Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- PART ONE THE RESTORATION CRISIS
- PART TWO THE SHADOW OF THE PAST
- 5 Family politics 1677–83
- 6 European politics 1678–80
- 7 Domestic politics 1678–9
- 8 The Mutinous City 1679–81
- 9 The Vindication of parliaments 1681–3
- PART THREE THE OLD CAUSE
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
- Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History
9 - The Vindication of parliaments 1681–3
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 March 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- PART ONE THE RESTORATION CRISIS
- PART TWO THE SHADOW OF THE PAST
- 5 Family politics 1677–83
- 6 European politics 1678–80
- 7 Domestic politics 1678–9
- 8 The Mutinous City 1679–81
- 9 The Vindication of parliaments 1681–3
- PART THREE THE OLD CAUSE
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
- Cambridge Studies in Early Modern British History
Summary
1681
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD
As the previous two chapters have suggested, by 1681 a certain changing of the guard had taken place among Sidney's political associates. This was another result of the process of polarisation, and of radicalisation. By 1681 he was keeping more dangerous company altogether.
Among the Lords, the major casualty was Halifax. His crime was, as we have seen, that he had sided with the King, and frustrated the wishes of the Commons. When Sidney wrote to Savile again on 3 February 1681, he apologised for not having related events in December and January when parliament was in session:
The truth is, some of your friends, and mine, were so entangled in business then upon the stage, that I could say nothing to the purpose, without mentioning them; and the parts they had taken upon themselves were such as I was unwilling to relate … The result of all this is that the Lord Sunderland is out of his place and the council … Essex is also put out of the council and lieutenancy of Hertfordshire, upon presenting a petition from the Lords [this was Essex's ‘inflammatory’ petition against the re-siting of the new parliament at Oxford]. The Lord Halifax is gone to ruminate upon these matters at Rufford.
The close relationship which would emerge from this situation and deepen over the next two years was with Essex.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Algernon Sidney and the Restoration Crisis, 1677–1683 , pp. 179 - 198Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1991