contumeliously of Shaftesbury as mere Treasury drudge, because, with brilliant talents, he was a laborious Chancellor of the Exchequer, is unworthy of a serious biographer.1 1 Two letters of this period written to Lord Ashley, preserved among Lord Shaftesbury's papers, may be printed here. The first is from the Princess Elizabeth of Bohemia, soliciting his good offices for a pension: her mother, the ex-C x-Queen of Bohemia, aunt of Charles II., had died in London in February 1662. The Princess had entered the Protestant nunnery of Herfort or Herworden in Prussia, and she became ultimately its Abbess. "Herfort, Sept. 13, 1662. "MY LORD, The kindness you have expressed to the Queen my mother, and my brothers, since their being in England, makes me hope you will continue the like to me, in reference of the pension which his Majesty has been pleased to confirm upon me, there being none of her Majesty's children at the present more in need of this benefit than myself, nor anybody in the world that shall be more sensible of your goodness and more desirous to appear, 66 "My Lord, "Your affectionate friend to serve you, For the Lord Ashley Cooper, "ELISABETH. Chancellor of the Exchequer to His Majesty at London." The other letter is from the Secretary, Sir Henry Bennet, soon to be made Lord Arlington, praying Lord Ashley's aid for confirmation of a possession, the King having, it appears, been bribed with a share in the property; and Shaftesbury has docketed this letter," Papers for my justification. Shaftesbury declared always that he had never jobbed for grants for himself; and this declaration has never been discredited. "MY LORD, I have sought your Lordship this day to beseech you to move in the House of Lords the obtaining an order for the quiet possession of Wildmore Fen to the proprietors, wherein his Majesty hath accepted of a share, and upon the same account to procure my Lord Treasurer to be favourable to it; and this to be done to-morrow, if Mr. Attorney be present, otherwise that your Lordship would defer it till another day. "May 11, 1663." "I am, my Lord, "Your Lordship's most humble servant, "HENRY BENNET. CHAPTER X. 1664-1667. Lord Ashley's position at the beginning of 1664—Attention to revenue and trade-Dutch war- -Opposed by Clarendon, Southampton, and Ormond and supported probably by Ashley-Appointed Treasurer of Prizes-Clarendon's hostility to the appointment-Affectionate letter to his wife, February 26, 1665-Grant of Carolina to Lord Ashley and seven others The Plague-The King visits Lord Ashley at Wimborne St. Giles's-Session of Parliament at Oxford, October 1665-Appropriation Clause in Supply Bill unsuccessfully opposed by Clarendon and Ashley-The Five Mile Act-Opposed strongly by Southampton and Ashley but prosecuted by Clarendon -Bill for general imposition of oath against endeavouring change in Church or State opposed by Ashley-Letter to his wife from Oxford, November 23, 1665-Beginning of acquaintance with Locke -Friendship of Locke and Shaftesbury-Session of 1666-67— Complaints of expenditure and misappropriation-Act against importation of Irish cattle-Supported by Ashley-Earl of Ossory's insult and apology-Discussion with Viscount Conway-Rumoured possible Lord Lieutenant of Ireland-Secret treaty between Louis XIV. and Charles II.-Dutch fleet enters the Thames and burns three men-of-war at Chatham-Peace of Breda-Death of Earl of Southampton-Office of Lord High Treasurer put in commission and Lord Ashley one of the Commissioners-Clarendon's account of the appointment of the Commission-Proceedings of the Commissioners-Sir William Temple and Lady Fanshawe blame Shaftesbury for their economies-Clarendon removed from the Chancellorship -Lord Ashley unjustly accused of conspiring against ClarendonOpposes the impeachment of Clarendon without specific treason assigned and falls into disgrace with the King for supporting Clarendon-Clarendon's exile-Lord Campbell's misstatementsCharge of licentiousness against Shaftesbury. THE end of the last chapter has brought us to the beginning of 1664. The subject of this biography is now Lord Ashley, a Peer, a Privy Councillor, and Chancellor of the Exchequer. His abilities and independence, the favour of the King and his intimacy with Arlington, Lauderdale, Bristol, and others, who in various ways thwarted Clarendon and menaced his ascendancy, have made him already formidable to the too jealous and imperious Chancellor. In the House of Lords he has distinguished himself by strenuous and eloquent opposition to all the measures of Church exclusiveness and oppression of Protestant Dissenters which were enacted after the Restoration. He was very diligent as a Minister, and gave the greatest attention to all matters of revenue and trade. Papers of his have been preserved which show his minute care and industry in collecting details as to the Exchequer, the customs and excise, the navy, the merchant companies, and all branches of our trade, manufactures and revenue.1 In the study of details he did not lose sight of principles, and some of his views were in advance of the time. He was an enemy of monopoly, and said that "the restraining of a general trade was like the damming of increasing waters, which must either swell them to force their boundaries, or cause them to putrefy where they are circumscribed.” 