into

other
as
compass
admit.
debates
would
a

if I

but

can

and

Prance

I shall die in peace '.

the story of this pursuit

House,

follow

here

that

wanting
here

I have

since

cannot

still

narrow

as

at Somerset

not

some

to

tail, and

Cart's

and
variety of cross-purposes
old fellow, and
an
syllablemore, I am
foppery of
get through that solemn

one

live

time

life in

of Sir E.

the business

method,

clear

In

pilloryand

to finish the

calculated

have

by degrees, that the

the
lost ground.
I followed
followed Oates to the King's

it.

for

same

to

this, I
liberty,conversation,
that

lease

no

(The

moment

short, I found

Plot's master

had

I have

over,

sun,

of ease,
of humane

ridiculous.

Bar, the

Bench
was

it

the

the

From

comforts

the

in the

it,and

on't.

cheat

villainous

under

benefits

to make

But

this end.

spawning
things
neck

this

of

all

the

breaking

in

for

horror

Plot) from the very

above
ambition
an
hand

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

338

out

Oates and his legionarieshad denounced

days when
The account
L'Estrange to the Privy Council, October 1680.
from

the

wrangles

is

L'Estrange

is

incessant

their

of

But

Observators.

methods

describes

the

Down

October

to

the

used

he

Nat

Letters

from

gleaned

he
work.

Farwell

and

Prance'1, the

Miles

to

this

in

Thompson

the

when

strictlyaccurate

caution

and

1682, when

pilloriedfor

were

be

to

main

could
be
not
Godfrey murder
assailed with impunity, and
L'Estrange cunningly confined
of
himself to
hinting and slanting',to personal defamation
and

Plot

story of the

the

'

Prance

as

what

well

doubted

be

of the

that

Nat's

humble

denial

shoes'

suggested to
well pleased that

was

Chap,

humour
'

of

x.,
a

poem

'

The

304.

in the

Proclamations

Ten

Johnny (Dryden).
Porter.

Oh

no

That
!

He

'

of mine
I

him

"

worthy
person

worthy

the

cautious

corjms

vile

by

such

the

not

am

'

Hodf/e (L'Estrange). What,

Porte)\

that

popishly-affected

view

is

as

conveyed

Senates'

Godfrey's Life
himself

was

when

that

so

great

wipe his
L'Estrange,

Nat

should

in the

clownish

votes.

was

dead

'.

of

author

to

by the Papists sped.

he

is

It

nf Soni/s, el"\,agavnst Popery,1689

believe the Plot of varlet Oates ?

you
and
four

killed

too

on

of

(Uillniii'n

Sranul

knew

handling '.

learning
who

'

bear

that

prudence

He

man.

would

follower

as

Plot

and

was

Oates

assertion

popular
is

Observator

the

of the

part

scarcelyto
occasion

and

tradesman

"

be

experimented
his

shoot

might

had

winter

the

how

blow

'

the

at

far

he

bolder

the

could

course

previous

Plot ',but

is till after

loyal,that
any

the

Shammed

Shammer

shrewd

that

1682,

show

public trial l, to

juries were

of

election

339

bolts.

own

also been

till the

not

in

on

publicationof

The

DEBACLE

WHIG

THE

it

was

Sheriffs
be

taken.

in the
Conspiracy effected an alteration
Eye House
It may
be remembered
goading policy of the Observator.
made
to
that in September following a great attempt was
understand
the
forces
that
close down
can
journal. We
these
behind
attempts to get it closed with the ordinary
The
Faction
still stood
by
fry of small Whig newspapers.
Doctor
2. To
half repudiated the
the Plot, though it had
it going to piecesunder the skilful prodding of L'Estrange
see
As a sample of his
could submit
to.
than
nature
more
was
The

'

'

'

'

fleeringsarcasms

dialogue which
four days before

in

appears

the

maddened

which

the

Observator

12th

of
letter

Stephen's threatening

the

Faction, take

April

"

and

boasted

warrant.
'

"

Trimmer.
Observator.

it 40

done

have

times

continued

The

the

raised

attacks

animosities,

etc.

Government

would

of

the

State,

and

hue

and

of

seat

Justice, though

hope,

miss-

to

for another.

man

which

cry
into a

'I call

it

the

sweeping
little

is

formalities

trial with
the

of

Press
of

away

doubt

respect

Court

were

that

to

the

ancient

up

Roger make

seen

these

poor

nation, kept

the

gladly have

the

one

'.

there

Trial*,viii.,1381-4.

do

himself,

increasing audacity of

rain

And

take

to

myself

Messenger tried to direct

embroiled
journal which

allowed

not

or

believes

be

man

may
to recollect,and

and

remember

he

Wheresoever

"

him, but

believe

Oates

Briefly,d'ye believe

"

the

an

the

end,

saeredness

interrupted, and

with
affronted
and
such clamours
insults from
the
dignity of the Tribunal
might honestly enough at a distance have taken it for a bearrabble, that a man
had
also
Nat
his mercenary
dirge, 'That
baiting '. Hist. '"'' Tim*
p. 234.
of Trade,
done,
done
which
made
was
was
notwithstanding I was
by way
a
he fairly
ever
yet (before myself) being prosecuted when
precedent no Printer
Xat
had
he.-inl of Michael
never
Sparkes, bookseller, and
produced his author'.
'The
tried in the fairest manner
Wm.
men
were
Prynne, author.
possible'. v
Pollock
Air
[Popish Plot, p. 102). Sir Jas. Stephen {Hist.
Law,
conclu-i" in "f " todfrey's
to the same
murder
and
Prance's
i., 193) came
guilt. But
the

"

of Pollock {The Popish Plot and

Father Gerard's examination
where
it was.
much
1903) leaves the mystery very
-

Kountainhall,
to

came

not

their

secret-

be
'.

its N

Historical Observes (1840),p. 102:

Some
wondered
in the new
Plot, but
they durst not trust

named

'

Historian,
how
him

Oates
with

SIR

340
and
a

achieve

so

ROGER

silence

that

despotic Government
This

failure

cruel

laceration

fatal

to

the

L'ESTRANGE
of

the

Press,

grateful to

so

in

October

of

what

Oates

1683
remained

tribe.

stop the

to

From

of

the

the

new

'

Ohservator's
'

evidence

was

disposition of

parties L'Estrange could now

boldly proceed to the direct
charges of perjury,and work up by way of an agitationfor a
Melius
Inquirendum to the Bar of the King's Bench.
There
no
were
more
'good sheriffs and good juries',
there was
no
Whig paper to reply,there was
no
thought of
had
a
Parliament, though three years
elapsed since the
Oxford

The

Parliament.

veil

of

and

sarcasm

allusion

was

dropped.
The
in

short

February

L'Estrange to
taken

and

final

stage in this long campaign

1684.

We

Jenkins

which

which

become,

to

and

resulted

though

have

in

fortunately
clearlyindicates

our

author's

partisan, yet

letter

the

being in
well

began
from

lead
a

to be

position
Plot

equipped

historian 2.

Roger L'Estrange to Jenkins 3.

'

'

Right

writers

that

Hon.,
were

I have

"

laid out

employed by

old

several

Tonge

28"A

Feb. 1684.

to
ways
and Oates

find
to

them, and being upon this quest, I am told a box

delivered
about
Tonge's papers and draughts that was
since (more or less)to Major Oglethorpe and
brought
from
before the King and Council
; the
person
he had
whence
examined
them, and that
they came
for

the

matter
'

If

this

the

copy
of old

year
afterwards

whom
there

rested i.
information

be

true, and

the

papers

of such

quality as I am given to understand, I persuade myself some

of them
good use might be made
if no such box and
; and
of his Journal.
(1) His ancient
interesting to note L'Estrange's defence
but
Observator is not a newspaper
a
15th
news
August 1663.
(2) The
of May
1680, referred
only to
(3) The King's Proclamation
bi-weekly pamphlet.
pamphlets of news.
2 This
TM r Pollock
should
not be lost sight of.
(Op. fit.)is perhaps too inclined
to do what
Sir G. Sitwell
(Introduction to First Whig) rightly deprecated, viz. :
Whilst
he makes
brush aside
use
L'Estrange according as it is convenient.
or
of the
important
some
use
History of the Times, he refers little to the more
invaluable
of Plot-scepticism.
which
as
are
showing the evolution
Observators,
8 S. J'. Bom.
Car., ii.,436(227).
4
JI.M.G. l\th
his brother's papers,
20th December
1679, Capt. Tonge secures
Repl. A pp. ii.,p. 148.
1

Patent

It is

for

were
papers
that mistake.

possiblymake

delivered, I could

so

importune
affair turns.

courtly letter achieved

L'Estrange describes the contents
A trunk
taken
at Colledge's house
'

the number

anti-Christ, and

according
'.

from

write

the

him, and

the

we

ever

Irish

of

told.

uncritical

English

included

in

five Windsor

the

wicked

or

clerks

40

and

were

But

the

able
distinguish-

as

of above

paying

in

'.

saw

discharges")

passed the

had

I found

'

not

are

and

particularlyseveral

',he adds, is
the

chemistry,
abundance

of minutes

that

expenses

"

which

'

I hold

(" of which
dirty scraps

letters

that

receiptsfor

the
for

hand

of

were

confusion

circumstance

character

witnesses
"

others

among
with

Doctor's

other

any

Whether
to

The

'

the

to

in

beast, snaps

times, dates, places, and

of

passages
narrative

question l.
(where Tonge died) after
box

of the

of the

politicalspeculations. But
of dirty fragments of papers
memorials

elsewhere

the

in

contained

object, and

its

'.

Justices
of several
presence
of
calculations
whimsies
of projects,

execution, attested
Peace

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

This

the

of

use

"

'

of

some

may
appear
effectuallyit is, in

his

341

to your
Honour, than
slightermatter
fit for me
to
regard that it is not
the whole
with the particulars,whereupon
you
humble
With
most
duty,
my

This

'

DEBACLE

WHIG

THE

eyes

of

L'Estrange, and so probably

did the paper from Tonge of 29th
April 1679 urging on the
King the utter extirpationof the Catholic priests,to which,
2.
great dislike
says Roger, the King showed
Sir Win.

Jones

lay before

now

"

"

be

It would
do

to

unnatural

nothing

first volume

of the

for

Obscrvators

from

the

and

from

latter in the
Oates

on

blood

form

of

preparations
publicationof the

The
26th

from
a

of these

victims

self-defence.

in

Posterity
preface,drew

To

the

'

April

both

printed appeal

and

Oates

the

to
Postscript

to

the

with

1684

the

Prance,

Observatory
the

and

King

Primate.

perhaps, in appealing to the

whispered
Archbishop against L'Estrange, for already it was
with
that Eoger had lost much
the
Church, since the
ground
There

Set hi^
ton

'Great
-

was

11 tutor

some

MSB.,

discoveries

sense,

of //if Times
ll.M.c.

(1687),ohap. viii. See

Rqpt., p. 172.

IQth

NewtA

tter in

September
Tonge's papers'.

of Dr
expected to be made
L'Estrange, History of the Times, pt. ii., ch.

also, p. 271.

also
29th

viii., 110.

See

the

lt"81

Exarrun

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

342

(and Oxford) guineas, by the already

started attacks on certain estimable
Trimming divines. As
Tracts 1 it
the appeal to the King is printed in the Somer's
be better to quote here the petitionto Sancroft,especially
may
touches
Titus skilfully
the one
as
topic which could hope for
of the

days

Cambridge

response.

Sancroft 2.

Oates to

Titus

l\bth
'

My

Lord,

I have

Be

"

Jenkins

Mr

to

1684.

tion
that for my vindica3,and in my letter have

understand

pleasedto

written

March

King's most excellent Majesty, and

the
Lords
of the
to
Roger
Privy Council, against one
L'Estrange who, in several of his pamphlets called the
Observators, and other seditious pamphlets, hath vilified the
discovery of the Popish Plot, and in that I humbly conceive
he doth arraignand reflect on the justiceof the Government,
bishop
and God
haviDg called you to the great office of an Archand
Privy Councillor, I thought my application to
enclosed

Grace

your

the

petitionto

would

had

I may
the
from

who

neither

not

lay before

thought

said

all

be

your

L'Estrange

fear God

therefore
I
and
unproper,
I have
the hard usage
Grace
and
his confederate
villains,

reverence

nor

did
hath not forgot that four Parliaments
suppose
and individuals
the examination, both of witnesses

Popish Conspiracy. I was

that villainyand received

the

in

detect
and

the

Lords

in Parliament,

piece of service

your
should
be conferred

the

to the

justiceand
justiceupon the

it

thanks

upon

concerned

appeared to

of the

Council

such
upon
of opinion that some
looked

was

was

upon

truth

benefits of
in

is bound

Government

and

the

first that

enter

me

4, but I

was

not

interest '.

thinking of my own
(After reference
think

Grace

that

of favour

mark

and

the

Grace

Your

man.

to

maintain

reflections

of

so

honour

their
vile

good conscience)

and

'

conscience

proceedings and
fellow as L'Estrange

own

'The
Scott's introduction
now
:
passed
days were
than
worse
plotting
so
high that " 'Twas
public was
by Sir Roger L'Estrange,
to suspect the plot". The
Tory pamphleteers headed
the
with
evidence
the
assailed
their
the
of
disgraced
now
party,
Coryphaeus
brass
of Oates
utmost
fury both of raillery and invective, but the monumental
was
altogether impenetrable '.
Rawl. MSS., C. 739 (117).
8 Also
in Somers'
Tracts,viii.,380.
4
he (Oatos)received several kindnesses
Sitwell,Op. cit.,p. 44: 'At Lambeth
from
the Archbishop '. In his great days of course.
1

Vol.

378.
viii.,

Oates'

when

credit

Sir Walter

with

the

THE

hath

for

Secretaries
.

in those

he

that

two

or

be

to

appears

so

'

one

both

or

I dare

of his

for my

not

is

of
law

will

be

give

must

testimony

be

must

for

L'Estrange

need

no

Lord)

(my

in need

that there

pretends in

one

Majesty's

soul

believe

the whole

particular.

by
religion established
Observator
Roger's penny
Bishops have given such
powers

from

Church

stands

that

He

agreement of his falling

upon

the

Certainly the

343

pamphlets.

leave

in that

Government

his

doing, which

togetherwith

DEBACLE

WHIG

in

sad

supporter

dition
con-

the

if

contemptible

very

it life.

am

sure

of themselves

of this scurrilous

and

and

our

their

scandalous

authority and reputation. Are Clergymen

be judged by the Popish Party to be men
of little
to
understanding, if they stand in need of him to be their guide ;
considerable
hath he not fallen upon
the most
of the clergy
that do not
stand
in need
of his push to
of the City,men
of the community ?
for the work
equip them

pen

to maintain

their

'

(Here

hath

Grace

your

left to

be

to

not

prays

which

service
and

he

the

formerly

'

oppressor
owned
in

for

the

Council

Parliament').
"T. OATES'.

But

could

power

no

Luttrell

honest

hotly

Mr

by

High

Treason

indicted

about

20th

Mr

sessions

'

June

that

Not

that

charge

Prance's

Vindication*

cringingrespect and
to

the

malice.

Observator,and

marks

was

showed

tide.
i

Luttrell,Diary, i.,311.
So

Historti of the Times, chap, vi.,S9-90,

Printed

It has

that
been

informations

L'Estrange, of
he

would
with
added

now

dwelt

be
the
the
with

Oates

and

the

Plot,

of
in

the

old

mingling of
It is a considerable
compliment
the
in
the
turn
clearly
popular
a

curious

if

as

So

content

contradictions,the Observator
Oates

'

pro-Turk, and
the alleged rivalrybetween
on
mocking humour
be the first discoverer
Tonge as to who should
men
a
rivalry said to have separated the two
"Whitehall
days-.
spacious

curious

daily

are

Justice

l.

Observator, far

revenge.

there

Oates, and

Mr

next

of

that
and

the

issued

now

on

say

town

against
the

was

moment

Guise

Justice

and

the

able to

was

thereon

old scandals

lose

to

discoursed

taken

attack,

the

moderating
L'Estrange feared
from

Titus, and

save

by Janeway,

1684.

'

',he says,

daily conversation

My

that

man

no

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

344

into

comes

'

is

but

company,

my

spiesand
presently in

with

is beset

out to the
danger of being exposed as a fanatic, and marked
fury of the rabble and destruction of his fortune and family.
all the satisfaction
I thought it high time to give the world
Mr
between
L'Estrange and myself,
of the truth of the case

that
in

sheets

numerous

from) x
the charge '.

Wegg,
L'Estrange is

'So

great

for them

just standard

into

drops

to

take

as

well

poetry.

mysteries of

the

in

master

defence

the

his

values

much

Observator

here

Prance

Histories

shall write

as

cognisanceof

have

may

Mr

Like

the

as

upon

measures
as

such

of this age and

all persons
the next
(which I find our

buffoonery-fooling,
joined with a vast ill-nature
qualifiedfor lies as well as satyr
Observator'.
an
May easilycommence
little wit

A
'

continues

He

And

to

deplore

with

contest

of

gentleman

'a

high in popular
and
invention
of so large an
esteem
taking expressions,and
do I forget
have
the last word ; nor
will be sure
to
who
is now
his character
qualifiedas magistrate, but truth is
in the coarser
truth
language of a silversmith'2.
even
the

and

Church

adds,
hypocritically

repine
1,000 guineas. I
do

appeal

The

Mr

services

'Whatever

nor

reputed loyalty, so

abilities,and

known

to

'

his

at

shall

Posterity is

L.

R.

ment
Govern-

the

done

has

Faction
', Prance
against the
cordially applaud and thank him,
Year's
gifts of
presents and New
never

almost

feature"

growing

man's

any

envy

obsession"

an

of

the

age,

fat
and

(Life (1G96), iii., 187)

will have
to use
L'Estrange's pamphlets"
deplores the fact that the Historian
'Many of the malignant clergy and Laity and especially the Observator do with
confess
notorious
falsehoods, that I must
publish the most
so
great confidence
'.
nature
of most
esteem
History and of human
it hath
greatly depressed my
the
same
general
charges
Carte, Life of Ormonde, Introduction, pp. ix.-xi.,making
on
bestows
the
Baxter,
of that
same
compliment
age,
against the historians
So
Burnet.
L'Estrange is constantly thinking of
of being utterly credulous.
these
hence
will unearth
who
150 years
pamphlets in Bodley's
some
person
nowhere

marked

more

than

in

Baxter

So

L'Estrange.

library.
Prance

in his
that

always pretended

to be

by

overcome

L'Estrange a Papist (February 1682), pp.

have

to school

gone

read

and

Latin

and

Greek

of

sense

20-1

'There

well

as

as

Roger's learning. So
in England
be men
he '.

After

reference

and
great
quaint
pen
all
and
knows
the
similes
excellent
at
lie
is
a
laconique style.
He
is a great scholar, being taught by his father,
tn
and
of Rhetoric.
figures
ipes
book in his sleep'.
make
a
is so used
and
to writing and scribbling that he can

to the

'

writes

in

quips

and

brief

taunts

of

and

fluent

'

'

"

He

is

orator

Guise, etc.1. When

Jeffries

with

witnesses

to

considerable
'

had

other

'most

character

'.

the

to

seven

of

charges
got together

twenty-two

the

honour

May, Oates appeared before

that
found
perjury, it was
the
men
help of these gentlethe first charge, and
forty-

8th

the

on

two

on

had

Roger

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

346

them

of

take

to

of

persons

their

very

myself

informations

this
right upon
duty to do them
above
the
in saying (over and
occasion
quality of the
to be tenderer
or
impossible for men
persons) that it was
2.
they swore
scrupulously cautious in what
more
Withans
On the 26th May Justice
pronounced the brutal
not
sentence.
present at the whipping3.
L'Estrange was

and

it

reckon

my

'

'

the

For

of the

honour

criminal

'
it must
says,
last'4.
to the

',he

not

be

forgotten that he stood his ground

noteworthy than that the whole business
Nothing is more
down
to the preparationsfor
of this signal revenge,
even
been
left to the important
to have
the public trial, seems
old, 'plot-learned'
Knight5.
1

(Portraidareof King

Oates

James

II.,i.,183) complains

that

this

prosecution

dead.
He
talks of
were
forced on after all his witnesses
perjured witnesses
was
him
Bench.
It
cost
the
in
then
(Jas. II.)
King's
and four lambskin
sitting
rogues
Old Hodge (L'Estrange)
dear, being "3037, 9s. 6d. besides the subornation
money
'

FGCGIVCQ

See Gerard's
Popish Plot
L'Estrange, History of the Times (1687),pp. 151-2.
Trimmer
Proved
The
(1684),
Observator
Historian
a
(1903),p. 19.
the fact
From
the Plot.
the
various
attacks
of
account
on
a
3-9,
gives
good
pp.
Oates
trial in May
the
"1,800 for his
Hause
that
1685) received
(who directed
but
trial
cost
Commissioners,
"15
while
Russell's
(Keni/on MSS., licports,
services,
able to get together his forty -seven
judge how L'Estrange was
34, p. 264), we can
1227.
State Trials,x., 1079 and
considerable
character'.
of a very
witnesses
'
but
I was
:)
house
He
called at my
(in Holborn)
Observator,27th May 1685 :
2

its Newest

and

'

not

'.

at home
4

History of

Times,

the

p. 152.

Family (1551-1699), three of his

about
letters
display the extraordinary
to
Lady Yarmouth
The
first dated
30th
of
his
business.
January 1684-5 (Add. MSS., 36988,
pressure
takes
hand
The
Press
of Otes' business
f. 237) says :
up
lying wholly upon
my
and
of my
moment
time, in some
respect or other what with attendances
every
the
11th
On
for ten
And
this will certainly hold
days'.
enformations.
me
pensable
indisof
The
f.
he
writes
MSS.
hurry
296) :
27448,
present
my
(Add.
February
that I can
and
without
slave
moment
absolute
one
affairs keeps me
an
I have
no
till next
place
call my
cut
out
Wednesday.
own.
My hours are
Between
offices of Justice, duty and
most
for the
good manners'.
necessary
service
some
trial and his sentence, 16th
Oates'
May 1685, Roger is engaged upon
at
hand
under
matter
I have
present
for his noble
a
correspondent, but
my
the King ; it being upon
a subject
which
I must
despatch before I can wait upon
5

We

have

in the

Correspondenceof

the Paston

this

time

which

'

'

...

'

that

immediately

the

point

of

relates

haste'

to

his

Majesty's service, and which

27448, f. 306). There

(Add. MSS.,

this
his hands.
To
also on
long
the
be traced
neglect of his young
See

chap, xii.,370.

continued

wife, and

absorption
her

solace

likewise

presses
was

in
at

Baxter's
State
the

upon

business

affairs

gaming

may
table,

THE

The

way
of James

months

first eighteen

the

During

clear

left the

Oates

of

punishment

347

DEBACLE

WHIG

Prance.

to

II.'s

reign, our

great diligence,
ltoyal
in the
the
all
characters
practically
calling before himself
still alive, including the jurymen
Godfrey tragedy who were
those
of the Coroner's
people especially
Inquest, and
whose
evidence
was
formerly refused or ignored. His
lie completed before us in the History of the Times,
labours
it may
of which
broadly be said that it disproves the
Bedloe-Prance
theory of the tragedy,but that the theory
to
Letters
substituted
substantially the theory of the
Nat
set
MUcs
Pro. ace, which
Thompson and Farwell in the
is still utterly conjectural. To
1682
pillory in October
his

used

author

with

commission

"

"

discredit

witnesses) had

each

seen

never

to

"

good

by Shaftesbury's
of

Prance

before

in

follow

to

who

under

Waller,

Wm.

was

(the only
they met in

before

that

and

recovery,

by Bedloe,
appeared'.

story told

the

after

"

creatures

1678,

December

Sir

it

view,

Prance

other

that

Lobby of the House,

Shaftesbury, helped Bedloe

the

Prance

and

Bedloe

that

show

to

necessary

assassination

House

Somerset

the

failure

recognise

to

Prance

lessoned

was

gaol, in those critical days

points of
faithfullythe main
'shot his bolt so long
had
then

Even

there

notable

were

As to the torture
alleged
discrepanciesin the two versions.
Dr
been
Cellier to have
Lloyd,
applied to Prance,
by Mrs
had
the
who
of St Asaph's,
Dean
seen
prisoner shortly after,
for L'Estrange an
became
Despite
important witness.
now
his
at Godfrey's funeral,
sermon
some
believingpassages in
it now
appeared that he had always suspected Prance's
hinted
torture
evidence1, and
though avoiding the word
at a very
rigorous treatment.
had
These
two
points established, the inquest which
murdered
that Godfrey 'was
in 1678
declared
by divers
called
be
to
L'Estrange's Bar.
unknown
persons',must
the

Here

for either
caused

change

these

of conviction
men,

merry

and

modify their impressions

to

'

never

it'.

support

saw

how

Lloyd

to

evidence

Prance's

as

Bedloe's

'mere

or

fiction

Lessoning.

'

Gerard

amazing

of his

dread

'

from

could

upon

the

stand,
ciuoted

and

never

'it

thing is Lloyd's

was

about

went

to

Timet, p. 85.

//

Pollock, pp. 22-3.

'

name

Cowper,

when

time

The

former

pp. SI -4) of
change of front.

Roger's story (History oj Times,

The

material,

malleable

very
the

especially Coroner

L'Estrange, April 1686,

Pollock, Popish Plot, p. 103, and

and

had

Commissioner

Eoyal

misses
dis-

France's

SIR

348

effectuallythe
disbelieve

or

To

of

test

the

the

collateral

morning

Primrose

to

Protestant

or

Papist

believe

to

story'.
'

on

L'ESTRANGE

get together 40

Godfrey
way

ROGER

Hill

'

witnesses

to

that

prove

of his

disappearance enquired the

four
found
(where he was
days

later)and to prove that the chief witnesses had been prevented

the
of
and
his
creatures
menaces
Shaftesbury
by
from
their
evidence
excluded
were
giving
freely, or
the
to
altogether,and
lay down
proposition (the bare
hint
of which
before
had
four
to
proved ruinous
years
desired
to
Thompson and Farwell) that Godfrey's brothers
avoid a verdict
of felo de se in order
the estate,
to
secure
and
therefore
entered
passionately into the Shaftesbury
the objects of L'Estrange's enquiry, and
plan these were
of the modern
historian1, the last
putting aside the work
effort to solve the enigma.
the
a
Godfrey's melancholy was
capital point towards
verdict
To
this end
L'Estrange desired.
Harry Moore,
had
withdrawn
himself
into the inaccessib
Godfrey's clerk, who
Isle of Ely, was
be got at.
A
letter from
to
L'Estrange to his friend and fellow-sufferer of the Plot-years
"

iSTalson 2, elicited

Dr
than

faint

after he

It is

sparingly

little

corroboration
taken

had

his

of

Oatei

the

from

more

the

master's

'

ancient
black

Moore

humours

',

Information.

singular that though his History finds a place

used
by historians.
Macaulay scarcely mentions

in indexes

it has

it.

Pollock

Mr

been

so

makes

Marks
killed Godfrey t
A.
( Who
of Pollock.
attempted refutation
When
that
remember
for the
we
L'Estrange had
really a Royal Commission
and
a
was
well-equipped
violently
really
partisan)
historian,
(though
purpose
'
been
to
his
work
Bad
greater reference
might have
expected.
testimony,
use

of

(1905), p. 76)

little

makes

some

assertions

it.

On

the

insinuations',

and

this view
on
necessary
Prance
confession
of

hand

other

chief support

it the

Mr

of

his

Pollock's

is .Mr

verdict

""n

the

History.

It

is not

Prance's

that
the
guilt to assume
L'Estrange concocted
7th January
1688 (p. 349). Though
admitting that 'the
be regarded with
Depositions collected
b}'L'Estrange must
suspicion and even
that
not above
is scarcely prepared to
one
L'Estrange was
falsifyingevidence
Sitwell (First Whig, p. -10)takes
the
'melancholy' explanation
go this length.
of Gtodfrey'sfate, which
Behn
celebrated
in congratulatory
L'Estrange developed and Mrs
of

'

'

'

verse.

'By

you
Which

The
Thro'

Poem
-"

to

Sir

See

Roger
letter

the

fatal

riddle

was

revealed

had
kept concealed,
trace
melancholy self-murtherer
you
his Death-searching paths to the fatal place'.

Hell's

dark

malice

Estrange, licensed

from

L'Estrange

to

C. 739 (124)),concerning his commission.

long

by R. Midgely,

Nalson, 2nd

22nd

October

April 16S8.
1684

(Raid. MSS.}

DEBACLE

WHIG

THE

349

testimony of an oilman, Joseph Kadcliffe, who

with
had been
Godfrey at a Vestry-meeting on the Friday
night before the disappearance, Eoger placed great importance.
late
the
credit
due
these
But
to
Depositions is
measured
Eadcliffe's description
by the difference between
humour
and
of Godfrey's pleasant,good, even
of
temper
of Godfrey's settlingup
1678, and his present evidence
his
earthly affairs after the Vestry, and going into the
of his weekly dole of 10s. in bread
to the poor l.
accounts
Such
in effect was
the
to
L'Estrange's contribution
powerfully mingled with
Godfrey mystery, too
party
in disentanglingthat
affair.
use
passion to be of much
The
had
main
actors
disappeared, and it was
only too
that this parade of enquiry was
conducted
more
apparent
than
from
for the undoing of the remaining evidence
a
passion for abstract justice2.
It is interesting,however, to learn that
though these
almost
convictions, Prance
depositions resulted in no new
the

On

'

'

from

his

death

L'Estrange's seven
entirelymoved
and

should

plate

by

very

be
of

better

than

now

reference

Oates'

in

the

Commons'

the

Dissenters

and

that

were

at least

to 4th
{Postscript
Mr

After

able

vol.

L'Estrange).
which

secrets

will

of

latest
be

all the

ever

murder

'

such

to young

to

the
in

the

whipping part
Text

Tonge's avowals

cannot

in

of
be

the

Cibber's

verdict

of

Sir

his

similar

with

positiou.

Church,

Marks

{Who

billed

admits

that

He

that

L'Estrange's

terror

(Lit

B. (iodfroy is
hearts of all men

sentence,

of

'.

Plot, and

to establish
to

received

Mr

is the

to

excused

favour

his

of

'

name

this.

pt. iii.,pp. 26-7. Prance

1688.
On
15th June
168(5, at the King's Bench,
charge of perjury against Green, l!crry,and Hill.
was

that

their attention

contends

referred

sphere

the

on

information

discounts

bo, till the

remain

in

1G81

but

Prance's

attempt
inclined

'

the

to

third

remembered

tonight'.
this

drawback,

fear.

to

some

'.

Sancroft
the

trade

my

Oates

clergyturned

somewhat
Observaior)

will

'After

from

bought

attack

an

business
deal

serious

free

Pollock's

refutation,one

good

me

to

be

may

as

the

settle all my

to

was

January

of

that moment

from

Godfrey? pp. 78-84) makes

the
lapse of six years is
witnesses

was

of death

and
for

appeal

construed

were

resolved

am

final

told

it was,

It

Resolutions

said

transition

City Clergy, offers an

easy
activities.
L'Estrange's

fear

"

now

ever

of

'

and

open

springs

whereof

himself, part

me

The

an

justify

to

respected tradesman,

natural

Shaftesbury ',he

Lord

My

labours, by
once

man,
two

last

at

grace

of trade.

loss
'

the

years

This

confession.

had

bed

Sta
ilis

of

one

laid open

those

'.

L'Estrange,17th January

Prance

much

"

perhaps
are

Gerard's

Father

oj Poets (1753)

pleaded guilty to

trials,
vii.,

confession
more

credit

to

228.

lie

L'Estrange

than

attaches

to

ROGER

SIR

350

L'ESTRANGE

persecution,followingtherein
inferior

the

to

enthroned,
few

the

aided

given
recent

spectacle of

which

exceeds

the

of

tribuuitian

arts

Sydney

little

Locke

Even

consumed

which

work

extended
the

to

field

whole

be

could

him

cost

his

in

time

civil

life, are

of those

temper

of

to write

induced

times.

trouncing

Fifth

the

principleof

the

fiction

vulgar credulity'1.

valuable

some

by the

'

of

reply to this work, which

acquainted with the ideas and

effect

the

conceive

'

ordinary bounds
that

first time

clergy,excited
exploiting

MS.

the

the

wonder

who

Those

minds
'

for the

now

is difficult to

It

the

on

and

times

public.

this work

of

season

Papists. The
prosecution of

the

and

guide

Moulin
Hickeringill and Du
had
been
same
phase of zealotry which
fully
powerby the publicationin 1680 of Filmer's Patriarcha,

the

to

was

'

like

in Commonwealth

written

for

against the

L'Estrange

to

of the

directions

Smerke

spoken

divines

Whig

the

mark

words

few

guineas

Cambridge

Mr

clergy'.

and

the

mandment
Comand

government,

approved in an absurd
degree the doctrine of preces
jeered
lachrymae against which
Hickeringillboisterously

which
et

and

'

hated

The
Edict

the
in

Johnson

'

Julian

Nantes

of

Church.

the

and

Informer,
in

The

pages 2.
revocation
effectual

his best

wrote

the

1681

the

started

strugglefor

reaction

Whig

soul

the

French

the

of

of

times, the
Church
and
Low
claiming him, with
Dissenting Factions
the example of all the Reformed
the Continent,
Churches
on
is

Protestant

and

instructive

an

L'Estrange

foremost

of

phenomenon

the

on

Church

the

in his

side

Apology

for the French Protestants (1681),insistingon his dislike of

seemed
to be
assent
English dissent,to which an enforced
Churches
of the French
Protestant
given by the submission
Thus
in England to the practice of the Anglican Churches.
have on the one
side Care's picture of Sir John
we
Knight's

Hist,

Hume,

%8ee
admired

much

so

Popish Plot

by
vrprintcd
edition

qfJEng.,viii.,301.
attacks
Postscript"which

by young
gentleman

famous
waste

Hunt's

who

paper,
it is that
the

for

his

L'Estrange as

'one

despicable faculty

of

the

which

Knaves

old

made

hath

title-pageand
1680

with

'a

him
liberal dose of it,a writer
to
of books, caused
'
etc. '. Of Filmer's
Since
the discovery of the
Patriarcha
:
Sir Robt.
Filmer's
book was
mended
reprintedtogether and recomhath

however.

in 1685

reconsidered

coxcombs'

is

Reply

views.

Lesley's View of the Times

quarters as the only check

the
the
to

Public
date

of

Gazette
the

Sydney's

Filmcrism

paper.
survived
many

(1708), Nos.
to Deism.

to

first

55, 56, and

our

After

58.

reading

edition.

years
It

the

'.

