31 Car. II. A.D.1679. jefty to conftitute a new Privy Council, confifting of thirty Noblemen and Gentlemen, of the greatest Eftates and Interest in the Kingdom, among whom he fhould include fome of the leading Men in both Houses, who would thereby probably be brought over to his Majefty's Intereft, and be able to ftem that Torrent, which at prefent bore down every thing before it: And that the King having communicated this Advice to the Lord Chancellor Finch, the Earls of Sunderland, and Effex, and the Lord Hallifax, they all highly approved it; whereupon his Majesty order'd an extraordinary Meeting of the Privy Council, on the 20th of April, and having thank'd them for their Service, and good Advice they had given him, he acquainted them with his Refolution of conftituting a new one, of thirty Perfons, fifteen of whom were to be the Chief Officers of State, ten more of the Nobility, and five Commoners, whofe known Abilities and Principles would render them. unfufpected of mistaking or betraying the true Intereft of the Kingdom. Among the Council. Lords were Prince Rupert, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Monmouth, and Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury; and among the Commoners were the Lord William Ruffel, Edward Seymour, Efq; Sir Shaftsbury William Temple, and Henry Powle, Efq; Prefident. Sir William Temple fays, he oppofed the The Chiefs of the bringing in the Earl of Shaftsbury with all his Might, foreseeing he would destroy all the Good that was expected from the whole Conftitution; but the King, and the rest of the Lords, were of another Opinion: And to oblige Shaftsbury the more, it was thought fit to make him Prefident of the Council. The ment with The King was fo firmly perfuaded, that 4.D.1679. this Conduct would reftore his Affairs, that 31 Car. II. he went the fame Day to the House of Peers, and having fent for the Commons, acquaint- The King ed them with this new Eftablishment; ob- acquaints the Parliaferving that he had made Choice of fuch Perfons as were worthy and able to advise him, the Alteraand was refolved, in all his weighty and im- tion of his portant Affairs, next to the Advice of his Ministry. great Council of Parliament, to be advised by this Council; detiring they would apply themselves heartily, as he should do, to thofe Things which were neceffary for the Good and Safety of the Kingdom. But though the Nation in general feem'd extreamly tranfported at this Alteration, as they teftified by their Bells and Bonfires, the Houfe of Commons received the News of it with great Coldness: For Shaftsbury, though President Shaftsbury of the Council, finding the King had not that illa Maleentire Confidence in him, as in fome others; and embar and that he muft no more expect to influence raffes the the King, as formerly, was fo far from en- King's Afdeavouring to advance his Majefty's Affairs, that he did all that lay in his Power to diftrefs and perplex them, by ftill fuggefting to the Parliament, the Danger of Popery; and that Propofes there was no way to prevent its being brought to his Parin, but by excluding the Duke of York from ty, the Exthe Throne; and this he did more effectual- the Duke ly, now he was at the Head of the Council, of York. and believed to have a confiderable Share in the Administration, than he could poffibly have done, had he remain'd in a private Station. Though he had, in Reality, little or no Intereft in the King, at this Time, yet, fuggefting to his Friends, that the Duke of York's Credit declin'd, and that the Duke of VOL. XXIII. G Mon content, fairs. clution of 31 Car, II. AD.1679 Monmouth was now the great Favourite at Court, by whofe Affiftance he fhould be able to carry every Thing, his Interest in both Houses became greater than ever; they feem'd now entirely govern'd by his Dictates, and confequently untractable and averfe to every thing his Majefty propofed for the Security of Religion, fhort of the Duke of York's Exclufion. Counsellor Reading fined and pillory'd, for tam pering with Bedjoe. The Earl of Danby pleads his Pardon. The five Popish Lords remaining fill in the Tower, and expecting to be brought to their Trials, Mr. Nathaniel Reading, a Counfellor at Law, and their Agent, was employ'd to found Bedloe, the principal Evidence against them, and try if he could induce him to be honeft, and to fpeak no more than