our counsels, and, without any more ceremony, would address the king, as he is a commoner. Sir Ch. Harbord has a double charge against him, that of the army in Scotland, and his words at the Council here. You may miss of have brought men to the scaffold, but the temper of this house is not desirous of blood. The 5th Rd. ii. counsellors were removed without cause; the people only spoke ill of them. 11 Rd. ii. the duke of Ireland, and sir John Crosby were impeached; the people spoke ill of them. 20 Hen. vi. the lord Dudley, for the same cause: It may be the case of peers of England, and this upon no other article but merely the people speaking ill of them. 3d Ch. i. remonstrance against the duke of Bucks, bishop Neale, and abp. Laud, to be removed, as evil counsellors: moves, "That this great person, the duke of Lauderdale, may for ever be removed from the king's presence." Mr. Sec. Coventry. To condemn a man, without hearing, he never knew the precedent before in this house. Mr. Stockdale. If for taking away blood, witnesses must be sworn; but to remove this man you have testimony sufficient to ground an Address to the king; so notorious a man! Sir Rob. Carr. A person was accused, and you gave a day: moves to consider of it. at what vast greatness this person has lived, thereby bringing the king into necessity, and disobliging the house, that we should not supply: Lauderdale sued out the king's pardon; a new trick our great men have gotten, fearing trial, but an Act may reach him. our enquiry, and would arm themselves against Mr. Dalmahoy has heard the duke of Lau- us with the king's pardon; let this be considerdale deny the words: he was not in Scot-dered and weighed well: less crimes than these land when the Act about the Militia was made: he knows not who was then commissioner. Mr. Poule supposes that every man is sensible of a pernicious design to alter the government, and these Counsellors have brought us to the brink of destruction: we have a gracious prince, but the great design was, first to abuse the king, and then to oppress the people, fearing his good disposition to us: the Triple League was made to check a great prince: to ruin the Protestant religion was the design, and, without Money, that was not to be carried on, which money was given for the maintaining the Triple Alliance; and then more money was got, by stopping the Exchequer, to the undoing of many hundreds of personsThen a Declaration for the ease of tender consciences, and, under pretence of Toleration, suspending by it all ecclesiastical laws, and, in consequence, laying all laws aside: upon the declaration of war against Holland, armies were raised, and popish officers at the head of them, and in places of civil authorities, honours, and dignities; then Popish officers are sent over into Ireland, Papists put into trust and office there; then in Scotland, an army is raised to march into England, &c. or for any other cause wherein the king's honour or greatness may be concerned; but the greatness of the king consists in governing a free people: the parliament supplied and brought him from banishment, and, because the king would hearken to their advice, they must be prorogued, the juncture of their time not being fit for the fleet against Holland; they suppose we would give, and, if not, the necessity must justify raising of money: what benefit had we but fruitless battles at sea, and engaging us, by the French, with his allies? The king was persuaded that the parliament would not assist his interest, but doubts not but time will demonstrate the contrary: when we would have reached these men, we were prorogued, and now there is a necessity of giving money: the king's credit lost, the people poor, jealousies great, and all might have been remedied by our meeting-Lauderdale assorted Edicts superior to law,' and it was spoken in the presence of the king and council; no greater argument, though some, he doubts not, have done it privately, but he publicly: Hamilton's book asserts the king's authority of raising Money without Parliament, and it was countenanced by Lauderdale in 1667. When lord Rothes was commissioner, then was the foundation of this army, but it came not to maturity till 1669, when Lauderdale was commissioner; it was then kept on foot, and boasted of: it is not unknown Col. Birch. It is true, there was a person had a day, but he had no pardon, and he would have Lauderdale sent where Edicts' are in fashion. Sir John Duncombe. It is hard to condemn a man without being heard; removed from the king's presence' is as hard a judgment as a man can have thinks it worthy consideration to give him a day. 6 Sir John Trevor. If you proceed merely to suspend him from the king's Counsels,' you may do it, but if from the king's ' presence' where no manner of proof is taken, you ought to give him a day by way of confiscation, or attainder, you give time, but as to removal from counsels,' you need give none. Mr. Howe. He was the most active person to bring the late king to his murder: he was solicitor from Scotland to bring the late king to the block, and to destroy this king by giving ill advice to him. Mr. Garroway has often heard that this man brought the Declaration from Scotland to bring the late king to the block, and those people had a horror for the fact: would have him come and answer it here, and all that are concerned with him: he has heard of one Murray, kept in the Tower, by the instigation of Lauderdale, for complaining against