Bohun

It

was

Revolution,
in

was

the

not

issued

Church.

regarded

an

Bohun

in

See
some

THE
furies

of

attempt

an

Europe

mouth,

Bristol

the

of the

resentment

of

the

against

who

"

and

executions

altogether

bread

Papillon
long naturalised),to

and
of

the

take
as

skilful

Colledge and
impetus was

from

iuto

those

effort

Lord

Russell

into
scum

people's

(though
and

sedition

the

of

represent the
Protestant martyrdoms,
to

as

the

to

like

men,

Dubois

discovery

made

given

of the

foment

the

arising from

the

and

the

as

out

other

people

described

"

the

on

the

goad

to

refugees

cases

severities

new

drifted

come

been

they
anarchy.
By the
Eye Plot,

'

Tantivies

to

and

Dissenters1,

French

such

in

had

'

351

DEBACLE

WHIG

reaction,

Halifax, who

apart

insensibly

the

The
letter from
Trimming
position2.
the
the
City spy already quoted marked
mighty party
who
of those
sympathised with Russell's cause.
the English persecution which
Thus
real enough
was
aided
dramatic
was
by the more
misery of the destitute
arrivals from France, the victims
of a policy which
men
English'

'

felt

closelyassociated

was

and

past history of

time

the

'

idolatry

defence

for

up
and

'

in

L'Estrange,

classic

in

Dr

rise

to

Courant,

v.,

gave
1

but

snicker

had
"

Hed

the

'

day

for

the
which

Rome,

same
came

II.'s

taken
of

violent

136.

other

of

At

reign by Parker, Walker,

to certain
alarmingly
parish
told
that
of
divines
people
broadly by

Hicke's
a

Church

tendencies

secret

extended

was

instance

George

the

James

churches, and the

church, that she had
The

the

English Court3.

the
of

with

sensible

this

schism

Rome

i.

the

was

Church

steps towards

in
in

image of St Michael
Butolph's Lane, which
that
parish, and to the

Bristol,Bristol,thou has done gallantly. I could not

French
see
a
heretics that
parcel of wooden-shoed
when
sillily
they looked
a
they saw
parcel of English
their meetings and
hurried
to the gaol '.
to

shelter,how
dragged out of
2
'When
to
his
trial what
i., 287:
Observat'ir,
exclamations
College came
there
if in that
the
neck
were
whole
of the
as
Protestant cause
single man
had
been
Parliamt ntum
brought to the block '. See also the tract
Pacificum,
written
of the
Court
to answer
Halifax's
Letter to
Dissenter (1(537),
by order
'No
the
Prince
of Providence
sooner
was
placed in his Throne, and
1". 31.
whom
their sermons
of non-resistance
it (though his
they say solely set upon
fortunate
in the
West
did
somewhat
arms
to secure" it too), but
of the
some
the
matter
if they had
mind
men
to preach him
managed
a
so, as
very same
out
the
theme
again. Arbitrary Power, Popery, Prot. Religion, was
"f
more
the
and
Pulpit, than before it had been of the Phanatick's
pamphlet- '.
papers
:;
Weiss, C. (Histoiredes RifugiisProtestants (1853),ii., 2T2) oomputea the

calvinists

"

number

of French

ed

in

because

complete

already

alluded

'

See Du

of England

exiles

London,

but

lists

in

England

admitnot

were

from

-il

1680-90

at

over

70.000,

third

le
impossible d'en constater
published owing to the fear of popular
est

..f

nombre

jealousy

to.

Moulin's

towards

famous
the

Church

tract,

The

of Rumc

Several Adainces

(1681).

mude

'

b"/ the Church

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

352

which

Burning of St Michael for

friend Larkins
was
prosecuted. The London
small
months
in these
a
repeating on
of

publication
old
were

violence

the

Church.

Christian
favourable

which

schism

and

The

the

to

have

and

Justices

therefore

to

Magistrates
and

Government,

parishes
the

scale

disgraced the

often

so

our

were

the

sort

and
Sherlock.
practices indulged by Hickes
ferred
silent
The
of the now
contests
Hustings had been transof London.
to the parish churches
of
The
course
were
dissenting chapels or houses
sentinelled the
either closed
since the Rye discovery
or
violent
more
pastors such as Lobb, Fergusson, Collins, etc.
moderates
in exile
or
or
hiding1, and the Baxterians
the Whig
who
were
now
moving to meet
party in the
Church
the common
on
ground provided by Mr Trimmer
either harassed
and
morning
interrupted in their modest
lectures, or lying in prison with
Ralphson, Jenkins, and
of

Church

"

"

"

"

Delaune.

In

these

the

circumstances

herd

poor

senters
Dis-

of

selves
City had no choice but to disperse themthe
a
saving of fines,
parish churches
among
sneers
L'Estrange where
they naturally sought out those
late
their
harsh
least
on
were
moving preachers who
afforded
such,
practices. It appeared that London
many
the
and
whilst
in
the
new
proselytes made
country
impatient and rude demonstrations, in the whiggish City
their
to
Churches, they found
surprise that they could
discourses
Hughes'
as
they heard at Mr
applaud such
in

the

"

"

Mr

or

Smithies'

Far

from

Churches.

welcoming

against them,
He

evaded

the

undoubtedly
from

the

August
but

then
those

of
home

in

January
1

James

exercise
us

were

be

was

"

summoned
of Absalom

fact

City

old

1683,

and

the

they thronged

men

firebrands, several
class.

great many

'

Parish

1684, he

Church
had

the

There

as

come

shoals

to

they
in

pleasure

are

said, in

', he

to

over

the
as

one

us,

Churches
much

Conventicle
of

were

drawn

were

are

hear.

to

latter

the

more

dissenters

all of 'em
in
they run
motley Christians, where
a

of

several

while

that

Cavalier
'a

ated
converts, L'Estrange fulmin-

these

'.

at

In

recantation,

Gloucester, for example : ' I had 5 years (1682-7) quiet

in most
others
of my
places arouud
ministry wonderfully hid, where
where
See p. '!09.
in great
troubles'.
L'Estrange did not know
Forbes
1682.
15th
saw
was
as
we
September
Obsermtor, i., 119,
Korbes
is the Phaleg
before the Council at the Hye Plot excitement.
and
Achitqphel, pt. ii. See Scott's note, brydcti, ix.,368.
Forbes

of

354

The

had

charges,and
with

chosen

Trimmers

two

all classes

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

learned

ought

the

1 live ',says Smithies,

poverty is very heavy.

for

moderation

largeCity
mingling

which

teach.

to

of

by L'Estrange had

'

in
Yet

for

where

parish

have

some

the

burden

reproached me

the

I
have
as
done,
concerning myself
poor,
of them.
That
pretending that it increased the number
which
the Observator
with, is suggesting that
charges me
the
the Dissenters
burden
of oppression and
lay under
them ',
ought to ease
persecution,and that the Government
which

heads

of

his

tender

too
at

Smithies

Mr

and

distributer
as

to

the

entered

never

the

of

which

marriage to
bequests,gave

them

exile

had

where

Tory

of

Moore

made

see

for

was

in

as

well

as

split at Cripplegate
the vulgar and
along

City,

had

'

requested

was

happening,an

was

of

the

gathered

to

party
Galatians,

from

brought

party

matters

down

come

intervention

to

and
which

gentleman, who
makes
it his calling and
to
employment
reproach and
he
pleases'. It so happened that Smithies'
vilifywhom
of
position was
really stronger than appeared, for he was
had
been
the class of Cavalier
who
turned
against the
Smithies

to

remark

congregations
worthy alderman

text

had

from

return

the

on

burdens

L'Estrange
what

the

his

supporter

sermon

another's

himself

rife l.

therefore

North

Smithies.

ye one
head, and

caused

and

Bear

was

ceremonies

Dissenter

since
L'Estrange, who
specialityof spying on

Roger

leanings,and

against
'

he

orthodox

politicaltrouble

of

certain

poor

person.
had
been
It appears
that there
and
like all such
splits,it attracted
with

The

mind.

they objected,and

the

to

his

chieflythat

but
many,
Dissenters, omitted

offending were

to

baptism

affirms

on

an

xli., etc., quoted

p. 213.

'

^Esop

approval

condemns

in

La

Crose's

Works
of the Learned
and
practices of Trimmers
false shuffling and
ambidexterous
dealings '. It has often been pointed out that
Reed
and
the
Oak
that
of the
of the
as
iEsopic Fables
(L'Estrange,
many
doctrine
of
and
teach
the
No. ccxv.
politicshuttling.
yielding
)
1 See
he is accused
of absenting himself
from
Conranl
(1681), No. 47, where
Church
to 'lend
to Conventicles'
ear
Observator,i.,282, February 1683:
an
; and
You
how
were
quick the pulpits and the pamphlets have
speaking just now
in mind
that
I heard
of a sermon
been of late and that put me
yesterday was
Hall '. See A Pleasant
Conference upon the Observator, p. 10 :
se'nnight at Pinners
'tis
he clamours
of Dissenters, for
not
Whilst
coming to Church, he thinks
in at the
canonical
to Guildhall
Yard, peep
Preacher, and
enough to walk
and
by Fleet-Ditch-side
presently retire to meet the Club of witty good mockers
droll away
the day in blasphemy, ridiculing religious duties, or
inventing Jackpretended Non. Con.'s preaching '.
pudding lies of some

xxxix.,

(January 1692),

with

ancient

'

double

the

'

"

"

'

'

WHIG

THE

Government
selected

over

all

'was

then

brought

violence, and

its

by

DEBACLE

of

case
damning
England.
'My name,'
malignant as it is now

into

numbers

the

could

Roger

more

over

355

what

happening
worthy pastor,

was

the

says

Trimmer'1

had

of the Observator, which

Vindication

in the

still friends
In

Observator,the

of the

bar

victim

easier

much

Observator

1684

November

in
than

attention
than

his

'

own

proves

that

he

brought

to

the

proved

besides

who

proved
gift

whose

deadly

as

Arber's

Prof.

appear,

Hughes,

respects, but

end

In

was

Thos.

some

the

loyal antecendents.

victim
Rev.

in

simple garrulityin

not

Church.

another

November

need

We

'

had

Church.

occupied September 1684.

various
Smithies'
examine
replies to the
did lioger give them
nor
more
November,
unusual
better
with
to thank
modesty a
pen
for

he

and

affair

This

have

not

of

Smithies'

as

Catalogues for

Term

Smithies'

three

replies,a

of
had
drawn
1683, which
by Hughes
printed sermon
Candid
Plea.
L'Estrange's fire together with his Humble
of the vacillatingdissentingtype, which
offered
Hughes was
In the Civil Wars
he
L'Estrange good scope for attack.
had
fought against the King. He belonged to the same
and
death
in
Jenkins, whose
Presbyterian knot as Love
prison this year created a profound impression2. In 1652
for the
when
only twenty-six, he preached a hot sermon
which

Parliament
followed

twenty

in 1680

and

an

for

the Church

Shortly

the

at

Restoration.

and
hovering betwixt Church
years
offensive Endeavour
for Peace which

making
he

after

recanted

he

found

sermon

of his in 1683

way
of dissent

after

the

Protestants

of

his

rallyingground

became

reunion

into

the

within

Then

Chapel,
blamed

impossible.
Church,

and

the Church.

Rye Discovery thanks

the Popish Plot.
Just

God

then
King's preservationfrom
heaven
and
earth
for
Melius
moving
a
L'Estrange was
find
and
to
who
still
Churchman
a
regaled his
Iuquirendum,
auditory which could scarcely
people (though a very mean
that the great Observator had demolished
be expected to know
fears and
than
Oates'
more
jealousies was
dagon) with
In
his
could
stand.
defence
The
Candid
Pica
L'Estrange
for the

'

'

'

'

i
'

no

more

"

than

seditious

and
"2

September

Observator, i.,201, 8th

Whig.

See

I know
the

scores
sun

his

of these
road

and

old

yet

1682

cavaliers that have

at

this

day

are

rascalls '.

chap, xi.,330.

He

died

25th

January

1G85.

changed their principles

as
errant
Whigs

accounted

356

SIR

1684, Hughes

pleaded the

and

even

take

to

were

for

; his

As

result

does

not

have

would

Johnson's
tract

of

such

his

Growth

',

me

profit,and

Proved

mine

Trimmer.

in

have

may

Larkins'

part

been

Press

secret

dissenting channels, it is unlike

from
the lurking-holes of seditious
for taking it as a
be excused
may
referred

channels

It

of Popery, Anatomy

Sayings, but

author

The

from

the

For

'

skirmishings

to

the

near

Danvers

and

stuff

the
One
and

Though
through

the

that

the

emanated

L'Estrange

from

the

forms

were,

an

Care's

dissent,and
voice

of

comes

thought that L'Estrange had known

style better than to suspect them.

came

What

in

engage

Observator

the

Dissenters'

of these.

best

youthful follies

Observator.

lying in this way of writing,and

say '.
furies there appeared in December

The

with

Equivalent,or

the

of

business

tract

rank

with

promoting

of these

really famous

recantation

'to

curate,

prodigious gain they

to

L'ESTRANGE

sport

pains

damage

own

to

obscure

the

says

dared

ROGER

Church.
of

one

the

The
Larkins
fascinating problems of the Press2.
family
deserves
a
specialplace in the Temple of Nonconformity.
his apprentice Dunton
Of George Larkins
worm
says : like a glowin the dark
alter
he still shined
on
me
ego'.
my
had
two
month
A
before, Larkins
or
a
printed
striking
of a pamphlet called A Second
refutation
Argument for
all good Protestants,written
Union
a
by a person
among
'

"

who

called Child

mentioned.

often

so

which
uncharitable

re-print

the

was

glow-worm
the

from

him, had

reminded

James

He

January

was

of

For

true

saints
From

seditious

Danver's

printingThe
felt that
been

issued

Preface.

Now

Observator

Larkins

to his saint-or-devil

Proved

(who as Mrs
by L'Estrange)

befriended

for another

be

Press

bookseller, Enoch

precarious

It would

letter

cepted
inter-

Prosser,

to

Will Out, Gazette,4th

libel,Murder
see
Macaulay (Popular edition,

career

method,

Prof. Arber

was

for

example by

makes
the

him

with
'

Wildman

a
'

devil.

stuff that
Quaking
Term
to vol. i. of the
Catalogues. Unfortunately
got into print. (See Preface
Books
information
the
of the few Catalogues of Friend's
on
none
supply much
2
with
That
of
a
vols.,
1867,
Smith,
supplement
1893,
gives
Joseph
subject.
It conevidence
of the large amount
tains
more
printed, than of how and by whom.
also many
which
had no connection
with the Quakers.
works
2

puzzled

Child's

tion,
refuta-

feeling of grief

Larkins'
to

Church

the

wrote

suicide.
for

the

to

dissenting intrigue.

being sought

then

1685.

i.,256), who,

is found

Roger justly

Trimmer.

Child's

Answer

Delaune's

later Larkins

month

the

satisfaction.

tempered by
of

caused

blame

to

late converts

Delaune, in Newgate,

have

may

of the

one

was

amount

of

THE

DEBACLE

WHIG

357
Wood

St.,

methods

of

lying at

then

Wood,
dissentingbrother, James
light on
some
Compter, throws

these

secret

publication\
the

publish
shops ;

book

well

as

therefore

booksellers.

Mr

objectedthat

it

I hear

'

which

To

myself

others, because

as

occasion

no

and

Larkins

motive

or

have

we

exchange

to

that

answer

cannot

bookseller

no

no

with

would

of sale
eoxhange such a book till he is forc't to it,for want
what
monies
for ready money
they can of it
; but will make
to all booksellers,
first and disperse printed advertisements
and other public places,about
the Town, prefix the Title to
it in the Catalogue of
all booksellers'
insert
doors
and
Printed

Books, that

all

England.

over

dispersing a
notice

where

convenient

This

Mr

they are to
parcel of them

besides

the

all

advt.

proper

and

every Term
and
Larkins

out

comes

sold, and

be

able

are

person

rates

take

to

to

confession

that

having

hand

to

Warned
more

volume

new

to

give

with

all booksellers

to
expeditiously

congregationswith them 2.
The
popularity of the Obscrvator Proved
which
this Press, is proved by
from
came

to walk

do, by

the several

furnish

Letter

goes

can

Town

send

encouraging

at
we

care

myself

the

over

which

it became
in

it

meritorious

as

afterwards

as

the

Trimmer

L'Estrange's
suspected of

be

to

was

with

case

the

Dissenter3.

by this uproar,
warily,and a

in the

of God

truce

of Observators, which

Beljame, Le Public el ks Monona

e"bats joyeux,
prenait ses

la Cour

de

new

reign Eoger resolved

is proclaimed in the
in

began

Lettres,
p.

le
quo
litterature

178

February.

'tandis

Theatre

la

qua

The

la surface

litterature

legero
souteraine, si Ton peut dire, sur
des apereus
n'avons
incomplets, mais qui dut etre considerable,
laquelle nous
que
lent et sileneclat
mais
aussi
et qui sans
de"faillance,
poursuivit son oeuvre
sans
effets.'
For
Larkins
see
sans
chap, vii.,207.
cieuse, non
'-'
rhetoric
is exhibited
in another
Enoch's
Conventicle
Ohservator,ii.,204.
cloud
letter concerning Child's
star tossed
fate ; 'a wandering
to and fro, and
a
these
without
water'.
Brother
St., Compter, directed
Jones, from Wood
press
negotiations, hence the intercepting of these letters which
L'Estrange publishes.
Larkins
1684 (Observaior,
letter from
to
A
Jones, 12th December
ii.,199, 8th
and
himself
the
scandal
from
of
being
baptised,
My
January 1684-5),clearing
confirmed
sometimes
since
interesting details of his religiousand
',gives some
trouble
been
under
much
about
I
some
Qaaeries which
printing career, ' I have
forced
to
which
I was
account
composed as a Journeyman at Mr Darby's, upon
Mr
be a witness
Darby's
against him, at the Old Bailey the issue of which was
standing in the pillory'. See chap, vi., 187, note.
:)
with
5th January 1685.
a
fleering kind of
Observaior,
People look at him
compassion after that unanswerable
piece 0. P. T. with such a look as I remember
when
of Newgate
the City Marshall
he delivered
to the Keeper
me
me
gave
up
in order
to my
execution, " Pray, sir,be civil to him, for he's a gentleman ", with
semblaient

etre

tout, il y

eut

une

et

et

'

"

'

one

side of his mouth

drawn

up

to his

ear

at the

word

gentleman

'.

ROGER

SIR

358

is

impossible condition
this period in his

L'ESTRANGE
Provocation

'

no

new

Portraicture

Some

of the

Devil's

Referring to

James

of King

Oates, after acknowledging the services

'.

of

II.1, Titus

L'Estrange in

brokers

his

of the

Popishthis,
by
High-Church-non-juring Conspirators
Oath
James
had
Coronation
weakened
the
the
already
talcing
their
the
of
direction
of Old
pulpits by
Prerogative,out
Hodge (L'Estrange) their guide 2.
collision with the City Clergy was
A further
certain, but
'

own

says

case,

roared

That

'

it

address

their

In

the

before

came

proposed truce

Crown,

enthusiasm.

of his mouth.

out

King, these gentlemen used the

to Roger's
phrase our religion',which

to

new

'

seemingly harmless
distempered mind
the

the

well

was

set

up

and

might

Not

content

barrier

be

between
inlet

and

Church

the
for

religious
any
attacking this address, he

an

with

by an extravagant eulogy of the

known
and
Catholics
'Their
certain, and
principles are
of England) unaccountable
of the Church
the other
{i.e.,
time
he
and
exposed certain
vagabond '. At the same
popular scandals, such as those of idolatryand the doctrine
King's may be deposed '. He
allegedof the Papists, that
still inveighed bitterlyagainst a 'popular libertyof conscience
the crowning offence of
'. In April he committed
of the
conscience,
King's dual
developing the doctrine
public and private,the former being immediately translated
All subjects
in the form
bound
to be of
into the vernacular
are
their Sovereign's
religion.
odium
of his attacks on
the Whig
In addition
to the
followed

later

week

up

"

'

Clergy

be

it cannot

notable

Nonconformists

swelled

the

doubted

we

was

would
close

the

four

"

"

Grand

Doctor

"

unpopular with
tits,to play any

'.

This

the
such

may

have

City Clergy
part.

been
and

this

death

to

reign
the

of

men

the

by

prosecution
in

of

The

censure.

of

cry

of

to

have

among
true

too

his

Church

"the

thronged
them

of

polemics

"

troubled

with

Slate

in
Sam's
"

By 1685

ii.,

Poems,

approved by

was

prating

1681-3.

of

account

Biog.) quoting

Nat.

'

182, says
in his reiterated
believed
Clergy who
minor
at this
period is said
clergy
order
to listen to L'Estrange, who
sat
of

that

directed

Newgate.
an
unequalled display
(29th January 1685) which

parts, 3rd od., 169(5,i.,97.

Lee
(art.L'Estrange, Did.
the
same
period, the savagery

In

Sir Sidney

and

Jenkyn's

on

occasion

barbarity in the Observator

attracted
Macaulay's severest
1

savagery
beginning of

be shocked

of

his

popular indignation,

this

saw,

the

in

Hughes-Smithies type
of Baxter, following so
As

that

danger".

the
The

Coffee-house
to them
he

was

bereavemout,

"

Like

both

in
a

too

gout, and

trial1

Baxter's

DEBACLE

WHIG

THE

does

L'Estrange, but we know

the Paraphrase of the New

mention

not

359

of
selected the passages
the indictment
Testament, on which

that

he

himself

remarked

has

in

Baxter

in the

inserted

to be

note

founded.

was

second

for this book

I was
by the
Paraphrase :
of the Clergyinstigationof Sir Roger L'Estrange and some
imprisoned nearly two years by Sir George Jefferies,Sir
Francis
Wilkins
(Withans) and the rest of the Judges of
edition

the

of

of

in

was

turned

naturally

of

he

words

the

and

to

bet

set

up

wisdom

never

of

open

later
1

by

Catholic

that
A

and
both

week

assure

You

you
heard

eagerly canvassed,

Observator

to

would

The

take.

and

what

see

liberty
people

line

the

tion
accommoda-

The

Toleration.

superiors that
against it'

way

"

letter

the

to

will needs

world

was

'

answer

"

if I find

inclined, I should
followed

days

two

King.
have

to be

me

Roman

report of it is so strong that I reckon myself

in honesty and respect to inform
Majesty
your
the

reallya

am

for

The

"

of

having proved ineffectual,the

In January, Trimmer
remained.
alone
a
guinea that L'Estrange will eat his

my
mouth

Sir,

subject

advocated,

my
remarkable

Great

bound

had

the

that

Discussed

Toleration

willing

the

to

of Toleration

which
way
is

8.

January 1688
began to be

conscience

author

'

Bench

King's
It

his

son

he

had

before
that
I

of the

true

written
is

there

no

the

of

suppose

Church

of

England

Dr

Charlet

thought

of

Quo

Warrantos

4.

'

'

3.
I

can

Toleration.

against the

taken
notes
by friends), and an even
68.
iii.,
Reports,
cursory
Orme
Times
Life and
of Richard Baxter, by Wm.
(1830),pp. 464-5 : 'The
conduct
of L'Estrange in promoting the prosecution of Baxter, is only in harmony
most
with
the
other
He
of the
was
one
unprincipled,
parts of his character.
scribblers
the
he
had
often
attacked
Baxter
before
of
by
mercenary
age
formidable
and
his
he
the
a
more
dangerous
now
employed
pen,
weapon,
of literary
Attorney-General and L. C. J. Jefferies '. Of those other occasions
strife which
admits
had
proceeded intermittently since the Restoration, Orme
Uncas'd
Richard
and
Baxter
that
Casuist
between
vn
a
Roger's
(1680),
Dialogue
in reply to Baxter's
J 'lea for J'enee (]o79) is 'a witty pamphlet,
A
but
furnished
for
writings of Baxter
ample means
wickedly intended
; yet the
be denied
that Sir Roger makes
such
a
a
"us
production, and it cannot
very dextcn
that
it is impossible not
of them.
The
use
so
dialogue is often very humorous,
it is furnished.
Baxter
to smile at the joke while
we
regret the object for which
took it all very
had
the
never
schooling of L'Estrange, and
coolly. " I have
therefore
undertake
not
so
never
writings, and
taught him to understand
my
that things incongruous shall not seem
contradictions
to him"'.
Third Defence
for the Plea (1682),ii.,151.
1

State

Trials, xi.,
notice

more

in

494

(merely

some

Modern

...

'

"

25th January, 1686.

Observator,
MSS., xi. (54),19th January

Ballard

1686.

360

ROGER

SIR

L'ESTRANGE

and Chapters and

Deans
Universities,
an
enquiry into Abbeylands, etc., and
batch

which

wreck

everywhere

are

in

here

word

in London
of

out

of

the

what

but

the smoke.

'Tis

"

on

was

hard

with

matter

Imperial

an

ask

not

to make

kicked

in

Oxford

people
the

of

out

the

from

of the

mouth

have
rogatives
pre-

tyranny and
his

very faithful
'R. L'ESTRANGE'.

doubt

that

necessary

be less than

penned, when

it,

fire for

some

was
a

in

and

doubting

as

King's authority and

Scarcelyhad this letter been

L'Estrange,this time without
delivered,

is

to

to
go
of the

current

as
2

thankfulness, Your

much

'

'Tis almost

less, there

Prince

same

be1, you'll oblige me

to

riot believe

the

will

steal out

be any

do

I
or

more

distinguishbetween
I am,

in

license and

to

of
to

that

stories of the

20

prohibited
Oxford, as anything

London.

at

believe

used

they used

coffee-houses

is done

I do

been

what

the matter.
upon
that the Observator

two

or

if there shall

for

Commission

Newsletters

The

shams.

and

with

stamp

same

all

of

Servant,

final attack

the

religion.

City Clergy,

Church

itself

',as

begins its powerful

assault by complimenting its victim
a
as
gentleman and a
this Difference between
the Church
To
scholar.
meet
of
had
and
Church
the
once
more
of Rome, L'Estrange
England
ordered
had
the
to an
recourse
English bishop. Compton
first sheet of the Difference,
etc., to be suppressed, and now
author
our
thought him likely to be a sympathetic reader
of his Observator
Defended 3. In this tract he gathers up
houses
bundle
of miscellaneous
a
charges the chaff of the coffeewho presumed
booksellers
that he
had threatened
as
There
to print anything against Popery '. To conclude
were
to make
great pains taken before the opening of Parliament
work
on
it,for a formal complaint, but the pretence would
Roger

says.

all

Like

good attacks,

it

"

'

"

'

not

hold

water

'.

1
letters seem
to have
been
Muddiman's
See Wood,
Life and Times, Hi., 180.
'
'. They returned
Yet other
trite and
speciallyobjected to.
lying letters came
in 1689 (Wood, iii.,
298).
2
to
Luttrell, Jan. 2, 16S6-7 (i.,392) : ' 'Tis said Sir Roger is commanded
write
2nd
hath
Ohservators'.
March
1686-7 (i.,396) : 'He
more
no
certainly laid
'the names
Under
Luttrell
down
the same
date
of the
notes
writing anymore'.
desired
his Majesty would
of Peace
who
of Middlesex
Justices
dispense with
his friend
Sir
and
their
Sir
Test'.
Edmund
Warcup
taking the oaths and
the
seven.
Roger L'Estrange are
among
3 Ranke
had
of 'the change of feelingwhich
(iv.267-8) takes it as evidonce
taken place in the circle of the Episcopal Church
'.

362

ROGER

SIR
There

efforts

needed

were

North,

get the
letters from

have

we

parts of the

two

were

L'ESTRANGE

elected.

eking out testimonies

promises, mingled with cautions

connection

with

elections

the

York,

at

special

As

Lord-Lieutenants

all over,

authority
hopes and

where

Kingdom

right man

to

and

of

in

men

loyalty
and

the

to

with

threats

in

Newcastle, Berwick,

special anxiety is also displayed in respect to

the
in
Bridgewater, Bristol, Salisbury, and
Winchester,
and
south1.
The
west
the main
instruments
judges were
of coercion, and
Sunderland
chief
of the
Whip
King's
last named
Party. The
city, the capital of Hampshire,
etc.

was

of the

one

who

members,

two

John

Clobery

had

fixed

with

largely

Justice

March,
commands

to

Sir

and

as

been

Mr

the

regarded

was

Whiggish

had

their

on

of

centres

re

settled

when

Levinz, then
the

names

him

and

gout

within

the

Aldermen

what

your
because

his
a

time
to

came

the

on

townsmen

rested

matter

the

Aldermen,

of two

Monday

choice

evening

in

Sunderland's

entire

strangers, one
creature, Chas. Hanse,
Lord,' says Levinz 2, the next

brethren.

short

honest

circuit,received

on

Roger
community.
My
3rd
morning (being
March)
I sent to the Mayor
of the
with

the

other

'

as

It elected

Parliaments, Sir

The

election, and

and

the

several

Morley.

L'Estrange, the

on

for

Mayor

force

disaffection.

his

'

between
Place

to

he

But

after, the
me

and

7 and

8 of the

desire

being

Recorder
I

clock

might speak

laid up with the

and
3 or
4 of

acquainted
They told

them

with

it was
me.
Lordship commanded
me
the others before, but
late
they had pitched upon
said they should
choose
of them
Mr
some
L'Estrange and
Mr
since
Hanse3,
they were
likely to be most
acceptable
said they would
have them
and no
to his Majesty, and
some
others.
The next
morning Sir John
Clobery having heard
of this came
of which
I was
I heard
to me,
glad because
in the
Town
there began to grow
a
great division
very
about
the matter
to persuade him
intending to endeavour
the discourse, I then had
to decline
standing which
upon
with
him, I had some
hopes to effect '.
Something of this growing division is conveyed in an
See

8. P. James

:1
wns

letters

numerous

Sir

That
able

to

/:"/)/.,
pt.
to the

v.,

Roger should
carry

in S. P.

Bom.

James

'his

be

comrade'

pressed on
Fanse

Winchester

etc.

is had
enough, but that he
truly surprising. See II.M.C, 11th
the election of L'Estrange was
able
agreeTest Acts
ami
(1882-3),i.,427.

is

Bp. Ken notifies that

p. 123.
wishes.
Duckett, Penal

King's

II., i.,58, 80, 81, S2,

//., i. 79.

THE
letter

anonymous

DEBACLE

WHIG
the

to

Mayor

363
the

on

morning1

same

(3rd March).
Mr

'

Mayor,

recommended

Mr

Parliament

and

Proved

not

feelingof

the

Lord-Lieutenants

and

men,

Clobery
Camden

decently

take

instructions
for

Clobery
asking the

The

and

the

25th

and

the

out

to

the

as

Lord

they

they personally

that

prosecute

noblemen

gave

vigorous canvass

the first letter referred

hint
a
convey
hath
given new

to

in

March.

26th

mandate

election, these

Hence

Morley.

Government

conveyed

among
of Gainsborough and

Earl

stewards

to their

the

giving

part in

no

opposition
they call

strong followingboth

Whilst

could.

of

were

live in

as

is

opposing the royal

near

as

or

threat

means

up
'those

of Winchester

case

of

had

gentry.

went

would

in the

Morley

and

townsmen

same

great rogues

as

Howard

from

and

Whigs',

the

put

or

the

over

etc.'.

happened

letters

resisted

two

coming in,

were

and

Salop the

of

who

people

King's dominions,
What

resistance

of rebellion

case

All

of defiance.

sturdy

In the

standing,for

support of the

the

think

;'horrid
i.e. Trimmers,

were

moderate

two

him

slight colour

military force 3.
employed 4. The
candidates

and

townsmen

made

some

gave

Obscrvator

The

from

easilydissuaded

so

reports of such

country

entitled

book

the

is

He

him.

choose

to

'

was

intend

you
read

you

Trimmer

Sir John
the

that

Have

papist.

2
Howard
has
reported that Bernard
L'Estrange to you to be your burgess in

It is

"

to

5,

to

Gainsborough,

instructions, that
Lordship
them
he will serve
(the Tory candidates) with his interest,
that
second
letter says
vote
not
against them '. The
for us, but be
write
will neither
vote
nor
Gainsborough
under
well enough pleased to have the Whigs in commission
him'.
The
proceeds to regret that His
loyal Howard

'

to say

his

that

'

Observator,12th
The

Recorder

March
of

1685.

Winchester,

whose

partisan

strictures

letters

to

Sunderland

are

this period.

justify Macaulay's
the
ordered
ll.'i. 81, 3rd April: 'My Lord
Derby had
the election
where
Deputy-Lieutenants to draw
part of the Militia into Lancaster
some
grand riot against the gentry, if they
is, for the rabble will certainly commit
to
25 already alluded
See
the
do
in
rebellion'.
not
rise
Observator,iii.,
actually

sufficient alone
S.

for

an
4

account

Ibid.,80,

of these
4th
to

{ibid.,82) : ' Hamden

horrid
a
Whig '.
a

on

I'. James

his account

upon

to

Ibid.,

tumults.
'The

April 1685.
order
will

Capt.

Orme

assign

King

was

to desist

his interest

to

so

'.

gracious to

See also

Sir Roger

Mr

Lewson

Jeffries to Sunderland

Hill, who

now

sets

up

later

the

of

26th
decided

'the

night

same

that

declared

and

Morley

their

'that

at

numbers

Mayor

sent

would

they

his

of

words

brother

seek

sixteen

girl of

poor
speak wild

This

II.

party
the
both

had

contest, and
Hanse'2.
Mr

and

Kemp,
having

could

we

an

notice

Sunderland
who

heard

was

to

to

by
English gentlemen
murdered

been

loyalty!
for what

is remarkable

Parliament

the

on

their

they

the

sends

later

called

that

Clobery, unwilling

3, but

means

his

vindicate

to

that

give over
L'Estrange

Charles

such

By

i.

the

on

inconsiderable', and
word

us

chosen
Mr
just now
hear no
Of Morley we
more
suffer a total eclipse,
month
a
a

were

have

of

factious

dealings was
meeting of

underhand

of these

Clobery

feature

scandalous
the

the

Peace1.

of

result

of

"

At

factious.

so

most

"

Stuart

Commission
The

surely the
reigns lists

encloses

he

time

be

should

Lord-Lieutenants

Majesty's
same

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

364

almost

be

must

meeting of the leaders of parties

It speaks something for the
the eve
of Parliament.
on
positionL'Estrange had gained in the Party, that he took a
leading part in addressing the loyal gentlemen who met at
ment
Parliain the Strand, the day before
the Fountain
Tavern
the earliest

5.

met

in the

last

His

debates

the

by

news

have

that

the

whole

Acts,

no

care

taken
1

S.

P.

testimony
that

both

now

Dom.
of the

caused

in

would

revived

'

taken

to

by

of course,

as

event,

the
age convulse
of other
batch
a

our

with
define

the

that

expressed surprise

'every clause, article,and

matter

the

measure,

the

old

thing

Statute.
therein'
1660

of
legislators

'Your
by the enclosed
Lordship will see
II., i.,66.
and
Mr
true
Mr
Fletcher
Hanse, how
Penton),
Mayor
(Mr
present
I have
could
believe
of Mr
not
Morley '. As to the townsmen,
friends
of all my
the
custom
by assuring that they shall have
James

'

you
them

and

which

were

One

rebellion.
has

prominent
interrupted

appear

which

Macaulay

him.
'

not

adjournment

society was
being even

with
as

is which

comforted

Act

of

frame

Its renewal
was

the

pleased

does

followed, and

Monmouth's

before

Press

however,

name,

which
of

passed

must

of the

example

when

the Court

down

comes

'.

Ibid.

Parliament.
in
the Convention
Ho
for
Duckett,
Winchester
appeared
cit.,i., 427.
4
S. P. James
II, i. (93).
5 Observator, 27th
May 1685, quoted by Macaulay, Popular Edition, i., 249 ;
1685 : 'There's mad
Verney MSS.
(H.M.C. AjW- to 7th Rep., p. 499), 10th March
at
work
in many
elections.
his
L'Estrange and
comrade, I hear, is chosen
shall
Sir
Winchester'.
13th
Town
that
The
Roger
L'Estrange
May :
Ibid.,
says
lie a Lord '. Luttrell,Diary, i.,367 : ' There
is a report that Sir Roger L'Estrange
is to be made
in Chancery '.
Master
a
"

op.

'

THE

proceeded
years,

where

delete

to

the

so

l.

as

have

we

finallydropped,
Whiggish reasons
The
is

best

that

we

Observator
2nd

he

life seems
to

that

the

hear

no

to

the

prove

him,

in

Press

as

visit

in

mortification

the

had

"

of

no

all, of

Dissenters*.

In

Hence

true.

the

City

which

Hanse

Great

Civil

bitterness

coalition
Rebellion

the

fiercest

setting

others

popularity.

provided

"

thirty

or

the
for

now

his

to

own

Worst
declared

were

contrary had

the

be

putation
com-

th.erebel host.

to

War

with

honour
on

As
the

in

remarked
the

up

Parliament

he with

his

had

twenty,

some

Anglican
a

and

have

must

four hundred

only
the

the

Scottish

to

all

serve

may

feared

which

the

Church,

which
to

3,

from

speciallyinterested

was

and

and

less than

these

he

the

representedby himself

the

added

not

West,

that

volume

3rd

the

1686

dispense with

for Winchester

upheaval

he

in

persuade

to

Tests, to

repeal
petitioned the King,
member

of the

much

Scotland

to

Holyrood,

the

to

in

the Monmouth
triumph over
Macaulay remarks, into

The

His

excesses.

securely gagged
this reign.
The

were

Number

how

was

2.

observable, however, that

than

mere

Act

the

continued

of
began to lose the favour
drop from L'Estrange's pen,
sincerity of his attachment

of his enemies.
carried

244th

It is

Establishment, rather
had

not

them

of

not

give eighteen good

be

Stationers

more

up the thread
Parliament
of

year was
in 1695

could

Commons

the

that

twelve

previous

took

1685

when

proof

at

the

tumultuous

in

why

1687.

moment

the

it should

closed

March

of

and

seen,

the

365

of
legislation

loyal Parliament
been dropped by
expiry of the Act

The

accident

the

DEBACLE

'

'

it had

1679

WHIG

first time

been

quite

in his Reply to the

openly directed against the Church
Reasons
of the Oxford Clergy against Addressing. The
spirited resistance of these gentlemen to the high-handed

Bigmore

and

Wyman,

Bib.

first prepared
party (Church) who
of it',i.e.,from
Catholics.
2

of Printing, ii.,127.
this

Act
.

were
.

