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Some Unpublished Letters of Gilbert Burnet, the Historian1
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 December 2009
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References
page 5 note 2 Box 31, bundle 11. (See the brief ‘ Catalogue of the Spencer MSS.’, Hist. MSS. Comm. Second Report, Appendix, p. 15.)
page 6 note 1 Hist. Reform. ed. Pocock, ii. 5.
page 6 note 2 History of My Own Time, ed. Airy, ii. 246–7.
page 6 note 3 See ibid. i. 484.
page 6 note 4 Life of Halifax, chapter vii. passim.
page 6 note 5 Hist. of My Own Time, ii. 247–254.
page 7 note 1 Lord Halifax left town between January 11 and January 23, 1679–80 (Life, i. 203).
page 7 note 2 Gertrude Pierrepoint, second wife of Lord Halifax.
page 7 note 3 Religion?
page 7 note 4 Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
page 7 note 5 He was at this moment in credit at Court, having just cast doubts upon the revelations of Oates, which he had at first endorsed. (Pollock's Popish Plot, pp. 347–60.)
page 7 note 6 Secretary for Scotland.
page 7 note 7 I.e. the Duke of York's return from Scotland, to which he had been relegated by the influence of the ‘ Country ’ party, October 27, 1679.
page 8 note 1 One of the heads of the Dissenting interest. See Kennett, Com. Hist. iii. 286.
page 8 note 2 See Hist. O. T. ii. 249. The country seemed at the moment divided between ‘ Petitioners ’ who presented petitions to the King for the meeting of Parliament, and ‘ Abhorrers,’ whose counter-addresses expressed ‘ Abhorrence ’ of such interference with the King's prerogative. Hist. ii. 248–9.
page 8 note 3 Klopp, , Fall d. Hauses Stuart, ii. 237–55, 266–9.Google Scholar
page 9 note 1 The principal cause of the Earl's retirement had been the decision of the Government, at the instance of the Duke of York, to defer the meeting of Parliament from October 1679 for a whole year. (See Life of Halifax, i. 196, 200, 201, 202, 203).
page 9 note 2 Of York.
page 10 note 1 For this incident see. Hist. ii. 311–2.
page 10 note 2 Who had returned on November 28, 1679, without leave, from Holland whither he had repaired about September 10, by his Father's command, in consequence of his supposed schemes of political ambition.
page 10 note 3 Louise de la Querouaille, reigning mistress of the King.
page 10 note 4 It is said that Monmouth alleged—very unfoundedly—reasons of jealousy for this step. See Roberts' Life of Monmouth, i. 125–6.
page 10 note 5 It was at this time, of course, death for a Roman priest to execute his functions in England. Several priests had been executed on this count during the preceding year—it is said, with the concurrence of Halifax. (See Life, i. 160.)
page 10 note 6 A judge of the Common Pleas from April 15, 1672, to February 6, 1680, when he received his quietus on account of his popular sympathies [Foss' Lives of the Judges, p. 25.]
page 10 note 7 Robert Boyle, the famous chemist.
page 10 note 8 The proceedings against the Protestants (which culminated with the Revocation of the Edict) had commenced.
page 11 note 1 Obviously he means more profound religious convictions.
page 11 note 2 The Duke of York's daughter, afterwards Queen.
page 11 note 3 Afterwards George I. of England.
page 12 note 1 See ante, p. 4, note 1.
page 12 note 2 ‘ Its sayd there has been some disquiet amongst the great ones, … and that yr relation [Sunderland] has his part in it; some heates having been between him and Lawthesdale, and such as does refine will not have them principals but a great man [the Duke of York ?] and a woman [the Duchess of Portsmouth ?] originally concerned in it.’ (Sir William Hickman to the Earl of Halifax, March 21. Spencer MSS., box 31, bundle 36.)
page 12 note 3 Bothwell Bridge.
page 13 note 1 An account of this singularly convivial banquet is given by Dorothy Lady Sunderland in a letter of March 12. (Blencowe's, Diary of … the Hon. Henry Sidney, i. 303–6.)Google Scholar
page 14 note 1 See his character in Burnet sub anno 1660, i. 186.
page 14 note 2 Probably Edward Seymour, afterwards 4th Bart, of Berry Pomeroy.
page 14 note 3 Presumably, a duel.
page 14 note 4 John Wilmot, the profligate Earl of Rochester, for whom see infra.
page 15 note 1 The Court appears to have been at Newmarket.
page 15 note 2 Evelyn, Diary Oct. 4, 1683, says her magnificent apartments were two or three times rebuilt, in obedience to her caprice.
