It were not some of my seruaunts met lykewais to counter mynd ther Plots, to w'ch end speake with shall approove of what was then done, it will loose them ye reverence that hath bene heretofore paid to Parliamets. I heare there are divers meetings att Chelsey att y amiss that Lo. Mandevilles house & elsewhere by Pym' and others, to consult what is best to be donne at their next meeting in P'liam': & I beleeve they will in ye first place fall on some plausible thing, that may redintegrate them in ye people's good opinion, wch is their anchor-hold & only interest; & (if I am not my Wyfe & much misinformed) that wilbe either vpon Papists, or vpon some Act for expunging of Officers and Counsellors here according to ye Scottish pcedent, or on both together, & therefore it will import yo Matie, by some serious and faithfull advise, to doe some thing to anticipate or prevent them before their next meeting. receaue her directions. Yesterday at Oatlands I understood that Sr. Jo. Berkeley & Capt. O'Neale were come over, & that they had bene the day before privately at Waybridge: I was bould then to deliver my opinion to ye Queene, that I did beleeve if they continued in England they would be arrested (thoughe yo P'liam't sit not) by vertue of ye warrant, that was given att first to ye Sarjant at Armes (attending ye Com'ons House) to attache them. Her Matie seemed 1 This was a very short time previous to the City riots, and the affair of the London apprentices. Subsequently the City found it necessary to check those riots, and Venn, one of their members, having exerted himself to keep the peace, a party pamphlet observed that the rioters would have proceeded to the Mansion House, "but by the providence of God, and the great wisdom of Captain Ven, they were prevented." 2 O'Neale was deeply implicated in what was called the Army Plot; the conspiracy for bringing up the English army against the Parliament, before referred to (ante, p. 56), in which Percy, Wilmot, Goring, Ashburnham, and several others were engaged. May, in his History of the Parliament, p. 65 (Mason's edition), calls O'Neale an Irishman and a Papist; and states that he was committed to the Tower, but escaped before trial. Berkeley was an officer of high rank, always active in the King's service, and is repeatedly mentioned by Clarendon, particularly as Governor of Exeter, which he was obliged to surrender to the Parliamentary forces. (when 1 tould it to her) to app hend noe lesse, & will I believe take order that notice may be given to them of ye danger of it, but her Matie for ye pesent said she knew not where they were. The Queene being now every day in expectac'on of le's from yo' Matie (having receaved non since tuesday last) doth forbeare to write by this dispatch. Wee know not ye importance of y affaires there that deteyne yo' Matie soe long, but it is by those that wishe best to yo' service here, thought very necessary that yo' Matie should hasten to be here as soone as may be possible before ye 20th of 8ber; and if yo Matie leaue behinde you some Councellors that you carryed hence, it is thought yo' Councells here will not prosper the worse, nor be the lesse secreat, only it may be yo' Matie may thereby deprive some menc'oned in ye paper inclosed of their wonted intelligence, I beseech yo' Matie to vouchsafe to advertise me whether this come safe to yo' Royall hands, & to burne it, that it may never rise in iudgement against, 1 Yo' sacred Maties Most humble & obedient servaunt, THORPE, 27 Sepbris, 1641. EDEN. 2 Oct. Sir Edward Nicholas to the King. May it please yo' most excellent Matie, I wonder at this, for all this last thurd day have written to her. I had noe sooner sent away my packet on Munday last but I receaved yo' Maties apostile of ye 20th pesent, & wth it a le' to ye Queene, wch I forthwth pesented to her royall hand, & yesterday I receaved yor Maties apostile of yo 23th of this moneth, & instantly sent away yo' Maties let' to the Queene, & that to my Lo. Keeper. I tould y Queene that yo' Matie had Tell her that blamed me, that in severall of my dispaches there amends is was no le' from her Matie, for wch she hath now made abondant 1 The allusion to the elder Vane is manifest here. The Treasurer, however, was now in his northern seat at Raby, having temporarily left the king. this doble satisfaction. I hope some day they a recompence by sending me two 1's, wch yor Matie shall herein receave. The Com'ittees of y Peers met not yesterday, but will tuesday next. The Com'ons Comittees1 met, & had before them St Jo. Berkley & Capt. O'Neale, who coming over lately, were (as I heare) yesterday apprehended by ye servaunt of ye Serjant att Armes may repent (attending ye House of Com'ons) vpon ye first warraunt that was issued for taking of them, & ye Com'ittees would not bayle them, though they tendred it, alleaging they had not power to doe it. there seueritie. When ye shall see Yesterday ye Remembrancer of the Citty of London came to me from the Lo. Mayor & Court of Aldermen, & desired me to present to yo' Matie the humble & dutifull thankes of the Citty for yo' Maties great grace & goodnes in ye busines of Tonnage & Poundage. I assure yo* Matie that yo' grac'ous le concerning that matter hath wrought much vpon y affecc'ons, not