Kalph, i.,981
made

liable to

'The
the

very
smart

the
For
account
of
new
an
Journals, xv., 545?*, chap, v., 5a.
Press, see Reasons Humbly Submitted for "!"" Libertyof Unlicensed
Printing (1693) ; Macaulay, Hist, of Eng., chaps, xix. and xxi.
3
There
is some
notice
of the settingup
of a Catholic
Press by L'Estrange at
Wodrow's
lli."t",ri":,il
.SeeFountainhall's
Holyrood, 1688.
"YrViVes(1848),
p. 744, and
Brown's
Hist, of Scotland,
History of the Sufferings,p. 371, quoted in Mr Hume
Press
article
For the Catholic
set up by Jas. Watson
at Holyrood see
ii.,438.
Jus.
Watson, King's Printer,by W. J. Couper Scot. Hist. Rev., vii.,27.
4
Reply to the Reasons
of the Oxford Clergy (Somer's Tracts, ix.,36): 'Go
down
Winchester
400 of the meaner
to
where
above
were
sort, and
except 20
of England '.
to be of the Church
or
30, all declare themselves

Lords'

severities

in the

"

individually

participating
of

intervention

All

party'.

his

Church

the

of

supporters

he

defend

his

attitude,

injured

he

friends.

the

Bishop

short

In

the

Sonier's

Diary
4,

5,

part

Tracts,
of
45,

Dr
etc.

was

which

of

p.

Thomas

their

Law

figure

the

provided

argument

which

is

and
and

have

seen

L'Estrange
Justices,

the

on

in

learn

we

that

Whig

with

City,
and

Courts,

Withans

main

has

we

and

of

have

Middlesex

the

Justice

vindicate

'

Parker,

as

Wright
at

and
he

rule

absolute

and

to

prelate

Sprat,

the

and

alone

hated

Harwich,

in

Hanse

Warcup

Bench.

that

Armiger,

Moore,

to

must

friendships

lay

tion
Revolu-

rather

Diary

with

party

and

Burton

Edmund

with

His

Guise,

North,

with

terms

associated

Ely.

too,

his

death-bed

difficult

it

Cartwright's

From

persecuting

Graham,
Sir

friendships,

was

of

with

allied

pp.

He

the

were

His

familiar

on

notorious.

as

found

and

wished

who

services

the
what

the

after

despite

divines

attack.

to

was

his

were

'.

memory
him

exposed
that

earlier

his

remember

of

those

protestations,

other

that

and

within

reunion

difficult

it

wonder

Smithies,

and

and
main

Little

and

Hughes

found

attack,

the

Dissenters

accommodation

open

present
to

',

for

appeals

his

with

harbouring

the

on

of

aside,

conspiracies1.

attacks

Grindalisers

'

for

late

two

his

the

Church,

an

the

with

what

that

attacked

the

Coryphaeus

thrown

are

their

on

invoked

'the

calls

cautions

roundly

is

insisted

Address,

Scott

usual

his

the

in

whom

him

who

Bishop,

their

Parker,

of

conduct

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

366

the

with

Judges

experiment
historians

unanswerable.

38.

Vartwright,

published

by

the

Camden

Society,

1843,

XII

CHAPTER

REVOLUTION

THE

of

course

Parliament

to

Revolution

The

threatened
others

that

for,

he

saw,

we

Court
means

no

been

and

first

his

commitment

not

the

Crown,

in

Johnson,

and

Swift2.

have

we

news

for his

arrest

the

by

was

fanatical

Revolution, is

the

he

Apparently

Jeffries3 and

but

Walker,
of

that
alleged,

was

the

deprecated

is

1688.

like

seized

immediately

pretext
specific

December

in

that

which

Rome,

after

him

of

not

to

name

which

said

could

words

his

sign

to

name

quite true,

not

his

eat

of

behalf

The

was

is

and

liberty

on

much
for him.
He
too
contemplated,was
and displayed a degree of
an
opportunist,

persistence on
even
by Hume,
of

to

Dissent

between

union

unnatural

but

performance,

much-vaunted

attack

every

This

prepared

was

his

It has
vengeance.
because
L'Estrange

Discuss'd.

Toleration

on

as

ceased,

Observators

the
back

go

from

immune

him

make

to

with

long

Sprat1

end, but

the

before

prominently associated

too

was

With

L'Estrange.
off

dropped

had

he

the

and

ruin

brought

'

writing

237.
Lives, ed. 1753, iii.,
in
his
hand,
(not
A
meddling
superficial,
221.
his
Notes
of
on
Airy's
ed.,
ii.,
in
Burnet,
one
however)
ballad
Rome
See the
in the
associated
" Though
popular mind.
they were
libeller
convicted
of some
iv.,309), 'the work
in an
Uproar (Roxburghe Bal 'lads,
and
Blount's
Charles
[Philojmtris)
Ebsworth,
John
such
Tutchin', says Mr
as
'
forth
thou
Stand
the
beginning
grand
The
of
Hodge,
or
History
Observator,
poem,
'
the hope
should
dance
the
That
'.
was
times
long
jig
of
the
Hodge
Imposter
i

See his Letter

'

(1689)quoted

to Dorset

'

coxcomb

in Gibber's
Swift's

is

tribute

'

In

expectationof tho rabble.

and Achitophelwhich
Absalom

and

which

L'Estrange
"h, add

Jotham

Jeffries,under
whose

wit

beyond
of

'nicknames

On

the

II., and
came

Rabsheka
could

compare,

and

distinction'

the whole, however,

King James
Sir Roger

of

with

the

of

the

crude

or

latter

after

State's

keen

an

atom,

split

nation

in
and

Peters

spy
hair '.
in

of

several

Achitophel Transprosed

a
place in the
(sic). He is ' the

subdivide

find

we

model

the

on

poems

Revolution,

finds

and
....

With

pother.
attacks
like Oates' Portraidure
of
History of Charles II. and James II. (1690),

'cramp words'
exception of

Phillips'Secret

off rather

at

Senior

Absalom

(1690). Roger
name

outburst

increased

as

appears

the

lightly.
367

he

kept

the

ROGER

SIR

368

against the Government

papers
He
had
fate1.
evidently taken

dispersingtreasonable

and

his

shared

Jesuits

Two

L'ESTRANGE
'.
to

Interregnum 1659-60, but with less skill

the discovery of the two
shall find that on
We
fortune.
or
most
dangerous conspiraciesof this reign,that of Ashton's
Affair of 1696, our
Plot in 1691, and again in the Fenwick
It is extremely unlikely
fabulist was
promptly committed.
than
that these arrests
were
anything more
precautionary
indiscreet
than
that
Sir
to
more
or
Koger was
measures,
write or disperse an
occasional fireball. Of these, however,
the

old trade

of the

we

find

trace

found
he

no

his

on

an

take

the

old

his

JSsop

that

fact

taken

the

in

lack

some

on

the

moderate

to

he

Seneca3, that

and

of his relations

the

on

he
1696

his

facts

rule.

part of
he

reflections

in

the

two

ledge
know-

our

up

In

to

2, that
on

sum

Jesuit

refused

committed

was

William's

to

of

tone

reign,these

of the

of

company

after

paper

occasions,

two

of

Government

the

to

crises

three

or

to

Oaths

cautioned

was

the

But

Ashton's

of

exception

prudence
'plot-learnedKnight'. That

plotters,points
such

the

person.
have
been

to

seems

with

Anne's

Queen

actually find this aged incendiary and moralist

ing
solicitAnne
more
succeeded) once
(he was eighty-sixwhen
and
without
hopes of
seemingly not
employment

reign,we

4.

success

Whilst

L'Estrange

Revolution,
last

decade

with

the

of

still

1696

'

the

oaths
8

jEsop
been

10th
and
of

he

me

which

the

are

Justice

(79).

S. told

Dryden's

is

two

in the arrest

injurious

more

211, 18th

p.

last

The

unhappy.

Assassination

the

in

brother

Government,

the

at

Richmond

[To

that

disgustful and

H.M.C., App.
March
in order

Sare,

L.

R.

informed

rendered
1

Sir

to

the

Plot

of

1688.

December

Jesuits.

to Dr
Charlet, 28th November
Warcup
for not
taking
(among others) convicted
all the
to
penalties of a
subjects him

papist'.

convicted

had

xi.

MSS.,

Poor

the

to, and

seizure

Peters'

Father

of

case

Rejjorts,Commissioners, 34,

MSS.

Bollard
:

the

displeasureshown

referred

his

of

in

as

Settle's, intensely

of

more

1688

and

Hall

is

Government's

of the

Kenyon

know

we

circumstances

more

the

all of his relations

century, and above
at
booksellers, than
corresponding earlier
any

December

Father

force,is extinct after

political
of his private life during

the

of

and

years,
shadow

learn

we

What

period.

as

see

1704-5

of

'He

Reader).
his

obnoxious

to

works
the

best

(R.

had
of

R.
vii. to 11th Rept., p. 114"
made
have
He would
soon

and

got

Queen's
6th August

the

Queriesfor

L.

been

Sare

1910.

for

Governments

to Sir

himself

letter

S.) told me
privately he
directly against his will,
and

Kings

'

thereto, I had
Notes

the.

some

Nicholas

capable
him

For

of

'.

L'Estrange,
preferment,

some

account

March

l,was

1691

his old

enemies

369

REVOLUTION

THE

scarcelyrelieved
Oates

good posts.

to

by

the

pension,

his "400

had

of

appointments

Johnson
rewarded,
was
high office, Julian
and even
honest
got back
Stephens, the Press messenger,
the throne vacated
his place2. Shadwell
was
on
by Dryden.
Worst
of all the
Mephistopheles of the faction ', Aaron
Trenchard

took

'

'

'

'

'

Smith,

solicitor

', became

legal prompter

Oates'

'

to

the

Lord
Grey
Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer.
was
given office and an earldom, and Fergusson a sinecure
the
in the excise with
a
a
salary of "400
year ; Wildman,
'

'

scheme,

first proposer
and mover
of the assassination
made
on
Postmaster-General, the sentence
'

succeeded

feeble

The

reprieved3.
him

Eraser

poor
succeeded
licenser, to be

as

Walcot

in

was

books

of

broker

'

was

'

(August

turn

of
Bohun,
was
1692) by the Tory Edmund
being a second L'Estrange 4.
which
Devoted
to literaryemployments
poverty made
Sir Roger contemplated the full circle of fortune
necessary
with some
of the fortitude his Seneca
might have approved.

accused

who

'

'

"

"

home

Unfortunatelyhis
Doleman, the
had

found

the

'

lasse wedded
to
an
young
attractive
card-table
more
in

wrangling of
J

'At

C.S.r.h.

Assheton's

paper,

that

not

do

which

(1(190-1),
p. 291, 3rd

place

another

we

kind

found

was

under

thrown

yet know

what

'

which

March

the

make

to

her

1691.

of '.

'

than

her

Viscount
and

two

in his

his

father's

Sydney
Irish

pocket

Assheton's

the incessant

found

husband

affronted

Roger L.
table, and

Sir

wife, Ann
of 1680,
old fellow
His

wretched.

was

'

politicalwrangling
"

life

to Nottingham.
Papists with -Mr

memoranda,

several

paper
his

being
5.
politics

the

was

tion
declara-

dependence
upon
K. James
and
his
Burnet.
Luttrcll, Diary, ii.,189 (March lb91)
Francis.
Father
notes that he was
taken
with ('apt. Tlirogmorton and
2
C.S. I'. I". (1689-90),p. 3. Wan
ant to Robt. Stevens, Messenger, and Inspector
tho
title to
been
from
have
His office seems
enlarged.
qf Prinlinr/ /'/v.w.s.
had
that
If I printed a book
no
license,I
Dunton, /.//'-"and Knurs, p. 253:
bears
such
he could
it ', which
out
took
to dazzle
his eyes,
that
not
sec
care
black
the
Obtervator
Yet
as
as
Roger's attacks.
thought him
'perhaps none
left

behind

execution,
fidelityto him

after

in

'

which

he

owned

'

"

"

makes

Stevens

'.

Sitwell,First Whig, p. v.
4 Of
him
the Whigs
Under
Rix, p. 110) says :
Fraser, Bohun
(Diary, Wilton
been
had golden days', but he seems
have
literature
to
no
the
flood
Jacobite
of
by
he was
'bloodhound
of the
Nottingham, to whom
press'. Bohnn's patron was
recommended
He
voted
into
custody by the
was
by the Bp. of Norwich.
20th
Commons,
January 1693, for licensing Blount's
King William and Queen
Jacobite, a tab-preacher,
a
hackney-writer und" r Sir
a
Man/ Conquerors. I was
See /.'"
etc.
Roger L'Estrange '. He was called
L'Estrange'samanuensis',
Humblu
Offered/or the Libertyqf Unlicensed Printing; with tht '/'/"" Character of
Mr
have
Solum
Ed.
'tis well known
cronies, and
(1693) : Mr B. and Sir U. are
acted
in concert'.
There
is no
evidence
from
L'Estrange's side that he even
'

'

'

'

knew
5

Bolinn.

240,
Chap, viii.,

note.

ROGER

SIR

370
There
died

son,

shortly after, for

born

teens, and
have

her

in

1694

conversion

to

much

taken

in

the household
letter

His

marriage ;

his

father

Rome

her

with
of

force

the

survived

scarcely

A
year.
his father

when

Fenwick

spiracy,
con-

be understood

from

in the Muniment

Room

nection
quoting in this conis dated 2nd July 1693, and addressed
by Sir Roger to
his grand-nephew, Sir Nicholas
L'Estrange,the present squire.
relieved by the
It is pleasant to relate that his dark fate was

The

at Hunstanton.

occasional

first of these

her

misery existing at

best

can

could

the

been

girlin

twentieth

school

at

connection

have

have

is

1700

in

first

startinga

was

daughter
gather she

we

High Holborn

the

must

youth

full

which

two

or

The

2.

1696

the

before

place
second
son, Roger, was
was
lying in prison in

l.

Observators

of

of

when

1684

February

in

volume

new

childreD

three

were

L'ESTRANGE

Sir

of

kindness

worth

and

Nicholas

lady. At the
a refugefrom

his

referred to, Roger's daughter had found

the sordid misery of her father's house at Hunstanton

moment

'

be

will

behaviour

her

If

the

what

her

suffer
in

best friends
than

Less

mother, and

think

to

be

spite of

the

later the
year
do
if any letter can
a

penned

and

Play

self, her

wretched

with

broken

gaming

for fear

; but

and

continues

to

1th

'

her

L'Estrange'sheart
do

must

the

been

family ;

after all I have

Obsermtur, 13th February 1684.

is dead, I hear, and
Your only son
metbinks
lies 30 heavy upon
should
find something
else to
ye, you
than
the writing of Observators.

her

to

girl lost

April 1694,

her

he

"

of his fortunes.

addle-headed

have

company

of your
lady be

encumbrance

credit

of

honour

his

he

"

to Sir Nicholas

husband,

heart

and

condition

reduced
'

of

an

'

'

Knight 3,

Nicholas

to

longer

he then

that which

Sir

to

trembles

father

not

old

girlof mine, that has the

the protection and
charity at present

under

roof '.

the

', writes

Hall.

stubborn

addle-headed

that
to

aches

heart

My

'

12

so.

at

noon.

ruin

her

of

she

and

dies

said, never

any

'

Trimmer.

Observtxtor. The poor creature

was
I do
last, 7th February, and

Thursday
as

ever

any

man

suffered

in

child

under

born

upon

when
take

the
up

Good-Friday 1678,

persuade myself that

six years

of age

it is

hand

your

as

and

of God

thoughts
died

he

great

loss

'.

H.M.V., Aj"p. rii. to Uth Iicpt.,p. 112.

111.
This
Ibid., p.
girl is possibly the child mentioned
by Luttrell
(Diary, i., 340, 30th April 1685), as christened
by the Bp. of Ely, Sir Thos.
the
Sir Sidney Lee
Doleman,
godfather, on
knighted.
day Roger was
(art.
Diet.
He
Nat.
it may
above.
be the hoy mentioned
L'Estrange,
Diog.) thinks
also seems
to think
that
her
the
of her
religious vagaries were
only cause
8

'

father's

anxiety.

'

REVOLUTION

THE

lost

creature

to

as

The

extreme

and

father-

may

estate, but

Doleman

the

and

Bromes,

have

to

seems

added

Mrs

hoped

(who replaced

well

pretty

the

L'Estrange's
melancholy

the

was

Sare

her

to

been

had

from
it

friendship

politics of

have

finances

of

girl'1.

poor

Something

household.

embarrassed

the
the

Koger's publisher,Kichard

of

duty

husband

the

to relieve their
on

between

her

of

ditliculties of
reversion

opposition

often

charitable

and
lady's generous
your
both, in your goodness toward
and

yours

mention

made

She

clearer wife.

371

taken

the
Sir

over

the
to
squire of
affairs)to announce
the
that
Hunstanton
a
gambled away
lady had
large
Judging by the time it took to
part of her reversion.
of
infer the
settle this matter
tangled nature
we
may
The
not
finallysettled
question was
L'Estrange's affairs.
much
resembled
the Rye
that conspiracy which
when
so

Roger's monetary

in

Plot

House

into

suspects

of

Burnet,

took

February

March

6th

the

was

after his arrest, that

his

to

he has

'

1584

The

3.

by

main

fully related

so

L'Estrange was

not

mitted
com-

his

case,

the
in

22nd

by
23rd

of

that,

scarcely

we

grand-nephew,

held

imitate

to

and

and

motive,

communicated

assurance

that
shows

of

is

nights

fact

The

1696.

till

suspicion

discovery
the
place on

all Jacobite

swept

Parliament

which

the

seizures

effects

fervour

Protestant

the

association

an

and
its purpose
gaol, and aroused

himself

clear

his

need

three

of

bare

weeks

contriving,

of the

Plot now
point
fomenting or being privy
any one
in agitation 5.
How
long he lay in prison beyond the three weeks
of the
is uncertain, but
here
noted
again in November
to

'

him

convicted

find
year we
to the Government

6,and

lasted till January

of 1697

same

H.M.C., App.

I Meman

See

:;

Jacobite
last

on

You
the

must

mishap

mentioned

not

to

in the

this occasion

on

taking the
his

Oaths

imprisonment

at least7.

Rept.,p.
a

was

Summary Account of
Conspiracies,7th March

night

not

111.

the Whig side.

on
Proceedingsupon the happy discovery
of (he
1695-6
cluding,
[Reports,Commissioners, 26, 206), conexpect a license for this, for Sir Roger L'Estrange had
be committed
close prisoner to Newgate'.
L'Estrange

Succession

.1

'

is not

mi. to 11//'

the

for

classic

the

Informations

taken

in connection

with

this

Plot.

State

Trials,xii.,1302.
4
Luttrell (iv.,24, 3rd March
1695-6),Col. Graham, Sir John
Friend, sir
Roger L'Estrange taken.
Sir Roger L'Estrange in Newgate
s
H.M.C., App. mi. to Uth Rept., p. 111.
to Sir Nicholas
L'Estrange at Hunstanton, letter initialled R. L
"
7 Hid.
Ibid.,p. 1121

ROGER

SIR

372

L'ESTRANGE

the

From

extraordinary outburst
followed
his ^Esop, we
gather that
to
despite Sare's kindly assurances
his

health

which

had

apoplectic seizure

in

x.

If

late

illness,dedicated to Ms
the title of one
of these, dated

letters

nor

fingers',he

is

in

brave.
appear,

we

nephew

as

scandal

St

says 3, and

find

the

Evremond's
and

river

Richmond,

at

JR. H.

Richmond

to

recovered

of

Duke

when

'

he

I have

does

neither

write

him

(his

copy)

hand, he

own

to

prepare
which
he

Memoirs,

or

says,

correct

regards as
Caryll's pen l.

still
to

his

would

be

version

of

less
worth-

very
The

'

eyes

himself, it

though the spirit is

when
his Josephus is about
undertaking, with the help of

amanuensis
to

the

hand

quavering
very
At
the
moment

first

may

feeble.

Caryll2, very

to

his

since

Humphrey, is
Sir Roger was
1698, when
part of his Fables and finishing his
find him, in
Josephus. In 1700 we

preparing the second

eight years' task on
his

Nicholas, affected

judge from these

successively Tunbridge

we

'

his

Sir

good

wretched

productions, he visited
Wells, Bath, and
finally crossed
of late '. JEsop
famed
Wells
so

iEsopic skits which

imprisonment had,

his

been

never

1683

of

worthy of Mr
project
aside
for
the
set
was
accordingly
moment,
though, such
the
much
was
appetite for this literature of amours,
This appears
a
appeared of these Memoirs
year or so later.
'

finished

have

to

not

labours.

his

apportioninghis

over

undertakers,
and

the

his

faculties

much
with

which

work

Josephus expenses

caused

did

not

him

appear

much

were

There

to

utter

till 1702

was

difficulty

some

the various

among

fretful words,

some

5.

impaired during

Boyer
his

R. L. hath
1683 : 'Mr
Luttrell, Diary, i.,252,;5th March
fits'.
1692
'Sir
R. L. was
with
(ii.,
414) :
indisposed
April
is
'.
and
since
of
despaired
an
fit,
apoplectic

says

that

last years,
been
seized

latelyvery
yesterday

of this patron of letters, who

introduced
Pope to Steele,see
of Rich. Steele,by G. A. Aitken
(1889),i.,87.
;! Letter
to Caryll, 3rd September
1700^AM. MSS., 28237, f. 4.
4
be
Letter
of some
to Caryll, 15th
September
1700, Ibid.,f. 8. It may
in translation,the Quevedo,was
that as his first essay
interest to remark
designed
the women
and
himself
the
St Evremond
to revenge
on
lawyers, so he declined
which
with
he
last
the
was
connected, on the grounds that ' the
Memoirs,
project
2

For

notice

some

Life and

Times

'

whole
s
'

The

is but

satyr upon

Roger L'Estrange
story is

Josephus,

and

follows.

as
came

in

under

women

to

1
the

was

end

the

cover

of novels

and

morals'.

1700, Add.
MSS., 28237 f. 12:
hard
booksellers
to translate
pressed by some
to an
with
them, for a convenient
agreement
half in common
the other
pains, one
my
paper,
to
reserved
this bargain, are
to
myself upon

Caryll, 18th

October

50 copies for
copies I have
under
till
be raised
hand
50 subscriptions with
own
receiptsto them
upon
my
the
number
is out '.
f.
to
5th
October
10, Roger L'Estrange
/bid.,
Caryll,
I have consulted
1700 :
It is no secretthat
own
advantage in this impression'.
my
'
"300 {Il.M.C, Uth
The
convenient
was
sum
Rept. Aj"j".cii.,113).
sum

in

of

money
The

royal.

and
50

'

'

REVOLUTION

THE

373

biographers. If so,
there is little sign of it, other than
physical, in his latest
him
to
see
letters,and we
actually solicitingoffice down
much
then
exercised by the
He
the last moment.
was
he had
fear that
so
long strained his
posterity,to which
and

this

vision

him

remember

dread
the
a

solemn

of

Bishop

Jacobite

statement

the

had

the

her

The

late

departure

of

futing
con-

be.
'lMhFeb.

'

friend

godfather)

task

the

the

his

to

been

subject, and

if need

calumny

committed

Ely (who

on

increased

Rome,

to

he

for

last

The

that

pitch

him, should
version
blow, the con-

little

so

unruly daughter

such

to

later

Catholic.

as

his

of

cared

has

which

and

the

copied by

been

has

of

daughter

my
of Rome

1702-3.

the

from

of

Church

to the
me
',he says, wounds
very heart of me, for I do solemnly protest in the presence
of Almighty God, that I knew
nothing of it, and for your
to assure
Further satisfaction, I take the freedom
upon
you

England

faith

the

of

and

born

the Church

to

England,

my

life's end.

providence

His

deliver

as

Now

it

to

in

case

in my
paper
So help
truth.

sacred

"

to

friend

years

later
'

says
when

The

(30th August
emissaries

in

was

of
firm

the

same

God

revived

be

in
upon

make

gone,

use,

which
justification,
God.

me

'BOGEB

Many

with

please

to

and

dead

this

of

should

scandal

this

am

continue

to

it

since

ever

as

Church

of the

communion

true

suffer

to

when

my
memory
beseech
you,

the

that

conscience

assistance

God's

with

resolution
to

up in
been
I have

brought
so

and

of honour

man

'

'

L'ESTRANGE

1735)

of the

Dr

Tanner

writing

of Rome

Church

are

and
faculties decline, and it was
our
senses
busy
Roger L'Estrange's desire (after his daughter had been
that
all those
that
seduced
into
gentlemen
communion)
his dying bed, he being no
should
be kept from
stranger to
and land to gain proselytes 2. Despite
their compassing sea
II.'s
the Church
in James
the injury done to his credit with
for many
particular
a
reign, Roger maintained
very
years
place in the affections of the High Party in the Church.
after the
We
find,for example, Dr Charlet, a few months
defence
above
letter,urging the same
against a D.D. of our
very
Sir

'

'

E.M.O.,

n-

Ballard

Am.

M3S.,

oil. to \\th
vol.

Kept,

xix., No.

18.

p. 118

; cf. Sloane

AIS", 4222,p.

14.

ROGER

SIR

374

of Hereford

church

publish a

to

of Rome

Jacobite

at

In the midst

would

says

be

his

was

eighty-sixlooked
of these

hopes

for

'his

age,

December

2,12th

he died

of his

Chalmers3,

difficult

hopes in
incredible spirit,even
renewal of employment.

naturally inspirednew

of Anne

eighty-eighth
year

which',

extremis to the

apostasisingin

S. for

L.

breasts, and, such

L'Estrange

more

'

accession

The

the

(who) has spent his time so laudably as

English translation of iEsop's Fables, and

Sir R.

reflectingon
Church

new

L'ESTRANGE

'

to

great age
full of contention, of greater span,

than common
ebbings,despite more
of fortune, more
occupied with

impaired'.

were

that

in

even

point

and

to

It

life
the

insults

and
had

He

affairs4.

to

down

disasters

last

part of

latter

during the

faculties

1704, in

been

Cavalier, poet, musician,

magistrate, Projector,
surveyor,
missioner,
and
Journalist, Government
apologist,Royal Comspy
in
Prince
of Pamphleteers and Translators, and
all

hated
have

force

capacitiesby
had

',he said,

expect, that

trimming

by

makes

interest

'

or

the

violence

many,

loved

unlucky hand,

an
so

before

many
an

men

by
and

his

inflexible

himself

made

had

the
so

few.

very

must

enemies,

standing,
out'

every man
value
as

'

honesty 5.

Ballard

MSS., vol. xix., No. 30.

Nicholas
R.
Sare
to Sir
mi.
to 11th
H.M.C.,
Rept., p. 114.
App.
'
The
of
Sir
death
prising.
sur10th
March
was
1704-5.
Roger
L'Estrange,
very
poor
would
have
made
he
The
soon
to
reason
Captain gave
hope
good
I had
thereto
in order
himself
capable of preferment and
got the Queens
will now
The
trouble
letter
for him.
about
Sir Roger's concerns
by this loss
to
his
be
all matters
be quickly over
and
daughter'.
resigned
safely
may
s Article
The
Gen.
Biog. Diet. (1815) pp. 205-11.
L'Estrange in Chalmer's
reference
Cibber's Life of Roger L'Estrange
to impaired faculties is copied from
in turn
from
is taken
Boyer (Queen Anne, p. 38).
(ed. 1753, iv., 295-303), which
the grave
in peace,
to
He was
though he had ma
suffered,however, to descend
his understanding ', is Cibber's
survived
manner
paraphrase of Boyer's" He
intellectuals
survived
those
in peace
to his grave
went
though he had in a manner
he enjoved to an
uncommon
perfection'.
J
addition
In
to the
by bir
portraitsand engravings of L'Estrange noted
at Hunstanton
(painted1084),
Sidney Lee (art.Did. Nut. Biog.), viz. : a Kneller
the Lely exhibited
at South
Kensington, 1868 (714 on Catalogue), and a mezzotint
the Asop
in
engraving from the Kneller
by P. Tempest 1684, we have R. White's
with
the
mezzotint
in
autograph
and
two
fine
a
engravings, one
(1st part)
Collection
Sutherland
Collection at the Bodleian.
See Catalogue of the Sutherland
of Portraits, i.,593.
s
his
Cases Submitted
to Consideration, etc., printed from
L'Estrange's Two
whom
to
Even
Dunton,
1709
original MSS.,
(printedas a single-sheetfolio,1687).
Nature
of human
such
kindness, has his gibe. His
of the milk
a large share
gave
in
probably written
portraiture of L'Estrange
(Life and Errors, p. 265) was
fallen
his weekly Satire
since
is
and
'His
sting is gone
Roger's last year.
asleep, is no longer a guide to the Inferior Clergy. Hark
ye, Sir Author
, says
consider
ears"
Dunton
little piece of crape
to himself, ' comes
buzzing in my
a
what
do.
There
is a respect duo
to the
unfortunate, especially to
ye say and
and ingenuity'.
who
of sense
those
have
been
great and are still men
i
2

'

'

,.

SIR

376
of

Cicero,Erasmus, aud

in

the

lucrative

'.

work,

of

figure was
he

that

for bread

years

his

monopolies

the

so

necessityof scribbling
responsiblefor a great deal

from
are

of

nothing

sav

were

great and

so

far

was

these

Yet

to

Charles'

of

his

successor,

mostly forced upon him

his temerity provoked. During
reign and the three years of his

Seneca,

which

controversy

the later years

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

his

'

Observators

their

with

enter
a
new
we
prodigiousgain '. But with the Revolution
of
tion
restituThere
in
much
field.
was
1679-80,
scarcelyas,
hope
of office,
counter-Revolutiou.
His old works,
save
by a
mostly ephemeral in their nature, had no sale,and he could
the new
licensers
not under
republish or refurbish them as
have
household
in 1681-2.
The
at High Holborn
we
was,
ruinous.
Then
began at seventy-two the courageous
seen,
sometimes
relieved by the
was
struggle for bread, which
admirers, and which at any rate kept
presents of anonymous
'

him

from

reached.

the

His

In

to

the

how

of his own,
speaks with

He
for

many
annuities.

booksellers,on the whole

5th
Sir Nicholas, dated

unsuccessful.

1700

October

lists for Josephus,

subscription

of the

a
long time
mightily concerned
lived, some
maintaining that he has an
others that he is supportedby his relations.
due
Sir Nicholas
to
a
acknowledgment

charitable

offices,but

Finally

presents from

not

been

have

he

estate

made

opening

people

says
know

to

the

letter

announcing
he

fame

venality of

antagonist Settle had

this profession of letters,despite

to the levels his old

descending

'

have

he

has

received

no

very

settlements

or

considerable

to me
much
known
so
as
persons, not
reward for my goodwill to the publique2,
a
as
by their names
but after all this,my
chief support '.
pen has been my
It may
of L'Estrange's
be desirable
to preface an
account

works

with

nearly as

as

divers

we

1. The

list of his essays

can

Visions

Kwight of

state

of
the

in

Translation

3.

These

are

Bom
Order

Francisco

of

St

de

Quevedo

James,

Villegas,

licensed

26th

App. vii. to 11th Report, p. 113.

September 1700, he acknowledges to Caryl! (whom he suspects of
the
know
the
kindness) a glorious present of partridges. If you
generous
f.
him
humble
thanks'.
Add.
benefactor, give
MSS., 28*237, 6.
my
3
This
be compared
the
excellent
list should
with
one
given by Sir Sidneynot
does
Lee
(art. L'Estrange, Diet. Nat. Biog.)which
though fairly accurate
French
the
and
the Apology for
always give the first editions,omits the Machiavel
the 2nd
Protestants,and confuses
part of the Fables,1699, with the later edition
of the 1692
the Plautm
state clearly L'Estrange's
or
jEsop. Nor does he mention
part in the Tacitus, which has been curiously obscured
by all his biographers.
'

H.M.C.,

So

12th

'

THE

REVOLUTION

377

March

1G67, published the

December
1678, price 6d.
2. A

Guide

and

Fathers

Holy

John
3. Five

Eternity, Extracted

to

of the

year,

same

1672, 2nd

Bona,

Love-letters

6th

edition,

of the

Writings
Philosophers,by

out

Ancient

1680.

edition, May

{French)
28th
December
1677, published
Cavalier, licensed
and
1678, 2nd
edition, 1693, a French
English

'second'

from

edition

The

{Portuguese)Nun

1693.
love-letters written

of Five

authorship
Cavalier

to

by

Answer, etc.,1694, with a second

edition
both
1701, where
together, is
appear
what
is also
Sir Sidney Lee
doubtful, as
in

rightly calls

letters between
F

disagreeable work

'

Nobleman

and

',the

his

Love-

Sister,viz:

the Lady
of Werk, and
Henrietta
Berk-ley,by the author of the Letters
to a Cavalier
from a Nun
(1693 ; 2nd edition,
Gr

d, Lord

"

"

'

'

1734
4. The

of

Gentleman
the

French, 1678,

"2nd
5. Seneca's
2nd

Fothecary,

7.

by Curll, 1726.

Morals

by

8. An

books, May

with

Tom

6th

edition

Norwich.

of

Tho

2nd

Spanish

Bodleian

edition

Browne's

French
into

and

Decameron

Catalogue

17th

or

First

advertised

additional

seven

and

Life

Protestants,in four parts,

Ten

Novels

made

English,

February 1686-7.

assigns

them

(A. B.) are

put to the Amours
last part of the
Love-letters b

i., Doubtful

added, 1689,

two

English,by Iloijer
DEstramje,

initials

App.

with

1709.

1687, licensed

second

7th, 1722.

1680.

Leng, Bishop

Apology for the

Done
out of French
May 1681 2.

9. The

1679;

of Erasmus,

"See

; 5th edition,1693;

1678

'

Twenty Select Colloquies of Erasmus

Roterodamus,
pleasantly representingseveral superstitiousLevities
that were
in his days,
of Home
crept into the Church
issued

of

out
Story, Done
curious
indecency

of Abstract, December

way

edition, 1680

November

whose

edition

in
Tully's Offices
revised
by John

6.

True

volume

'

probably correctly to Aphra Behn

and Silvia,being the
of Philander
-V

and

hit "

'"/"(1G93).

Works.
in

Obsenater, i.,42,

13th

August

1681.

Original unknown.

SIR

378

10. Besides

ROGER

these

L'ESTRANGE

pre

in

probably begun
de

Alonso
called

the

or

Solorzano)
(Castillo

edition) TJic Spanish

Buefina, in
of Seniora
of the Artificesused by

1717

Curll's

(in

Polecat

1680,

was,

Don

of

translation

Sovorcano's

Castillo

there

works

Revolution

Adventures

four books,being a detection

than
such of the Fair Sex as are
at the Purses
more
the Hearts
Completed by Ozell
of their Admirers.
1717, and re-issued 1727 as Spanish Amusements.
the

To

period when

he

certainly

'

most

'

for bread

wrote

belong:
"

Fables

11.

Sir
the

'

Mythologists,
by
fol. with
portrait,

of JZsop and Other Eminent

Roger L'Estrange, Kt., 1691,

collection of Fables

extensive

most

1704, 1712, 1724;

Russian, 1760.
12.

The

Third

Book

13.

Terence,Six

of

Histories,1694.