him; these are violences, when no writs of Habeas Corpus can be had; and would send to the Gatehouse, where he now stands committed, for the Nittimus: you will find it of his own making, and illegal: agrees to the Address for removing him;' and would have a Bill to make it treason if ever he return hither again. Mr. Sec. Coventry. If he be guilty of this horrid crime alleged, will not defend him; neither will he condeinn him without proof. Sir John Birkenhead. The duke of Ireland, Oxford, and Somerset, had a day assigned them-No man has been banished the king's presence on this formality, though you cannot have greater evidence; it may be he may confess it: many things are law in Scotland, and not so here; would not have a precedent to reach every body: assign him a day, and you will tread more safely, and do him right, and no man wrong. Sir Tho. Littleton, las heard a great man in the Rump, and a counsellor then, say, "That Lauderdale did solicit that bloody Kirk-Declaration against the king;' does not name the person, because desired not do it: would have him removed from the king's person and counsels for ever. This thing is not so hard, he at a great distance, and great affairs in Scotland to attend, and so he may excuse himself from coming, and perhaps when come we may not be sitting, and if he will come, at any time, he may be tried by parliament. Col. Sandys. Since he has heard that Lauderdale had some part in the king's murder, that has raised him; and would have him as much sequestered from the world, as from the King, and would have a Bill of Attainder against him.' Mr. Sacheverell fears that this lord has not lost his old evil principles, but improved them; the Scotch Act of Militia plainly shows it: It puts the king in power plainly to alter any thing in Church or State, and so, by this army, Popery may be set up not content to keep their law in Scotland, but printed here by authority: it was done this time twelvemonth, when the question was, whether all your laws must be set aside; and therefore is for secluding him for ever from the king's presence, and an Act of banishment. Col. Strangways would have the words obnoxious and dangerous' retained in the Vote: our Saviour pardoned them that persecuted him, but where a man, by after-actions, has done ill, his righteousness shall be forgotten, when transgressing de novo: he abhors the crime; but consider your case; sequestering him from the king's presence and the kingdom: common fame from this house is a greater ground for accusation than thought to be. Sir R. Temple does not remember that, by any of the precedents, men were sent for, and time given them to answer; this vote is with that moderation, to remove' only: would add something, that it may have more strength, viz as a man found by this house to be dangerous.' Has heard of his being no less arbitrary in Scotland than here; to have made himself a perpetual commissioner there. Sir John Monson hears it said, that every subject has right to come into the king's presence; therefore to prevent that, when we are up, would have a Bill, as well as an Address now. Sir Eliab Harvey would have a Bill ordered to make it treason for him to return to England. Mr. Weller thinks as bad of this case as any man here: If so much had been against lord Strafford, would not have then been against his Impeachment. Sir Im. Coventry. The bill as proposed, is contradictory to what you have spoken of removing him from the king's presence.' The king may remove him, by his own power, from his presence,' at the request of any private man, and when it is done, it is well done: every subject has a right of petitioning the king, though he be not of his bed-chamber or council; but it is not so easy a thing to exclude any man out of the kingdoin.' To make a precedent to exclude a man the kingdom, without hearing him, cannot agree to it. Mr. Boscawen desires that lord Clarendon's Bill of banishment may not be a precedent: that was done somewhat hastily. Sir Tho. Clarges would have a Bill◄ to forbid him coming within 12 miles of the court, wherever the king shall be:' will consent to that, and no farther. Resolved nem. con. "That an Address be presented to his majesty to remove the duke of Lauderdale from all his employments, and from his presence and councils, for ever; being a person obnoxious and dangerous to the government." PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. A Letter being brought in to the Speaker, signed" Buckingham," on his offering to read it, Mr. Stockdale said, He would not have the Letter now read, he having something to offer against the duke of Buckingham. Whatever "The duke of Buckingham was a man of a noble presence. He had a great liveliness of wit, and a peculiar faculty of turning all things into ridicule with bold figures and natural descriptions. He had no sort of literature; only he was drawn into chemistry; and for some years he thought he was very near finding the Philosopher's Stone. He had no principles of religion, virtue, or friendship; pleasure, froks, or extravagant diversion, was all that he laid to heart. He was true to nothing, for he was not true to himself. He had no steadiness, nor conduct. He could never fix his thoughts, nor govern his estate, though then the greatest in England. He was bred about the king, and for many years he had a great ascendant over him; but he spoke of him to all persons with that contempt, that at last he drew a lasting disgrace upon himself; and he