them, he found the number fo fmall, not above thirty, that thinking force unneceffary, he commanded them to lay down their arms. On their refusing, he charged them briskly, and they defended themselves with fuch refolution as could only arife from infanity, or defpair. At length, overpowered by numbers, they retreated to an alehouse, where they shut themselves up, determined to hold out to the laft, their leader, Venner, though covered with wounds, which he often returned with deadly effect, animating them by his example and exhortations.

The lord mayor's unwillingness to have the house set on fire checked for a few moments the progrefs of the affailants; till one Lambert, a feaman, climbed up, and began to unroof it. This example being followed by others, Venner and his companions foon lay expofed on every fide, but still made a desperate refiftance. Above half of them were shot dead; the rest fell to the ground with their wounds; and only one of them afked for quarter, at which a comrade, who lay in the fame room almost fainting through lofs of blood, endeavoured to kill him for his cowardice. Venner and fuch of the others as furvived were committed to prifon, and to the fpecial charge of the furgeons, that they might be preferved for a trial. On their examinations it plainly appeared, that they had entered into no plot with any other con

fpirators;

CHAP.

V.

1661.

CHAP.

V.

1661.

Artifice of

the duke of York.

fpirators; nor expected any aid but from heaven. Even at their deaths (their being ten or a dozen executed) they affirmed, "that if they were deceived, it was God himfelf who had deceived them."

But although the whole was the unquestionable effect of the religious frenzy of a few individuals, the duke of York availed himself of this opportunity for carrying a part of his arbitrary and intolerant system into immediate execution. The council having met, the morning after the infurrection was quelled, to receive an account of all that had passed, the duke observed to them, “that so extravagant an attempt could not be founded upon the rashness of one man, but muft have arifen from a general plot of all the fectaries and fanatics to overthrow the prefent government, and to bring themselves into the fame posture of authority and power which they formerly had; and that their confidence of fuccefs was owing to a firm perfuafion that the foldiers, who were now difbanding, would immediately join them." His highness added, "that he therefore hoped all the members of the council would fee how neceffary it was, at fuch an alarming crifis, to fufpend the difbanding of the general's regiment of foot, which had the guard of Whitehall, and was by the order of parliament to be difbanded the next day."

It is not likely that any of the members faw, at that time, the tendency of the duke's propofal. Thofe, who were not convinced, by his very improbable affertions, of the neceffity of the measure, thought at least there could be no harm in fuch

CHAP.

V.

1661.

First steps toestablishment

wards the

precaution. Others approved of it for private rea- of a standing fons. The general wished to retain his own regi- army. ment not only from motives of interest, but of perfonal fecurity. He had juft reafon to dread the other troops whom he had deluded; and his only confidence was in thofe under his immediate command, men chofen for the purpose, and whose attachment he had gained by particular marks of indulgence and partiality. The chancellor's conftant jealoufy and fufpicion of the designs of the fectaries, and his natural timidity, which was awakened by the smallest appearance of danger, made him give his hearty support to the duke of York's motion. Indeed nobody feemed inclined to oppofe it; and a letter was fent to the king, to requeft that he would approve of what the council thought highly expedient, and appoint the continuance of the regiment till farther order. To this the king confented; and as the rumours of fresh confpiracies were industriously kept up, those troops were continued and augmented, and a way was prepared for the gradual establishment of a standing army, under the name of guards, to defend his majesty's perfon, and to preferve peace and good order.

CHAP.

V.

1661.

Design and

refult of the

.conference

at the Savoy.

In a very short time after, the king, by the advice alfo of his council under the influence of the duke of York, and on the fame grounds of preventing the dangerous effects of fedition and fanaticifm, published a proclamation, forbidding all meetings and conventicles, under pretence of religion; and commanding the oaths of allegiance and fupremacy to be tendered to all difaffected perfons, who, in case of refufal, were to be profecuted on the ftatute of the feventh of James I. But as if this rigour had been adopted folely with a view to the security of the state, and not from any perfecuting fpirit, his majefty very readily granted the request of many of the prefbyterian ministers, who petitioned for fuch a conference between the heads of their clergy and thofe of the established church, as his majesty had promised in his former declaration concerning ecclefiaftical affairs. He named twelye bishops as principals, and nine other clergyman as affiftants, to confer with the like number of non-conformists on the best means of reconciling all religious differences. They were to meet at the bishop of London's lodgings in the Savoy, and their commiffion was to continue for four months from the twenty-fifth of March following: they were particularly ordered to advise upon and review the book of common prayer; to confult about the feveral objections, which should now be raised against the fame; and (if occasion be) to make fuch reasonable and neceffary altera

tions, corrections, and amendments, as fhould be agreed upon to be needful and expedient, for giving fatisfaction to tender confciences, and for reftoring and preferving peace and unity in the churches under his majesty's government and protection: the matters, whereupon they should fo determine, were to be certified in writing, under their feveral hands, and laid before his majesty for his approbation.

The proceedings at this conference, which was granted more for fhew, than for the purpose of any real adjustment of contradictory opinions, have fince been published. Both parties, in their refpective accounts, lay claim to fentiments of mutual condefcenfion, and of Christian charity, which neither of them at that time certainly poffeffed. The bishops were neither inclined, nor directed to give up any but the most frivolous points; and the prefbyterians finding all their own hopes, and all his majesty's and the general's promises of the most liberal toleration and indulgence to be but an idle dream, were prompted by refentment and defpair to infift upon very unreasonable requifitions. This was precisely what the advocates for perfecution defired: they could fay, that the king had taken every step, which the best policy and the tendereft concern for the happiness of all his fubjects could fuggeft, to gain over and compofe the jarring fects into a fyftem of perfect harmony, but that all his

CHAP.

V.

1661.