Tacitus1

Eachard),

with

(in collaboration

Comedies

1699,

edition, 1714, and

French

others

edition,1694;

2nd

(Sir Sidney Lee).

'

in existence

1694.
14.

He

have
been
may
translation
of three

Moralised, being
Fables, 1699.

16.

"

these

Besides

of

out
to

of Tasso's

Translation
It
confine

will

who

himself

choicer
1

to

delicacies

Sir Sidney Lee

demanded
age

scandalous,
The

seen

viz:"

Love-letters

this

classical

of

of
to

The

and

Gentleman

of Ford, Lord

very

for

the

'

by

Preface

learned
Fairfax's

to

Liberata, 1687.

list that

that

he

not
was

hackney-writers
the
with
England

the

'

of

group
familiarise

him

for

this

branch

of

his

share

The
take

of

his
be

can

Spanish
to

be

works.

his.

But

described

Polecat

'

It

Bettres1.

Belles

little

Pothecary,and
Grey, we do not

did

author

our

translations, but

Continental

(op. clt.)censures
them

the

wrote

Gerusalemme

from

important member
attempting
were

an

his

be

he

Key
(1715),

Works

Posthumous

Butler's

Lastly

L., and

B.

by

Translated

newly

Son,

verse

single sheet

scraps,

L'Estrange'sauthorship vouched
ii.,

Midgely'.

Dr

his

to

English

into

printed in

Hudibras

vol.

Advice

the Italian

other

two

or

one

are

MachiaveVs

entitled

Josephus compared

original Greek, 1702.

the

with

of sEsop's

Part

of Flavins

Works

The

Josephus

Second

the

Comedies, 1694-6.

of Plautus'

15. Fables

in

hands'

the

of

'one

in

as

part,

be

also

should
candour

the

of

that

said

of

L'Estrange, the

witli

either

is discounted

task

politicalchoice

379

REVOLUTION

THE

the

work

translated,

be

to

by

seeming
deliberate

by

or

performance, especially
in those
period. So that we
belonging to
of this sort
his labours
divide
strictlyinto works
may
which
were
purely bookseller's projects,and those in which
and
he
'twixt
indulged the humours
jest and earnest
well be openly expressed.
could
not
spite of party which
still
earliest accepted ^Esop, which
it is that
Thus
our
the

in

ludicrous, bias

strong, often

earlier

the

'

'

finds

its

abuse

of

English garb

the

Even

work

the

of

the
disgust of
express
of
turn
English politics.
to

desired

L'Estrange
of

described

lists

Brome's

being

'

find

We

account.

Bona

gentle

made

was

at

in
Colloquies were
'against Popery', when
himself
against the charge

Erasmus'
as

'.
popishly-affected
need

translations

The

appeared in
Popish Plot

the

of

II. 's

James

to

disappointed courtier

defend

to

salt
Seneca

tumult

the

rebuke

to

its
and

Dispensing Power,

his

crisis.

of

much

editors, owed

did

he

that

of

not,

suffer

course,

those

best

that

on

things

which

still
reader
who
spleen dictated, and the modern
of his passages
wonders
at the extraordinary vigour of some
the human
thank
when
compared with the original,must
passion (which his originalsdeprecated) for this pleasing
not scholarly,
quality. The mind of L'Estrange was polemical,
and therein as a translator he was
happy in his age.

spite or

The

serious

so

then

regarded

was

written

as
as

equipment

it would

good

work, than

new

relying on a
having leant
warred

his

questionof

authority to

against these

that

loose

Horace
his

translator

an

author

2, may

view.

notions, and

not

was

writer1.

modern

had

translation, and

faithful
of

line

dubious
his

boast
a

in

be

as

be

It

rather

Dryden,

regarded as
Bentley

It is true
the

new

century

of the
be a mastery
reading, must
but
if
translates
he
into,
out of, and
language
language he translates
Preface
it
'.
is
in
the
in
be
Dryden,
allowed
original
to
either,
a
deficiency be
Life of iMciam
to
(Malone'a 1800 ed., iii.,388).
curabis
verbo
Nee
verbum
reddere,
'-' Freiace t"" Ovid's
ibid.,p. 15.
Epistles,
in Roscommon's
translate'
word
too
word
for
fidus interpres', 'Nor
faithfully
his translation
to Fanshawe
on
Denham
So Sir John
much
applauded version.
of Pastor Fido,
1
decline,
servile path thou
That
nobly must
Of tracing word
by word, and line by line '.
i

'The

qualificationof

translator

that

worth

of the

'

Tytler (Essay ..a

Denham

for this

the

Principles of Translation, 3rd edit.,1813, p. 264) censures

advouacy.

SIR

380
with

opened

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

protest from

of three

to his translation

Sir Edward
of

Seneca's

Sherburne, prefixed
tragedies,1702 K But

and Fanshawe,
Dryden's authority,affirmingthat of Denham
Tom
the close translation,and what
naturallyprevailedover
called the
ridiculous
affectation of antiquity'. Nor
Browne
blame
the taste of the day, which
looked
back to the
we
can
of
servile copiers',to Ben
Jonson, Eeltham, Sandys,
race
Dr Johnson, by creeping
and Savile, men
to
who, according
the
Latin
idiom
and
diction
did
after
nothing for the
better
of the first who
one
saw
a
language. Cowley was
who
'left his authors,' and
by adopting a greater
way,
'

'

freedom
reserved

of

is to exhibit
the

as

author

to

the

preserve

Dryden

for

examples
'

able

was

English idiom.
give

to
...

translation

', says

thought

would

given him,

have

such

in

had

It

was

rules

just

us

Johnson.

his author's

'

and

The

translator

dress

of diction

his

language

been

English '.
It
1

unfortunate

is

verbo

verbum

to the
extent

Browne
more,

school

freedom

of
in

to suit modern

manners

century

this

from

reaction

Johnson

Sandys,

and

earlier

the

involved

B.C.

became

the

turning

notions.

London

of

that

So

Rome

seventeenth

of the

of the

third

century, and

bully like Captain Otter.

In France, needless to say, the same
phase had appeared,
courtiers
whilst
Roman
heroes
at
as
masqueraded

Vitellius

but

that

phrases according
genius of the different tongues. In Dryden to some
2, in L'Estrange, Eachard, Spence, Phillips,and Tom
'"'
two
to a much
things
greater degree, it involved
license of diction and the accommodation
the utmost
of
than

more

'

is to swagger

and

(Dryden, Arnold's Six Chief Lives, p. 181), Sir Ed. Sherburne, 'a
who
of poetry, and
being better
learning was
greater than his powers
his version
qualifiedto give the meaning than the spiritof Seneca, has introduced
defence
of
close
translation.
The
Three
a
of
authority of Horace
Tragedies by
verbo
of their practice ("Nee verbum
translators
cited in defence
which
the new
",
wants
reason
; but
etc.)he has by a judicious explanation taken fairlyfrom them
is scarcely right in taking Sherburne
to be
to support it '. Johnson
not Horace
the only objector.
'
2
cast
the
same
as
undisputed genius, had
though a great and
Dryden
and
the
his plays discover
him
to be a party
man
same
L'Estrange. Even
principle infects his style in other respects', Johnson, Lit. Mag. (1758), p. 197.
not
T. Gordon
[Preface to his Tacitus, 1728) imputes to Dryden'stranslations
1

Johnson

whose

man

defect
but
the
contrary French
coarseness,
to the
I lallam
says of his Virgil (Introduction
'

The
;;

'

faintness

Literati'

re

and

circumlocution

'.

of Europe (1883),p. 790)

Sealiger, the

presents very

well

elder,
the

disclaims

he
'

late

Bentley's

'a
hero

spitefullyvulgar '.
prefixed to his version of the
affectation
of antiquity and
ridiculous
',the ' prince of pedants '. This Life

style is often almost studiously and as it were

Lij"-if Erasmus
See, lor example, his excellent

(1699),where
Colloquies
calls

of

seventeenth-century view

'

of

translation.

REVOLUTION

THE
do

Versailles1, we

find

not

which

381

the

taken

license

same

with
the

afterwards

held
to disgrace
was
language,
School
of
translators.
The
English
genius of Madame
Dacier, the exquisitelingualprecisionof La Fontaine almost
in a day rescued
translation
French
from
such crudities,and
able
Johnson
set it in a shining place. So that whilst
was
to say later of our
of the ancients, that
poetical translations
it was
work
which
the
French
to
a
seem
relinquish in
were
despair, and which
we
long unable to perform with
take
it that
must
we
despite a good recovery
dexterity,'
in the early half of the eighteenth century, English translation
the

'

both
seventeenth
and

and

in prose

behind

what

scarcely understood
M.
Bellanger" has

in

in

was

far

century

elegance,and

what

verse

is

the

of

in

schools

two

term

this

of

the

precision

scholarliness,

Speaking

the

of

decade

last

French

more,

England.

said

the

period,

France

in

the

"

Nous
English schools too
les primitifs(traducteurs)defiguerl'antiquite
vu
pour
Nous
allons
voir
les
empecher de la reconnoitre.
la defiguera leur tour, sous
traducteurs
le pretexte
well

very

avons
nous

nouveaux

de 1'embellir.

epais et
destine

Ceux-la

lourd
a

describes

les contours

noyer

jetteront sur
pudiquement

dissimuler

en

"

la cachaient

nous

; ceux-ci

'

dans

un

elle

vetement

un

voile

de

sorte

une

les

La

nuage.

sous

nudites

et

naive
simplicity

en

s'est

enfuie, elle a cede le pas a l'eleganceraffinee et delicate'.

The
Abbe
tion
Persin, for example, boasts himself in his translaof

Virgil

l'habit

sous

plumes

d'un

et du

Bellanger,
incontestees

and

'.

Plautus

of

the

'

their

lift
1

'

in

en

francais
'

Mais

le

vous

et

(iEneas) montrer
le

des
pompe
enfin ',continues

avec

voici

nous

la

de

Yet

de l'une
des
presence
la nation
des traducteurs,

imperfections
talents.

ses

the

though
based

were

and

lady ', no

and

indeed

Je

tout

almost
of

copied
her

English

See J. J. Juaserand'a

edition
refers

to

and

of Tom

Browne's

de

age
par
Madame

Eachard

Terence

the

from

versions

elegance appears

translations

are

To
their

'give it a
object,and

tion,
(2 vols.,1892), Introduc(1692) as full of the most

Bellanger (Justin),Hidovre de la Traduction

Sec Tytler, op. cit.,
chap. iv.

en

in
more

Scarron

Scarron
Dryden's (.')
coarsen

cet

parler

veux

L'Estrange

trace
no

domine

gloires les plus

de l'ecrivain qui

by the faults alluded to above3.

L'Estrange's refined language; was

he
p. liii., where
humorous
accommodations
-

premier

clinquant '.

'

French

work,

deformed

le

cavalier

rnalgre de greves
la superioritede
Dacier

'

be

to

Frawe,

pp.

29 and

45.

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

382

Dryden admitted of the

labouring under the notion which
of our
language ', they too often attempted to do
inferiority
endeavoured
I have
of phrase.
',
so
by sheer coarseness
to make
said Dryden,
Virgil speak such English as he
been born in England,
have spoken, if he had
himself
would
and in this present age ',a boast he repeated in his Epistle to
But
Dorset
(1693) On the Origin and Progress of Satire1.
'

'

'

in the

he

essay

same

'If sometimes

of

any

(and

us

the customs
express
country, rather than of Rome,
of analogy betwixt
kind
some

it is but
and

(Juvenal)

when

him

make

to

their

gave him those manners,

defend not this innovation, it is
Malone's

note

shew

indeed

would

verdict of

To

later

peculiarlyhis

age
own'2.

on

That

there

and

was
or

ours,

vulgar understandings,
familiar
if I

this

to

us.

kind

it '.

excuse

can

But

of innovation

the
judgment' expresses
L'Estrange made
practice which
with
Phillips
Dryden sinned

want

great

him
native

our

when

customs

enough

to defend

attempt

of

manners

manners.

make

seldom)

it is, either

to
easy
which
are

more

we

'

of

the accommodation

excuses

of

L'Estrange both in the so-called coarseness

the
and
passion for modernising everything, is painfully
of Scarron
of 1692, supposed to
the translation
from
evident
be his, and the Tacitus (1694) in which, with L'Estrange, he
and

and

Browne

bore

hand.

L'Estrange and his imitators

to their
class Dryden) recommended
we
(among whom
may
the
elegant but
a
as
genuine English style, made
age
French
unsinewed
pale by contrast, and whilst
appear
of the
its practitioners were
constantly styled masters
be thought that there
were
not
English tongue',it must
the

Whilst

style which

'

'

'

dissentient

no

long

as

that

of

would

criticism

But

L'Estrange lived, directed to

Spence,
Phillips3 or Ferrand

Malone's
Yet

voices.

such

excuse

222.
ed., iii.,
a
precisian as
the
practice,

was

first,and

at

such

as
cases
gross
drew
Lucian
whose

Classics,1713)

the

[Dissertationon Reading
long as only the actors and

Felton
so

so

not

the

customs

changed.

were

in its eccentricities by Phillips'Don

Quixote
only be matched
English
Quixote " made
(Phillips)professes to give us Don
this phrase
modern
of our
humour
to the
language ", ho understands
the
allusions
that is perfectly astonishing
of interpretation
with
fulness
a
might say of
are
always in the style of low and vulgar English '. Yet, as we
(Lives of
L'Estrange, 'his buffoonery is always vigorous and eloquent' Godwin
Chapman
Ed. and John
(1815),p. 253). As L'Estrange introduces Livcwcll
Phillips
in his Quevedo, so Dangerfield of ' Plot
fame, finds his place as the ring-ieader of
in Don
thieves
of convicted
the band
Quixote. Apropos of the general sterilityin
in L'Estrange,
by llallam and so observable
originalcompositions remarked
3

The

(1687). '
according

Terence
When

can

he

"

'

SIR

384

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

not
the
English translation, fidelityto the original was
The
aim
rather
first thing thought of.
to present a
was
work, largelyquarried from the ancients, but thoroughly
new
It has rather the air of an
English in dress and language.
is their boast, and
a
originalthan a translation
mastery in
the sense
and spiritof his author
and
in his own
language
and
of
the
translator's
a
style
happiness
expression are
add
that
When
we
a
special license to wander
qualities.
round
the phrase was
lator
permitted to the gentleman transthe
\ as opposed to
mean
hackney-writer', and that
in the interests of a true English style,we
stand
begin to underof L'Estrange'sworks, and how
the vast vogue
natural
that in the eighteenth century reaction (especiallywhere
the
fall foul of the
of politicsentered) critics should
malice
tion.
translamost
shining example of this kind of vernacular
tion
Another
cycle of criticism brings a strange revoluin taste, and
from
of
Granger's dictum, 'He was
one
the
English Language ', to
greatest corrupters of the
Professor
Earle's
latest appreciation, there
stretches
the
whole
gamut of literaryvalues.
The
of foreign authors
matter
couraged
engust for the mere
writers
to
hurry into English dress anything
'

'

'

'

'

which

bore

stamp, and

that

and

the

cduld

French,

uncritical
demand.

is

home

of

eve

modish

to

dealt

for

save

fine

as

the

ape

market,

in

French

words, but words

they steal
it English standard, it is
to make
Dryden deprecated, 'kept as near
1
2

The

of

name

Purgatory, and
the

are

to

bookseller

for

the
of

undertakers

their

own

the

wretched

that

it be

two

outburst

his

words

gain

than

scribblers
but

done

'.

was

same

as

odious

works

of

this

nature

public honour.
they employ, and
So

it

was

with

his

Lit. of Europe

so

as

to

be

and

They

they

persons

Tacitus

are

'

The

in

business
Scarron.

the

and

what
use

Scholar's

booksellers

more

parsimonious

how

the

his

wrote

387

are

done

excuses

ibid.,p.

not

care
own

endeavours

has

and

Wither

when

as

the

she

possible'
English '.

naturalise

only
one

...

as

are

literature

If

Therefore

Dryden,

reasons.

was

we

our

not

we

languages

out

Yet

as

the

was

points

trifles.

translation'.

(1882), p. 828: 'The

inexplicable by any
great
incapable of being pleased, for all the
were
readily translated '.
'"'"

was

Hallam

word

Latin

criticism,

not

is axle-tree in
axis,which
Dryden, Life of Lucian, Malone, iii.,388.

the

'

no

other

was

(or
right

eager

everything, therefore
from

the

public as from
Portuguese 2. Thoroughly
an

or

critical

it

as

the

were

faithful

were

long

as

one

their

of

to

out

Spanish, Italian, or
nutrition,
truly, but

The

the

versions

original),so

an

be

unproductive3,
on

booksellers, who

little if the

publishers, recked
if they had
even
stuff

the

devoted

rewarding
is done, so

scarcity of original fiction in England

not
public taste was
reasoning. The
novels

and

romances

of

the

continent

whole

the

On

boast.

can

expense
became
the

regrettedthat

be

it cannot

at

looseness, English translation

of considerable

the

385

REVOLUTION

THE

and vigorous language

coursing ground for a new
the
outside
when
and
when
at a time
nothing was
secure,
drama
and
the pulpit nothing native was
being produced.
and defects exaggerated.
In L'Estrange we
these merits
see
of his author, to moralise
To get to the matter
it,'give it
lift' is his object. Contemporary (which largelymeant
a
little.
him
then
beginning interested
French) research
would
what
Hence
we
regard to-day as the most impudent
also his
vast
plagiarism is openly vaunted, and hence
the
cold fruits of scholarship, not
on
popularity. Not
the

on

and

often

of

seizure

ignorant

French, but

the

elegance of

sinewless

on

seemed

whatever

bold

suit

to

English palate, his

booksellers
kept him in
the

sake

of

his

commission

name.

The

depended.

success

of

man

greatest

long

his

years
and
not

age

for

the

day

beyond it.
To

turn

in

repeat that
and

'

the

this

licensed

piece of

in

work.

As

the

year

which

the

Minister

had

fanciful

fate

Quevedo

is

the

with

want

man,

L'Estrange to
acid, rivals
His

and
upon

on

write

his

object was

measure

features

are

outlook

savage

the whole

of

'pure

the
of

to

the

spite,for

the
physicians,
de

better

than

written

and

do

was

he

Quevedo

take

that

had

intriguein
part, when

penitence
than

more

author

the

of

observable.

The

same

four years
ingratitude,
solitude, oppressed by a
The

resemblance.
and

men

prefacewhich,

Foreword

the
among
Francisco
Dom

same

and

all orders
a

on

secretarial

to

who

translation

of

pension.

his

by

political

those

meanest

to

before
of

form

rewarded
versatility,

great

disdained
and

in

de

imprisonment,

by the

must

we

greatest neglect,when

his

not

resemblance

Francisco

said, it

been

Newsbook

the

took

(and alarm)
Dom

has

oppressed him,

sickness

supreme,
of the
type

and

by Dryden, and
English writing,cannot
of

from

ousted

been

is

best instance
very
but not ' defended

wonderful

read

earliest,the

the

'

'

excused

themselves,
Quevedo 1668, the

translations

personal element

even

desire

the

to

now

in

Newsbook
the

author

rudeness

and

it alone.

and

had

has

lawyers,the
in

inspired

women

sheer

same

women,

English revenges

hard
etc.,
him

all his enemies'.

The

'

bold

additions

and

frequent accommodation
2 b

of its

the

jests to

of

historian

they

ROGER

scandal

and

Spanish

Literature

of the

taste

'

times

the

1,to which

however
its success,
precisians of the eighteenth
ascribed

the

shocked

have

may

L'ESTRANGE

SIR

386

daring and successful flight.The

Sixth
Surveyor
Vision, for example, provided the discarded
the
with
bookselling
an
opportunity of inveighing against
had
the
distinction
and of these Livewell
Chapman
fraternity,
century,

to

of the

are

fame.

dragged into posthumous

be

it made

and

to

start

me

ado

much

forward

passed

'

thence
hear

"

bookseller

into

"

Popes-Head Alley
What, art
",quoth I.
in

says he, 'tis e'en too true.

this ". He
thought I must
"

all

with

and

name,

wrapt up in smoke

forgotten your
you
?
"I cry you
mercy,
"
?
thou here
Yes, sir ",

have

"

good Livewell

by

me

there

he,

Alas, sir ", says

alley where

little dark

call

one

fellow

perceived a

flame.

old

same

"

"

it would

dreamt

never

to

come

pity him, when I knew him,

the justice of his punishbut truly I reflected rather upon
ment.
mint
of
the
For
in a
word, his shop was
very
heresy, schism, and sedition. I put on a face of compassion,
of and
hold
he took
to give a little ease, which
however,
I would
his complaint.
vented
Well, sir ", says he,
my
made
he
when
a
had
made
father
me
a
me
hangman
needs

"

"

stationer, for
works
in

as

have

well

for

as

dish, is the

our

that

are

we

sot

every
made

knows

called

And

own.

our

selling of
as

now

or

if

piece

had

devil

roll of

his

own

thing

one

translations
much

other

as

so

would

men's

that's

nasty groom
every
familiar
with
Homer,

Devil,
He

Wither".

and

George
not
stopped
papers

and

his

mouth

choked

have

with
him

with

Virgil,

Champions,

the Seven

would

cast

dog cheap
formerly

passable doctor, and

as
lackey is grown
roguey
if
'twere
and Ovid, as
Robin, the

of

for

account

to

talked

whiff
the

from
smoke

on
a

of

'The
Visions were
Ticknor, Hist, of Spanish IMera"wre,ii.,325-6 and 339:
Into
into
French
and
English they were
printed 1641.
by Genest
that the
by Roger L'Estrange and published 1668 with such success
freely rendered
believe
and
I
there
London
in
1708
10th edition
at
was
more.
one
was
printed
yet
of the Visions in the Edinburgh ed. 1798, vol. i.,
This is the basis of the Translation
bad.
I have
translations
vol. ii. All the
Novelists (183*!),
and
Roscoe's
are
seen
The
best is that of L'Estrange or at least the most
spirited. L'Estrange is not very
unfaithful
from
and
he
he
knew
the
is sometimes
meaning
faithful, where
Verhotcnen
lnde.% der
Biicher
ignorance '. Mr H. C. Lea reviewing Reusch's
to F. de Quevedo
(1883), p. 5, remarks
(Eng. Hit.
Rev., iv., 83) : 'No reference
whose
furnish
works
an
interestingbit of literaryHistory. In Sotomayor's //"'"
and
is a curious
of edification
of 1640, p. 4*25,there
entry permitting his works
the
Snenos
suppressing all the rest
(Visions),the Buscon, the Discn.no de lodoi
A"
to modern
readers', and this by his
Diablos,by which he is best known
1

translated

"

own

request !

REVOLUTION

THE
it

I went

but

"

be thus

here, but

the

of

out

seller
book!'

recognition

'

hostess

the

the merest

are

transformation1.
Caelum

"id

Manuductio

Cistercian

Falstaff

'

If

of the author

Quevcdo is improved

say

Tyburn, Newgate,

trifles of
The

to

myself

to

will become

criminal, what

Needless

this

saying

away

387

Father

had

Bona,

Guide

or

Eternity of

to

remarkable

the

before

vogue

it in 1672, and
at
consciously
L'Estrange tried his hand
attempted to rebuke the intemperance of English politics-.
six years later he finished a more
In the same
spiritsome
ambitious
after the
he

was

the

text

than

an

of

ase

'

Ranters

'

and

received

the

rabble

even

"

of

of

private side
wild

the

for
of

councils

good

If it

'

would

private

of

of

good

the

upon

that

calm

with

which

order

the

on

die, the

to

generous
of rebuke

treasury
than

'a

system

'.

original',
says Roger,

valuable

most

bestowed

the

to

less

no

'

Pagan
L'Estrange in
"

manners

to

up

the

Divine

laehrymae

ct

veritable

'

', and

insistence

Faction,

the

and

of the

one

man

To

Prince's

and
it

written

were

be

his

life,made

men

preces

we

in

of

Adamites

'

with

acquiescence not
the
philosopher
contempt

the

in

"

both

1614, is a digest
in
the Reader, and

version

Afterthought. The
which
character
appealed

of

traits

old

"

Morals

translations,

mind

added

subsequently

had

his

of

yEsop

Seneca's

this

distempered

Lodge's

translation

In

his

after

next

"

and

before

editions

many

other

any
his

of

workings

rather

the

than

more

which, like

"

into

went

Revolution, and by which

known
his generation.
to

Abstracted,
see

which

work

presents that
As

public.

ever

the

to

'it

any

timing

philosophy (as the

with
Holy Apostle calls it) and so desperately overgrown
drolls and sceptics,that there is hardly anything so certain
sacred that is not
exposed to question or contempt'.
or
so
of it, we

[Post'Angd,March

DuntoD

ifl of

revenged the

which

edition

second

are

fallen into

steady

stream

appeared
But

diminished.

an

age

:;

Read*
bulk
as

to mako

New

(Whig) Quevedo,

L'Estrange'a version.
1680.
Mr

and

the

seventh

tribute

to

vigour and

the

translations

r:

than
Mr

/"

votion,1900)

stimulation

have

of

being singularly faithful,

L'Estrange's
only wanted

as

edition, which

it excellent.
free style To the
of this excessively
to anticipate criticism
but a little more
in the
Seneca, every thought and line on't
'This
his
humour
of
the
of
3rd part
(Seneca's)
original.'
ranging
"

It is
the

the

Thereafter

in 1722.

Stanbridge [Libraryof

.). W.

L'Estrange tried

Sobs

wanting
ho

vain

1702, p. ISO) announces

re-cdited L'Estrange'sold version,with

his
Ins style. It is remarkable
among
after (1673) issued
an
.las. 1'ricc a year
force

of

expresses
towards
tht

'day enough

it

'

doing
to

go

But

Roger's excuse.
of full

right
through with

to

Seneca'
it'.

he

hints
and

at.

still

'somewhat

promises

to

do

it. i(

ROGER

SIR

388

L'ESTRANGE

Revolution, the

fourth

edition

appeared with an Afterthought into which the

all the
gall and bitterness of his discarded

author

poured

has

world
to

at the

canvass

well

is

of

any

to

sure

of

as

done

fourth

so

or

politics
that

we
meaning
the image of what
people
He
what
do
l.
cludes
conthey
the prevalence of literary
'

of

already,a

common

interest

Seneca

illustrations

much

as

the

criminal

that

to note

Unmasked,

Easter

like

him
upon
to stumble

tincture
the

for

find better
the

between

upon
again,if the

over

least

coining,shall

impressionsappeared in

Morality

bear

shows

figures or

shall have

some

my
but

on't

coffeehouse
set
every
if he shall but happen

washing, clipping and

It is of

to

(of the translation), I fear, will find

his own
to preserve
reputation
difficulty
author, especiallywhen
to do right to the

have

same

supplement
that's

which

justiceand
the

History

of late

The

'

state.

Coffee-houses.

attempt,

of

court

the

much

nigh as

in this

will better

undertaker

The

kind

the

what's

remark

the

altogetherso

that

with

he

been

not

age
to do, than

ought

'

before

morals, and

my
live in an
as

months

few

of any

basest

sort

quarter '.
and

third

1685, RefiexAons
on

Term

English version
by Mrs
popular Maximes

boiled-down

immensely
and
La
Rochefoucauld
The putting of Seneca
Aphra Behn.
had
to
in oppositionthoroughly suited an
run
so
age which
of
the labours
party that philosophyand divinityand even
made
of politicalcanvass.
matter
the Royal Society were
in some
Erasmus'
Colloquies,
respects his best translation,
of 1680, and
the work
appeared just after the great
was
L'Estrange's own
History of the
budget of Plot Narratives.
attacked
not
Plot was, it will be remembered,
only by Care
in his Damnable
Popish Plot, but from the other side also in
fact that the
The
Castlemaine's
scepticalCompendium.
unable
been
to detect the
after careful study
latter had
scepticaldesign of L'Estrange's work, is a rather dubious
infidel
ever
an
on
Roger's claim to have been
commentary
claim in publishit gave him
In any case
a
ing
to the Plot1.
as
the
as
having been
Colloquies to represent himself
like
extremists
and
misunderstood
belaboured
by both
Rochefoucauld's

of

"

"

'

"

Erasmus, a victim of moderation

and
the
the Quevedo, the Bona,

'-.

So

that

Seneca,

our

History of the Times (16S7), which

flat,despite Mrs Behn's p;ean (1688).
betwixt
So that
with Erasmus
himself, he is crushed
1

He

had

just issued

'

To

the Reader.

his

again,as

with

translator
seems

the

to have

two

is
fallen

extremes

'.

389

REVOLUTION

THE

identifyhimself in a peculiar way with his author.

written
The
expressly to
Colloquies(against Popery) were
it was
But
refute the charge of being popishly affected1.
in the Colloquiesfor vulgar
discovered
rather the contempt
The various
opinion that gave them relish to the translator.
is shown
appeal of the Colloquies
very well in the seventeenthable to

Dialogues

Seven

old

Burton's

versions.

English

century

gods. When
worship
in 1689
added
Tom
Browne
seven
dialogues to the twentytwo
already given by L'Estrange, and prefixed to the whole
volume
a
good Life of Erasmus, it clearly appeared
very
(1606) makes

the

that

indecencies

day, formed
he

pleaded

and

that

free '.

'

attraction

the

language
the

Lucian,

model.

Erasmus'

which

of

main

the

of

most

For

the

latter

for

Browne.

of

Latin

to

this

of

master

sit loose

sort,

was

Colloquies

of the

maxims

diction

the

For

his

in

accused

was

dialogue ought

greatest
the

false

of

translates or rather paraphrases

Browne,jlikeL'Estrange,
with
swords
with the greatest freedom, he is ready to cross
cite them
the great Bentley who
pretends that a man
may
stand
without
in his works
being guilty of pedantry 2. To underthe vast difference not only in diction,but in the entire
the later
between
the early and
conception of translation
which

'

'

seventeenth

century,

do

cannot

we

than

better

compare

colloquy,
means
by no
poor
the Naufraijiuni(1606) with L'Estrange'senergeticrendering
Burton's

of the

of the

version

If

same.

Heywood's

excellent

heroic

first

verse

translation

for the intervening

{PleasantDialogues,etc., 1637) be added
of evolution.
period we can observe a remarkable
process
The
Cicero published this year, is in no way
remarkable,
not too unfaithful
(forL'Estrange),
being quitestraightforward,
and also rather free from
the usual
L'Estrange ' fopperies'.

achieved

It

recent

the

first group

Chap, ix.,266.

See

from

"

'are is the

my

tribunal

than

trouble

that

to
him

Answer
attack.

with

1 presume

to

a
'

the

latest

Spanish
written
mostly

he

is in

no

danger

of.

of

satyr that

heard

not

that

he

printed ones

his
2

Browne

There's

of

and Quevedo's Visions,

.'
for Erasmus'
as
CoUoqyies
enough perhaps for his palate, for 'tis not the strength or moral
1 have
in truth
of it, and
pleases him, but the spite and venom
in
than
is much
happier too in his libels that pass only in MSS.
either

...

are

as

Litter ""/ Ltbellert (1080).

gathers my itch of scribbling

tart

they

so

contes

Whole

If he

that

and
the

of translations

of the
itch

lifetime

the great
Pagans that will stand fairer before
There's
Christians.
million
of calumniating and
truly diabolical
should
Manual
and
excellent
of
why
morality),
pious
Eternity(a

Quidt

Bona's

'

his

works

Short

.1

'

doggerel
translations,'tis an
Tally and Seneca, a couple
I lurry

in

These

1900.

as

exhaust

editions

four

'.

refers

us

to tho

t Answer
preface to Bentley'

to

Boyle, p. 87.

ROGER

SIR

390

of the

weariness

or

revenge

L'ESTRANGE

him, they

prompts

age
solace of

are

the

a
busy spirit. It may seem
private reflections and
author
with
his unrivalled
rather
vigour,
a
pity that our
makes
rude skill in detail which
his delightin derision,and
satirical humorous
the
picture,had not the independent
imagination to supply that hiatus in native literature noted
-

others, but

and

by Hallam

forced

was

jeer at the Livewell

to

Chapmans by a strain on another man's words.

the
of
excellence
the
remarked
Quevedo,
Having
need
class
the
not
other
in
faceticc
experiments
L'Estrange's
detain us long here.
They are the doubtful Five Letters from
to a Cavalier
a Nun
(1677),which appeared afterwards with the
man
Cavalier's Answers
(certainlynot by L'Estrange),the Gentlewas

begun by L'Estrange,which
Spanish Amusements, the work

described

1726

there

Curll's advertisements,

trust

can

as

to

Besides, if we

in 1685.

Pothecary and Spanish Decameron

Spanish Polecat
in
changed its name
the

of Castillo

Solorzano.

possessionof these
copies,and in 1717, 1726 (when he was fined for publishing
indecent
works), and 1727-8 we find him tempting the public
of L'Estrange l. The Five Letters,
with wares
bearing the name
etc.,is of a different class,worth reading merely as a specimen
in these days. The Spanish
considered
of what
was
romance
Decameronis
a more
important work 2. Cervantes was, hy 1680,
with his
in connection
in England, but more
fairlywell-known
of Exemplary Novels than
which
went
romances
by the name
Phillips,had
Quixote. Milton's nephew, John
by his Don
given a very loose and licentious version of the latter in
not till Motteux's
1697 edition appeared that
1687, but it was
in English
its way
he said to be fairlyon
Don
Quixote can
also
literature.
a pioneer in this sort, had
Phillips,who was
Spanish stories,but the earlier Exemplarie
given in 1656 some
The

'

Curll's

versions

:;

John

is also
than

Dawson

has

Ion"

been

recognised

small
portion of L'Estrange 's
produced
reasonably apply. He
following year The Spanish Polecat or
that

strictures
the

was

of
year
afforded

d'Audiguier,

M.,
the

versions

version.
was

The

should

overlooked

have

this

English version

of

extravagantly but excusably praised this

Diego Puede-ser, printed by
English by Dom
Mrs
to 'the worthie
', addressed
Strangeways'. 1640

246),

'turned

for R.

L'Estrange's
earlier

Exerrvplares.(Sist.of Spain, Lit.,ii.,144-5).

{op. cit., p.

which

that

Lee's

Ticknor

that

Novellas

the

1640

musements.

Godwin

version

of

into

came

naturallyselected

press

Sir Sidney

is curious

It

Cervantes'

saw,

Pothecary (1726), and

Gentleman

Spanish

'

chaste

which

to

we

Mabbe

of James

Novels

the

Curll',as

'shameless

has

into

1640

learned

by these
seems

French

undoubtedly

Savile's
two

to

show

translation
his

Tacitus.

that
of

original.

No

contrast

is

more

instructive

and
study of Mabbe's
"did
know
the
not
Roger L'Estrange
the
Sieur
and
1640
by F. de Rosset

translations.

close

SIR

392

to hini

broached

his

by

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

great booksellers

three

mind.

sidewind

of

appealed

fully
powerfrom
the

lecture

a
By a
their
Later
minds.
crass
on
mollify
^Esop
and
would
re-introduce
the
Terence
urbanity
pleasingtrickery
be
of comedy.
honoured
to
An
given in the
place was
schools
to the study not
only of the old pedantries,but of
Non
manners.
verbum, sed res.
Lilly might be banished
and
L'Estrange introduced.
educationist
is someof an
thing
L'Estrange in the character
his enemies
of a novelty,and the pretension afforded
an
indulged many
opportunity to jeer,which was
years after

to

would

fields'

death.

his

'

the

Since, however,

author

insisted

the

on

pedagogic value of his work on iEsop, it may be worth while

enquiring into the system then in vogue in the schools.
Locke
Sir Roger's ideas
coursed
disare
broadly those which
the
is
Countess
to
Shaftesbury. The childmind
tabula
blank
reading indifferentlyfor any
rasa,
paper
and
impression good or bad (for they take all upon credit),
'

it is much

in the

of the

power

first

comer

to

write

saint

or

the memory
is firm and the
upon't '. Again, While
judgment weak, it is the director's part to judge for the
for himself '.
to remember
pupil and it is the disciple's
'Ill train
Habit'
Locke, all -important.
or
is, as with
It is the kernel, not the shell ', the thing not the word, the
These
in brief Locke's
are
example not the precept, we seek.
contribution
and
to Education
measure
L'Estrange in some
anticipatedhim.
This rhapsody of Fables
is a book universally
read and

devil

'

'

'

taught in all

schools

our

but

almost

at

such

rate

as

we

teach

and
the words
without
parrots that pronounce
pyes
much
so
as
guessing the meaning of them ; or to take it
another
the boys break
their teeth
the shells,
way,
upon

without
Fables

coming

ever

by lessons,and
child's

in

we

have

the

moral

instructions.
...

