"introductive to Popery, and as a joint contriver "with Lord Strafford to involve the Nation in "flavery; and therefore propofed, that he might "be presently accused of high treafon, to the "end that he might be fequeftered from the Council, and no more repair to the presence of "the King (with whom he had fo great credit, "that the Earl of Strafford himself could not do "more mischief by his councils and infusions). "This motion was no fooner made but feconded " and thirded, and found fuch a general accepta"tion, that, without confidering that of all the "envious particulars whereof the Archbishop "ftood accused there was no one which amounted "to treafon, they forthwith voted that it should "be fo, and immediately promoted Mr. Grim"ftone to the meffage, who presently went up "to the Houfe of Peers; and being called on, he, in the name of all the Commons of England, accufed the Archbishop of Canterbury "of high treafon and other mifdemeanors, and "concluded in the fame ftyle they had used in "the cafe of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

66

Upon which the poor Archbishop (who stoutly

profeffed his innocence) was brought to the "Bar upon his knees, and thence committed to "the cuftody of Maxwell, the Gentleman Ufher "of the Black Rod, (from whence the Earl of "Strafford had been fent a few days before to

"the

"the Tower,) where he remained many months "before they brought in a particular charge "against him.

"Notwithstanding which brifk proceeding "against the Archbishop, (when the Committee "the next morning made their report of what "the feveral Judges had faid concerning the "Lord Finch,) they were wonderfully indisposed "to hear anything against him; and though

many spoke with great fharpness of him, and "how fit it was to profecute him in the fame "manner and by the fame logic they had pro"ceeded with against the other two, yet they "required more particulars to be formally fet "down of his mifcarriage, and made another "Committee to take farther examination (in "which Committee Mr. Hyde likewife was): "and when the report was made, within a few days, of feveral very high and imperious mif"carriages, (befides what related to the Ship

66

66

Money,) upon a motion made by a young "Gentleman of the fame family (who pretended "to have received a letter from the Lord Keeper, " in which he defired leave to speak in the House "before they should determine anything against

him); the debate was fufpended for the pre"fent, and leave given him to be there (if he pleased) the next day; at which time (having "likewise obtained a permiffion of the Peers to

" do

"do what he thought good for himself) he ap ❝peared at the Bar of the House of Commons, " and faid all he could for his own excufe (more "in magnifying the fincerity of his religion, and "how kind he had been to many Preachers 66 [whom he named, and] whom he knew were "of precious memory with the unconformable "party); and concluded with a lamentable

fupplication for their mercy. It was about "nine of the clock in the morning when he went "out of the House (and when the debate could 66 no longer be deferred what was to be done upon him); and when the sense of the House "appeared very evidently (notwithstanding all "that was faid to the contrary by those eminent "perfons who promoted all other accufations "with the greatest fury) that he should be ac"cufed of high treafon in the fame form the "other two had been, they perfifted still so long "in the debate, and delayed the putting the "queftion by frequent interruptions (a common "artifice) 'till it was twelve of the clock; and " 'till they knew that the House of Peers was "rifen (which they were likewife readily enough

difpofed to, to gratify the Keeper); and the "queftion was put and carried in the affirmative, "(with very few negatives,) and the Lord Falk"land appointed to carry up the accufation to "the House of Peers (which they knew he could

" not

"not do 'till the next morning); and when he "did it the next morning, it appeared that the "Lord Keeper had fent the Great Seal the night "before (to the King), and had newly with"drawn himself, and was foon after known to "be in Holland."

JOHN HAMPDEN.

THIS diftinguished perfon, according to Sir Philip Warwick, who knew him well, was a man of great and plentiful estate, and of confiderable interest in his county; of a regular life; and had extenfive knowledge, both in scholarship and in the law (the effential studies for an English Gentleman)." He was," adds Sir Philip, "of concife and fignificant language, and the "politeft, yet fubtileft fpeaker of any man in "the Houfe of Commons; and had a dexterity (when a queftion was going to be put which "agreed not with his fenfe) to draw it over to it, "by adding fome equivocal or fly word, which "would enervate the meaning of it as firft put." D'Avila's Hiftory of the Civil Wars of France was fo favourite a book with Mr. Hampden, that it was called his Vade Mecum.

•

VOL. I.

C C

Lord

Lord Clarendon fays of him, "that after he "was amongst thofe Members accused by the King of High Treafon, he was much altered, his "nature and carriage feeming much fiercer than they did before; and without question," fays the noble Hiftorian, "when he first drew his "sword he threw away the scabbard."

66

Mr. Hampden was one of the earliest that were in the field against his Sovereign, and distinguished himself very confiderably in an action at Brill near Oxford, a garrifon belonging to the King. He had foon afterwards the command of a regiment of foot, under the Earl of Effex; and had he lived, he would most probably have been Commander in Chief of the Parliament forces. His great ambition feems to have been the appointment of Governor to the young Prince; for, as Sir Philip Warwick fays, "aiming at the "alteration of fome parts of the Government, (for at firft probably it amounted not unto a defign of a total new form,) he knew of how great a confequence it would be, that the young Prince should have principles fuitable to what should be established as laws."

This fagacious Man difcovered the great talents of Oliver Cromwell through the veil which coarfe manners and vulgar habits had thrown