2 In the session of Parliament from March 16 to May 17, 1664, the Conventicle Act, already mentioned, was passed, the famous Triennial Act of the Long Parliament, making a new parliament every three years compulsory on the King, was repealed, to please 1 Martyn's Life, 289–293. 2 Ibid. 292; and see in Appendix I. of the second volume Shaftesbury's memorial addressed to the King, probably in 1669, and Mr. Martyn's account of his recommendations in 1672 for a Council of Trade, paraphrased from a paper of Shaftesbury's. 3 See p. 270. Charles, and a report of a Committee on the complaints of our merchants against the Dutch, followed by an address of both Houses to the King couched in very strong language, gave a sanction and intensity to national jealousy and irritation, which paved the way for the war with the Dutch declared by England in the following year. It is well ascertained that Clarendon, Southampton, Ormond, and other old advisers of Charles were against this war, and were overborne by, the popular feeling and the warlike animosities of the Duke of York and of Monk, Duke of Albemarle.1 Bristol, Arlington, and others, with whom Ashley was latterly more or less associated, were promoters of the war; and Sir William Coventry, the Secretary of the Duke of York as Lord High Admiral, and Clifford, the future Lord Treasurer, were conspicuous in the House of Commons for hostility to the Dutch. There is no authentic information of Ashley's sentiments or line of action. But it may be inferred from the opinions of those with whom he was now most friendly, and from his zealous attention to 1 M. de Ruvigny wrote, September 12/22, 1664 : The King, Chancellor, and Treasurer are against making war, but allow themselves to be carried away by the crowd." (Archives of French Foreign Office.) In an anonymous memoir on the origin of the war in the same archives, which was furnished from England, the Earl of Bristol is said to have first recommended the war. It is there said that Bristol having no office or hope of any, formed intimate relations with Thurloe, Ashley, Trevor and other Cromwellites, the most skilful men in England, and that Thurloe showed Bristol Cromwell's papers, and told him that Cromwell had had two great objects, one to make himself King, and the other to destroy the power of Holland. Later, it is said in this memoir, the Parliament, the City of London, and the Council were for the war, but Clarendon, Southampton, and Ormond kept the King in suspense; he was, however, at last carried away, yielding to the importunities of the Duke of York and of Monk, and goaded by libels and insolent discourses of the Dutch. English trade, that he was, like all the younger The war, indeed, was statesmen, on the side of war. regarded by the nation, which had become infuriated by Dutch insults, injuries, and cruelties to English merchants in all parts of the globe, as necessary for upholding the honour and preserving the commerce of England. In a session which began on November 24, 1664, and ended on March 2, 1665, the House of Commons enthusiastically voted a very liberal supply of two millions and a half sterling, and war was declared against Holland on February 22, 1665. It is the more probable that Lord Ashley was a supporter of the war with Holland, as, when war was determined on, he was appointed by the King, and evidently to the great annoyance of Clarendon, Treasurer of Prizes. Clarendon says that Ashley's appointment contained a proviso that he was to be accountable to the King and to no one else, and was to make payments in obedience to the King's warrant under his sign manual and by no other warrant, and was to be exempt from accounting into the Exchequer. To this arrangement Clarendon says that he made great opposition, desiring that the proceeds of prizes should go into the Exchequer and be available solely for the expenses of the war; but the King was immoveable, and Lord Ashley's appointment was made as originally proposed.1 Clarendon's narrative of this incident is so obviously tinged by asperity towards Ashley, that many of its details must be regarded with distrust; but his substantial statement 1 Continuation of Life of Clarendon, 575-581. |