/Esop
the

had

and

several

divers

latter have

of his

perchance
author

license ; and

for the

others

and

profitable'.

flat, and

the

uncouth

that

ventured

they

and

the
care

now,

Essays

both -in

the
upon
of ancient

style

learn

is the least part of our

To
supply this defect

followers

precisescope

coarse

They

English paraphrases and

of the

insipidand

kernel.

the

near

upon

prose
little too far from

privilegeof

verse

poetical

date, the morals

and

diction

are

rather

the

are

of the Fables

dangerous

so
so

than

How

far

Koger reallyexpected

find its way

into the
both
irom
the Preface

393

REVOLUTION

THE

that

his

huge

folio would
But

schoolroom, it is difficult to say.

to

the

edition

1692

and

second

the

hopes of displacing
the
verbal
learning,by his
pedantries and
^Esop. The inclusion of Poggio's doubtful facetia;in the
this point of view \
from
latter,was
certainlyunfortunate
that boys
The complaint which
now
we
regard as perennial,
spend their best years stumbling through Lilly and a Latin
neither Latin nor
dictionary,and that in the end they know
novel propositionin England.
English, was then a somewhat
It may
have been
that the average
true
English gentleman
futile
found
that a
in expressing himself, and
difficulty
of it. Locke
the
cause
fumbling with Lilly was
appears
this
point, and
actually proposed that
strong on
very
mothers
should
and
their offspringthrough
help themselves
the classics (and Hebrew)
with
the aid of an
interlineary
translation,and himself published the first English JEsop in
collection of 1699,

we

had

'

'

this

gather that he
fopperies of

manner.

But

schoolmasters

The

conservative.

were

free

tion,
transla-

rageous
outgentlemen readers, was
for the
schoolroom, while a literal rendering was
pooh-poohed on the ground that the grain of Latin idiom
could only
translation
counter
to English that such
ran
so
a
reach
Thus
produce the worst English, if not nonsense.
we
Felton's
and
Aphra
disapproval of translations altogether,
Behn's complaints 2.

good enough perhaps

In

for

the

Clarke
of Hull,
followinggenerationJohn
and
translator, attempted
indefatigableeducationist

the
an

enlightened change.
difficultyseems
the ignorance of schoolmasters, few
could
of whom
be
trusted
with
Clarke
even
a
good literal translation.
translation
which
was
captivated by the free and idiomatic
of teachingfamiliar, as
L'Estrange had made
a
means
the
gentlemen's sons
genius of the English tongue. He
himself
first introduced
the
Latin
classics
side
by side
The

real

to

have

been

with

such

manner

literal

^Esop,
which

i
2

Erasmus'
ran

to make

it

'

as

literal

as

', and
possible

in

following L'Estrange'sfootstepsproduced an
other
classics
dozen
a
Cul/uquies,and

through

See p. 398.
Behn's

Aphra

translation,

Essay

editions.

numerous

on

English standard,

Translated
it is

no

Prose, quoted

translation

'.

p. 384.

'

If

one

endeavours

ROGER

SIR

394

Without

of

been

L'Estrange's versions

much

he

that

claimed

be

that

pretending

possibly have
may
and

L'ESTRANGE

in

service

rescued

the

translation

rudeness

he

first

could

schoolroom, it
from

insipidity,

dispelled the

notion
despite frequent
that the English language was
incapable of carrying across
of the originalin a style which, though far from
the sense
of the strength of the best English.
a
model, has much
and improved style
of his day thought that the new
Writers
he pointed, and
destined
to take the direction in which
was
the
observable
barbarities
to
us.
so
they scarcely noted
and
the
there
remains
But purifiedof these,
vigour
plenty
of a true
English style.
in prose
of several imitators
His
JEsvp had the honour
and
verse
apart from the iEsopic skits referred to already.
that of E. Stacey 1717
the preface of one
of these
From
learn how
the idea of translating^Esop first occurred
we
how
the
the worthy knight, and
to
performances of La
'Twill
needless ', says
be
reacted
Fontaine
on
England.
"

"

'

this

for

'

encomiast,

me,

detain

to

presume,

with
you
Reflexions.

and
L'Estrange's Morals
I
After
', Stacey modestly continues,
great man
natural
that they have
will only add
a
tendency to promote
of things.
and consequence
an
inquiry into the cause
that these
Though this be the first public appearance
in the shape they now
made
Fables
have
bear1, yet the
be said
respect may
design is of an older date and in some
encomiums

Sir R.

upon
this

'

'

be

to

derived

from

think

'Twas

1691-2)
(i.e.,
was

was

upon

the

very

zealous
done

the

of

Fables

to

have

to

his

proposal

seemed

to

experiment

an

to

yEsop,

first volume

of this nature

it, and
approve
which
made
was
which

satisfaction, upon

he

not

was
pleased at
promote
attempt,
version
of the
observe, that a poetical

the

to

time

same

then

He

stocks.

his

before

about

years
when
published,

was

accordingly
only promised

himself.

author

our

if the

but

performance

tolerable

were

would

L'Estrange, rather than the first verse

burlesque in yEsop at the Hell Tavern,
In
1704
Latin) prose
J^sop
appeared an
interlineary (English and
(17H).
4th
the
edition
of
referred
came
to by Clarke). Then
(probablythat of Locke
Baudoin's
old 1631 edition
Englished. The
Roger L'Estrange's 1691 Fables and
1708
edition
Fables appeared May 1708, and in November
2nd
of Sir Roger's 1699
1

He

presumably

means

Esop.

Even

the

former

Fiction

or

/Esop

other

authors

Duke

of

Ormonde,
Catalogues for these

been

Morality

in

and

Truth

first

the

had

to

in
whom

in

verse

done

Masquerade,

English
Dryden's

months).

in

verse

by
Fables

Edmund
were

collection

of

225

Fables

Arwaker, chaplain
dedicated

(SeeArbor's

to

of
the

Term

REVOLUTION

THE
recommend

395

public, but then,

he, to carry this design through will require a great
of pains, judgment and
integrity. What
pity, nay
them

scandalous

exceedingly

they should

that

is it then

the

to

be

not

said
deal
how

put in better

language and delivered for the future out of the talons of

ignorant scribblers and poetasters. Nay, says he (Sir Roger),
'tis

the

upon
'

the

was

are

aside,

and

not

doctrine

upon
all material

at

there

Fables
came

this
other
and

great

no

was

by a fresh
prevailed with

revived
been

that

man.

it

'Tis

needless

Reflexions

which

call his
pi'operly
well adapted
so

most

correct

the

to

trouble

only

take

upon
with

it

was

had

of these

first volume

character

the
has

only part of
writ

till

performance of
or
perhaps in any
general approbation

own

our

that

the

it

after, his

work

are

of

sole management

upon
will

to

slur

so

time

lustre

Eoger L'Estrange

obtained

soon

additional

an

encomiums
esteemed.

in

was

language, so
gave

the

was

Sir

the

Some

ever

heard

that
take

to

throws

long neglected.
incomparable mythologist
some
particular reasons
this
laid
here,
design was

more

rumour

himself.
upon
out, and as it
kind

this

However,

preached.

which

conduct, and

our

upon

English language that it has been

This

then

blemish

of

sort

reader

been
to

me

the

book

such

so

of
with

that
lateral
col-

universally

add
which

that
he

the
can

exquisitejudgment,
design of the Fables and in such a
and
beautiful
instances
correct
style, that in many
they
His
full
exceed
his Seneca.
and
periods are
prehensive
comnative
and
and
elegance
a
purity of language
'em
all'.
shines
through
Before
referringto the only part of the book, which he
it may
be
desirable
call his own
to
can
enquire what
of JEsop existed, when, in the Revolution
editions
year, a
of booksellers
conclave
approached L'Estrange.
others
Sir Roger, Locke, Clarke, and
referred
with
taste
disand
school
the
have seen
that all three
to
we
JEsop,
The
mend
matters.
to
hastened
Scholae
JEsop in usum
duodecimo
Etonensis'
was
a
'Mythologia iEsopica ', the
side
Latin
and
Greek
by side, and containing 297 Fables
editionem
Neveleti. There
by iEsop, Babrias, etc., secundum
school
book
also the common
was
JEsopi Phrygis Fabulw,
auctorum
nonnullis variorum
Fabulis culjectis
cum
una
(383
in mind.
Fables). The latter Sir Roger had particularly
been quite a cult of JEsop by the
Since 1670, there had
are

own,

the

to

'

'

'

Ogilby's

1673

regarded

with

On

of

the

prose side
'with
morals

achieved

there
in

was

prose

hundred

one

in

was
English verse
author
passed into the

Dunciad1.

editions.

thirteen

with

volume

'paraphrased

John

which

poetasters', among

favour, till its

some

the

version
had

Fables

shades

eternal

and

scribblers

'ignorant

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

396

and

in

1670

and

'which

verse

1672

In

little

remarkable

similar but

1695

by

larger

sculpturesappeared, and

ten

of 2s.,
sum
finallyin 1676 'in twelves' and for the modest
How
he
The
Fables of JEsop with all his Life and Fortune.
the
was
wise, and born in Greece ; he teas of all men
subtle,
added
most
are
deformed and evil shapen, etc., whereunto
the Fables
of Avian, and also the Fables of Alphonso, with
the Fables of Poge the Florentine.
Sir Roger is reported to
the iEsops when
These
were
have expressed his disgustwith English Fables, and no doubt
his disgustwas
justified.Before his ponderous folio appeared,
that
of Philip
rather
editions appeared
two
serviceable
Ay res 1690, and Nat Crouch's little non-^sopic Fable book,
-

"

issued

with

The

part 1695, which

second

Sir

of

editions

1692, 1694, 1704, 1712,

1699, there

was

it lost

Roger's jEsop
etc. ; of the

are

into many
of the

second

part

impression called

second

ground.

went

In

1704

first part
published in

after
There-

in 1708.
stands

who

Baudoin

editions.

the

to

relation as
Msop in the same
L'Estrange to the
Englished, and ten years later with numerous
English, was
editorial compliments the version of Le Chevalier L'Estrange
French

'

'

into French

translated

was

for

the

of

instruction

man's
noble-

children2.
If"
as

as

rival

to

weakness, and
the

old

still,a work
true

to

some

rightly decided

he

greatest of

whose

Fontaine, it could

La

1631
of

French

prose
version, with

infinite

extent

that

be

momentary

morals,
In

'the

was,

with

swords

measure

mycologists, with

delight3.

also

to

only

himself

of

Stacey suggests" L'Estrange thought

and

Baudoin's

only part

Baudoin,
be

should
case

of the

it

was

book

' Tom
Letters from th" Living to the Dead
Browne's
(1702), p. 22, refers to
No, no, replies Mr
'Bentley making ^Esop out to be a tine-looking fellow.
Aokes, /Esop is just such a crumpled, hump-shouldered clog for all the world, as
him
before
as
of his fables '. He
might have added
Ogilby'sTranslation
you see
he appears
in Baudoin
and
L'Estrange.
E Lea Fables
1/ Esope el de plnslcurs mitres
exee/lens Mi/thologisUs,accompagrUes
tin tens
le Chevalier
moral et des reflexionmde.
Mons.
L'Mstrange,1714.
3
No
1680.
in 1660 (116 Fables),1669, and
followed
Other editions of Baudoin
doubt
last
of
these.
the
used
L'Estrange

REVOLUTION

THE
that

could

called

be
When

in

1704

the

1714, it
trait

own'

of

Reflexions

Baudoin

with

was

the

was

and

L'Estrange

and

illustrates

his

397

which

difference

character.

national

countries

changed

curious

Sir

courses.
Dis-

or

'

Roger

took

and
extraordinary Reflexions
Morals
solely adapted to the noisy theatre of English
not
\ but the English Baudoin
assumes
politics
only the
tongue but the politicsand religionof its adopted country,
and its charming classical allusions
rendered
back
into
are
Latin by the English translator, while
a
magnanimous story
Sir Wm.
of William
III. and
our
Temple adorns this version.
No
be more
instructive
can
comparison of Reflexions
and consonant
to the genius of the two
peoples than those
French

with

air'

his

'

'

'

'

of Baudoin

L'Estrange,the

and

former

adorned

with

all the

of classical

allusion,and void of party malice, L'Estrange

of the stormiest half century
labouring out the party wisdom
of English politics.He
is not, however, absolutely devoid of

graces

literature and

history,and

rude

by
language

and

inversion

of the

grace

makes

wit, and

the

which

for

up
shrewd

make

the

Frenchman's

vernacular

both

of

his

sFsop eternallyfresh.
We
here into those
enter
cannot
numerous
examples
which
of perverted politics
version
and may
mar
L'Estrange's
called
have
for a caution
A
by the Government.
simple
Divino

manners,

moral

of the

story is his method

where

Jure

is in

question,as for example in The Frogs Ghuse a

King (No. XIX. in L'Estrange,1692). Other writers noticed
with favour
his frequentlashingout at the Trimmers.
some
"

"

No

better

survived2
1

and

relic

of

than

this

With, however,
Wardens

Trimming morals,
Tacitus,1728) : 'To
chiefly/Esop by him
them
of the

low

poor
man

eccentric

idioms,

etc., smoothed

'

as

to

chop logic', ' Master

into

out

say, has
of Fables

reasonable

French.

of the Learned,January 1691-2)quotes several of the antievidently with approval. Thos. Gordon
(Introductionto his
put

his

hooks

into

turn

burlesqued
of thinking,
of the

mouths

hands

the

designed, is

was

out
.

vigorous or
Company',

safe to

collection

extensive

'most

be

( Works

la Crose

De

his
Foxes

of the

Filmerism, it would

not

to

to

mention

of animals

of

the

inured

youth

vitiate
vile
to

drawn

doctrines

servitude

the

or

their

boys,
taste

for

and

whom
to

give

and

slavish principles
boundless
freedom
of

of Tyranny '.
a defence
'The
old folio
ies,2nd series,iii.,
:
281) says
intervals
of Sir Roger L'Estrange fills up pleasantly some
of the vacant
ends
of
or
his homely yet vigorous
time.
Sir Roger's taste
for proverbialphilosophy and
and
idiomatic
render
him
far fit for the task he
sense
so
English as well as shrewd
wish that some
with
has undertaken
I often
one
requisite taste and learning
would
of Fables
with
the different
bring out a ehoioe selection
applications
'.
The
writer
then
made
proceeds to censure
Roger's extraordinary Morals,
of the general glorificaour
Lord) for a condemnation
tion
quoting Trench {/'"
L Estrange 's error
Reineke
Fuchs
Fable.
But
of cunning in the JSsopicand
is generally tho opposite of the pliancy of tho reed in Lt Chene et les roseaux.
The rigour of the oak pleased him better.

air and
A

much

deserts, he

later writer

has

(in Notes and

of

I
',""""

...

and

398

SIR

ROGER

As

to the

in existence '.

of

story

all

hesitation, with
Fontaine

La

in

Although
old

One

of

course

the

1704

the

preserves

Meziriac's

Baudoin,

English

tradition.

same

Life

L'Estrange editions
\
story remains, despite Bentiey's slashing hook
is the
Fontaine
of La
the most
striking advances
of his

include

almost

version,

and

sources,

in all the

the

incident

any

'

had

suppliedthe

but

La

of

could

which

mot

both

in

to

bear

Poggius 2

and
and

England

these, and

Fable

the

Babrias, Avianus,

old collections

France,

in the editions

avowed

1685

'

J'avais
Pour

Esope quitte

etre

tout

'.

Boccace

and

Commines

Regnier, de

Rabelais,

bon

quicklyexhausted

Fontaine
and

extension

or

/Esop, Abstemius,

moral.

of 1682

without

Camerarius

of

'

variety
a

of

accepts the

and

particularsof iEsop's deformity.

the

Planudes

replacedthe
the

and

Planudes

monk

the

Roger prefixed

Life of JEsop which

copied from Baudoin,

Fables, it is

his

to

L'ESTRANGE

and

Boileau

even

Sevigne repair the supply. Of the ancients,

something. Of
Horace, Pliny, Martial, and Livy contribute
were
fables in the first L'Estrange Collection 201
the 500
the traditional fabulists.
from
iEsopic, the rest drawn
is entirelyderived from original
The second part in 1699
Italian
stories of
of
Besides
a
large number
sources.
de

Madame

Boccalini, Boccaccio, etc., stories in many

of

generally
English instances
quips and a host of marriage jests mingled
Virgil,Alexander, and Augustus, in such a

to

entitle

trace, there

are

true-Protestant
with

tales

medley
sole

as

of

appeared
a

to

in

hand

JEsop

of

third.

in T.

See his Remarks

Temple's mighty

"

this

claim

called

Goodwin's

commendation

as

the

almost

when

second

for, L'Estrange's

name

possibly he had
L'Estrange-Eachard translation
and

translations
The

work
1694

In

Contes.

was

other

two

'

W.

to

us

(sixcomedies) and

of Terence
1

the

of

number

collection

English

edition

difficult to

cases

of Plautus
1705-8
of the

ed., p. 454,

fables

now

slavishly

(three)was
in which

extant

'

and

he
the

attacks

Sir

inventions

than
bit better
our
not
are
a
penny
Planudes, which
merriments
Bridge '.
printed at London
Ellis's Fables of
excellent
For an
monograph on the later Fable, see Robinson
on
do
there
When
commentary
wrote
was
L'Estrange
Avianus, Oxford, 18S7.
Gordon
with
De
la Grose might well wonder
1731.
earliest is dated
The
Avian.
intended
jestsin a book
{seep. 397) how Roger could include Poggius's indecent
works
of
of
the
Poggius
For a study
well as f""v the study.
for the school-room
as
Florentin.
Fac"tiesde
des
Brandes
Les
/'"."/."/''
Voltaire
Pierre
Florentin
('ce
')see
the ground that the objectors
had defended
the lapses in bis Cottorpiies
on
Erasmus
'suffered
Plautus
and Poggius his jests to be read to their children'.
of

'

that

idiot

of

monk

ROGER

SIR

400
in

who

another

an

L'ESTRANGE
is

connection

rarely mentioned

without

lived
he
he
into a
elevated
was
jeer. Whilst
Survey orship of the English Language, and had
been
defeated
not
the agitation for an
Academy
by the
doubtless
wrangles of Whig and Tory, Sir Roger would
his chair.
have had
Winstanley, the earliest of his critics,
before the Msop, Terence, or Josephus appeared,
who
wrote
write so
that
'he should
wonders
ever
(books) and
many
read them
have
those who
considering the skill and method
he should
write
well.
so
they are written in will admire
than
in
for
in verse
is he less happy
Nor
prose, which
elegance of language and quickness of invention deservedly
honour
of a poet'1. Fortunately our
entitles him
to the
Gentleman's
Journal
and
first critical journals, Motteux's
a

savage
kind
of

la

De

to include

enough
of the

the

by

that

Fables

in

the

former

In

his
of

master

great

Mso-p

way,

and

hath

2, have

been

ever

la Fontaine

De

revived

tongue, Sir

our

anticipation

an
'

Mons.

France

earlv

started

were

of the

', says

ingenious.

inimitable

esteemed

Learned

of the
review

a
'

Terence.

valued

as

Works

Crose's

them

much

as

Roger L'Estrange

of the last, and the

us
lately among
; the
prose
in their
of the first,being equally beautiful
kind.
verse
been
had
We
waiting for Sir Roger's Msop with all the
the light and
impatience imaginable,at last it hath seen
best
collection
of Fables
of the
boast
now
England may
hath

done

world

the

in

'.
La

learned

The

Crose

while

insistingon the educational

quite as complimentary. It is

performance is
of parts to raise a common
the masterpiece of a man
subject
This
Sir
of
relish
the
to
ingenious palates.
Roger has
then
proceeds to 'give a taste of the
performed'. He
he tacitlyapproves3.
which
author's
polities',
The
English Terence following Madame
project of an
Sir Henry
based
of an
and
on
Dacier
English Tacitus
value

of the

'

Journal
1

in

Lives

among

Burnet

(to whoso

Houssaye, was
and
September

February

of Eminent

Prance

la

De

D'Ablancourt, and

the

Poets

earliest
view

of

those

edition, and

1640

old

Savile's

hailed

the

(1687), p. '219. We
might have
critics.
literary
L'Estrange's
new

prose

Matthew
refers

in Motteux's

1693, respectively4.
included

Arnold

merely

Mr

Miles

See chap, xi., 344.

of

preface to the Six Chief Lives from Johnson)

copiousness in writing '.
^
January 1691-2, p. 23.
8
Works
(1692), p. 213.
of the Learned
* Vol.
ii.,pp. 58 and 312.

of

recent

more

defers
to

hia

so

much

in his

'unexhausted

REVOLUTION

THE
The

is

latter

promised

the

at

401

of

three

of
persons
English, that doubtless

hands

'

of
quality who are all such masters
of that difficult
they will give us an excellent Translation
that
consider
the old English
author, principally if we
been
altered, has been
Tacitus, though the language has

esteemed

As

'.

to

the

I hear

'

employed by Dacier)

(i.e.that

that

the

is followed

method

same

in the

English

version
In

January
praise. There

1694

'

that

with

informed

are

no

was

this will doubtless

we

Terence

be

tolerable

'

version

author

Terence's

with

received

was

acceptable to

admirable
that

latter

the

of them

those

who

faint

before.
cannot

So
verse
con-

in the

original'. In May
comedies, as latelyEnglished,

kindly received, that those who gave us that

Translation
have
now
flower's
published that of Plautus '. GillyTacitus in four books
appeared in 1694, shortlyafter
the Terence, and
appeared to the third book
Soger's name
of the Histories 2. Fortunately L'Estrange died in the echo
3 and
the strain
of these poeans, and Dunton
Boyer continued
of eulogyi. His
Josephus had added to his laurels which
to wither so quickly. The
eighteenth century re-action
were
againstthe free translation which he representedand Dryden
which
of manners
encouraged, against the accommodation
and
Felton, Malone, and Tytler deplored,
Dryden excused
of vulgar or colloquialEnglish in serious
and againstthe use
translations
of which
L'Estrange was the great master, swept
His
him
altogether out of the roll of reputable authors.
stood the new
tests better,but his
Quevedo, Bona, Colloquies,
been

have

27.
Motteux's
Journal, iii.,
L'Estrange's earlier biographers make

although
*

so

his

has had

name

appears

Dunton's

If Mr
the

rare

some

mystery

of

this performance,

to it.

opinion

is worth

quoting,

happiness of bettering some

of

effect that

it is to

the

the best

authors

'

'

he only
translation,
Errors, p. 266).

in

(Life and
long as the world
4
Cibber
which
and
from
Anne
and
38,
(1722),
Queen
Life
Reign of
p.
between
Chalmers
L'Estrange's detested politicalcareer
quoted. The distinction
here.
After
marked
his generally respected literarylife is very
and
relating the
continues
with
relations
his
:
most
circumstances
of
Cromwell,
Boyer
injurious
those
survived
in peace,
He
went
to his grave
though he had in a manner
he enjoyed to an
uncommon
for so many
degree. His
intellectuals which
years
excellent
translations
several
in
abilities and masterly stylowere
chieflydisplayed
of
from
the
Morals, some
French, particularly Seneca's
Latin, Spanish, and
Erasmus'
Quevedo, Josephus, etc. '. 'To think
QoUoquies,JDsop's Fables,Dom
him
to his readers'
like Sir Roger L. once
to recommend
in his life is enough
of the Preface
to L'Estrange's (?)
approbation ever after', is the tlutteringencomium
in a Nutshell by Sam.
So Homer
Parker,
eni printed 1705.
Hymn to '
to
Sir Roger
in '"'"Cantos), Dedication
of the
son
Bishop, 1700 (a Fable poem
L'Estrange Now all stragglingApoloques fall to you as Lord of the Manor '.

and

his

and

Seneca

will
Offices

live

as

'

'

"

SIR

402

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

Terence, and
deplorableTacitus, the Billingsgate

Seneca, the

of abuse, too
torrent
a
unscholarly Joscphus invited
for full quotation here.
steady and too long continued
on
L'Estrange's
Perhaps the earliest critical attack
that
contained
in
is
number
of the
oft-quoted
memory
Spectator which
deplores the degradation, corruptions,but
of the English tongue in which
our
chieflythe retrenchments
the
destruction
of
authors'
the
to
joined
Tongue1.
politest
celebrated
of
authors
Sir Roger, still one
most
our
',figures
in
that
which
the
to adjust
was
as
prime delinquent
process
confound
all our
the spellingto the pronunciation and
so
etimologies'.
Five years after L'Estrange's death, Henry Felton
wrote
his
till
famous
Dissertation
on
1713)
(he did not publish
and
Just
It
into
went
Style.
Forming a
Beading the Classics
the

'

'

'

editions,and

three
forces

Yet

at

had

Felton

that

words

'.

also

He

of

hailed

the

Steele and

approved

Language.

Felton

and
a

thus

are

rating

in

and

age

texts

of the

him

well

we

lose

criticism

new

to

of

suggest
from

texts

as

realists

learning

new

school

commentaries.

in

as

the

on

the

in this

that

'

our

time

of Addison

in
and

the English
projectfor ascertaining
the impertinents, preto scourge
tenders
'

arose

who

have

their

made

small

knowledge

tongues supply their ignorance of theancient

modern

of the

Swift's

learning

to

from

age

in

cribs

new

the idea

imbibe

to

all

of the

be learnt

reflection

educated

on

sufficient

excellent

polite and

been

frowned

may

grammar
and
grammar,

curious

most

had

He

play.
Busby, who

Dr

is the

double

'at

which,

distance

with

from

the

',

original',

allowance, L'Estrange is

some

included.
It is easy
Felton

ment,
perceive that, with considerable enlightenclassic school
belonged to the contemptuous

to

yet he pays due tribute

had
then
to his own
tongue, placing it (as the fashion
the
French, whose
circumlocution,
become) high above
certain
airiness
have
frustrated
the
a
talkativeness, and
the
in that
classics at home
worthy attempts to render
all modern
language. English,he admits, above
tongues,
referred

to

by

Earle, and

Professor

'

'

has

the
But

ablest

gravity and
for

even

L'Estrange

English

and

pens,
was

fitted for

ease

not

"

translation

but

none

should
1

Roman

universal

attempt

No.
Spectator,

we

135,

work.
must

choose

genius

all kinds.

"

our

which

Moreover

two

things

the

method

speciallydispleasing in

are

paraphrase
L'Estrange used

and

way

that is

of

Imitation

adapting

ancient

Juvenal

and

Horace,

still

and

of

author, which
'

403

REVOLUTION

THE

can

late

the

of

more

(and defended)
by no means

authors

to modern

Persius,

digestingan
in his

Seneca,

admit

of and

times

etc., not

movement,

and

making
only speak our
of
only a matter

'. If it is
our
manners
language but know
change of actors and scene, however, Felton is not inexorable.
the general practice is
As to the former
evil,'I know
avoiding a literal translation, but there is a great deal of
and
literal translation
between
difference
a
a
paraphrase '.
These

the

introduce
fittingly

censures

chief

offender.

of the
a
perfect master
Roger L'Estrange, who was
familiar,the facetious,and jocularstyles,fell into his proper
and iEsop. Tully's
province when he pitched upon Erasmus
suitable enough for their plainnessand familiarity
were
Offices
rise to the solemnity and
to his genius,but he could
never
neither Orator nor
He was
Historian,
dignityof his Orations.
well qualified
and
banter
his talent was
ridicule,and how
thousand
of Josephus among
for the translation
he was
a
low
other levities and
expressions we may judge from the
that would
of Herod, who
character
was
one
keep touch
neither with God
man
nor
according to his translation '.
have
We
quoted Stacey'sextravagant eulogy four years
vicious
after this attack appeared, but in 1728 a much
more
translated
delivered
by Thos. Gordon, who
onslaught was
him
his
to prepare
Tacitus l,and thought it incumbent
on
all-round
trouncing of English translators,
public by an
Gibber
and especiallyof L'Estrange, which
deprecated rather
than faultycriticism 2. Gordon
of good manners
the score
on
also gives us a brief history of English style of the kind of
Translated
stands
Prose
at
which
Essay on
Aphra Eehn's
the
in
Johnson's
article
the one
Literary Magazine
pole and
'

Sir

"

"

of 1758

at

the

to tell us
nothing new
French, and English, but
of the
flippantjargon of

has

'

'

censorious,but often

This

other.

of the
he

has

which

acute, critic

differingcapacitiesof Latin,
say of the rise
is the great master.

something to
Sir

Roger

to v;hich are
1"jT. Gordon, vol. i.,containing the Annals
the Autlwrs, London, 1728.
upon
Lives, iv., 301 : 'To raise the reputation of his own
performance, he has
that of L'Estrange in terms
to use
abused
unfit for a gentleman
supposing
very
had
Sir Roger's works
often
been true.
indeed
the censure
calculated
are
for the
must
be greatly
meanest
capacities and the phrase is consequently low, but a man
the influence of prejudice who
under
discern no geniu^ in hi" writings'.
can
1

The

works

of Tacitus

Political
"prefixed
-

Discourses

SIR

404

ROGER

L'ESTRANGE

style of the Court', he says, 'is always

of the public. At
the Restoration, a time
the standard
of
and
forbidding gravity
great festivityand joy, the formal
times
became
fashionable
the
of
a
preceding
topic of ridicule,
and
different
introduced, jest and
manner
opposite was
a
were
encouraged, and the King himself delighted
waggery
l. Hence
the language became
in drolleryand low humour
ludicrous
and
cant
phrases; archness
replete with
grew
diverting; the writings of witlings passed for wit, and if
the sectaries,as
the
fashion
severe
they were
was,
upon
By this means
L'Estrange got his
they pleased the Court.
It is very true that there
character.
appeared at the same
and
of just wit
be
time
polite style, but it cannot
men
denied but that the other manner
was
prevalent ; the greatest
'The

and

taste

fell into

sometimes

wits

it.

This

humour

ended

with

not

continued
after the Revolution
reign,nor the next, but was
Browne, and other delighters in
by L'Estrange, Tom
low jests,their imitators, and such witlings have contributed
our
considerably to debauch
tongue '.
Full
of technical
terms
', phrases picked up in the
low
from
street
apprentices and porters', 'nothing more
that

'

'

and

nauseous',

man

was

he

attack

on

Gordon

the

which
as

wretched

and

low

'.

And

D'Andilly

the

of

English

translations

miserable

the

latter

from
so

an

on

to

is

easy
the

Tacitus.

stickler,however,

a
an

encourages
of
in the case

his

this

does it appear

language, nor

no

truly wretched

is not

of the

reformer

That

Mons.

of

polite one

nay

'Yet

flowers.

Josephus.

mistakes,

of

Gordon's

witness

any;
and
Offices

full

version
and

writ

who

understood

Cicero's

of

master,

man

of

some

reckoned

language
that

are

attachment
Savile

learned

to

for literal
'

words

whose

old

and

translation,
criticism

'

Tacitus, from

the Observator,quoted p. 354.

Conference upon
has
shown, and Eachard's
Clarendon
Contempt
(Continuationof Life (1761), p. 475)
to the Sects, but
this
that
not confined
confirmed
was
the
raillery
(1670)
of
Clergy
directed
Godwin
at the Anglican Clergy.
War, was
especially after the Dutch
this vogue
[Lvoesof Ed. and John Philips,pp. 43-4) has attempted to describe
of buffoonery.
2
1701, pp. 287-8 : 'Mr Motteux, who in your
Dunton, Post- Angel, November
? Sir Roger is the
of English style in his works
opinion is the best English Master
Terence
'.
to imitate
has endeavoured
of the English Tongue, and
greatest master
Bona's
of
Moral
translation
Mr
Essay upon
In praising the
Boyer's
ingenious
tribute
can
no
higher than
go
Friendship (Post-Angel, ibid.,p. 411), Dunton's
inferior to the eloquence of the Great English
that the performance is ' in no
ways
Master
of Translation ',that is,L'Estrange.
1

See

for

example

'

Pleasant

'

405

REVOLUTION

THE

L'Estrange largelycopied,he regarded,unlike De la

Crose, as insipid.
of
of 'certain men
in favour
The
exceptions he makes
just wit and polite style after the Eestoration, is admitted
of
the prose
who
also by Johnson1,
attempted to rescue
of
The
name
Cowley and Sprat from the general sentence.
in
in Eachard's
the latter suggests a passage
History where
of the Restoration, he
proclaiming the merits of the men
proved
brackets
L'Estrange and Sprat, as having 'refined and imOldmixon
naturally
our
tongue ',a tribute for which
which

'

Gordon

While
the

to

2.

him

trounced

affectations

Commonwealth

the

age.
between

difference

of
snivelling cant
the English tongue.

:!,and

above

fatal

'

Johnson

So

the

so

could

not

actually
of

Johnson

4.

when

but

terms,

referred

essay

Blair, who

Clarendon

Gordon's

use

the

in

Dr

servile

English stylewith

modern

'

interruption to the manly

1630-40, was
replacing the pedantry of
to point to the
It became
customary
the
and
the
language of the Church
fell like a
the sects, which
blight on
the

as

about

prose which,
the Jacobean

prose

regarded

Court, Royalist writers

the

of

of Eestoration

faults

the

attributes

he

to

starts

course

to

wants

him
likens
to
faults
in Dryden, he
deprecate the same
by them cultivated
L'Estrange. Language ', he says, was
it became
more
of
elegance. Hence
only as a mode
the
which
dashed
ivith qua/witness,
enervated, and was
gave
publicwritings of those times a very illiberal air. L'Estrange,
have
bad a writer as some
who
so
was
repreby no means
'

by

And

Felton

T.

Baxter

be

to

'

the

of

persons

heralds

of

perfection by Dryden
'
How
came
Oldmixon, i.,491.
witty Marvel 1, I suppose
they

style that

new

was

But

Milton's

prose

he

to

ruling sects, and even

despicable as he is divine
crude
indigested volumes,

the

the

other

side

Kingdom

and
the

too

were

had

more

many
196:
'The

at
verse

life and

length

an

of this kind

Following Johnson
Hugh Blair, Lectures on
1

my

great
of

that

Lord,

power
ornaments

Cowley

brought

to

Oxford

as

many

Cowim

of

puritan

have

in the

of

prose

the

politeness
wilderness.

style infected
abject stuff

character

mtary
:

'

upon

That

Religion wherein
of

to

all

tho

from

writer

all
is

of

set

forth

History, Rhetoric,

Conventicula

the Present

method

men

Constitution

Condition of

preaching

is

themselves

/"""

and

however,

Belles Lellres

he

by

disputations, nice

subtle

of Charles II., p. 142)

in
ipato,which i- a model
"""

ridicule.

usual, whom,

as

Felton, Dissertation,p, bO : 'Such

of the dissenters'
writings'. From

(1677), p. 26

poem,

Rhetoric

in the

of
most

and

Milton

him

with

to wander

years

poet'.

a
are

[Hist,of
of

Milton

excellent

its Melioration

studied

Latin

in

Mackenzie's

see

prejudice
discourses, with
distinctions,etc.'. Amos
to

quotes

to be

soon

immortal

forget the
republican

3
like poverty
Lit. Mag., May
1758, p.
with
the
writingsof the party. The pulpitsresounded

the

takes

very
taste'.
or

the

in style

excelled

qualitywho

Oliphant [Standard English,p. 312)

L.

further
-

'

of certain

behalf

on

II. 's Court'.

in Charles
and

'

manages

to misunderstand.

(1845), p. 208.