only of ye merchaunts, but of diverse others of this Citty. The Remembrancer tould me further, that ye Lod Mayor & Aldermen desired him to enquire of ye day when yo' Matie wilbe here, to ye end that, according to their dutifull affecc'ons, they might meete yo Matie, to attend yo' royall person in this Citty, thoughe littell Will: he said ye Citty (being become poore) were not able Murray then to give yo' Matie any pesent according to their custom, I have promised to let them know when yo' Matie tainlie not wilbe here as soone as I shall know ye certeynty returne, but of it. Of all wch I thought it my duty to advertise yo' Matie, that I may therein doe nothing but what may be agreeable to yo' Maties good pleasure; notwthstanding I humbly conceave it imports yo" Matie to cherish y affecc'ons & goodwill of this Citty. ye shall know cer onlie of my also how all will end beer. By let to partic'lar p'sons (wch I have seene) dated 1 The Report of these Committees was made to the Parliament, on their meeting, by Mr. Pym. A copy of it is inserted in vol. x. of the Parliamentary History, p. 1. Pym, in this report, says that Berkeley and O'Neale came voluntarily to him, at his lodgings in Chelsea, for the purpose of submitting to the orders of the House; after which the deputy serjeant attached them on the first order. not. done that 2507 bris, it is advertised from Edenb. that yo' Matie hath It is Loudon nominated yo Lo. Lodian to be Chancellor. Whatsoever ye newes be that is come hither amongst ye partie of y Protesters, they are observed to be here I beliue beof late very iocund & cheerefull, & it is conceaved to fore all be arise from some advertisements out of Scotland, from whose acc'ons & successes they intend (as I heare) to take a patterne for their proceeding here att their of joy. next meeting. I hartely pray for yo' Maties speedy & happy returne, as being (of all men) most obliged to be my May it please yo' most excellat Matie, These inclosed from ye Queene & Lo. Keeper were brought to me ye last night late to be sent to yo Matie. I have not as yet receaved from the BPP of London' a list of the vacant Bpricks: I beleeve his Lop hath not finished the notes yo' Matie & his LOPP made concerning that busines, wch he tould me were very imperfect. they will not haue such great cause This day I receaved yours of the 1: Oct. I beseech yor Matie to give me leave to put you in minde that there is noe one thing that you can now doe, that will better rectify ye ielousies of yo' good people, I dout not more satisfie their mindes, & settle their affecc'ons to but in this to giue good yo' Matie, then ye good choyce you make of such as satisfaction. yor Matie shall now appoint to be BPPS; & as it wilbe much for yo' service that ye new BPP be plausible persons, & beyond excepc'on, soe there would be a great care had that noe BPP be removed, of whome there is any suspic'on of being any wayes popishly affected, or otherwise much disliked. 1 Dr. Juxon, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. Ye may see by this that synes hit The partie here, who we say hath _ye best intelliall their de- gence from Scotland (wch is Mr. Pym & young Sr Hen. Vane), report that ye Ea. of Arguile1 is not, & I hope before all be Chauncellor of that Kingdome; it seemes it was soe designed. done that they shall miss of more.2 Addresse them to the Duke of Richemont. You shall doe well to some of my I hear Mr. Th'rer is still at Raby, & that he will not returne to Scotl. before yo' Maties coming thence, wch makes me humbly to craue yo' Maties com'aund whether I shall contynue the addresse of all packets still to him, or to whome else. I assure yo' Matie it is here resolved (if my intelligence doth not much deceaue me) to presse yo Matie, at ye next meeting in P'liam' for ye like Act touching ye elecc'on of officers and Councellors here, as yo' Matie hath graunted to ye Scots; & in this I aduyse with believe yo' Matie will find a more general concurrency best seruants & accord, then hath bene in any one thing this P'liam; for many here that otherwise all ye great offices and places of councellors here, wilbe filled wth Scotsmen. upp I beseech yo Matie to vouchsafe to consider well of this particular, and be pleased to conceale that you have ye advertisem' of it from me. there how this may be preuented, for I asseur you, that I doe not meane to grant it. say, I beseech God to direct & assist yo' Matie and yor Councells soe as you may returne wth honour, wch shall ever be y prayer of Y sacred Matier Most humble & most obedient servaunt, THORPE, 3 Octob", 1641. EDEN. 9. EDW. NICHOLAS. 1 This report was not true, as the King observes. Argyle was not Chancellor of Scotland; though Charles had been induced to grant him a Marquisate. In connection with the fact that he was afterwards beheaded for high treason (in the year after the Restoration), it is remarkable that in 1651, he had actually put the crown upon the head of Charles the Second at Edinburgh. 2 From this, and the similar covert threats in the margin of the letter preceding, as well as in others that follow, it is obvious that the King now believed himself in possession of facts involving the probable overthrow of the popular leaders. 3 His own country seat. |