page 15 note 3 Presumably ‘ La belle Stuart.’
page 16 note 1 A riot, which some supposed to have been designed in order to release the Popish Lords imprisoned in the Tower on account of the Popish Plot. Life of Shaftesbury, by Christie, ii. 362.
page 16 note 2 See Pollock, Popish Plot, p. 206.
page 16 note 3 A supposed plot emphasized by Lord Shaftesbury. See his Life, ii. 363–4.
page 16 note 4 Who was supposed to aim at supplanting Ormond, the Lord-Lieutenant, whom he had preceded in that office.
page 17 note 1 Reason ?
page 17 note 2 The form taken by the rejoicing on Queen Elizabeth's day.
page 18 note 1 Afterwards Earl of Rochester; and one of the ‘ Chits,’ i.e. the governing Cabal.
page 18 note 2 Amagistrate, famous for his anti-Popish zeal.
page 18 note 3 George Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham. See Professor Firth's article in Dict. Nat. Biography.
page 19 note 1 This is the celebrated legend of the ‘ Black Box.’
page 20 note 1 One of the Popish Lords in the Tower, executed in December 1680.
page 20 note 2 See Pollock's Popish Plot, pp. 331, 348.
page 20 note 3 Which had not then sat!
page 20 note 4 Our Representative at the Court of Brandenburg.
page 21 note 1 These denunciatory addresses were generally known as addresses of Abhorrence, since they expressed the ‘ abhorrence ’ of the signatories for the attempts to interfere with Prerogative, involved in the petitions (previously mentioned) for the meeting of Parliament.
page 22 note 1 An active Justice of the peace, who had been severely assaulted by an assailant unknown. The affair was at the moment regarded as a continuation of the Popish Plot, a sequel to Godfrey's murder. See Pollock's Popish Plot, p. 273.
page 22 note 2 He alludes to the second volume (published in 1681) of his History of the Reformation.
page 22 note 3 He was convinced of its worthlessness.
page 22 note 4 Burnet then lived in Lincoln's Inn Fields.
page 23 note 1 The Papists.
page 23 note 2 Query ‘ Harbouring.’
page 23 note 3 Sir William Coventry and William Hickman (correspondents of Lord Halifax) also dilate upon this curious incident. Coventry mentions that a servant of Evans was suspected ; and, on his part, thinks the excitement rather less than over Godfrey's murder. (Letters of this date in Spencer MSS.) A man named Giles was convicted of the attempted murder about July 14. See Luttrell, i. 46, 51, 53, 55, 86, and Pollock, Popish Plot, pp. 394–9.
page 25 note 1 He alludes, of course, to his historical researches.
page 25 note 2 Supposed to contain the marriage certificate of Monmouth's mother.
page 25 note 3 Of York.
page 26 note 1 This is the Libel on the existing Administration usually attributed to Dryden. See infra.
page 26 note 2 At the moment in our possession, as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza. We abandoned it a few years later.
page 26 note 3 Katherine, sister of Robert Boyle, the chemist.
page 26 note 4 Sir William Coventry and probably a Sir Thomas Clarges (brother of the first Duchess Albemarle), long a member of the ‘ Country ’ party, whom Sir William mentions in several of his letters as intending a visit.
page 27 note 1 The Gazettes of April 29 and May 3, Nos. 1507, 1508, had published an account of the ‘ Black Box ’ examinations, and the King's denial of the story which affirmed the young Duke's legitimacy.
page 27 note 2 This is the last stanza of the witty ballad often printed (under the title ‘ On the young Statesmen ’) among Dryden's works. It has also been attributed, with more probability, to Lord Dorset. A phrase in Burnet's former letter seems to suggest that he ascribed it to Buckingham, a yet more likely ascription. It was a satire on Sunderland, Hyde, and Godolphin.
page 28 note 1 Of York.
page 29 note 1 Whose committal, conviction, condemnation, and escape from prison took place during the ensuing year.
page 29 note 2 He died as the result of excessive intemperance, July 1681. Hist. ed. Airy, ii. 310.
page 29 note 3 ‘ Mademoiselle ’ d'Orleans, daughter of ‘ Madame ’ (Princess Henrietta of England). She had been married just a year to Charles II. of Spain.
page 30 note 1 The Governor (a Papist).
page 30 note 2 A leading member of the Exclusion party, and father of the celebrated William, Lord Russell.
page 31 note 1 Of Escrick. A personal friend of the Duke of Monmouth, and notorious for his subsequent treachery, in 1683.