SIR

406
him

sented

be,

to

generallythe

ROGER
sunk

was

discovers

and

even

in

we

saw

reproved

L'Estrange,but
writing in 1815
of the

his

vulgar
the

Gordon

of the

great corrupters

and

liberal

recourse

vulgarity that
compositions'.
a

for

his

abuse

'

men

He

intemperate '.
in

English Language
on

that

his

About
newspapers.
trenchant
far more

the

of

Motteux, Smollet, and

which

coarseness

the

reader

remarkable

Sterne

time

same

modern

He,

'.

the

(1813) appeared a
summing
in Tytler'sEssay on
eighteenth century censures
of
to offer by way
Tytler has nothing new
but he makes
some
interestingcomparisons with the
The

of

he
ground
whose
language was
equally
cautions
also
to
us
verify

levities

his

with

statements

of

having

Chalmers
very little to urge in defence.
endorses
Granger's judgment that he 'was

contend

to

argument;

more

had

often

has

however, faintlyexcuses
had

party writing, and

consequently

itself

Cibber

one

in

side of the

worst

scolding,pertness,

to

L'ESTRANGE

of
up
tion.
Translaattack

tions
transla-

2.

perhaps not regard the specimens

Tytler cites as very fatal. Nor would
will

translation

of Seneca

which

from

culls

he

the
editions
about
one
through so many
time
Tytler wrote, and the latest for Prof. Rhys, side
very
by side with the delightfulold version of Thos. Lodge, did
his charges not
resolve themselves
largelyinto an inability
vernacular
force and vulgarity.
to distinguishbetween
Such
at any rate we
might gather the modern
judgment

them, have

run

"

"

be, if still continued

to

But

we

style in

have
the

also

editions
modern

express

prefaces to

these

Seneca, Cicero, Erasmus,

Their judgment is unanimous,
and

the

any criterion of taste.

criticism
of L'Estrange's

latest

editions

Bona

by

though

tradition.

eighteenth century
all his faults, by vigour
incommunicable
something
-

were

here

That

of

the

fastidious
and
he

JEsop,
editors.

there

lingers

is saved

with

honesty of style, by the

that makes
now
style,we may
him
rescued
if
Prof.
Earle
not
had
admit, even
gravely
in his remarkable
emerged at
study of the styleswhich
the

and

Restoration.

the
Cicero and
He
on
Op. cil.,3rd ed., 1813.
expands Felton's remarks
for a courtly dignity
'Seneca, though not a chaste writer, is remarkable
of expression, which, though often
united
with
to
ease, is in the opposite extreme
of
meanness
or
vulgarity. L'Estrange has presented him through the medium
such
that
he is hardly to be known
'.
coarseness
2
He
refers (p. 262) to the Slawkenbergius
story in T rid am
Shandy, vol. iii.,
Motteux's
with Smollct's Don
chap, vii.,and compares
Quixote.

Seneca.

Earle

given are1

has

chosen

outside

and

works,

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

SIR

408

unfortunately

from

quarter-century

as
rightly taken
marking the
productions are often in an exceedingly wooden
use
pattern and unsightly from an immoderate

Prof. Earle

which

Qucvedo
continued

to

2.

of the

square
till after

It is not

essay in
the
new

"

the

see

observed

has

intricate

and

journalism (1663-6),that hi the

it
And
so
we
see
style fully grown.
named
is
in his translations
though the work
Erasmus
undoubtedly his best. It may be fanciful
decided
more
push in this development after the

his first disastrous

with

earlier

which
he
range
earlier
reaction.
Those

the

has

bracket

his

(1681-7), but

Observators

opportunity of
Sir Roger had

not

the

using

Cobbett

even

of

language

better

had

people

the

than

now.

wit-combats, the abuse, the drolleries of L'Estrange's

with
Frank
Smith, Curtis, Care, and
Prance, come

The
wars

thus

have

to

The

prose.

vastly
in

in

account

some

fact

that

one

the

was

man

read, and

"

eternal

constantly
public conflict

and

settlingof English
widely we may
say

final

"

referred

to

learned,

as

who

was

plead
their ignorance and lack of education, has a real significance,
and
if
the
as
was
everywhere affirmed
clergy studied
and
must
we
preached L'Estrange for a dozen
years,
conclude
his
that
influence
for good or
bad
was
very
with

men

often

"

"

great.
After
is

all the

their

who

defence

longevity. They

seek

His

convenient

be

editions

down

re-edited

1722,

has

which

'

he

'while

the

stimulating,it is never
appeared in an edition
additional
Colloquies
1720
as

1
*

till

1725,

version, which

we

saw

for

families

steady

in

1900

and

stream

(J. W.

admitting that
and
here
there
introduced
English expressions
has thought adapted to enliven
the meaning ',but

claiming that

continued

than

re-edited

was

Stanbridge,Library of Devotion), its

he

to-day by men
a
scholarly

relish rather

for

to

translations

L'Estrange's

example ('useful
given at funerals ') after

Bona

to

of

are

and

quaint vigour

version.

of

best

modelled

Earle. ibid.,p. -155.

Ibid.,p. 177.

The

translation

editor

is made

misleading'. The
of

1711

and
and

with

specimens

into
on

are

and

(which

Erasmus
Browne's

seven

to)
already alluded
superseded by J. Clarke's

was

himself

racy

Life

the

went

Tom

more

from

twenty

editions.

L'Estrange.
The

Clarke

The

Holy Cheat, and

Seneca,

the Memento.

REVOLUTION

THE
after

fourth

old

Lodge's

that

1888, under

became

Shilleto's

which

1733
in

Whiston's

L'Estrange's.
of

series,

condemned

great edition

Winston's

foundation

the

Camelot

Rys'

Thos.

(with

was

by Felton.
editions, 1717, 1732, 1733 *,

several

'

'

was

Prof.

of abstracts

system

the

and

1807,

for

edited

Josephus had
only to
gave
way
with
compared

Even

edition

American

version)

409

turn

So

edition.

1899

even
Roger's labours may have survived
makes
The Cicero (De Ojficiis)
here.
a
charming appearance
faithful in
in the Temple Classics,and though very far from
the
induced
of the tart quality which
detail, has much
Fables
Lane's
John
Hundred
editor of Mr
of sEsop (1899)

that

cull

to

of

something

latest

for

is meant

edition

which
with
Roger
purpose
one
says this editor, with

the

other

the

on

set

out.

eye

to

of

that

tongue

the

remain
his

had

faults

of

effort

recurrent

indeed

the

click

language

of

to

expect

kodak

^Esop
for

get

L'Estrange's
found

has

yet

that

of his

of
forward

come

is

ultimate

editors

honour

the

It

controversial

no

had

not

are

of

and

the

Times

more

few

he

was

doubtful

yet

On

version.

works,

in which

it, and
his

for

the

the

may
whether

good

Hcraclitus

in

1713, but

the

Ridens
no

great Observator.
the

or

hand

and

readers.

to

the

we

other

Observators

known

get

we

remains

version

than

have

hear

somehow

his

republication
to
digest the

original work,

still

violence, of

of

excess,

Yet

of

approved

the

admiration

our

mishandling and
.' L'Estrange may

effect,but

well.

another.

evil, it is

rest

these

achieved

explosivephrase, wherein

the

as

have

would

diction, faults

for

often

have

such

men.

tellingsnapshot

the

version, and

one

of

parent and

anxious

increases

survive

can

the

Governess,

English that

of

impotence

an

German

justifiesthe original
'Modern
renderings',

children

'

this

That

L'Estrange'sCollection2.

from

them

one

So

eighteenth

His
doubtful.
these
and
by the merest
scraps,
Two
to
Cases submitted
to Confinement (1705), his
Hymn
Consideration
Advice
to his Son
(1734),
(1709), Machiavel's
A Key to Hudibras
(1715) (a two-page identification of the
and
Somer's
famous
that
in
characters
drollery). The
Harleian
revived a few of his things
Collections of Tracts

century

Bowyer'a
preparing at John
type, 3 voK,
i., 56).
January 1712 (Nichol,Lit. Awe,
Fables of JSsop, with Pictures by Percy J. BQlvnghwrtt
A Hindi'd
This
Lane.
Keneth
Orahame
Introduction
(1899), published by Mr John
by
edition gives the Morals, not the Reflexions.
1

second

printing-house,
-

edition
was

in

burnt,

Elzevir
30th

SIR

410

the

including
and

{Reply

the

to

of

which

he

Apart

from

limbo

before

by

S.

P.

few

and

at

me

This

which

were

to

109.
the

the

It

1674,

rests

test

only

to

of

care

Roger
will

England,

of

as

inform

L'Estrange

find

pleased

were

you
the

past

was

of

Honour

your
which

historical

memory

Church

September

paper

hath

his

l.

1674

behalf.

her

17th

Fishing

proposition

the
to

command

intelligent
that

you

to

Pamphlet
of

merchants
his

Majesty

...

that
for

Watson
f.

this

Exchange.

vessels
built

Smith

project

the

upon

are

several

28053,

company

the

on

(235),

with

concerning

Windsor.

any

hath

In

Project

the

ii., 361

Car.,
'

efforts

pamphlet

the

into

and

of

divines

the

Williamson,

passed

closed,

century

his

Dom.

Williamson.

he

translations,

of

Clergy

Addressing).

against

included

command

the

the

Clergy

(1751)

Oxford

the

against

Oxford

Monarchy,

Limited

for

Parker

Tracts

at

remembered

who

Mr

Fishery

his

Pica

the

of

wrote

preserved

as

of

Reasons

collection

doubtful

very

championship

his

L'ESTRANGE

ROGER

on

lie

the

of

'.

fishing
project

L'Estrange
notice

rotting

of
is

the

the

acting

Court.

for

want

Se"

also

Fishery.
as

letter
23rd

intermediary

and

employment,
Roger

from

August
for

1677,
Smith

many

L'Estrange
Add.
to

of
to

MSS.,

bring

his

APPENDIX

LIST

Authorities
'

Because

he

lid

remember'.

Lives

imagine
may
will give you
a

ofthe

not

to

remembers

Quevedo,Erasmus, Seneca, Cicero,Bona,

from

Nun

it

was

(1687),219

be

so

many

:
as

can
as
we
catalogue of as many
lations,
altogethertwenty-six,six being trans-

to

effort

an

The

Cavalier.
of

and

in the

errors

the

on

memory

of

'seven
having written
in
Bodleian
Winstanley
Copy.)

to

Poets

Eminent

his works

the

"

list prove
that
himself
boasted
notes

WORKS

He
:

Love-Letters

"

people

written, we
viz

POLITICAL

of his Translations, see chap.xvi. p. 377)

Winstanley.

"

some

hath

L'ESTRANGE'S

OF

(For a

score'

the

Five

titles of his

part of

one

who

(Oldys'MS.

works.

Lives of Poets (1753),iv.,295.

Copies his list from the
from
borrowed
in turn
Winstanley,
Dictionary, which
with the addition
of the Considerations on
the Speechof the late Lord
had not appeared when
Russell,the JEsop, and the Josephus,which

Cibber.

old

General

the

latter

"

wrote.

Chalmers.
fuller

is evident

that

The
after

Biog. (1815),art. L'Estrange,gives a

thirty-fourpoliticaltracts and six translations,but it
for he reproducesWinstanley's
he, too, copied the old list,

Observator.

1681, and

"

is

find,however,

first advertised
in the

in the

mind

advertisements
an

in

Is

eye

the

to the

state

frequent advertiser
a

cases

of

valuable

L'Estrange'sWorks
guide to their date.

(the Apology for the French Protestants),

Observator
in August 1681, previouslyappearing
work

of the
in

several

Cataloguefor May
of the

more

had

Gen.

of

in titles.

errors

We

Diet,

"

list of

term

author

1681.

in

the

Cataloguewere
of partiesin his

On

other

the

Observator
Brome's
Observator

hand

we

appearances,

affair,but

follow
for the

L'Estrange

lists.

L'Estrange'sfaithful publisher,from time to time

giveslists of his author's recent productions,especiallyat the time of
the Popish Plot, when
it was
important that people should distinguish
said he
his enemies
what
and
between
Mr
what
L'Estrange wrote
27th
bookseller's
The
of
these
first
is a
wrote.
advertisement,
February
This is
1680, printed at the end of Citt and Bumpkin, 4th eH. 1680--'
that since September 1678, he (Mr Roger
the reader
to advertise
Harry

Brome.

"

411

APPENDIX

412
hath

L'Estrange)
follow

Here
the

published these following pieces,and no other'.

and
works, including two translations,the Erasmus

eleven

Cicero.
end

the

At

of the

list,including

new

Guide

Further
four

Discoveryof the Plot,July

more,

Eternity. Lastly, there

to

of

two

which

written

1 680, appears

and

Seneca

Collection

is Brome's
of

the

are

of

the

Tracts

Several

the

Popish Plot 1678, being

mostly since the Discovery
against Popery and against Presbytery.
Putting aside the re-issues of the old anti-PresbyterianToleration
that
the Seneca
was
Discussed,and the Relaps'd Apostate, it appears
Citt and
written
between
Bumpkin, 4th ed.. and Further Discovery,
all

while

the

Citt and

Erasmus

later.

was

and

In

the

all, between

Collection

of

edition

4th

fewer

Tracts

of

than

no
eight
L'Estrange. Every pamphlet in this
collection is of date prior to L'Estrange'sflightin October
The
1680.
bookseller's
27th
list noted
above
is dated
1680.
So
that
February
between
the last day of February and
the last day of October
1680
author
and
wrote
our
eight months
published eight controversial
besides
the
and
translation
of
tracts,
Cicero,
republishedtwo old tracts
with alterations
them
date.
Well
to bring
might Professor Arber
up to
describe him
voluminous
Baxter, and after Prynne, the most
as, with
writer of the age (seeTerm
vol. i.,introduction). Further,
Catalogues,
in the
from
he wrote
1680
two
September 1678 to October
years
eighteenpamphlets and translated Seneca, Cicero,and Erasmus.

tracts

Bumpkin

this

be

to

are

credited

to

"

"

The

Term

Mercurius

Catalogues.

(1677-82) with
the

where

the

publication,
1st, 2nd, or 3rd edition.
hand, after exhausting
even

them

in

in

his

rubric

This

does
we

find

after

the

date of

the

get

Hazlitt's

Sir
a

Sidney

Lee

really inclusive

that

author

that

date

the

careful

the

in

other

and

with

course,

often

Clavell,

to

schism

of

to

with

would

Roger's own

work

in

the

only say

can

of

case

the

fear

detect its

works, but
Catalogue many

that

Brome's

we

are

that

quality.
in

some

months

likely

more

advertisements

in

the

booksellers.

Bibliographical

343, attempts

busy period

however,

settle

not

old

the

"

most

Collections

and

Notes,

2nd

series,

of list.

sort

some

remembered,

been

of

this

bookseller

insertinga
publication. We

of

of

"

of

date,

Catalogue,than

p.

printer has

Brome

true

be

Catalogue does

the

for sedition

eye

works

enough
specify
of works
his
on
findinga number
his own
of advertising that is,postmethods
ing
his walls, etc.
would
often, as a last resort,
A

on

hold,

not

cases

to

It must

advertisement

L'Estrange'squick

edition

Arber's

place the

to

us

fair accuracy.
of a book
in

appearance

send

Professor

"

Librarhcs,enables

(art.L'Estrange,Diet, of Nat. Biog.)first attempted

list of L'Estrange'sworks, from
which
it appears

is to

be

works
and
fiftycontroversial
includes
is
some
list,however,
imperfect,
things that L'Estrange almost
certainly did not write, and omitting
that he did, often fails to give the date of first publication.
some
On
the whole, it is rather
the Catalogues
to be wondered
at that
our

fifteen

of

the

Bodleian

lists of
omissions

the

and

British

writings of

and

credited

with

The

translations.

mistakes

Museum

such
in

an

both.

Libraries

author,

than

agree
that

so

often in

there

are

their

serious

APPENDIX
The

following list
and
the

supply
L'Estrange
number

of

round
1.

Kentish

his

defects

few

his

L'Estrange, His

April

Appeal

4.

No

Blinde

5.

L'Estrange,His

*6.

8.

June

Martial

to the

makes

his

Parliament,

and

the

Justification
of Kent

King'sParty, 1659.

1660.

to

up

short

the

view

of

late remarkable

some

settlement

happy

these

of

nations,

The

and

Hue

Cry after Marchmont

2nd

Cavaliers,July 1661,

Nedham,

ed., enlarged

13th

1661.

both

Plea

Modest

Tlic

the

to

August
9.

This

1660.

Caveat

that
appear
added
the
to

chap, xii.,p. 376,

Kent

Late

Apology,with

suctions,leading

August

in

to

of the

Guides, April

Rope for Pol, or

September 1660.

7. A

it will

1649.

in the Case

An

this

From

the Court

Appeal from
Vindication

World,

*3.

10th

"

lists.

these

1647.

His
L'JEgtrange,

bra

printed appeals for liberation

Interregnum manifestoes
attempts to

translations,given
works, seventy-two.

of

to the

his

omits

ami

of

413

politicalworks.
fifty-eight

wrote

total

7th
2.

which

"

in 1644-6

1661

the

for

2nd

ed.

Caveat

17th

the

and

September

Author

of it,28th

1661.

a
Presbyterian pamphlet
Relaps'dApostate,or notes upon
A Petition for Peace,14th November
1661 ; 2nd ed. 1681.

entitled
10.

State

Divinity

November
11.

Interest
that

Mistaken
'it

the

To

or

14.

15.

Holy

The

to

Cheat

of Clarendon,

December

Whipp for

Worcester's

the

"

latter

published
longer fresh) 1662

Earl

Whipp,
of

The

it the

L'Estrange,3rd
13.

supplement

at the

was

(to keep
12.

or

Relaps'd Apostate,

1661.

end

ed., 1682,
1661

though

states

dated

'.

the

Humble

Apology of Roger

1661.

the Schismatical

Letter,7th

4th
of

February

Whipp, a Whipp with an

hand, March
from the same

to

answer

Animadverter

the

Bp.

impudent

libel

on

1662.
a

second

and

1662.

the memory
Memento, directed to all those that truly reverence
dedicated
the
to
Charles
Clarendon, 11th April
Martyr,
of King
entitled A Memento, treatingof the Rise,
ed. 1682
1662
; 2nd
Progress,and Remedies
of Seditions,and omitting the personal
matter.
prefatorial

16.

Truth
Ed.

17.

and

Loyalty Vindicated from

Bagshaioe,7th June

Considerations

Press, 3rd
18.

Toleration

and
June

tlie reproachesand

clamours

Proposals in

order

to

the

Regulation of

1663.

Discuss'd,in

two

of

1662.

Dialogues,1663

3rd ed. 1681.

tlte

APPENDIX

414
19.

Dolus

Discourse

22.

The

1 November

Virtus

an

21.

August

1663

to

1666.

Wood's

Anthony

(date supplied
Bodleian).

copy,

1667

MS.

in

note,

of the Fishery,by Roger L'Estrange,1674.

Account
of Knavery, anon.,
of the Growth
Parallel, or An
and
An
title
Account
2nd
with
name
ed.,
of the Growth of
1678,
Parallel
betwixt
the
and
with
a
Reformers of 1677
Knavery
those

in

of 1641,

November

Letter

to

(folio6d.

Friend

Term

Catalogue,

1679).

23.

Tyranny and Popery,Lording it

2nd ed., May Term
1680, Is.

24.

Tlie

both

over

The

Reformed Gatholiqueor
1680,
May Term

True

King

and

People,1678

Protestant,1678

2nd

ed.

6d.

corrected
25.

28tli

(Newsbook),
Kingdom's Intelligencer

The

January
*20.

of the Gliargc
History of the Plot, or a BriefHistorical Account
November
folio
Ed.
in
2s.
6d.,
Coleman, Esq.,etc.,
Defence of
Term, 1679.

The

and

26.

The

all

27.

the Englishmen'sBirthrightasserted against

or
Subject,
ably
Tyrannical Usurpationseither in Church or State,1679 (probOctober) ; 2nd ed.,May Term, 1680, 6d.

Freeborn

put concerning
Term,
York, November

An

29.

Answer

Discovery of the

Further

the

and

of the Presse
Citt and

32.

The

ed.,

in

Discovery upon

34.

The

Committee

in

to

1680,

the

of

6d.

City, 1679
Titus

letter to Dr

1680.

iqjon the Liberties

Notes

Term, 1680, 6d.

Dialogue over

of Ale, 4th

Pot

Term,

Bumpkin, May

ed.,27th

1680

3rd

Discovery,May Term,

1680.

side
Popery in Masquerade,May Term, 1680, broadTlie
Explanation.
6d.,accompanied by a verse
or

35.

Narrative

36.

Short

of the Plot, May

37.

Tlie Casuist

38.

L'Estrange,His

Ansiver

to

L'Estrange'sCase
1680.

Whole

Uncas'd

Estates

October

dedicated

Historical

some

and

Country

Duke

the

1680.

33.

Three

part of Citt

June

anon.,

in

Pulpit,May

Bumpkin
February 1680.
second

Plot

ed.,May Term,

Memorial

Seasonable

31.

3rd

of H.R.H.,
ed.,May Term,

; 2nd

1679

the

to

Oates, 1680

39.

Succession

Appeal from
(probably November).

28.

30.

the

Case

The

or

1680
Litter

Richard

3rd

ed.,June

June
of Libellers,

and

Baxter

in

Appeal, humbly submitted

1680.
of Parliament, October
in

Civil

Dialogue between

to

Term,

1680.

Term,

1680.

Dialogue,1680.
the

King

Zekiel and

and

the

Ephraim,

APPENDIX

416

I.

Translations

"

Five

his

The

the

claimed

her

writing

Lee

bases

it.

his

this

class

and

the

Cavalier

Letters
for

or

from

him.

between

it is

As

is

certainlyhis.

June
Catalogues,

Nobleman

the

Nun

appears
Answer
well

them, as
Sister,1693.1

tells the

works

in

wrote

his

and

these

to

Behn

latter

and

1680.

Cavalier

Aphra

Condor, Esq.,in

Thos.

Epistleto

by

Letters

Love

to

Term

Five

anonymous

the

as

Nun

in

name

never

were

from

Letters

under

The

circumstances

of

chieflythat

two
Sir Sidney
the onby works
of
L'Estrange'sindecencies,
has
defend
the
Gentleman
to
are
biographer
Pothecary,
of no
part of the Fables,1699, which, however, admit

strictures

the

second

on

on

palliation.
As

Translation

the

to

finished

been

have

to

Curll's

authorship beyond
that

for certain

took

he

Tacitus'

Histories,but

rumour,

and

as

that

*2.

Hymn

The

to

Appeal

Plea

it

"

and

1718

Plautus

says

said
Spa?iishPolecat
of L'Estrange's

evidence

we

be

to

was

affirm

can

We

1726.
the

done

third

know
book

of

nothing beyond

by

for

and

other

the

same

hands

works

variouslyascribed

"

Confinement, written

in

in the Case

King's Party,

Limited

of the

late

Monarchy,
Tlie Hue

Rope for Pol, or

the

been

followinghave

3. A
*4.

of

no

Terence, wrote

Controversial

"

1.

part in the

TJie

"

have

Terence.

II.
The

Solorzano

advertisements

Motteux

translated

had

from

by Ozell,we

Newgate,

1645-6.
1659.

1659.

and

Cry afterM.

Nedham,

September

1660.
5.

Government,
1663

*6. Dolus

Tlie

and

Virtus

an

for

? November

the Church's

or

Parallel

on
Reflections

of the Two
11.

The

The

In

the

same

and

B.\

Pamphlet

like the

it,

(?).
1662

2nd

ed.

1682

1681.

stiled

Parliaments

Apology, or

Protestant

being the Third

Sister. By A.

do not

understand

'

Just

and

Modest

Vindication

',1682.

briefanswer

to

Mr

Hunt's

Defenceof

1683.

parallelbetween
true

as

do not

Misc.,iv.,398.

Outlawed.

Lawyer
Royal

Last

the Charter,
12.

Advocate, 1665-6

Bidens, February

9. Heraclitus

such

1667.

Semper Ldem, printed

or

printed in Har.

10.

of
Justification
those
who
benefit
of

the

ed., 1681.

2nd

7. Theosebia
8.

the

PresbyteryDisplayedfor

An

Doleman,

Party,

Answer

to

the

Rebels'

Bradshaw, Sydney,

and

Plea,
others

with

of

the

1684.

'
and
The Amours
of Philander
year (1693) appeared
Nobleman
Part
a
Last
of the Love Letters between

Silvia,
and

his

APPENDIX
13. La

Conspirationfaile contort
1685,

An

417

I
k

II.

Oharles

Roy

el

Frere,

son

Paris.

asterisk

is

placed before

those

been

have

which

works

included

in the list of Works.

1. There

and

authority for the Hymn

preface to the 1705 edition, 'an

the

is

no

Roger L'Estrange'.
p.
Nor

276) quotes
does

his

MS.

said to be

poem

rumour

by

Sir

Mitford (Recollections
of a Literary Life,1859,
it to be L'Estrange's.
length, but only assumes
his.
See Roxburghe
refer
it
to
as
contemporaries
Miss

it at

of

any

Confinement beyond

to

Ballads,iv.,222.
Appeal in the Case, etc., may be identical
old lists
in the
King, persistentlyincluded

2.

the

downward.

Both

from

the

and

circumstances

Winstanley's
style,there is a
Catalogue of the

from

the

strong presumption of L'Estrange'sauthorship. The

Brit. Mus.

Lib. ascribes

Collectionsfor

with

The

it to him.

doubtfully ascribed to L'Estrange by

and
rightlypraisedits moderation
Oldys (Har. Misc.,1744,
Nor
style,neither of which, however, are characteristic of L'Estrange.
3.

The

Pica, etc.,

first

was

vol.

did

he

late

it after the

claim

The

services.

authorship

of

Restoration, when

objectiondoes

same

eager to press his

of his
in the way
it
because
acceptedthe
etc.,
he

was

and

Tl\e

Rope for

J. B. Williams

is

'

of

old tract
PresbyteryDisplayed is an
(but expressly ascribed
L'Estrange, 1663
5.

1681.

'

under

his

He

',says

seems
own

The

to

Lee,

'at

the

did

with

hand

my

person, whose
title alone he altered.

the

The

to it.

1681, L'Estrange tells

a

warrant

now

originaltitle

re-issued

previouslypublished

name

authorityof

should

name

by
republished

to have

time

edition, corrected

4th

refurbished

another)

tract

not, however, put his

the

1644

same
a

He

anonymously
In the preface to
us, 'it came
honourable

Sir S.

to

Presbytery
Displayed,

name

'.

Cavaliers.

being an
entirelyin L'Estrange'smanner,
doubt
No
by him', says
Republican excesses.
(Eng. Hist. Rev., April 1908).
Pol

anthologv of Nedham's
Mr

so

stand

not

Appeal in the Case,

apologisedfor the unruly

Tlie

Commonwealth
4.

i.)who

and
very judicious
it to the public'.

seems

to have

been

The

Platform ofPresbytery.
6.

Dolus
and

an

Virtus]

style,is almost

(Bodl.B. 14, 15 Line.)from

certainlyL'Estrange's.

mark,
the motto, Press-

L'Estrange in the Catalogue of the

method, and publicationit is
Library, Edinburgh. In style,
usual
L'EstrangeTract.
totallydistinct from the
7. Tlieosebia

is

ascribed

to

Advocates'

8.

and

Tlxe

method

Semper Idem,
excerptingauthors ;

Parallel
of

or

is very
see

close to his

style,principles,

p. 86.

to L'Estrangeby Scott (Dryden, ix.,374),

HeraclitusRide?is,SLSCTihvd
in the Bodleian
of Settle),
is marked
No.
50 (a castigation
quotes
in it.
had
have
a hand
Catalogue as his. Sir Sidney Lee thinks he may
is no
There
ignorant contemporary
authority for this beyond 8ome

9.

who

2d

APPENDIX

418

He

conjecture.
John

He

affected.

Ed.

ascribed

be

and

The

12.

the

Royal

be

to

13.

La

(see

Apology,

L'Estrange,
been

his

information

has
even

327),

and

Loyal

etc.,

of

1713.

Ben

same

time

L'Estrange

the

at

only

complains

on

to

Songs,

the

Advocates'

had

L'Estrange
his

represents
in

the

of

Defence
of

advertised

feelings

Thompson's

Nat

1683.

to

Its

Hunt's

style.
well

very

tion
Vindica-

Modest

Catalogue

the

is

and

iii.).

pt.

reply

ascribed

Edinburgh.

the

in

L'Estrange

Catalogue
and

character

anonymous

father-in-law),

from

apart

style,

open
prove

author.

Conspiration,

have

It

1683.

p.

Just

L'Estrange's

(L'Estrange's

another

by

in

1682,

in

from

Eighty-three

Doleman

on

far

Library,

Signet

attack

L'Estrange

is

1681;

Libellers)

the

on

(a

1683

to

in

its

Observator.

Freeholders,

anonymous

Hunt,

the

it

and

Reflections

the

however

Hundred

One

Libels

Outlawed,

Lawyer

to

reason

the
to

Edinburgh,

towards

it

Address

Right),

Library,

of

wrote

T)xe

11.

City's

no

Bohun

for

reprint

author,

to

than

vein

duodecimo

prosecuted

of

merrier

in

the

in

concerning

prosecution

his

(see

all

are

to

was

the

of

account

quips

referred

not

Word

(A

L'Estrange

10.

is

something

suggested

have

course,

its

publisher,

the

Tooke,

of

may,
but

Flatman,

too

the

professing

ludicrous

many

glanced
from

though

etc.,

at

by

him.

Observators.

errors

The

to

in
writer

be

spelling
may

from

translation
and
have

names

collected

to

APPENDIX

SOURCES

CHIEF

I. Contemporary

(a) Pamphlet

II

THE

OF

Pamphlkts,

LIFE

Newspapers,

Poemata.

and

Literature.

The
most
copious and in some
respects
works, corrected
L'Estrange'sown
by innumerable
in the
written
heat
of Party warfare, and
hostile replies. Though
of
amount
mere
recrimination, on points
containing,therefore,a large
where
corroboration
of fact,especially
admission
or
by the other side is
inaccurate.
to be gratuitously
they are not likelyon that score
possible,
the biographicalelement
Those
into which
the
tion
Vindicamost
enters
are
of
June
and
December
1660
to Kent, his two
Apologies
1661, Tlie
Pelups'dApostate(Introductory matter), The Caveat and Plea for the
The Memento, May 1662, Truth
1661.
and Loyalty,
Caveat, November
the
and
Dedication
the
of
June
Considerations
and
1662,
(to
King)
Proposal* in order to the Regulation of the Press, 1663, give a lively
recriminations.
Thereafter
until
the
end
picture of 'old-Cavalier'
the period of his greatest importance in the Historyof
of the 'Plot'
he is practically
Literature
silent,though other pamphleteers,Marvell,
With
the
busy with his name.
Hickeringill,Eachard, etc., were
of
Oates
the
his
the
on
most
pamphlets
provide
again
scene,
appearance
of
abundant
material, corrected by the running unfriendly comment
the Whig
The
Journalists,Curtis,Care, Janeway, Smith, Hani-, etc
Freeborn
covery,
1679, Further
Discoveryof me Plot,Discoveryupon DisSubject,
Narrative of the Plot, Short Answer
to a whole Litter of Libellers,
and
the
L'E
his
to
L'Estrange,
Appeal
King,
Irange'sCane, the two last
when
under
1680
in October
Council
written
examination, give an
reliable

is

source

"

"

animated

of his

account

the

in

movements

dissolution

of

that

the

crisis.

In

the

violent

Oxford

struggle following
Parliament, we are
the
he
in
the Councils
of his
enabled
to judge
now
position
occupied
to
month, production of such things as
Party by the rapid, month
on
L'Estrange No Papist,Dissenters' Sayings, pts. i. and ii. ; Notes
and
the
lat"
the
in
Whig debacle,
Stephen Colledge,
Accompt Clear'd,
tions on the late Lord Russell's Speech,1683.
But for
1682, and CV
i

this

period

the

the

spring

the

most

we

of
At

privatediary

so

.-tailed in the month

is t lie Observntor,
of
Parliament, April 1681, and continuing to

source

Oxford
Part

1687.

minute

possess.

great

of the

the dismissal

and

newspaper,

regularguide

the

same

far

as

time

to

part pamphlet, it is probably

the movements
of the times that

it attains

almost

L'Estrange is concerned.
419

to

The

the

usefulness

attacks

on

of

it and

APPENDIX

420
its author

make

itself chiefly with

whole

force

and

II

respectablebody
the

of

exposure
acrimony of that

proceedingsat the King's Bench

advocate of the prosecutionof the
milder
of the
of the

men

all the

among

the

sects,

with

Church

Whig or Trimming
Plot, it
Rye House

literature.

in

May

Baxter,

Du

movement

the

As

hatred

of the

hostile controversialist

With

of the

the

crossed

not

cease

the

unwearied

with

itself in

vehement

and

with

the

severities

City Clergy,and

in

troversy
con-

antagonist

after the

swords
Milton

the

As

Moulin, Calamy,
Church

Church.

concerned

did

it involved

in the

its later excesses, the coldness

of the
In these various
connections
he

it

attracted

soon

1685.

dissenters

Divines.

earned

As

'Plot', it
which
agitation,

the

with

of
tbe

almost

by

every

the

Interregnum
age.
Sermon
Notes
Dr
on
a
Brief
period (whose
by
Griffith
provoked his
Blinde
Nedharn
No
Guides, April 1660),
(A Rope for Pol, September
Mistaken
The Holy Cheat, July 1661) in the
or
1660), Corbet (Interest
he waged an
Restoration
Baxter
intermittent
for a
war
period. With
of
The
from
November
a
century
Relaps'd,
Apostate(14th
quarter
1661),
answered
which
Baxter's Petition for Peace, to his witty Casxrist Uncas'd,
Richard
and Baxter, 1680, with the revival of
or
a
Dialogue between
the
The
The
Apostate
following
Relaps'd
Bagshawe wrangle
year.
evoked
is wholly biographical,
Truth and Loyalty(1662),which
and
the
and
old-Cavalier
Plea for the Caveat, in answer
to
dispute his Caveat
Cordial for the Cavaliers (1661).
Howell's
of biographicalmatter
Of the later period,1678-87, a vast amount
is
his
with
contests
Marvell, Hickeringill,Hunt, Blount,
provided by
Settle,Ferguson, Care, Pordage, Pope, Du Moulin, Julian
Johnson,
whose
works
too
are
Smithies,
Hughes,
etc.,
Colledge,Petyt,Phillips,
the
for
here.
mention
Reference
will
be
to
more
numerous
important
found
As authorities some
in the Index.
dependence may be placed on
of common
when
the subject is matter
them
knowledge, admitted by
from
neutral
corroborated
Otherwise
some
source.
or
L'Estrange
of
his
conduct
the
of
of
Press, his
consisting chargeslargelyon account
goading of the authorities into the path of persecution,or his running
be subjectedto the closest scrutiny.
the Plot into a sham
',they must
Marvell's
Rehearsal
Smerke
the Divine
la
or
a
Transprosed,Mr
and
contained
in his Prose
are
ii.,
Mode, and Growth
of Popery, pts. i.
'

'

'

'

'

Works, collected

in 3 vols,

by

A.