at length ruined both body and mind, fortune and reputation, equally. The madness of vice appeared in his person in many instances; since at last he became contemptible and poor, sickly, and sunk in his parts, as well as in all other respects; so that his conversation was as much avoided as ever it had been courted. The that Letter contains, he has a charge against | saying, that the king was an arrant knave, the person, of as high a nature as the Letter can be says, it is irregular for the Speaker to bring us a new business; the Letter-He was interrupted by Sir Ch. Wheeler. To Order of proceedings, in reference to your Vote, after what manner! Would have some previous consideration, that one man may not prevent another. Mr. Stockdale. Would have all men concerned, named; and you are possessed of one against whom he has a charge, the duke of Buckingham; that, if encouraging or practising, and, he supposes, establishing Popery; if taking money from the subject, and breaking the Triple Alliance, and engaging us in this French alliance be a Charge, he has a Charge against the duke of Buckingham: the proofs are not so ready as the last, but the particulars will all be proved: offers not an Impeachment: though the crimes may be proved, impeachments take up a long time; it may be longer than we have to sit: his own letters show corresponding with Peter Talbot, the pretended archbishop. When Ireland was in great danger by Popery, he advised the army to be drawn out of that kingdom, and headed his own regiment with Popish officers. At Knaresborough, Whitsuntide last (the Standing Army was then forming) this duke came into Yorkshire to raise men; a poor man, being pressed, came to the overseers of the poor, and told them, You must provide for my wife and children, I am pressed away and cannot maintain them.' The duke sent for the overseer, and beat him for not doing it, and sent a warrant to the marshal of the West Riding of Yorkshire, to keep him, till farther order from him; the man applied to the duke, and, after 3 days imprisonment, was delivered by the marshal (Wainman) who demanded 301. fees, and got 5. for three days: this was done, when there was a prospect of arbitrary power, and this was the first action of martial law, committed by a martial-man. The next is the duke's taking of money, 2s. 6d. upon every horse exported at Dover, by virtue of his place of Master of the Horse, against law: breaking of the Triple Alliance: the duke was sent into France, and what treaty he made there we know by the effect; the Triple Alliance broken: lord Bellasis was sent to Dunkirk, and the duke, though he had no business, yet would go to see the king of France, and has heard. what presents he had there, and believes it will be proved his endeavours to take away the affections of the king's good subjects, by main blame of the king's ill principles, and bad morals, was owing to the duke of Buckingham." Burnet. Dryden's character of him (under that of Zimri) in his Absalom and Achitophel, and Pope's description of the last scene of his life, which was closed at an alehouse at Helmsley in Yorkshire, in the year 1687, are well known and justly admired. and unfit to govern;' Dr. Williams can prove it: he has defrauded the king's servants of their wages, so disadvantageous to his service; this is public: now, there is a Petition against him in the house of lords of a strange nature; killing the earl of Shrewsbury, and living scandalously with his widow. Not only that, but he has attempted a horrid sin not to be named; not to be named at Rome, where their other practices are horrid: moves, 'That a person so dangerous to the government, and of so ill a life and conversation, may be removed from the king's presence and from all his employments; and for an Act of Banishment' against him, as against the duke of Lauderdale. Sir John Coventry. This man has made it his business to sow dissension betwixt the king and this house, but he is not a man to put things in execution when much danger is in the case: when the king had his ministers in France, the duke of B. put many of his servants, incognito, to treat with the ministers of that state, Papists and persons ill affected to our government: it is a sad condition we are in, to have a man so near the king's person that contemns his person: this duke has given night and lantborn counsels, not to be owned by the rest of the counsellors. He corresponds with a traytor, Peter Talbot; the letter was burned in the king's bed-chamber, and part remains: some say the duke is not ashamed of that profession; it is known to you all, that these people have been protected by him: it may be said, that the officers of his regimeut are Protestants, but we may thank the commons of England for it if these things be proved, he desires the duke may be removed from the king's person for ever. Mr. Howe. Besides all this, when the king was at Windsor, because he would not stay so long as the duke would have him, he took the bridle from the king's horse, to the great danger of the king's person, and the duke was then Master of his Horse. Sir Winston Churchill. He that would answer this charge of the duke's may do himself *This was in a duel, March 16, 1667. "The Countess is said to have held the duke's horse, disguised like a page, during the combat; to reward his prowess in which, she went to bed to him in the shirt stained with her husband's blood. The loves of this tender pair are recorded by Pope, Gallant and