deed the best he could now hope for. Monmouth, Sunderland, and the Duchess of Portsmouth, had formed an union with Shaftesbury, Halifax, and Essex, for his ruin. The former were to undermine his influence at court, whilst the latter prosecuted him in Parliament. At the same time, the King, and more particularly the Duke, incensed against him for his behaviour on the Popish Plot, were prepared to let him fall.

From the following letter, written from the Marquis of Winchester's house at Basing, it appears, that Lord Russell was engaged in some negociation at this time, but with whom it is not easy to say.

66

Basing, Feb. y 8th, 1679. "I am stole from a great many gentlemen in the drawing-roome at Basing, for a moment, to tell my dearest I have thought of her being here the last time, and wished for her a thousand times; but in vaine, alas! for I am just going now to Stratton, and want the chariot, and my dearest deare in it. I hope to be with you on Saturday. Wee have had a very troublesome journey of it, and insignificant enough by the fairnesse and excesse of civilitie of somebody: but more of that when I see you. I long for

the time, and am, more than you can imagine,

your

"RUSSELL."

"I am troubled at the weather, for our owne sakes; but much more for my sister's: pray God it may have noe ill effect upon her, and that wee may have a happy meeting on Saturday. -I am Miss's humble servant."

-ITS INEFFICACY.

LORD RUSSELL A MEMBER OF IT.

LIMITATIONS ON A POPISH SUC

CESSOR PROPOSED BY THE KING. EXCLUSION BILL. HABEAS CORPUS ACT PASSED.

PROROGATION.

THE elections were carried on, as might be expected, with great heat, and generally speaking, much to the advantage of Opposition. It is said that the practice of splitting freeholds was now introduced, for the first time, by the country party.

Some letters of Lord Shaftesbury and the Marquis of Winchester were intercepted and opened by the court. They were found to contain recommendations to their friends not to choose fanatics, and the King declared he had not heard so much good of them a great while.* In the new parliament, John Hampden was returned for Buckinghamshire, Henry Booth

*Lady Russell's Letters lately published.

for Cheshire, Mr. Sacheverell and Lord Cavendish for Derbyshire, Sir Samuel Barnadiston for Suffolk, and Lord Russell for Bedfordshire and Hampshire. He finally made his election for the former. * Perhaps there is hardly another instance in the history of elections, of one man being chosen for two counties.

March 4. Two days before the meeting of

1679. Parliament, the Duke of York left England and retired to Brussels. He had been advised to this step by many of his friends, backed by the entreaty of the Lords in the Tower. But before he would consent to go, he obtained from the King the three following conditions: first, that he should solemnly declare he was never married to the Duke of Monmouth's mother; secondly, that he should never give his assent to any bill to vacate his (the Duke's) right to the crown; and, thirdly, that he should give him an order, under his hand, to remove. ‡ The session of

March 6.

Parliament began with an unfortunate difference concerning the choice of a speaker, little interesting to a reader of the present day. Mr. Seymour having been chosen for the zeal

* See the Requisition in the Appendix.

† Life, p. 536.

‡ Ralph. Orleans's Revolutions. Temple.

which he had shown against Popery, was rejected by the court for his enmity to Danby, and Sir Thomas Meres proposed in his stead.But the House generally resented what they thought an encroachment on their privileges, and sent Lord Russell and Sir Robert Carr to desire time to consider of the King's message. On a subsequent day they presented an address, asserting the undoubted right of the Commons to elect freely one of their members as speaker, and that the person so elected had always continued speaker, unless excused for some bodily infirmity. But the King gave them a sharp answer, and upon their insisting on their right, prorogued them. Upon their meeting again two days after, Lord Russell said he hoped the late unhappy difference would not be renewed, and proposed Serjeant Gregory as speaker. This motion was seconded by Lord Caven

March 15.

dish, and was generally acquiesced in. The more prudent part of the Opposition, led by the opinion of Serjeant Maynard, seem to have thought that the dangers at home and abroad were evident, and a remedy necessary, while the question of privilege was not clear, nor a decision essential. They felt they could not answer it to the country, if they broke with the King on a a point comparatively trifling. The King's refusal to confirm the speaker, how