B. Grosart.

his
vols.,published 1709, contain
contribution
the
Marvel!
to
(his
hits at the Surveyor), his CeremonyThe
Monger and Man-Catcher, 1680.
preface to this edition refers to
of Curse Ye Meroz
these
A
vindication
In
works, notably
L'Estrange.
and
the
Black
the
to
Nonconformist,1681-2, Hickeringill returned
also an
imperfect edition in 2 vols. (1708) which
charge. There was
Hunt's
his View
to the Bishops'
contains
Postscript
Right,
of Jamaica.
which
violent
attack
etc. (1681),a
on
(not,as Sir Sidney
L'Estrange
Short Answer
Lee says, a work
of Hickeringill)
occasioned L'Estrange's
Whole
Litter of Libellers,
is contained
to a
along with two Whiggish
A Prefatory
pamphlets on the Exclusion in his published works, 1686.
entitled
Discourse
A Memento
to a late Pamphlet
for English Protestants ',
with
Reflections
Mr
occasional
some
on
L'Estrange's writings,1681 ;
Mr
L'Estrange's
Sayings, 1681 ; and Assenters' Sayings in Requitalfor
Dissenters' Sayings,1681 ; The Loyal Observator,
printedfor W. Hammond,
in

Hickeringill'sWorks,
Greybeard, 1673
Gregory, Father
Parker
sly
wrangle with many
3

'

the

among
notice

of

in

more

L'Estrange,the
his

with

connected

scandals

intimate

some

""ce

Dialogue between
important attacks on

'MeracUtus'

and

(he ' t'bsercator'

upon
Belfnggorand Pluto, 1681-2, are

PUasa

(Har. Misc.,vi., (ill)

; A

1C83

421

II

APPENDIX

last I wo

giving
Blount's

name.

friend,contain his Deistical

a
(1679) L'Estrange
was
charged; his Appeal from th County to (he City,1679 (ascrihedeven
by L'Estrange to 'your dead author Marvel! '),which occasioned Roger's
Vindication
Freeborn
of Learning and of the Liberty
Subject
; and A Just
caused Hilger
of
Hilton's
oftht l'r, """, 1679, a digest
great essay, which
the most
him
as
Bach
^17) to describe
r, p.
(Index der Verbotenen
The
effective opponent of the Imprimatur.
Appeal to the City,Omnia
Whitehall
(see chap,vi),
Cabal
the
at
Comesta
The
a
Belo,
Appeal from
the
Vindication
last
two Parliaments,1681,
of
Ferguson'sJust and Modest
the two parts of Settle's Character
of a Popish Successor,and the works of
in the Observator,
attacks
'Julian'
provoked numerous
Johnson, which

works, collected
Mundi,

contained

are

with

of State

Baldwin.

The

William

the

licensing of which

other

many
Tracts

libels

published

in

first of the 3 vols, of the

occasion

HI.,

See

etc.

anonymous

an

with

look

collections

publishedon

by

in 1695

Anima

late Revolution

of the

contains

few

also,

with

also in connection

such

Johnson

noted
1689
folio
and
as

the

in

Text

in

the

Richard

and
1693
by
Collection of State Tracts

during

the

Tlie Letter

Second

reign of King
to

Years'

Fire

Dissenter,
Struggle

of his
againstPopery and Tyranny, published 1689, and the Memorials
Smithies'
three
For
his
Works
in
folio
1710.
Replies
Life prefixedto
the Observator, 1684
to
Plea, 1684 ; Care's Weekly
; Hughes' Candid
Pacquet and Courant ; and Lex Draconica, 1687, we must search in the
of Colledge'sand
'limping'
ordinary collections of pamphlets. Some
in
Poems
included
on
skits on
Affairsof
Pordage'sverse
L'Estrange are
State,pub. in 2 vols, in 1697 and again in 1703-7.
the whole
of
have
mass
In
connection
with
the Popish Plot we
The
reference
to
'Plot' Narratives, but of more
L'Estrange,
particular
Prance, his L'Estrange a Papist, 1681, and
Oates
Titus
From
no
to the Observator's First Volume, 1684.
Postscript
the
addressed
to
less than
three
Petitions
(1684)
against L'Estrange,
King, to Sec. Jenkyns, and to Sancroft,the first two printed in Somer's
Tracts, viii.,378-380, the last in MS.
quoted in the Text (p. 340).
Solemn

Protestation

of

Miles

translation

of

L'Estrange's
the
Conspirationd'Angleterre),
History of
Plot,
the
Castlemaine's
Narration
Plot,
Compendium, of
1680,
of J. Fitzgerald,
Secret History of Cliarles II. and James
Of later date Phillip's
II.,
1679.
James
1696
the
late
and
Portraicture
Oates'
II.,
(3rd
King
of
1693,
edition EpistleDedic. and pt. iii.,94)
provide some
commentary on the
labours
BriefHistory of the Times, 1687.
comprised in his own
of the Observator,1684-5, and
vindications
In various
L'Estrange's
described
and
addressed
Observator
to
own
by
Compton
Defended,1685,
of
of
the
remarkable
Ranke
change
feeling'
proof
267-8) as 'a
(Hist.,iv.,
the effect of such
remark
in Episcopal circles, we
things as Th
between tlteChurch
Observator Proved
Trimmer, 1684, and The Difference
a
See also A
both
Church
and
the
1685,
of Rome,
of England
anonymous.
Almost
the
1685.
Letter to Dr Fowler, Vicar
of St Giles, Cripplegate,
works
reprintedare Considerations
only scraps of L'Estrange'spolitical
'theSpeech of the late Lord
Russell (Clar. Soc. Reprints, 1884) ; A
on
Two
Reply to Reasons
of the Oxford Clergy against Addressing; and
Of

earlier

date

the

the

writer

1679

of

the

French

(Histoirede la

"

APPENDIX

422

Questions Submitted

Consideration,1709

to

adversaries

of his

works

the

But

II

enjoyed

(Somer's Tracts,ix., 38).

more
enduring date, and

included

were

either

collected

State

Tracts

published in 1689, 1693, and 1706-7.

Contemporary Newspaper Literature we

(b) From
period

Though

works.

often

valuable

sometimes

from

than

1678-83

separatelyor

any

other

for

information

of

those

collections

of

of the
gather more
L'Estrange'sown
and slanderous,
these sheets are
trials,proclamations,intrigues

source

hopelesslyabusive

in

outside

complete presentment of the mind of the

in
noticed
pointing to the particularnumbers
Whig
and
F.
Domestick
said
Harris's
be
that
the Text, it may
Intelligence
of 1681, prefor the early months
Smith's
Protestant
are
Intelligencer
ceding
the
the
Oxford
most
Dissolution,
perfect examples of
involved
of
that
and
in daily conflict
are
electioneeringjournalism
age,
of
the
ment
late Parliawith
the exiled ex-Surveyor. In recording Votes
of
and
the
be
in
of
them
matter
said
to
fictitious),
great
(many
from
of
the
excellent
repositories Whig agitation,
Addressing,they are
for
his History of Addressing,
Oldmixon
which
largely borrowed
Later
in the year
1681 Janeway's Impartial Protestant Mercury
1709.
and
Curtis's
Tlie
1681
as
Impartial 'London Intelligence,
(startedApril
Nat
Protestant
True
Thompson's Loyal
Mercury boldly opposed
the great Observator.
Heraclitus
Protestant
Ridens, and
Intelligence,
L'Estrange'searlier essay in Journalism, The Kingdom's Intelligence,
August 1663 to January 1666, was exceedinglyuseful as a diary of the
His later and more
Press.
Surveyor'scrusade against the unauthorised
famous
Observator,like Care's
Weekly Pacquet of Advice from Rome,
the
of
in order
to evade the Proclamation
name
repudiated
newspaper
of
of May
1680
news', and has therefore been
against 'pamphlets
It need
in his pamphlet labours.
included
scarcelybe said that the
and chargesin the pamphlet
in acceptingstatements
cautions
necessary
and
in
literature are
libels,
even
more
requisite dealingwith newspaper
the
in
which
of
the
name
still more
in the fugitivePoemata
period,
that of Jeffries or
with
more
frequency than even
L'Estrange occurs
Towzer
is yoked with Jack
for praiseor blame
Father Petre, and where
such
addressed
Besides
several
as
to him
Squab (Dryden).
poems
the
pletion
comdedicated
Poem
to Sir Roger L'Estrange on
Aphra Behn's
of his 3rd vol. of Observators,
1688 ; D'Urfey's(?)Here's a Health
and Eighty-three
Loyal
to L'Estrange in Nat
Thompson's One Hundred
Absalom
and
of
in
the
name
Sheva)
Songs,1683 ; Tate's tribute (under
Achitophel,pt. ii.,1682 (Scott'sDnjden, ix.,350) ; Lucius Britannici,
1705
(and Brit. Mus. Poetical Broadsides, p. 173, an Elegy on his
G. 16 (48)),
'Upon that
(Bodleian,Ashm.
death) ; and the single-sheet
Brains
Were
the Observator,or a poem,
now
Patriot
worthily admired
there is a huge body of ballads
cheer d with such Celestial Fire', 1684
Press, etc., and
Without
mob.

of the

are

the

"

"

in State
will be found
nature, several of which
Collection
and
vol.
Baldwin's
of Poems, Satyrs,and
ii.,180-3, etc.,
Poems,
Songs againstPopery and Tyranny in 4 parts (most of them writ by the late

and

skits

Duke

of

satirical

Aylos, and Mr Stephen

printer's
were
published separatelyand without
in 1689
on
Affairs of State,by
(besidesA Collection of Poems
Collections of the
other eminent
L., Esq., and
wits) as Four
and
Most
IngeniousSongs, Catches,etc.,agamst Popery, relating
Times
15) Tlie Observator or
(1689),the first part containing (p.'

of Buckingham,

1690.
Colledge,
name

A.

M.

Newest
to the

These

Mr

A.

Marvell, Mr

John

APPENDIX

424

Sources

II. Contemporary

II

op

more

Character.

particular

(Hist of Rebellion,iv., 333-6). Burnet

(Own Times,
(ReliquiaeBaxterianae, Sylvester,
Airy's ed., 1900, ii.,221). Baxter
Poets,1687, p. 219).
1696, iii.,187). Winstanley (Lives of Eminent
and
239
Coke
247).
Boyer (Annals, iii.,242 ;
1719, pp.
(Detection,
and Life of Queen Anne, 1722, p. 38). Dunton
(Life and Errors, 1818,
and
265-6) provides us with brief biographicalnotices,which
pp. 218
are
supplemented by the diarists. Evelyn (Memoirs, Bray's ed.,1827,
269?" ; iv.,308
i. 298, 468, 59). Pepys (H. B. Wheatley, 1899, iii.,
;
John
Sir
Bramston
269 ; vi.,355?i ; iv.,445 ; vi.,159).
iii.,
(Autobiog.
Cam.
of Lady Fanshawe, 1907, with
Soc, 1845, p. 300). Memoirs
colourless
notices
in Cartwright'sDiary (Cam. Soc, 1843, pp.
some
have
valuable
notices in Wood's
some
4, 5, 45, etc.). Besides these we
Life and Times (Clarke, ii.,235, 458, 484 ; iii.,83, 331 ; with a good
of this kind
both
for the life
character
at iii.,
26). The best source
and the historyof the Press is,however, the Brief Historical Relation of
Narcissus
Luttrell,Oxford, 1857 (i.,39, 57, 93, 178, 198, 252, etc. ;
Ward's Diary, p. 94 ; The Life of the
see
ii.,189, 217, 414). In addition
North
Hon.
iii.,80n.) ; The Memoirs
1890,
(ed.Jessopp,
Roger
of Thos.,
Earl
Second
of Ailesbury (ed. Buckley for Roxburghe Club, i.,6 and
Hist. Observes (Rox. Club, 1840, pp. 32, 102)
ii.,144) ; Fountainhall's
Hist, of the Sufferings,
and Hist. Notices,1848, p. 744 ; Wodrow's
p. 371.
Clarendon

For
the

contemporary
The
Merc

1644"

the

notices

above
1.

Mount,

reference

particularevents

to

mentioned

not

in

:
"

Siege

of

urius

Aulicus

p. 413, and

Lynn

and

L'Estrange'sattempt on it, December

(1642-3, pp. 476, 488, 514), Vicars (God

Burning

Bush

in

Not

Consumed, p. 78) ; Rushworth

(Hist.Coll.,v., 283) ; Whitlocke

1692, iv.,804-8) ; Husbaud

(Collections,
(Memorials, 1682, pp. 114, 116, 117);

Commons'

Journals, iv., 34;

MSS., Com. 7th
Journals, vii.,119a, 506-7, 906-7,
App. to 11th Rept., pp. 103-4, Reports, Commissioners, 34, p. 182 ;
1684, ii.,80 ; Humble
Observator,June
Apology to Clarendon, 1661 ;

etc.); Hist.

Lords'

Truth

and

Loyalty, 1662, etc.

the
various
2. Kentish
pamphlets
Rising, May to June, 1648
noted
the
Text
to
in
Kent, 1649,
L'Estrange's Vindication
;
and
Clarendon
Loyalty;
(Hist, of
partly reprinted in Truth
Whitlocke
(Memorials, pp. 303-6) ; Neivsletters
Rebellion,iv.,333-6) ;
2790-2804
the
Clarendon
State Papers, Nos.
in
of the Life
; Memoirs
Col.
not
ii.,
temporary,
conFirth,
Hutchinson,
(ed.
1885,
146).
Although
of
"

be well

it may

to refer

here

to Mr

H.

E. Maiden's

correction

of the fight at Maidstone

(Hist, xiii.,381-90)
acknowledgment (Eng. Hist. Rev., vii.,533 and 536).
U Estrange,his Apology,
3. For the Interregnum Struggle,1659-60
and
1660
Loyalty,1662 ; Memento, 1662, p. 40 ; Appeal in the
; Truth
Case of the late King's Party, 1659
Discovery, 1680,
; Discovery upon
Club
the
Rota
Censure
13-15
(Har.
Misc.,
iii.,
of
188) ; Evelyn's
;
pp.
of the Verney Family, ii.,
Apology for the Royal Party, 1659 ; Memoirs
Bramston
450-1;
(Autobiog.,177); Lesley (View of Times, 1708,
of

and

Gardiner's

account

Gardiner's

"

No.

36)

Tlie

December

to

Collection

noted

Parliamentary Intelligenceand

March
in

1659-60
the

Text

; Various
; Somer's

Mercurius

pamphlets

in

Politicus
the

Tracts,vi.,533,

Thomason

560.

for

APPENDIX
the

For

of

period

II

425

the

Surveyorship, 1662-1679, chiefly the

after
r
(Newsbook, August 1663 to January 1666), thereKingdom's InteUi'ji
in,
the London
Ga:.rt (from October
1665), chiefly useful for proclamations
and
notices
of libels (Nos. 1059, 1446, 1468-9, 1442, 1502, etc.);
702
Twyn),
(Trial of Ben. KeuHi),
Trials,vi.,514 (Trial of John
807
Firing of London,
(Exaiuiuations concerning the
1666), 1190
of
Fr.
Sir
591
G.
(Trial
(Proceedings against
Jenks), vii.,
Wakeman),
4.

(Trials of

Calendar
Harris, Smith, Curtis, Care).
of State
Papers. Lords' Journals, xi.,79, xii.,13, 17, 33, 7296, 56-64 ; Commons'
Journals, ix., 378 ; Scohel
Ordinances, i., 44, 134, ii.,88,
(Acts and
290); Lemon,
Catalogue of a Collection of Broadsides, pp. 130-1 ; Hist.
and
786 ; 10th
69a
MSS., Com.
App. to 9th Rept,, pt. ii.,pp. 66a
926-1111

Rept,, pp.

pt. ii.,p. 766,

810,

; 4th

128-30

Arber,

and

1174

837-9,

Shaftesbury
Clarendon

etc.

Rept., pp.
App.
33rd

Papers,

Term
vi.

7th
;

234-6

Rept., p. 512a

2nd

Rept,

Pari.
Catalogues; Cobbet's
Hist., iv.,
and
vii.,xvi., 1264-6, 1276-8, 1314;

Rept. of Deputy

Keeper,

(Continuation of Life, iii.,

475, 676,

pp.

243-251;

and

814-16), besides the

above
various
pamphlets and libels mentioned
; Crofton, Defence against
the Fear
Baxter
Death,
Baxt.,
1665,
ii.,380, iii.,2) ; Third
of
(Relig.
the
Cause
A
1681
Defence of
of Peace,
Specimen of the Present Mode
of
;
Controversy in Reply to D Estrange, 1682 ; Bohun
(Address to the Freeholders,
Part, 1682, etc.).
pt. i.,1681 ; Epistle Dedic. to Third
the period of the Whig
Debacle
and
5. For
beyond the Revolution,
the
the
of the
same
source
general authorities, with
great additional
Observators

and

Calendar

(Trial
the

of
of

Rye

the

Colledge)
House

pp.

the

and

Modern

Fen

Scroggs

wick
and

viii.,163,
in

of

1079

(and

the

and

; 1350

Plot

Examinations

literature

newspaper
Pa]?ers, 1689-90

State

(Trial of

Informations
the

mentioned

and

1690-1.

Nat

Thompson,

in

vol.

same

1695-6,
Conspiracy,

Judges,

also

December

in Baldwin's

Charles

p.

1302.

1680,
Collection

are

The

Trials, viii.,550
Paine, and Farwell) ;
ix., 951 (Report of the

'Murder'

Committee);
1227; of Roswell, 147, vol. xi.
Reports, 68) ; xii., Informations

the

above.

State

x.,
; Trial

The

in

Trial
of

of

Oates,

Baxter,

connection

494
with

proceedings against
in State Trials,

contained

of State Tracts privately Printed

Tracts,viii.,320 (Acquittal of

Reign of
Abhorrence
of an
Shaftesbury), 327
(The Addresses
Importing an
Association), ix., 315
(A Short
Prefatory Life of Ferguson), 174-8
(Burnet's Apology for the Church
of England, 1689), p. 339 ; Memoirs
of
Titus Oates, p. 38 ; L'Estrange's Reply to the Reasons
of the Oxford Clergy
II., 1693.

Somer's

against Addressing, with Scott's Notes; Wood

(Life and Times, iii.,83,
House
Lord's
331) ;
MSS., Rept. iii.,new
series, p. 271 ; Halifax's
of
Character
Letter
to a
of a Trimmer, Anatomy
of an
Equivalent, and
Dissenter, with
(Lex Draconica, 1687) Parliament
u m
Replies by Care
the
spiracy,
ConPacificum (anon.), and
L'Estrange's Reply ; Sprat (History of
II. and
1685, appendix, pp. 137-40); Secret Services of Charles
Jas. II. (Cam. Soc, p. 206) ; Burnet
(Airy's ed., ii., 221, 379) ; Lords'
Hunstanton
Journals, xiii., 7296, etc. ; Hist. MSS., Com.
Papers,
;
vii.
11th
to
App.
Rept., pp. 93, 118 ; MSS.
of Borough of Kings' Lynn,
Reports,Commissioners, xxxiv., 182.

Later
The

historians
faction

spiritof

some

verdicts

the

receive

must

In

reserve.

were

than

the

case

historians.

later

blamed

As

there

was

no

for

giving themselves np to
eighteenthcentury, we
of the
Burnets,Oldmixons, and Cooks' with
tinctly
of L'Estrange especiallythey provide dismore

first half

the

of

the

'

On

partisanaccounts.

Authorities.

and

eighteenthcentury

period when
the

II

APPENDIX

426

the

side Kennet

one

and Clironicle,
(Register

length his diatribes against

in this
the Presbyterianswith
obvious
relish,
though he is far outdone
enthusiasm
Eachard
(Hist,of Eng., 1720, pp. 793-4, 1009, etc.); North
by
(Examen, pp. 271, 260, 208, 185) is of course
frankly appreciative. On
of Ralph (Hist,of Eng., i.,627, 757, etc.)is
the other side the violence
condoned
32-3,
by his excellent notices on the Restraint of the Press (i.,
(Hist, of the Stuarts,2 vols.,1730, i. 486, 491,
62, 981). Oldmixon
etc.)is to be set againstEachard, whose praise of L'Estrange'sstyle as
those
well as actions raises one
of the countless
wrangles between
angry
1708, i., 550, 574-5, 609, etc.)quotes

writers.
in

his

Burnet

(Own

condemnation.

at

Times, ii.,
221-2)
In

the

latter

the

L'Estrange

was,

half

of

we

saw,

the

while
historians,

rather

moderate

eighteenth century
was
relegatedto

he

forgottenby
of biographicaldictionaries. Hume
does not
the
of
the
Pres9
Freedom
him, though he has a paragraph on
(Hist,of Eng., viii.,312-13). Neither Fox (Introduction to
Mackintosh
Jas. II.),Rose
in his Observations
thereon, nor
was

the

brief notices

Continuation

of

Fox,

him

name

at

all.

In

the

ninteenth

mention
in 1679
Hist,
in

of
his

century

506n) rescued him at least from oblivion

and
(as a political
Macaulay (Hist.,
force),
1855, iv.,348-50) completed
of
the
Redivivus
of
the
from
notorious
canvas
L'Estrange
picture
his
of
the Plot (Hist,of
and Ralph.
Oldmixon
treatment
Lingard in
frequent reference to L'Estrange'sBrief
Eng., 1854, ix., 170-8) makes
stitution
the
Amos
Observator.
(The Eng. ConHistoryof the Times, and uses
reference
to
in the reign of Ch. II., 1857) has considerable
in the Press.
Sir T. Erskine
his work
May's Const. Hist, of Eng., 1871,
rule of the Press (Pressunder
has a great deal on his baneful
Censorship,
and
ii.,239-46). Carlyle (Letters
Speechesof Cromwell, 1850, L, 227)
neither
makes
a
career,
passing notice of his restless and romantic
(Hist.of. Eng., iv.,267) merely refers
friendlynor unfriendly. Ranke
of
Observator
his
to the
Defended,1685, as evidence of the
importance
the
the
Gardiner
Church.
of
in
xiii.,
381-90)
(Hist.,
change
position
Rising of
relegatesL'Estrange to an unimportant part in the Kentish
On
the other
1648.
never
hand, he was
quite lost sight of in new
Cavalier
and
revived
the
editions which
perennial dispute between
in
Roundhead
private memoirs, bibliographicaldictionaries,and
all in Literary History on
account
at
catalogues of writers, nor
for
In
Posthumous
of his
Butler's
translations.
Works,
example,
ducing
published 1715, we find his Key to Hudibras, with several notes, introwhile in Zachary Grey'sedition of 1744, he is frequently
his name,
the
Commonwealthmen
(seei. 395). Neale's Hist, of
quoted against
other
the
the Puritans
on
hand, gives a bitter
(ed. 1822, iv., 434-5),
of humour
with
of
admission
a
character,corroborated,
saving
course,
and spirithowever, in Orme's
Life and Times of Baxter (ed. 1830, ii.,
centuries' formal
The
eighteenth and earlynineteenth
279-80, 464-5).
their
in
lives in dictionaries and elsewhere
moderate
as they
are
censure
Hallam

(Const.Hist.,1879,

p.

APPENDIX

proceed further away

Dictionary,vi.,317 ;

from
the

their

Life

427

see
object
Nicols
given by
"

the

old

Biographical

(Lit.Alice, iv.,55) ;
the severe
D'Israeli
account
by
(Amenities of Lit., 1844, p. 406, and
Curiosities of Lit.,1882, p. 57),by Cibber (Livesof Eminent
Writers,1753,
iv.,295), Granger (Bio;/.Hist, of Eng., 1804, iv.,69-70) ; Chalmers'
equallysevere
biography (GeneralBiog. Did., 1815, xx., 205-11); and
the later accounts
in the
and the Catalogueof the

1865, pp.

6-7.

Sir

Dictionaryof Universal Biography (xiii.,

189) ;
Hope Collection of Newspapers at the Bodleian,
Sidney Lee's Life in the Diet, of Nat. Biog. is of

first attempt
whole, it is both

of

the

course

On

the

modern

exhaustive

research
and

to

accurate.

sum

his activities.
up
The
earlier accounts

accordingto the writer's politics.These later

appreciative
the virtue
of consistencyand even
admit
ones
(in Sir Sidney Lee's)
With
the
of
the last named, they
disinterestedness.
some
exception
all suffer from
being mere
copiesfrom their predecessors the inevitable
fault of such compilations.
Of later years, while
the general historian
lost sight of him, the
revived
interest
in the Popish Plot crisis and
in the history of the
Press
has brought him
into some
nection
conprominence. In the former
Sitwell
Ebsworth's
remarks
see
(First Whig, p. 14, etc.);
(Roxburghe Ballads,iv.,220-2, 309, etc.); a brief life in the Brit. Mus.
Alfred
Cat. of Prints and Drawings, Division
L, Satires,pp. 629-31
; Mr
Marks'
Who
Killed Godfrey? 1905, pp. 72-5 ; Pollock's Popish Plot,1903';
Gerard's
The
Historian, 1903 ; Andrew
Popish Plot and its Newest
The
Sir
Lang's
Mystery of
Edmuadbury
Godfrey (HistoricalMysteries,
are
1904). Sitwell and Ebsworth
sympathetic as Tories, Messrs Marks
and Gerard
Catholics
all four are a useful corrective to the long sway
as
of the Whig view.
former
The
in L'Estrange
(Mr Marks) discovered
the chief Protagoniston
the anti-Plot side,and naturallytreats him
are

severe

or

"

"

with

great deference.
In the

historyof the Press L'Estrange has, of course, figuredlargely.

own
day, as we saw, he was
praisedby a few interested persons
and attacked
liberal writers.
The
by all the more
eighteenth century
was
peculiarlyalive to the importance of the Imprimatur for the reason
Dunton
viz. :
gives for describingthe Licensers so fully(anddeferentially),
that no man
could tell when
their services might be again requisitioned.
The
first published 1705, is a priceless
Life and Errors of the latter,
of all the characters in the Press (treatsof L'Estrange and the
review
Licensers, ed. 1818, pp. 264-6) ; Defoe
(Life and Works, by Walter
from
of the long extracts
Wilson, 1830) is of great value on account
his writings,and especially
in reference
84
to the Press,ii.,
171, iii.,
Defoe's Essay upon
the Regulation of the Press ; Lee's Life and Times
his author
is
of Defoe, 1868, is richer in the period after Anne, when
In

his

"

more

conservative

Liberty of
Nos.

the

in

the

matter

Press,Scott's

445, 582, with

Prof.

H.

of

the

Press.

Morley'aexcellent

Swift

See also

ed., 1808, vi., 165-9);

Addison

remarks

on

(On

the

(Spectator,
the

and
636-7
825) ; Johnson, *Prose Wcn-hs, 1848, ii., 259
pp.
Gentleman's
Magaeme (D'Anvers' articles on the Liberty of the
vols,
Milton's
Prose
Works, 1698,
viii.-xvi.)
1738-45,
; Toland's
of
Thomson's
ed.
with
(the Poet's)
Preface, 1738.
Areopa"/itica,

Press,
;

Tlie

Press,
p. 43 ;
Most

been accompanied by valuable

notes
tract have
reprintsof this famous
included
the subject,
of
Holt
those
1819
White,
(which
especially
and
Tindall's tract against Pulteney'sPress Bill, 1698, pp. 202 and lvii.,

on

APPENDIX

428

digestof Milton,Sur

Mirabeau's

Reprints,1868, valuable

II
Liberty

La

the Press

for

de la

Presse); Arber (Eng.

printed with it); and

documents

has much
excellent matter
(p.xxxviii.).Masson
same
subject
446-50, etc.),
and, indeed,with
(Lifeof Milton,iii.,
possibleexceptionof DTsraeli (Curiosities
of Lit.,ed. 1882, p. 250,
J. W.

Hales,

1874

on

the

the

of the

Licensers

Press'

War

againstBooks'
396, etc.),gives a
Kestoration
Anecdotes

the

and

and

intimate

On

of Lit.,1884, p. 405, 'The

Quarrels of Authors, 1882, pp. 16,
of

account

other

any

'

Amenities

Calamities

more

than

Press

of

the

author

Commonwealth

the
since

Eighteenth Century, iv., 33,

'

Nichols

Of

and

(Literary

Public

News

and

Weekly Papers'). Of more

Legal Works, Pari. Hist., xvi., 1264the
memorable
House
of Lords
debate
in the
of 6th
1314, gives
December
of
and
the
Libel
the
General
Search
1770
on
question
Warrant
Reports,i.,256-7 ; Viner's Abridgement, 1742, xvii.,
; Modern
208-10, discusses the abuses of monopolies. See also Sir Jas. Burrow's
Report on the Question concerningLiteraryProperty,1773, and P. C.
Webb's
Copiestaken from the Records of the Court of King's Bench, etc.,
Warrants
issued by the Secretaries of State
of
for seizingauthors,
The
printers,etc.,of Libels,1763.
legaland constitutional issues raised
in the work
of Hallam
by these eighteenth-centuryworks
re-appear
the
Lit.
Buckle
t
o
(Introduction
of Europe, 1882, pp. 613, 719);
(Hist.
and
of Civilisation,
ii.,
225) ; Macaulay, whose nineteenth
twentj^-first
chapters of his Hist, of Eng. attempt to atone for the neglectof the
III.'s reign by other
authors ;
question of the Press Laws in William
Amos
Hist.
excellent
devotes
an
ofCh.
II.,viii.,
(Cons.
238)
chapterto the
Press ; so Erskine
Hist,
ships,
May (Cons.
of Eng., 1871, ii.,
239-46, on CensorOn
and ii.,
the
Press
the
technical
side
318-58
on
more
Statutes).
Birrell (Augustine,Seven Lectures on the Law
and Historyof Copyright
see
in Books, 1899). The Autobiographyof Ed. Bohun, by S. Wilton
Rix,
has
information
valuable
Press
List
of
some
a
1853,
(pp. 94-8,
"
man's
Bib.
of Printing,1884,
Licensing enactments) ; Bigmore
Wy
excellent
an
list,entitled Parliamentary
pt. ii.,pp. 118-48, contains
Manual
Papers; Tymperley (Hist,of Printing); Lownde's
Bibliographer's
notice
of L'Estrange (The
of Enc/lish Lit., 1864, iii.,1347, has some
with
Brief Hist, of Times, 1687, and his translations),
pricesannexed
;
Hazlitt's
2nd
Collections
Bib.
and
series,p. 343, gives an
Notes,
accurate
descriptionof some
twenty-fiveof his works, but erroneously
.

includes
Of

No

Protestant

Plot.

later works

dealing more
particularlywith the trade and
viz.
:
journalism,
The
Fourth
Estate
(by F. K. Hunt, 1850) ; The Hist, of Brit.
Journalism
to 1855
(by Alex. Andrews, 1859) ; English Newspapers(by
H. R. Fox Bourne, 1887), it may
all unsatisfactory
be said that they are
the seventeenth
Fox
Bourne's
on
(seealso his Life
century ; perhaps
of Locke, 1876, ii.,
312) least so, but his inaccuracies have been pointed
of English Journalism, Mr J. B. Williams,
out by the latest historian
whose
Hist, of Eng. Journalism
in the Seventeenth
Century is much
history of

more

informative

books and
Review

Letters

for

See also
Ford

"

and

of

than

accurate

News

April 1908,

has

of

the

been

Papers,1665-6.

For

the Times

1912, see Appendix III.

others.

His

Restoration,in the

of

great

article,The Growth
of
(Eng. Hist. Rev., iv., 1),and
an

the

service

the Freedom
Introduction

article

English

to

the

of

the

to

PrintingSupplement

on

News-

Historical

present writer.

Press,by D. M.
the Cal. of State

of 10th

September

APPENDIX

Only

occasional

an

of Bookselling,
by

hint

461

also

largelyfrom
Perhaps
Arber-

Earlier

Knight's The

Old

History
""/

Hist

Book-tellers

and

D' Israeli.
the

of all is found

greatestsource

bis Term

in the labours

of Professor

tion
vols.,1903-6, with IntroducStationers' Registers,
especiallyvol.

Catalogues(1668-1709), 3

the documents

printed in
with
Introduction,

the

from

London

in Notes

8th

gleaned

has been taken

from a series of
series). More
QuerU ,5th series,
viii.,461, and 6th series,
vii.,
2nd
the
Vol.
series
of
etc.
tains
conseries,vi.,363,
vi.,p. 69,
Three Patriarchs
article on
The
an
of Newspapers, borrowed

of his

(vol.v.

Charles

429

Roberts'

Win.

1873;

English Bookselling,
1892; and
articles

been

Fact bus

or

Curwen,

H.

II

his

and vol. v.,

Mr
0. R. Rivington'sAccount
iii.,
of the
Worshipful Company of Stationers,1903, and his Records of the Stationers
Company, 1893, printed in The Term Catalogues,vol. v., p. xxxix., and the,
St'ir Chamber
and other Decrees and
Acts, printed in his edition of

Areopagitica(English Reprints,1868).

foreignauthors

Of

(Le

have

touched

the

English Press,Beljame
Anyletcrrc,1874) describes with a
the activities of the Restoration
Masson
Press,while
Verbotenen
too
a
Biichcr, 1904, pp. 206-221) draws
the Licensing Laws, especiallyin his reference
to

Public

who

et les Homines

de

Icttres

on

en

lighterhand than
Hilger (Index der
severe
picture of
L'Estrange (p. 211).
The Indt

h'.rpurgatorius
Anglian/us .1'W. 11. I Iart,1872-8(unHnished,
in
is
ending abruptly
1684), supplied something ; but the work
and
and
awaits
laborious
author.
more
some
defective,
meagre
x

and

Authorities

and

Prose

are

The

his

Preface

for the

sources

literaryside

of

L'Estrange'scareer

Works

if Dryden (Malone's ed., 1800, Scott, 1808-9) viz. :

Ovid's Epistles,
on
Epick
Life of Lucian, and Discourse

to

13ehn

Poetry; Aphra

Letters

Love

"

betn-een

Nobleman

his Ststtr,

and

Translated
Prose
(prefixed to her version of
Essay on
Worlds
Fontenelle's
Neiv
Inhabited, 1692) ; Sir Edward
Theory of
Sherburne's
Preface to his Translation
1702 ;
of three of Smeca's Tragedies,
T" "m Browne's
LifeofErasmus, prefixedto his Scveyi Additional Colloquies,
the Living to the Dead, 1702 ; Phillips'
translation
rs from
1699, and I.":tj,
Jas.
of
Bona's
Guide
Price's
version
of Don
to
1687
Eternity,
Quixote,
;
versions
1673 ; Jas. Mabbe's
Excmplarie Novels, 1640, and the French
and

1693,

and

of F. de Rosset

in the same
year ; Baudoin's
Locke's
interlineary(Latin and English)
;
Edmund
collection
Arwaker's
of 22 5 Fables,
;
Version
E. Stacey's Poetical
to
of
of some

the

Sieur

D'Audiguier

JEsop,eds. 1631, 1660, 1669

of

version
1700

The

Fables,1704
Introduction

L'Estroi)'ic'."
Fables, 1717
1887

; De

la

1692, p. 213)
Cato, 1713

to

Crose,
;

Notes
;

Works
and

Robinson

Ellis,Fables

of Avianus, Oxford,

(January 1691-2, p. 23, and

281 ; Pope'sPrologue
Series,iii.,

the Learned

of
Queries,2nd

Bentlcy'sEpistleto Boyle,
1701, pp. 287-8, and

1697

(?),p.

87

Dunton's

1702, pp. 180, Liftand

Motteaux's
Gentleman'.Errors
Journal, ii.,58, 312,
(ed. 1818, p. 266);
Addison's
February and September 1693 and p. 27, January KJ94.
No. 135 ; Boyer, Life a id /.'"
of Qm n Avne, 172:2, p. 38,
Spectator,

Post-Angel,November

March

'"

"

and

his

translation

Winstanley, Lives of

of

Bona's

Essay

the Eminent

upon

Moral

Poets, 1687, p. 219

Friendship,1701
;

Preface
Gordon's
1713
; 'Tacitus
upon Reading the Classics,
,
version of Tacitus, 1728 ; Arnold's Six Chief Lives (from Johnson's

of

the

Poets),Preface

pp.

xx.-xxii.

tion
Felton, Dissertato his

Lint

Johnson, LiteraryMagazine, 1758,

APPENDIX

430

p.
J.

197

Preface

Jusseraud's

J.

1892

45

Godwin,

Lea

Hist,

(Eng.

Tom

to

of

Lives

Rev.,

the

to

(Justin)

Bellanger

and
C.

Introduction

Hallam,

II

Lit.

Browne's
de

Edward

and

iv., 783)

translation
la

Histoire

of

Traduction
John

Index

der

1883,

vols.^

France,
1815

790

p.

Scarron,

en

Phillips,

Keuseh's

on

ed.

of Europe,

29

pp.

H.

by

art.

Bucher,

Verbotenen

'

1883-5.

Ticknor,
301

iv.,

453

T.

L.

ed.

by

Rhetoric,

History

Preface

Hundred

Dale,

pp.

Guide
Fables

Eternity,

to

documents
papers

(2)

the

in
which
Brit.

Sloane

*Stowe

f.

MSS.,

Add.

MSS.,
f.

1-15

the

and

Caryll

Bodleian

Library,

xxxii.,
State

52

Papers,

Tanner

2647
the

is

and

One

the

been

uncalendared

years

1677-1685,

the

Calendar.

p.

14.

and

those

the

Nos.