gay in Clifden's proud Alcove, The Bower of wanton Shrewsbury and Love. Walpole's Noble Authors, vol. ii. p. 82, 3. Of this intrigue, Marvell, in one of his Letters, makes the following mention: "Buckingham runs out of all with Lady Shrewsbury; by whom he believes he had a son, to whom the king stood godfather: it died young, earl of Coventry." It was whispered "at a drinking-bout." Grey. more wrong than the duke has. Wishes the particulars as easily proved as charged the business of Windsor he knows: the duke is not far from you, and supposes, if the letter be not of importance, the duke has forfeited his understanding, as the charge makes him forfeit his reputation: men of his quality will not inform you of trifles: the letter may be of concernment; it may discover something you know not (as that in the lords house about a plot) therefore would read it. Lord Cavendish. Should the artifice of the man put it out of our power to proceed, it would be of ill consequence: would have him removed from offices and councils about the king and suspended his presence till farther proceeded against. Duke, because the matter, he pretends, is public, and you may be concerned. Mr. Garroway hopes you will do justice to all men. If you pass your vote against him, of what validity will any thing be that he can say? Moves that that right may be done to the duke, which you will not deny to the meanest commoner: lord chief justice Keeling, and the earl of Bristol, had a chair set for them: you heard them speak, and Bristol cleared your member, sir Rd. Temple *: would now hear the duke. Sir Tho. Clarges. This man has done his impieties in the face of the sun; he prevented our meeting in Oct. last. Has he not perverted the king's word? Would only now have him removed from the king's council. My lord of Bristol's coming hither was a voluntary desire, and nothing against him here, is not against his coming in, but would first remove him from the king's person. Col. Birch. Such things as the duke has done, cannot be without company: would. have him come in, and hear him what he can say. Mr. Sawyer. Your vote may discourage him, that he may say little to you, and possibly he may reveal something in compensation, by way of discovery: would hear him. Col. Strangways. Hear him what he can say: some vices of the man may not take away a man's testimony. The Duke of Buckingham was ordered to be called in,t and a chair was set for him on the left hand of the bar, the serjeant standing with his mace on his right hand. Then the duke saluted the house round. Sir Tho. Clarges would first put the question for the Address,' and then read the letter. No great need of particular proof; but all you desire, is, that he may not be near the king's person to pursue these dangerous counsels: in Scotland, did he not correspond with Argyle and ransack the king's close-stool for papers? There were shrewd suspicions of him in the rebellion in the north, and soon after he got his pardon. Is it no crime to kill the husband, and prostitute the wife? He accuses him not, for it may be pardoned; but for us to countenance such things, will bring God's judgments upon us after so great an accusation, to come so familiarly amongst the lords, his judges, and to do his offices about the king, argues a strange boldness there are seven persons that have had five Pardons since the Restoration of the king; two by act of parliament, and three under the great seal, for murder, treason, &c. so that you can never lay hold of him since March last he has got another Pardon, and, as the docket says, for all treasons, insurrections, murders, misprisions, manslaughters, &c. committed or done before the 14th of Nov. last.' This is in some sort a confession of the guilt of so many crimes as are enumerated in the pardon: you must give it, by Vote, for the safety of witnesses, and he to be removed from the king's person.' Men are awed; and at the reading of the Petition against him, in the The Duke's Specch to the House of Commons.] house of lords, there was a great silence: he The Duke, standing, then said, "I have written has not common bowels of mercy; he beat an something," [fumbling a Paper in his hand] old gentleman for desiring him not to ride over" but will trust to my own present thoughts. his corn, till the blood ran down his hoary head. At Barnet he beat a poor soldier in bonds about the unfortunate killing lady Shrewsbury's coachman: moves as before. : Sir Edm. Jennings. The Letter may be of consequence. The paper of discovery was read in the lords house, and he would have the duke's Letter read. The duke's Letter was then read, as follows: Mr. Speaker; I desire you to do me the 'favour to get leave of the hon. house of com'mons, that I may inform them, in person, of 'some truths relating to the public; by which you will much oblige, &c. BUCKINGHAM. Jan, 18, 1673.' Mr. Sucheverell. You ought to hear the Ordered, "That the Speaker ask him, Whe ther he owned the Letter he sent him, and what he has to communicate to the house, of concernment?" The Duke sat a short space, covered; then the Speaker asked him, &c. and showed him the Letter, which the Duke owned. The Speaker then said, "The house is ready to hear what your grace has to say, relating to the public service." give this hon. house humble thanks for the honour done me, in admitting me to come and speak here. I have always made it my business to get the good opinion of this house; I desire that my actions may be examined, and