the Truth; and 'tis faid, Bedloe received feveral Sums of Mr. Reading on that Score: But imagining, perhaps, that he might get more Money by betraying the Counfellor, he inform'd Shaftsbury, and the Faction, that Reading had endeavour'd to corrupt him, and prevail with him to ftifle his Evidence against the Lords; for which Mifdemeanor he was brought to his Trial, at the Inftance of the Houfe of Commons, and fentenced to pay a Fine of one Thoufand Pounds, to be imprifon'd for a Year, and to ftand in the Pillory, in the Palace-Yard; which Sentence was executed upon him, as a Terror to all thofe who fhould attempt to tamper with the Witnesses of the Plot. The Earl of Danby was brought to the Bar of the Houfe of Lords, about the fame Time, and pleading the King's Pardon, the Commons fent a Meffage to the Lords, to defire they would demand of the Earl, Whether he would rely on, and abide by the Plea of his Pardon? Pardon? Which being done, the Earl de- 4.D.1679. 31 Car. II. The King, in order to make the Parliament The King eafy in relation to the Succeffion of the propofes Expedients Crown, came to the Houfe on the 30th of inflead of April, and told them, That it was his conftant the ExCare to do every thing that might preferve clufion. their Religion, and fecure it for the future in all Events; and had commanded the Lord Chancellor to mention feveral Particulars, which he hop'd would fhew, that in all Things which concern'd the publick Safety, he should not follow their Zeal, but lead it. Whereupon, the Lord Chancellor acquainted them, That his Majefty was willing that Provifion might be made firft, to diftinguish a Popish from a Proteftant Succeffor, and to limit and circumfcribe the Authority of a Popish Succeffor in the following Cafes: I. That all Ecclefiaftical Promotions, in the Gift of the Crown, fhould be conferr'd in fuch a Manner, that the Incumbents fhould always be the most pious and learned Proteftants; and that no Popish Succeffor should have Power to controul fuch Prefentments. II. That as it is provided already that no Papift fhould fit in either Houfe of Parliament, fo, on the Demife of the Crown, the Parliament then in being should be indiffoluble for a competent Time; and if no Parliament was in being, the last should re-affemble. III. That none of the Privy-Council, or Judges, during the Reign of a Popifh Succeffor, fhould be put in, or difplaced, but by Authority of Parliament, and none but fincere Proteftants fhould be Juftices of Peace. IV. That no Lord Lieutenant, Deputy Lieutenant, or Officer G 2 31 Car. II. AD.1679. ficer of the Navy, during the Reign of a Popish Succeffor, fhould be put out or remov'd, but by Parliament: And if any thing elfe could occur, which might further fecure Religion and Property against a Popish Succeffor, without defeating the Right of Succeffion itfelf, his Majefty would moft willingly confent to it. They are not approved by the Com mons. Thefe Conceffions were little regarded by the Commons; they had been taught by Shaftsbury, that nothing but the Exclufion of the Duke of York could fecure them against Popery: They went on therefore, without regarding them, with their Impeachment against The Com-the Earl of Danby, and in a Body, with their mand Speaker at the Head of them, demanded Judgment Judgment of the Houfe of Lords againft the against the Earl; for they conceiv'd his Pardon was void. mons de Earl of Danby. Address againft Duke Lauderdale. Address for tion of Soon after, they drew up an Address against the Duke of Lauderdale, whom they charged with Designs against the Liberties of the Subject, and the Proteftant Religion, and with raifing Jealoufies and Mifunderstandings between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland; and defire therefore, that he may be removed from his Majefty's Councils in both Kingdoms, and from all Offices, Employments, and Places of Truft, and from his Majesty's Prefence for ever; which Addrefs they attended the King with in a Body, but receiv'd no other Answer than, That the King would confider of it, and return an Answer. The Commons having alfo addrefs'd his the Execu- Majefty for the Execution of Pickering, and Pickering, other Popish Priefts, were anfwer'd, That he &c. had always been tender in Matters of Blood, which his Subjects had no Reafon to take Exception at But this was a Matter of great Weight, |