page 31 note 2 The celebrated pamphlet by Robert Ferguson.
page 31 note 3 This is dated June 8, and appeared in the Gazette, No. 1519.
page 32 note 1 As a Papist lie could not take the oaths.
page 32 note 2 Sir W. Hickman, being in the Ordnance, writes very feelingly on the subject. The town and outlying forts corresponded by speaking trumpet, ‘ and its in ye Irish tongue (for there's no Irish Renegados) which is ye only advantage I have heard of that Language’ (Spencer MSS. Box 31, bundle 36. June 2, '80).
page 32 note 3 A William Fanshaw married a sister of the Duke of Monmouth.
page 32 note 4 The witty profligate Earl, the history of whose dying repentance Burnet, at Rochester's own wish, published during the following winter.
page 32 note 5 The royal declaration, asserting the illegitimacy of the Duke, mentioned above.
page 34 note 1 ‘ Handsome ’ Henry Sydney, our representative at the Hague, uncle to the first Lady Halifax.
page 34 note 2 Spanish Ambassador.
page 34 note 3 A Papist concerned in the ‘ Meal-tub ’ plot, a forged conspiracy by which (among others) the name of Lord Halifax had been aspersed.
page 34 note 4 Who had turned King's evidence.
page 34 note 5 A Popish plot witness.
page 35 note 1 Concerning Monmouth's illegitimacy.
page 35 note 2 Still under impeachment in the Tower.
page 35 note 3 Sir Thomas Littleton, one of the ‘ Country ’ leaders.
page 35 note 4 Because so much of the revenues would determine with a demise of the Crown.
page 35 note 5 Query Derby: see ante, p. 13.
page 35 note 6 One of the witnesses against the Duke.
page 36 note 1 Formerly Solicitor-General, now a member of the Exclusion party.
page 37 note 1 Cargill. See Burnet, History of My Own Time, ii. 306–7.
page 37 note 2 Life of Halifax, i. 225–6.
page 38 note 1 Lord Shaftesbury, whose first and third wives were related to Halifax and his first wife respectively.
page 38 note 2 Husband of the notorious Duchess of Cleveland; he had been implicated in the Popish Plot.
page 38 note 3 Independents and reputed Republicans. See History of my Own Time, ii. 239, 247–9.
page 38 note 4 For conspiracy to defame him.
page 38 note 5 See Life of Shaftesbury.
page 39 note 1 Of York. See Life of Shaftesbury (Christie), ii. 366.
page 40 note 1 See Hist. passim.
page 40 note 2 Sir George Jeffreys.
page 40 note 3 See his Character in the Hist. (sub anno 1660), i. 388.
page 40 note 4 The celebrated Lord Russell, executed in 1683.
page 41 note 1 As a matter of fact Tenison succeeded Lloyd at St. Martin's in October of this year. Luttrell, i. 56; Dict. Nat. Biog., art. ‘ Lloyd.’
page 41 note 2 Of the Reformation.
page 41 note 3 See Burnet's Some Passages in the Life and Death of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester etc., published in 1680.
page 42 note 1 The beloved son of the Duke of Ormonde.
page 42 note 2 For this curious incident see Burke's Peerage, re Earl of Caithness (George Sinclair, 6th Earl).
page 43 note 1 As Lord Lieutenant. The post had been more than once refused by him.
page 43 note 2 Sir Thomas Littleton.
page 43 note 3 This fell through.
page 44 note 1 This was Hackstone, one of Archbishop Sharp's murderers. See History of my own Times, ii. 306.
page 44 note 2 He received during the autumn of this year the thanks of Parliament for the first volume.
page 44 note 3 Life, i. 232.
page 44 note 4 Hist., Airey's ed., ii. 255; ed. 1833, ii. 250.
page 44 note 5 ibid. Airey's ed., ii. 260; ed. 1833, ii. 253–4.
page 45 note 1 Hist., Airey's ed., ii. 300; ed. 1833, ii. 294–6; iv. 341; vi. 278. Brit. Mus. Harl. MS. 6584, fols. 117, 142. (Supplement to Burnet's History, pp. 149, 202.)
page 45 note 2 See Halifax's Life, ii. 198, n. 3; and Dartmouth's notes upon Burnet's History, ed. 1833, i. 491–2; vi. 337.
page 45 note 3 Burnet's Hist., ed. 1833, vi. 335–7.
page 45 note 4 ibid. i. pp. 491–2; iv. 268–9. See also Harl. MS. 6584, fol. 88 (b). (Supplement to Hist. p. 407.)