I will stand, or fall, by the censure and judgment of this house: the business against me, I understand, is the breaking of the Triple Alliance; I had as great a hand in making it as beyond sea; no man ought to serve the king, whom the nation has no good opinion of. I have spent an estate in the king's service, when others have got thousands. Beggars that run away with the bags, when a rubbery is done, you stop; but a fine gentleman, riding upon the highway, you let go. I desire to be removed from my place, and to have leave to sell it. Persons are vehement upon me, and would ruin me. I submit myself, and actions, to the good construction of the hon. house." He then withdrew. any man my going to Holland was to hinder | desires it, I will reinove from the king, and go De Witt's conjunction with France, and I did no ill service in it, and the more the thing is examined, the more my innocence will appear. I was not of the opinion of a war, and France to take all, and give us nothing; if my advice had been followed, there would have been better effects it is not my practice to accuse, but it is hard if a man may not clear himself. I have been in as much danger, for my respect to this house, as any man; have been turned out of all my places at court; proclaimed traitor; witnesses hired to swear against me, and confessed so; no man can be exempted from malicious accusations, and all for favouring Bills from this house; and, after the proclaiming me traitor, I had a Letter from a Sister of mine, which was alledged one from Dr. Haven, a conjurer, but through his name any man might see Richmond and Lenox.* I was not afraid of my enemies in the house of commons, but afraid of being tried for my life, before you met. There have been great desires of having me removed from the king. I can hunt the hare with a pack of hounds, but not with a pack of lobsters. If this house "There was a poor fellow, who had a poorer lodging about Tower Hill, to whom the duke often repaired, in disguise, in the night; and lord Arlington had caused that fellow to be apprehended, and his pockets and chamber to be searched; where were found several letters to the duke of Buckingham, and one original letter from the duke to him, in all which there were many unusual expressions, which were capable of very ill interpretatious, and could not bear a good one. This man and some others, were sent close prisoners to the Tower, and a warrant being issued, under the king's sign manual, to apprehend the duke, he at last surrendered himself, and, on his examination at the council board, the letter being produced, as soon as he cast his eyes upon it, he said, It was not his hand, but his sister's 'the dutchess of Richmond's, with whom, he 'said, it was known he had no correspondence.' Whereupon the king called for the letter, and having looked upon it, he said, He had been mistaken,' and confessed, that it was the dutchess's hand; and seemed much out of countenance at the mistake: though the letter gave still as much cause of suspicion, for it was as strange that she should write to such a fellow, in a style very obliging, and in answer to a letter; so that it seemed very reasonable still to believe, that she might have written it upon his desire and dictating.” Earl of Clarendon's Life, p. 430-434. +"The duke justified his own designs, laying all the ill counsels upon others, chiefly on lord Arlington; intimating plainly, that the root of all errors was in the king and the duke of York. He said, Hunting was a good diversion, but if a man would hunt with a brace of lobsters, he would have but ill sport. He had used that figure to myself; but had then applied it Debate thereon.] Mr. Stockdale desires, that, seeing the duke is of your mind, you may join issue with him, and let him go beyond sea. Lord Buckhurst. The duke has informed you of nothing concerning public affaire,' and why will you put him out of all capacity? Though his relation to him were ever so near, or obligations ever so great, would have him answer his accusations: but hear him first. Mr. Sec. Coventry. This duke's is not the same case with the duke of Lauderdale's. The king may turn any man out of his service, and especially on your desires; but when it shall be upon record, that the duke has uttered such words against the king, if a man asks whether such words are treason, it may be represented, that he said the words, of the king's being a knave, and unfit to govern.' Mr. Boscawen has no kindness nor relation to the duke, but we ought to hear him. Your judgment will not be thought just, though it is so in truth, by persons that understand not the reasons: would have him acquainted with what is against him, and then you may proceed. Col. Birch. The duke has not spoken one word of public' in what he has offered, but all' private.' It seems to him, that he would be drawn to accuse, but in modesty would not do it of himself: would adjourn now, and let him know, if he has any public' thing to say, we are ready to hear him. Mr. Garroway would make no false steps in the business; would adjourn the debate, but would have nothing said to the duke. He seemed discomposed, and fumbled with a pa to prince Rupert and lord Arlington. It was now understood to go higher." Burnet. +"Son of the earl of Dorset, to which title he succeeded in 1677, having been created earl of Middlesex, 1675. He was a volunteer in the first Dutch war, in 1665, and the night before the engagement, composed the famous Song, |