CHAPTER VII.

New Parliament summoned at Oxford-Differs with the King, and is dissolved-Proclamation of the King-Pamphlet of Sidney in replyProsecution of College-Shaftesbury-His character-His connection with the popular party-His quarrel with Sidney-Lord Howard and the Duke of Monmouth-Sidney introduced to the duke by a fraud of Howard-Sidney's intercourse with Monmouth, Russel, Essex, and Hampden-Nature of the conferences between the patriots-Council of six-Sidney's connection with it-The Rye-house plot-The conspirators betrayed to the government-Rumors of Sidney's connection with it-Arrest of the conspirators-Sidney arrested-His conduct before the council-Committed to the Tower-Is waited upon by a committee to be examined-Refuses to answer questions-Efforts to obtain evidence against him-Arrest of Lord Howard-He turns king's evidence-Trial and execution of Lord Russell-His life and character-Death of Essex-The court resolves to bring Sidney to trial-Hampden tried for a misdemeanor and convicted-Preparations for the trial of Sidney-Difficulties in the way of his conviction.

THE implacable and narrow-minded James counselled his brother to adopt severe and arbitrary measures. Immediately after the dissolution he wrote to him : "The moment is come to be truly king, or to perish; no more Parliaments;' it is to France you must have recourse for subsidies." Charles, however,

for once disregarded the advice, and summoned a new Parliament at Oxford. Notwithstanding the efforts of the court, most of the popular members were returned, and the same speaker was elected. Thousands of citizens followed the London deputies to Oxford, armed, and bearing ribbons on their hats, with the device, "no slavery," "no popery." The king took a firm attitude on opening the Parliament, but declared his attachment to the religion and constitution of the state. The Commons replied, reiterating their demand that the bill excluding the Duke of York should be accepted as the first condition of a truce between them and the throne. A session of a few brief and stormy days satisfied the king that this Parliament was, if possible, still more rebellious and unmanageable than the last; he hastily dissolved it, and retired with his whole retinue to London.

It was on this occasion, in March 1681, that Charles issued a proclamation justifying his conduct, and assigning reasons for dissolving the last two Parliaments. To this declaration a spirited answer appeared, entitled "A Just and Modest Vindication of the Proceedings of the two last Parliaments." The answer was from the pen of Sidney, revised and corrected by Sir William Jones. Bishop Burnet says of this pamphlet that for "spirit and true judgment, it was the best written paper of the times." Sidney charges the Duke of York with advising the dissolution of the Parliament; with being at the head of the popish faction; with favoring the designs of Louis

XIV., by encouraging traitors and pensioners; with endeavoring to reign without Parliaments, and introduce the popish religion; with betraying the secrets of state to Barillon, the French ambassador, who knew of the intended dissolution of Parliament three days before it was known to the peers at Oxford, by which means the time of dissolving the Parliament was known sooner in Paris than in London; and he observes" Good God! to what a condition is this kingdom reduced, when the ministers and agents of the only prince in the world who can have designs against us, or of whom we ought to be afraid, are not only made acquainted with the most secret passages of state, but are made our chief ministers, too, and have the principal conduct of our affairs. And let the world judge if the Commons had not reason for their vote, when they declared those eminent persons who manage things at this rate, to be enemies to the king and kingdom, and promoters of the French interests."

This paper, able though it was, and convincing, had but little effect. Indeed a strong reaction seemed to have taken place, and the dissolution of the Parliament at Oxford, and the manifesto of the king, all at once, and most unaccountably, turned to the profit of the court. The strength of the exclusionists was divided, if not broken, and the resolute front which Charles showed his opponents, seemed to indicate that he had taken the duke's advice, and like his father was resolved to attempt to carry on the government without Parliaments.

Emboldened by success, the court party strove to retaliate with a heavy hand upon their enemies. A noisy whig, named College, was arrested as a conspirator against the life of the king; but a London grand jury, being summoned by whig sheriffs, refused to indict him. College was then reinoved to Oxford, where he was indicted, tried, convicted, and executed. The next object of the vengeance of the court was a more formidable enemy-the celebrated, and infamous as celebrated, Earl of Shaftesbury. The earl was arrested and committed to the tower, but a London grand jury again stood resolutely, and this time successfully, between the throne and its intended victim.

This veteran politician was one of the most singular characters of the period in which he lived, and, as his history is somewhat connected with that of Sidney and his friends, we may interrupt the narrative a moment to glance at it. Gifted with a brilliant but versatile mind-devoured with a fierce ambition-a consummate but most unscrupulous politician, utterly devoid of principle and moral feeling, Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper was emphatically the Talleyrand of his age. The pen of the poet Dryden has admirably sketched the character of this celebrated statesman, under the name of Achitophel, in a satire that will last as long as the English language is spoken:

"Of these the false Achitophel was first,
A name to all succeeding ages cursed.
For close designs and crooked counsels fit;

Sagacious, bold, and turbulent of wit;
Restless, unfixt in principles and place,
In power unpleased, impatient of disgrace;
A fiery soul, which working out its way,
Fretted the pigmy body to decay,

And o'er informed the tenement of clay.

A daring pilot in extremity;

Pleased with the danger when the waves went high;
He sought the storms; but for a calm unfit,
Would steer too nigh the sands to boast his wit.

In friendship false, implacable in hate,
Resolved to ruin or to rule the state,

To compass this the triple bond he broke ;
The pillars of the public safety shook,
And fitted Israel for a foreign yoke.

Then seized with fear, yet still affecting fame,
Usurped a patriot's all atoning name," &c.

Ashley Cooper had been deeply implicated in all the political intrigues of the day, and had figured conspicuously in the affairs of the Commonwealth under the Protector. He had alternately served and betrayed all parties, and so well-timed was his treachery upon every change of administration, that it universally redounded to his own advantage.

In early youth he had been a royalist. When the cause of the king began to wane, he turned Presbyterian and patriot, and joined the Parliament. His keen eye saw at a glance that Cromwell was the rising star; and on the dissolution of the Long Parliament, he separated himself from the republicans and adhered to the fortunes of the lord-general. With his fellow-traitor, Gen. Monk, the future Duke of Albe