138).

18,

30.

remarks

ix.,

12

and

xi.

Sir

15,

Newsletters

MSS.

letter

publication

Chas.

54,
in

persons.

to

Dilke.
79

the

xiii.,54
Clarendon

2790-2804.

MSS.,

Rawlinson

Notes

of

belonging

tLetters

lay

by

2)
the

on

book.

Some

Hist,
tions
eradica-

L'Estrange's

presented

MSS.,

282371,

306,

Borlase's

of

copy

(pp.

the

and

296,

166.

with

anon,

of

volume

Ballard

xix.,

f.

and

printed

some

ff.

448,

168

various

papers

mentioned

in

Text.
Some

of

Graham's

in

f.

preceded

Licensing

family,

27,

109,

Rebellion,

(f. 3)

ana

L'Estrange's

the

(3)

82,

interpolations,

Borlase

to

4222,

36988,

Irish

Execrable

and

f.

(Egerton
vol.

MSS.,

*Stowe

MSS.,

f. 277,

MSS.

the

described

28053,

36988

p.

edition

1-2.

82,

28618,

Barrington

on

1890,

1899.

has

for

Office

Museum."

Keneth

1753,

Lectures

Prose,

Devotion

of

Lane,

source

insufficiently

Lives,

Blair,

Sources

chief

Record

were

John

English

and

1900;

Manuscript

Office.

Record

Earle,

Cibber,

312

p.

Library

by

pub.

III.

(1)

etc.

Stanbridge's

of JEsop,

1849

English,

272,

262,

W.

J.

Literature,

Standard

Oliphant,

to

L'Estrange's

Spanish

of

in

books

by

Wood,

Oldys,

and

anonymous

the

APPENDIX

432

III

of 1663, a monopoly in news.

Second, his paper is not a newspaper,
causerie on
current
it merely conducts a political
topics,etc. Such a
his Whiggish prosecutors.
defence was
not of itself calculated to discourage
The
summing up of the character of L'Estrangeis as perverse
show.
A portrait
school of Tory Absolutism
can
anything the new
which
makes
L'Estrangea high-minded English gentleman,loyaland
to his biographer. But
sincere and generous, ought not to be ungrateful
the unfolded
truth is perhaps preferable
to paradox,and
story of his
of
the
such
reversal
life
will
warrant
a
not
popular tradition.
public
in
Of loyaltyhe was
extreme
an
even
degree. Sincerityhe
capable
if
claim.
But
means
chivalry to the
certainlycan
generosity
if
of
it is part
a
high-minded English gentleman's
vanquished, or
to the death,
character not to aggravate suffering
or
pursue the quarry
as

he has

THE

no

IXTH

title to that fine

OF

VOL.

THE

name.

CAMBRIDGE
LITERATURE.

OF

HISTORY

ENGLISH

of the CambridgeHistoryof
The first chapter of the latest volume
of L'Estrange's
a
career
as
EnglishLiterature contains a brief account
Columbia
of
New
Trent
The
writer
University,
(Professor
journalist.
York) remarks in connection with the Observator that Defoe who was
probably in London during the latter part of the Observator's life,may
he should edit a paper of his
that if ever
thus earlyhave determined
awkward
he
would
avoid
the
dialogueform and an extravagance
own,
ends
The
'.
that defeated its own
bibliographyappended to Chapter I.
contains a listof L'Estrange's
trustworthy.
works, which is not altogether
Cure ThyThere
is no evidence for L'Estrange's
self,
authorshipof Physician
and the stylenot even
remotelyresembles his. A Plea forLimited
A Letter
Monarchy,though ascribed by Oldys,is certainlynot his work.
Nat
written
or
Farwell,
was
to Miles Prance
Thompson
by
possibly
Tlie Apostate
Protestant,and Remarks on the
not by L'Estrange,
certainly
and
Growth
and ProgressofNon-Conformitybear no trace of his manner,
In
have otherwise
to
regard
authorship.
nothing support L'Estrange's
of his part with
is made
mention
to the Translations,
no
Dryden and
Five
Love
Letters
wrote
Tacitus.
Eachard
in the
from a Ntm
L'Estrange
in Answer,
Cavalier
written
Five Love Letters
The
to a Cavalier.
by a
In
it is not
case
any
however,is probablythe work of Aphra Behn.
L'Estrange's.
his wonted
Charles Wliibley discusses with
In Chapter X. Mr
of 'the
the
of
the
professors
L'Estrange
among
thoroughness
place
New
methods, he made him
Art of Translation '. As to L'Estrange's
true-born Englishman, speaking the
a
(hisauthor) for the moment
and
of the cockney
the
accent
the
with
of
moment
slang
proper
he
which
the
works
all
the mere
fact that
set
L'Estrange
upon
it
while
of
his
and
own
time,
pattern
Englished this very stamp
their
increased their momentary popularity,
generalacceptance
prevents
time Mr
classics'. At the same
as
Whibley has with all competent
author's quaint
of our
critics succumbed
to the fascination
modern
displayedin his selection
rudeness, and he praisesthe catholicity
for
he thinks preferable
of originals.Tlie Select Colloquies
of Erasmus
conceit
and merry
its lighttouch
to the Bona, the Cicero and even
the
This
last judgment is rather
surprising. Finally,
Quevedo.
the depth of Brown's
sank
to
he
has
b
ut
never
faults,
L'Estrange
many
called
of what was
of
even
The
strict
'.
words,
ineptitude
economy
in
artist
the
best
makes
in his JEsof,
him an
sense.
Billingsgate
'

'

'

'

'

'

INDEX
Absalom

and

Absalom

Senior, 367/2

Accompt

Achitopkel,Part

Cleared,

Account

300
Growth

of the

227//
Account

the

of

2ii,

214,

of Knavery

Groivth

of Popery,

eject

297

to

168

Painter,

.-!"'.
sop, at Richmond,

yjj.

sRsop, translation of, 392

Ailesbury, Earl of, 69
Lords'

Libels

210

et seij.

Alarm

to the

Address

Report,

to

Loyal Freeholders,

the

Animadversions

352
the Men

to

of Shaftesbury,

1710,

326

Mirabilis, 113
against Poison,
Apology for tlie French
Antidote

312

Protestants,

350
the

Country

to

the

City,

232
the

Arber's

Transcript of
Registers,132, 178

Archer,

Stationers'

152-4,

176,

166,

179,

186,

195
Sir

Clement,

267

Sayings, i\\n
etc., 320

Bagshawe,

Hushai,
Edward,

Sir

John,

126,

91,

129,
in

Biscoe, Parliamentary Commissioner

Kent, 27
Blackheath, 24, 26, 30
Blair,Hugh, 405
318
Blathwayt,Wm.,
Blomefield,Historian

of Norfolk,

Blount, Chas.,

the

and

Restraint

on

Just
98 ; (Philopatri.s),
Vindication
of Learning, 217
Bohun, Edmund,
196, 199, 221, 227,
to the Freeholders,
369 ; his Address

Press,

39,

260

Atkyns, Rich., 100,

Growth
Original and
181
138-9,
Aylesford, 27, 30
Ayres, Phillip,396
and

Bible stock, 399

/Uddlc, Life of John, 171

213

Paper, 369
Plot, 368

Assenters'

334

Boltinglasse (Vaultinglasse),
Lady,

Ashton's

Association,

383,

the

Colonel, 32

Armiger,

her

221

Annus

Arlington,

303//

Prose,

inliston, Sir Samuel,

Birkenhead,

219

Appeal from

L'Estrange,
Translated

Bethel, Slingsby, 162/?,277

ProprietoryAct of,

299.

R.
on

Bellanger, Justin,381
Bennet, Thos., printer, 194
Bentley, Ric. 379 ; and sEsop, 396^
Bern

Anglesea, Karl of, 81

Anglican converts, 1683,

Azaria

Essay
403

62

199

Anue,

77.

Sir

to

Committee

Army,

Allington, Lord,
An

for Peace,
81, 83, 85, 109, 148, 157-8;
Non-Conformists Plea for Peace, and
Trial, 359
Baynton, Sir Edward, z$n, 19
IIie, Wm.,
235-9
Behn, Aphra, 288, 388, 393; her Poem
45.

for, to

53

Barebones, I 'raise-God, 61
llarkcr, King's printer,179
kstead, John, 29
Battersby,Robert, printer,194

idoin,his sEsop, 396

Baxter, Richard, his Petition

210,

Admiralty, Commissioners
Whigs,

221,

227

Acton, Lord,

Advice

Bamplicld's Petition,

II., 2S6

103,

112;

his

of Printing,

Bona, Cardinal, 348 ; Guide

387
Booth, Rising of, 70
,

Eternity,

to

Sir George, 44

Borlase,

Dr,

History of

the

Execrable

Irish Rebellion,

Boyer's Queen

216-17, 229
Anne, 374

Boyle, Robt., 196

Brewster, Ric, bookseller,
Brickley,Capt., 300

22gn

81-2, 92

433

III,

118

INDEX

434

refugees in, 351

Bristol,French
Harry, bookseller,52, 117, 260,

Brome,

374.

379
Mrs

Joanna, 278, 328

Protestants,
Bromigham
,

'

City Mercury,

'

233;;

404
Burham

Heath,

Lord

John,

252,

246

Courant,

Popish
and

of

the

229,

in

Robert,

etc.,

205?;

274

in

querade,
Mas-

109,

124,

Speech of the

Dr

300
his

John,

Interest

Diary,

12,

178

of England,

74

Miles, 11
John, 15,
Corker, Francis, 66
"

Earl

21

19,

Cornish, Alderman,
277
Cotterell, printer of Queries, etc., 322
Cotton, Sir Robt., 361
,

Newsletter

agent, 329

Coventry, Secretary,195
of,

235,

Uncas'd,

347

Cervantes'

Exemplarie Novels,

390

Chapman,

Livewell, 61-2,

386

in,

Sir

Wm.

230
of, 160

The, 262, 359^

Catholics
Apology, The, 167, 172, 183
Caveat
to the Cavaliers, A
89
Cellier, Mrs
Eliz., 251, 254, 239, 293,

Charlet, Dr, 345,

of, 153

Cox, Dr, 334

Creake, Thos.,

111-12

Cripplegate, Parish of, 354

182
Crofton, Zachary, 76-7, no,
Cromwell,
8,
2, 7,
12, 20, 36-9
Richard, 43
Crooke,
Andrew,
,

Press

Messenger,

!73

Crowland,
6-7, 9, 11,
Curll, Edmund,
375
Current

12

Intelligence,150

Chichester, Dissenters
at, 300
Child, Thos., perversion of, 321 ; his
suicide, 356
Childe, Thos., printer, 194
Chiswell, bookseller, 322
Choquex, Mons., 253
Gibber's
Lives, 406
Translation
of, 389
Cicero, De Officiis,

Curtis, Langley, bookseller, 266, 296

Mrs, 305

Cilt

Davenant, Wm.,
Davies, John, the

and

Bumpkin,
City Clergy, 353

to

Palmer,

3.59
Countess

388

Popery

or

Stockdale,

Corbet,
"

his

Workmen,

Countess

Chesterfield,

Tonge,

Show,

the
Church
by
L'Estrange, 299
Conventicle
Act, 1670, 188

Relation,

Thos.,

Dr

Memoirs,

Roger

Raree

'
The
upon
Russell', 312

Lord

366
Cary, Dr, 210 et sea.
Caryll, Joseph, 372
Case, the, of the Free

Late

etc.

23. 3"
Carte's
Ormonde,

240
Casuist

The,

130
Considerations

at

177
True

Castlemaine,

The

Contributions

Carters, Mathew,

Castlehaven's

for,

'

effigyat

281

Cartwright,

; and

256
Compton,
Bishop of London,
Confederates
', The, 165
Considerations
and
Proposals,

"Plot,"

Carew, Sir Alex., 16

Carr, James, printer, 188
Sir

341

Committee,

Damnable

the

Popish Plot, 246 ; burned

Norwich,

close, 198

Lamentation

Whig

ignoramused, 281
Colloquies of Erasmus,

no

his

to

Colledge,Brief Notes on, 290-2

Colledge, Stephen, and Young

352

169

389;
323-5.
his
History

203

272

257",

Colledge,

312

Camden,
Lord, and Winchester, 362
Viscount, 7
Candid
Plea, A, 355
Canterbury, Riots at, 22, 23, 26, 31

Care, Harry,

style^

Robt., 282
John, 362-3

Coffee-houses, ordered
Coke's
Detection, 235

84, 87

Calvert, Eliz., 113,

,

Sir

Clobery, Sir

Russell,

Edward,

Calamy,

of Hull, 393, 408

Clavell, Robt., bookseller, 193,

Clayton,

30

the,of St Michael's,

Burning,

his

Clarke, John
380

Burnet, Gilbert, 267; his History of the

the
on
English Reformation, 233;
268
and
Observator,
Fergusson, 309 ;
;
and

405

Tom,
Life of Erasmus,
and
Bentley, 396^

Browne,

45-8, 68-9, 161-2

20-5.. 34,

Brookes, Nat., 117

Brown, Joseph, 214

150

Clare, Earl of, and a Conventicle, 311

Claj-endon, Apology to, 92
Ed.
of.
Clarendon,
Hyde, first Earl

256

Dacier, Madame,

381, 399
Dangerfield's Narrative, 247/1
Darby, John, printer, 115, 168, 177,
Lord
Russell's
Speech
193-4 1 ar"d
322
45
case

of, 83

435

INDEX
Dawkes,
Defoe,

Thos., stationer,
tribute

Review.

136,

97,

Hymn

3157/;

H.

to

to

130

Care,

23471

Delaune,
Pillory, 1703,

; and

325
the

306
De

la

Crose,

Works

of

Learned,

the

Ely, Bishop of, 373

Endeavour
for Peace,
Erasmus'

45,

Sacy, Lemaistre,

Delaune

(Win.),

Delaune's

Answer
Plea

Chilis

to

for

315
Sir

John,

Translation,

on

379

Derby House, Committee

between
the
Dialogue

at,

28-9
and

Pope

Fairfax.

Sir

Thomas,
of

Cheshire

Dialogue
Piper, etc., 265;/
Church
the
of
Difference between
the Church
and
of Rome,
England
360
Digby, George, Earl of Rristol,12, 16
Discourse
interest, etc.,
of the Grand
229

upon Discovery,

Discovery

Dissenters'

23111,

265

; Part

283
Dissenting Divines, 1683, 352
Mr
Justice, 'Plot'
Dolben,
1679, 245
Anne,
369
Doleman,
Sir

Thos.,

197,

3707* ;

371
Virtus

an

Dover,

Conspiracy, 368
Fergusson, Hannah,
31772
Fenwick

Robt.,

On

the

169, 180
printer,194
Downing,
of ships in the, 30
Treason
Downs,
288 ; Medal,
296// ;
John,
Dryden,
Friar,
Spanish
30711 ; Epistle to
to Lucian,
Dorset, 382 ; Preface
379
Ric.
Dugdale,
235, 29072 ; bis Narrative,
238
John, 401 ; Life and Errors,
Dunton,
Post203 ; flight of, 1683, 322 ; his
Athenian
and
Mercury, 156,
Angel
Wra"

404

John, 270
Flesher, Jas. printer for the city,179
Forbes, Jas. 125, 171, 308-9, 352
Fountain
Tavern, Tory feast at, 364

Occasions

Fuller, Thos.,
A,
Further,

Elections

406-7

Pi lies, 202

to

in

63

Parliament.

1685, 361

of

Discovery

the

Plot,

250

Gainsborough, Affair at, 7

Earl of, and
Winchester, 363
,

Gentleman
Gloster

God's

Pothecary,

390

Cobbler, 207
Loud

Goodenough,

Call, 105
Under
Ric,

Graham
Green

-Sheriff

30372, 319
T., his translation

and

Burton,

345

Club,

320,

Ribbon

Gregory, Father

Earle, the late Prof., 402,

des

of the

tions,
Clergy, 163; Transla-

381

Eikonoklastes,

Observes, 339

Historical

Subject, 241
French
refugees, 298, 351
Sir Philip, 153
Frowde,

Gordon,
38072
Goring, George, Baron,

288
D'Urfey, Tom,
140
Durie, Giles, journalist,

the

No

Flatman,

London,

and

305,
300,
Protestant

170,

; his

Plot, 258
Filmerism, 306, 350, 361, 397
Fishery Tracts, A collection of, 410
to a Cavalier,
Five
Letters from a Nun

FountainhalTs

26

of

353

Freeborn

Simon,

Contempt

116, 125,

317,

?, 173

Grounds

the

on

Classics, etc., 402

Eachard's

his Dissertation

Henry,

Felton,

390

Speech,

Succession,
Dolus

301

Farwell, Mr, 330

26
Faversham,

307-10,

II.,

78, 131

Sermons,

Farley Bridge, 31-2

Farringdon, Squire of Stockdale,

249

persecution of,

Sayings,

Pastor

of

Fido, 380
Lady, 148

226, 250

Disseut, rapid growth of, 1679,

renewed
Dissenters,
1682, 287-297

his

Gerusalemme

the

Tom

between

390

28-31;

10,

the

Liberata, 378
his translation
Fanshawe,

Farewell

I'.natick, 24972

Ecole

L'Estrangc, 254
\cmp'.arieNovels, Jas. Mabbe's,

translation

Denham,

Plot', 251

'

of

Preface,

mformists,

ti,

the

on

239;

Examination
/"

166

London,

356;

of

State

188

50-1,

"men,

399
Present

3C5

266
olloquies,

Earl
third
of,
Essex, Robt., Devereux,
16-17, 33"
Evelyn, Sir Robt., 15, 19; his Apol,

397-8
De

of

Tacitus,

14

329

Greybeard,

3307*

Grey, De Wark, Sir Robt., 7

Greyney, Thos., 367
61
Griffith,Dr Matthew,
76
Grimstone, Sir Harbottle.

of

436
"

INDEX

Grindaliser,"
353

L.

Hyde,
Hymn

Grover,

Jas., printer, 188

Guise, Mr Justice,267

C. J., 119
Confi?ieme"it,
409

to

Ibbotson,
Haarlem

Courant,

Haberdashers

and
"

Habernfeld's

330
Church

Books,

185

Plot," 226

Informers

Habin, the Informer, 300

Hagar, 14
Hales, Squire, 22, 24, 30-2
Hallam
on
Translation, 384
Hammond,
Capt. Chas.
93
Hancock, Giles, 89, 217, 285, 329
for Winchester,
Hanse, Chas., M.P.
311, 345, 362
Harrington, Dr, 320
Harrington's Rota, 54, 58
his
Harris, Ben., bookseller, 232^;
Domestick
Intelligence,233, 272 ; his
Twenty-four Queries, 271
Sam, 276
servant

on,

Patriae,

Mercury,

287, 297

Jeffries,Sir George, 273, 301^

Jenkins,Rev. Wm., 94
Sir
Leoline, 326-7,
,

331-6,

etc.

340,

Jenks,Francis,

Rye Plot, 320-1

and

Jenks'

Speech, 199-200,
Jennings, Sir W., 281

Johnson, Dr,

203,

225

380, 405

'Julian', 312, 322

Jones, Sir W., 323, 341
Josephus, editions of, 372-6, 401,
of
Journals, Extinction
Whig,
"

Harwich,
Haselrig,
Hattige,

Sir

Roger, 267,

Sir Thos.
Les

or

Hawkins,

319

320
Amours

Tamarlane

Roy

Du

196

Julian

Mr, 40
Ridens,

Heraclitus

409

1682,

304
the Apostate,
Jusserand, J. J., 381

199

Henckson,

267

232,

283

Hickeringill, Edmund,

203,

300

313,

322

287,
Keache, Ben, 123, 308
Keeme, Capt., Apostasy of, 26
Keling, Judge, and the
Confederates',
165^
Kent, Vindication
to, 34
Kentish
Rising, 1648, 20-32
King's Lynn, Siege of, 5-12

409
330,

'

353

Hickes, Dr George, 351

Jas., 149, 155
.
History of the Conspiracy, 314
History of the Plot, 240, 242-4
History of the Times, 241, 314,

337-8,

Knight,

347

Hobart, Capt.,
Hobbes'

La

165-8
Chronicles, 292
House
Rye
Conspirator,

Holloway,

Holyrood,
Horace

on

Hothams,

Catholic

Press

Translation,

at, 365

Hundred

Candid

Collections, 10, 15

of

of

Larkins, George, 158,

207,

Thos.,

the

Learned,

View

Arches,
321,

132

356-7

38

12-14,

L'Estrange, Dame

of

the

Times,

Alice, 6,

Sir

for

of "sop, 409
Hunt, Thos., of Gray's Inn, 306, 350;
pursuit of, 327;? ; his defence of the
Charter,
306 ;
Postscript to the
Bishop's Right, etc., 306^

Husband's

350-1

47,

290ft

Plea, 355

Fables

Works

Fontaine, 381
Sir John, Dean
Lambe,
Lambert,
General, 46

Lesley,Chas.,

15-18

Heath, 28
Howard, Bernard, 363
Howe, John, bookseller, 327
Howell,
Jas., 20, 88-9; Cordial
the Cavaliers, 88
Hudibras, A Key to, 409
Hughes, Rev. Thos., 353

Crose, his

Leoman,

379

Hounslow

Humble

332,

La

The, 65, 88, 408

The,

John, 169,

3S4"

332-3

Cheat,

12-16
L'Estrange'sattempton,

Sir

Leviathan,

Holinshed's

Holy

Act, 298

James John, Affair of, 120

Janeway,
Rich., 274 ; Vox
z8on
; Impartial Protestant

Goodenough,

to

Conventicle

Shopkeepers, boycott

302^

320

179

under

Informing

Hartshorn,

Ann,

Ignoramus Juries,279
Imprimatur, The, 134-7

-,
"

Edward,
Sir Haraond,

10-1

281
2,

6-10, 37

Sir

Nicolas, 41, 370

,
Sir
and
Roger,
ancestry
education, 2-5 ; attempt on
King's
trial and
Lynn, 11-14;
tion,
condemna"

15-20

; his

Rising, 22-32

part

; in

in

the

Kentish

view
exile,33-5 ; interwith
Cromwell, 39 ; social life
under
the
Protectorate, 39-41 ;
activities
during the
Interregnum
bestruggle, 48-66; his truculent

437

INDEX
L'Estrange
haviour
his

with

continued

"

Apology

Clarendon,

to

first appearances
the
Press', 74-5;

72-3
Bloodhound

'

as

attack

his

of

76-83,his Toleration
"ivines,
to
the
85 ; his Caveat
Kic.
attack
on
Cavaliers, 89-91 ;
of
Baxter, 108-9 ; his tracking down
his
the
in
'Confederates',
-20;
appointment as Surveyor of the Press,
d,

and

his Considerations

129;

142-53

of

his conduct

133-4

his

the
of

loss

booksellers,

; his

375

death, 374

L'Estrange, a Papist, 257

L'Estrange, his Apology,

byterian
Pres-

on

"

Discuss'

the

ings

Restoration, 68-72

the

at

72-3

Case, 257

ranges

L' Estrange'
s Sayings, 260, 264

Letter, A, Intercepted,etc.,
Letter, A,
/ .iter

to

from

203
Letters

to Miles

Prance,

338,

Proposals,
Neivsbook,

Libels, "Prorogation,"

Draconica,

35i"

of Quality,

Person

Lex

the

260

Dissenter, 325,

197,

347

325
et

209

set/.,

218

news

seditious,1667-74, 164
Licensing, fees for, 202 ; difficulties
him
of, 195
167-78 ; the King admonishes
is
be
Bill,1661, 105
to
more
strict, 183-7 ; he
putation
of corruption, 193 ; his deaccused
Bishops and, 186
166
licenser
Lilly'sAlmanac,
as
195 ;
ceases,
renewed
Literary Magazine, 405
charges against him, 200and
is again deputed licenser
Livesey, Sir Michael, 27
2
; he
his activity, 203-5
un"
renews
Lloyd, Bishop of St Asaphs, 347
'" ^s
Henry, printer,194
friendly relations with the Stationers,
before
the
206
Lobb, Stephen, 316
10
; his
appearance
House
of
of the
Libels
Committee
Locke, John, 135, 197, 392
he
the
211
Lodge, Thos., his Seneca, 387
played
Lords,
part
-17;
London
Gazet, 147-50, 199, 228
in the
Popish 'Plot' crisis,223-4,
London's
Flames, 167
228-30 ; his sceptical History of the
monopoly,

renewed

n's

153-5 "
the

tivity
ac-

seditious

against

Press,

Plot, 240-3
Preface

to

Damnable

T.

he

attacked

is

Care's

History
Popish Plot, 246-7

Oates

publicly,

250-5

in

the

London's

of

the

Long

by

; and

his

amination
ex-

before
the Council, 257-8 ;
flight,
258-9 ; L'Estrange in exile,
heralded
senters'
by Dis260-4 ; his return
hisOoservator
266-7;
Sayings,

his

started,

279
and

others, 282-3

Colledge
on
Stephen

Colledge,

with
his

attacks

malevolence

his

in

leading part

292

Prance,

on

his

Tonge,

young

294
renewed

the

Notes

n's

'"

290

to

6 ;

trigue
in-

4 ;

his

persecution
298-300 ; his

of
Dissenters,
The Speech
Considerations, etc. upon
Lord
the
late
Russell',
of
312 ; he aids
'

Wonders,

House
the
tracking down
Rye
conspirators, 314, 323 ; his suggestions
the Stationers,
for dealing with
his
letters
Sec.
to
Jenkins on
325-6 ;
of parties in the city,331-6 ;
the state
his final exposure

Prance,
divines
himself

of Titus

336-50 ; he attacks
352-6
; the Church,
a

true

member

the

and

Whig

protests

of the

English

his election
Church,
359;
for
Winchester,
362-4;
mild

Oates

treatment

M.P.

as

his

paratively
com-

at

the

return
to
367-9 ; his
369;
literary employments,
his
relations to his family, 369-70;
daughter's apostasy, 372-3 ; his deal-

el

210

sea.

Committee, 197 el sea.

Lucas, Lord, his speech in Parliament
against L'Estrange, 257
Luttrel, Narcissus, Diary, 228, 254
Lord's

Libels

Mabbot,

Gilbert, licenser,

Machiavel's

Advice

Maidstone,

23;

3i"
Malice

and

the

of,

Rev., 315
Andrew,
93,

and

104

2i6",

the

405

his

the Appeal

Mode, 203 ; and

to the
Country

in

the

second

8-10

Dr, 76,

from

375

Montague,

Marsden,
Divine

409

of, 24-9,

255

Manton,
Marvell,

102

Son,

booksellers,

Edward

Manchester,
Earl

to his

occupation

Defeated,

Malone

in

225

Dissolved,

Parliament

City,

255

Licencing Bill,197

Prof. David,
Masson,
Matteis, Nicola, 39
Maxwell,
Nan, 305
Mayne, Simon, 320
Mcarnc,
Sam., 173,

43,

51

181-4,

193,

204

et sea.

Reversed, The, 229

The, 26-7, 30
Medway,

Medal

Revolution,

Memento,

purely

Mene

A, etc.,41, 70-1,

Tekel.

Menzies,
Mercurius

alias

92-3,

107

122

Kildare, Katherine,

Aulicus,

8, ibn

321

438

INDEX

Mercurius

Librarius, 193
Politicus, 106,

Mercurivs
Mercurius

Publicus,

Meziriac's

140

L'Estrange,
Tonge, 292

Life of SEsop, 398

Midgely, Dr, 378

Mills, Dr, 15-19
Milton, John, 47-8,
Restraint

the

on

Mint, The,

and

57-8;

51,

Press, 98

Virtue, 30272
for the Caveat, A, 89

Plea

Monk,
51
Monmouth,

Moore,

Harry, clerk to Godfrey, 348

and
John, 277, 294, 310;
Jenkins, 302
Susannah,
bookseller, 169

of

Sir

Sir Charles,

6-7,

81

Journal,

Muddiman

and

Naked

Truth,

Nalson,
Nantes,

The, 199

His

Toryland,

288

154-6, 179, 253

Newdegate, Lady Newdigate,
News from Parnassus,
201
,

129,

Restoration, The, 140

L'Estrange's declaration, 1663,
142
a

later

phase,

217,

328-30

suppressed, 360
Nicholas, Secretary,127
No
Blinde
Guides, 63-4
No
Fool to the Old Fool, 59
Noble
Peer's
Speech, A, 263

Nonconfonnis/e Anglois dans ses Ecris,

Le, 265
North, Life of the L^ord Keeper, 198
North, Roger, and the " Plot," 239
Norton, Roger, 138, 175, 181
of, 23,
Norwich, Geo.
Goring, Earl
Loyal Address, 281
Notes and
Queries, 397/2
,

his Narrative

Hisloiy

Intelligencer,
140
Pacificum,

Paston,

Earl

Wm.,

of

of

of

351

Yarmouth,

202,

280-1

Patentees,

103

Heath, 31-2
Post, The, 278
and

Painter,

Fourth

A
168/1

Advice

and

to

the

the

Newsbook,
146-7, 152 ; and the Fire, 158
Petitions and Addresses, 278
Petyt, Wm.,
306-7
Phillips,John, 323, 336 ; his translation
of Don
Quixote, 382/2 ; his Speculum
Crafe-Gownorum,
33022
Phxnix,
The, 112, 118
Plain
English, 60
Plea, A for Limited
Monarchy
57, 410
'Plot', The, in disrepute, 296; Meal;

tub, 252
Narratives, 235-7;
,

trials,property

rights in printing, 242

274-7

Pomfret,
1, 262

of Castlemaine,

Earl

; sermon,

; newspapers,

313

Plymouth, attempt to betray,16

Poe, Capt., 8
Poggio, the Florentine, 393

30-2

Oates, Titus,

Filmer-

Parliamentum

Penny
Pepys

155

the

Newsletters

Gazet, 149

Parliamentary

Penenden

112,

at

; and

Time, 225
Thos., bookseller, 322
of 1678, 154 ; of 1685, 361

Parliament

Newark,
9, 12
Newcombe,
Thos., printer of the Gazet,

Newsbook

Own

Parkhurst,

of, 298

The, 389

from

16-18, 267-8

Pamphleteers, Tory, 295

Papillon, 298
Parker, Bishop, 366 ; his

229, 345, 348

Revocation
of Edict

News

12,

Palmer,
Roger,
167, 172

Nesbit, Jas., 171, 308, 316

Nevil, Henry, 278, 334
New

8,

ism, 366

Dr,

Naufragium,

195

Henry,

University Press, 326

169

340

Oldenburg,

Oxford,

Gentle-

400
the Newsletter, 50, 129,

Sir Wm.

Oates, 337

Ogilby, John, 396

Oglethorpe, Major,

27
;

140-8, 152-3, 155, 198

"
Murder"
Committee,
31372
Murder
Will
Out, 116, 356

Musgrave,

the

Omnia
Comesta
Belo, 176
a
Owen,
Dr, 170
Oxenden,
Parliamentary Commissioner,

71

Morley, Bishop of Worcester,

Mr, 362-3
Morrice, Secretary, 109
Motteux's
Don
Quixote, 390
"man's

to

300,

282, 332
Rebellion, 364

Mordaunt,

appeals

360 ; or The History of Hodge,

367 ; Vindication
of,355 ; A Pleasant
Conference upon, 35422 ; final exposure

et seq.

Monmouth's

Young
King
defence, 337
and

255;

251,
; his

and
Sancroft, 341-2 ; his
Observator, The, 232, 263, 267, 278-80,
the Fire, 166 ; Proved
a
294-5
I and
Trimmer,
346, 356-7; on
224,
243,
the
Petitions,
Colledge and
Whig
282; presented, 283, 327-9; Defended,

the

337

Moderation
Modest

Plot, 234-5 ! bis Portraicture

of
the St
James, 224, 358 ; and
attacks
Omer's
witnesses,
248 ;
the

King

126

Poor

Sam.,

Rev.

Whore

'

30122

Petition, 173-6

INDEX

440
Stationers'

Company

continued

"

Regulations for, 215-16 ; Law

Lords
and, 213 ; struggle between
L'Estrange and, 212 ; Case
of, v.
Seymour, 1678, 221
and
Plot, 323
Rye House

204

Classics, 339
Charter
for the, 325
A new
Corruption of, 205 et seq.

,
"

Court

and

et seq.

Stephens, (Stevens),Robt., Messenger

of the Press, 180, 273-6, 327, 369
Evremond's

Strange

'

Memoirs,

Case

Streater, Col.

of

90

Translation,

on

379,

406

Uniformity, Act

of, 93

Trtie

Vicars, John, 8-9, 12-14

Vision, The, of the Maid,

276

208

L'Estrange,

St

180

m,

the

and

Twynne, John,
Tytan, Francis,
Tytler, Essay

372,

Sir

Wakeman,
Sir

Waller.

391

Strangely Altered, 259

John, 179; his Character
and
False
Shepherd,

187
Strickland, 37

George, trial of,

239,

271

Wm.,

273-4,

347

Wallingford Council, 47-9

Wallis, Dr, and the University Press,
326
Ralph, 125, 171, 308 ; his Felo
,

de se,

exactions

of

the,

Colonel, 10-13
Sir

Warcup,

204

Ward,

202

Surveyor's oppressions, 201

Surveyorship, Proposals for the,
Sweet
Singers of Israel,216
Swift, Jonathan, 29922
Sydney, Algernon, 332

"

Dr

Sir

127

Edward,
Seth, 2"

Ned,

"

176

Walton,

Stubbing, Lt., 13
Surveyor and Stationers,

366

40/2

Patience, 277
General
Search, 185

Warrant.

Sir

Warwick,
of, 7

Robt.

Ritch, second

Wm.,
preacher, 123
Weekly Pacquet of Advice

Earl

of Sir

Tacitus

H.

Savile, 404

proposed translation

Tanner,

Weldon,
232,

Catalogues,

Thanet,

193,

203,

25

of, 310

31772

Whip, A, for

249

the

advert
Anim-

Schismatical

er, etc., 82

Nat., 180, zoiet seq., 273-4,

the Godfrey mystery,
in
the
pillory,
3047* ; Song in
303 ;
Praise
Coy., 216;
of the Stationers'
Domestick
True
Intelligencer, 233
Rev.
Rich., 260, 33272
Thurloe, 39
Thompson,
335, 338

Anthony,

Stanley, his Shrewsbury, 155,

Weyman,

397

of, 25, 27

Earl

Sir

Information

West,

translated, 382, 398

Terence

from Rome,

232-4

Dr, 373

Teage, George, 16
Temple, Sir Wm.,
Term

of, 401

; and

Tichborne,
Robt., 19, 48
Toketield, George, 193
Toleration
Discuss' d, 84
Tonge, Dr Israel, 217, 340-1

8
Bulstrode,
Whitelocke,
Wildman,
Major, 333-4
Williams, Mr
J. B., and the Newsbook,

165

John Twynne,

; and

121

Williamson, Sir Joseph, 150

182, 196
Willis, Dr, 174
Winchester, election at, 362

et seq., 174,

and
Simson,
236/2, 291-4;
his
Vindication
Colledge,
252 ;
against the Observator
293
Tonson, Jacob, bookseller, 375

Winnington, Sir F. and the Courant,

272 ; speech against Danby, 22372
Winter, John, printer,182, 194
Mr
Withans,
Justice,346, 359
Withers, George, 104, 137, 386
Wood, Anthony, 272, 24872
Libels
a?id
Word.
A,
Concerning
Libellers,277-8, 284

Tooke,

Wordsworth,

Martyr,

Royal

253

Trap

ad

Ben., bookseller, 282

Crucem, 225, 237

Treason
Arraigned, 62
Treby, Sir G., 280
Trimmer,
Mr, 336, 353
Truth
and
Loyalty Vindicated,
83
Two

Cases

Submitted

etc., 37^,
Two
Papers

to

409

AT

Yarmouth, Lady, 346

Yeoman,
Robt., 16
York, Duke
of, and
etc.,

the

Fire, 16472,

335

202,

Young

Man's

Zekiel

and

Plea, 218

Consideration,

ofProposals, 75
PRINTED

33

THE

Zigliae A
EDINBURGH

PRESS,

AND

Ephraim,
mores,
II

YOUNG

252,

202

STREET.

291