opinion of those who resided in his county, and A.D. 1643. where he had any concerns. He therefore desired the king would authorize him to treat with the principal garrisons of the parliament, and get these delivered into the hands of such persons as were men of character, and would act impartially between him and the parliament: that these should declare for calling a new and a free parliament, who, perhaps, might be better disposed to accommodate the differences than those whose minds might have been sharpened by some former proceedings." He made his proposal appear so practicable, and so much to the king's satisfaction, that he was presently commissioned to put it in execution. He returned to Dorsetshire, and met with such success in his treaty with the garrisons of Weymouth, Poole, Dorchester, and other places, that the garrison of Weymouth actually admitted the persons recommended by him, and the rest engaged to follow their example. But Prince Maurice, who commanded some of the king's forces in those parts, entered the town and pillaged it, after it was agreed to be surrendered; which made the troops of the garrison think themselves to be betrayed. Sir Anthony not only expressed his Commis sioned to carry it into execution. Scheme de feated by Maurice. A.D. 1643. resentment to Prince Maurice, but sent notice to Poole and the other garrisons to be upon their guard, as he could not secure his articles to them. He went immediately afterwards to Oxford, and gave the king an account of what progress he had made, and the interruption he had met with in his undertaking; at which the king shook his head with some concern, but said little. Another scheme formed by Sir Anthony. This scheme being thus defeated, Sir Anthony formed another, which was carried farther than the former; for, by his interest and indefatigable application, he engaged in it a great part of the independent gentlemen in England. He proposed to raise the posse comitatus, under the command of the several high sheriffs. These, upon a treaty being set on foot between the king and the parliament, were to declare and join against that side which should appear immoderate, or averse to a fair and just accommodation. By the assistance of Sir Walter Earle, Serjeant Fountain, and others, he pursued his design with such success in Dorsetshire and the adjacent counties, that a considerable body of men was soon raised. These, who were afterwards called the club-men, alarmed the armies both of the king and parliament; and if some, who had undertaken to rise, had not failed in their engagement, they might A.D.1643. have carried their point, and forced both parties into a peace. This conduct, however, was misrepresented to the king; and those courtiers who were for prolonging the war found means to irritate him against Sir Anthony, that they might suppress his active genius, and prevent his farther schemes. Accordingly, they counselled the king to invite him to Oxford, and then to proceed against, or, at least, to confine him. Charles, who was always too much under the influence of those about him,* wrote Sir Anthony a very obliging letter, desiring his attendance and advice; but the letter being shown to the Marquis of Hertford, he, out of regard to Sir Anthony, and resentment that his friend and relation, and one who had been recommended by him, should be ill-treated for his loyal endeavours for the king's and the nation's welfare, immediately sent him notice of the letter and the court's intentions. Soon after the receipt of Lord Hertford's letter, Sir Anthony received the king's; but being forewarned, and expecting no safety near the royal forces, he went Quits the suddenly and privately to London, where the party. parliament appointed a committee to receive and • Stringer. king's A.D. 1643. examine him; but he absolutely refused to make any discovery, either of persons, or the management of affairs, whilst he was at Oxford. In every part of his life he governed himself by this rule, “That there is a general and tacit trust in conversation, whereby a man is obliged not to report anything to the speaker's prejudice, though no intimation may be given of a desire not to have it spoken of again." His gene rous con 9 33 He gave, in 1645, a remarkable instance of his adherence to this just and generous sentiment, Mr. Holles. with regard to Mr. Holles. There had been, for duct with regard to 33 This account of Sir Anthony's secession from the king's party differs very materially from that given by Clarendon and the other royalist historians. This version of the affair is derived, through Stringer's MS. and Locke's Memoirs, from Shaftesbury himself; and exhibits him, not as a sworn partisan of the king, deserting him from disgust at some personal slight, but as a sanguine youth, whose inexperience led him to imagine that he could effect by mediation what older and more influential men had attempted in vain. Such an assumption of independence must have been highly culpable in the eyes of the arbitrary Charles; and it is not surprising that he should attempt to impose force upon a man on whom he could so little depend. In this instance, as in so many others, the weakness and tyranny that made up the Stuart character converted a lukewarm friend into an active enemy. We must not, however, forget that this is Shaftesbury's own account of the transaction; and the same impartiality that prevents our yielding implicit credence to Clarendon, should induce us to receive this with considerable hesitation. * some time, a family quarrel between them; A.D. 1643. which Mr. Holles had carried so far, that when Sir Anthony was chosen for Downton in Wilts, but not returned, Mr. Holles, by his interest, obstructed the hearing of his petition. In 1644, Mr. Holles had been joined with Mr. Pierpoint, Lord Wenman, and Mr. Whitlocke, as a committee from the house of commons, along with the Earl of Denbigh and Lord Maynard for the peers, and with three of the Scotch commissioners, to carry to the king at Oxford propositions of peace. In a visit which Mr. Holles and Mr. Whitlocke made one day to the Earl of Lindsey, they were surprised at the coming in of the king; who, after other conversation, desired them to write down what they thought would be a proper answer to the parliament's propositions. This they did; and Lord Saville, who was there, accused them afterwards to the commons for transacting separately with the king. The leaders of the independent party in the house being jealous of Mr. Holles, who was a man of great influence and strongly opposed to their designs, pushed on the inquiry against him with extreme * Mr. Holles married the ruin Sir Anthony in the Court daughter of Sir Francis Ash- of Wards. ley, who had endeavoured to |