1679.]

YORK AND MONMOUTH RIVALS FOR THE SUCCESSION.

351

were first called True Blues-not satisfied with the plain Protestant blue of the Church; then Birmingham Protestants, "alluding to false groats counterfeited at that place. That term was "not fluent enough for the hasty repartee; and, after divers changes, the lot fell upon Whig, which was very significative, as well as ready; being vernacular in Scotland, from whence it was borrowed, for corrupt and sour whey."* Defoe accepts this derivation of Whig; and says, the use of it began in Scotland "when the western men, called Cameronians, took arms frequently for their religion.

It afterwards became a denomination to the poor harassed people of that part of the country." +

The further we advance in the history of this miserable reign, the more are we perplexed by intrigues and counter-intrigues, indicating the universal political corruption. After the dispersion of the Covenanters, the duke of Monmouth is suddenly sent for from Scotland. Sir John Reresby goes to meet him at Doncaster on the 9th of July. "It happened to be understood, that after his victory he was about laying a foundation whereon to succeed in that kingdom, and by the industry of his agents making himself popular. Charles was ill at Windsor. Monmouth was about his sick bed. "He thought," says Reresby, "he had the king to himself." Suddenly the duke of York, who had travelled from Brussels in disguise, presented himself: The Court was in commotion. The king's brother, and the king's illegitimate son, had come to be considered as rivals for the succession. To preserve some tranquillity they were then both sent away-Monmouth to Flanders, James to Scotland, as Lord High Commissioner. At Edinburgh this Papist prince manifested the sincerity of his desires for general toleration, by superintending with the most anxious vigilance the punishment of the Covenanters. Charles reproached Monmouth for having given the government so much trouble with prisoners after the fight of Bothwell Bridge, and Monmouth answered, that he could not kill men in cold blood. James exhibited a worse trait of Stuart nature by presiding over the examinations of prisoners under torture. Under his administration the Presbyterians were subjected to the grossest violence of a licentious soldiery. The military despots had full power to exercise the privileges of the inquisition in the most summary manner. you renounce the Covenant? Do you admit that it was murder to kill the archbishop of St. Andrew's? Will you pray for the king? To hesitate was to incur not only imprisonment but instant death. This violation of every form of law and every principle of justice went on for several years. The story of John Brown, "the Christian carrier," has been honestly told by Scott, in spite of his lurking admiration of Claverhouse.§ The poor peasant, who had indeed been out with the insurgents of 1679, was again in his home. He is seized by dragoons as he is going to dig in some peat ground, and by the command of Claverhouse he is shot in the presence of his wife. To her the gallant butcher addressed himself: "What thinkest thou of thy husband now, woman?" She replied, "I thought ever much of him, and now as much as ever." He said, "It were but justice to lay thee beside him." She said, "If ye were permitted, I doubt not but your cruelty would go that

"Examen," p. 32 a.

Do

"Review," quoted in Wilson's "Life of Defoe," vol. i. P. 73. + Memoirs," p. 229.

S Compare "Tales of a Grandfather," chapter lii., with "Old Mortality."

352

PETITIONERS AND ABHORRERS.

[1679. length; but how will ye make answer for this morning's work?" He said, "To man I can be answerable; and for God I will take him in my own hand." Such were the scenes that Scotland witnessed in these days of her desolation. Unquestionably the duke of York instigated the worst persecutions; and the wretched instruments of tyranny, such as Claverhouse, thought that their atrocities would best exhibit their love and loyalty. Whilst James was doing his congenial work in Scotland, the efforts of the faction opposed to his succession to the crown were conducted with few conscientious scruples. All the prejudices of the people were still stimulated into an unchristian hatred of Roman Catholics. The processions of the 17th of November were repeated, amidst the blaze of a thousand torches, lighting up the hideous representations of nuns, and priests, and cardinals; and the effigy of the pope was burnt at Temple Bar amidst the shouts of an enormous multitude, encouraged by men of rank, who huzzaed from the balcony of the King's Head Tavern. These were known as the King's Head Club; and then as the Green Ribbon Club. The annual pope-burnings were afterwards imitated at Edinburgh. The processions of Guy Fawkes on the 5th of November, and the processions of the pope on queen Elizabeth's coronation-day, kept alive the intolerant spirit towards Roman Catholics long after their original party-objects had passed away. Shaftesbury is represented as the grand contriver of these demonstrations of 1679 and 1680. But the demagogue contrives in vain unless he has popular materials to work with. No doubt he well handled the multitude, which at that period first acquired the name of mob. They were the mobile vulgus of these exhibitions. Shaftesbury had now been dismissed from the Presidency of the Council; and was the moving spirit of the popular party. On the 28th of November, Monmouth suddenly returned from Holland. The bells of the city welcomed his arrival. The bonfires were again lighted. Charles was angry, or affected to be so, at his son's disobedience. He deprived him of his offices. He ordered him to quit the kingdom, or incur the penalty of exclusion for ever from the royal presence. Monmouth obstinately remained. It was the policy of the king to prevent the Parliament assembling, for he had another scheme in hand to obtain a sum from the king of France, which would enable him to dispense with the advice of his troublesome subjects. The treaty failed; but Charles had boldly prorogued the Parliament on its meeting in October. The Country party now set on foot all the powerful machinery of petitioning. Grand Juries, Common Councils, provincial Corporations, were suddenly moved, as by one impulse, to petition the king that the Parliament should meet at the end of the first short prorogation. Charles became alarmed. He published a proclamation, vague and absurd enough, against subscribing petitions against the known laws of the land. What these laws were the proclamation did not set forth. But there was a re-action. The timid were alarmed; the servile were zealous. Men who stood aloof from parties dreaded the signs of another Civil War. They joined in declarations of abhorrence of petitions for the assembling of Parliament; and those who supported the king in what they considered his prerogative of calling a Parliament when he pleased, of acting without parliamentary advice, and without reference to public opinion, were denominated abhorrers. The name abhorrer soon became merged in that of Tory.

1679.]

PARTY NICKNAMES.

353

Tory-Whig-in a few years forgot that they each owed their birth to "the common laws of scolding." The Irish savage grew up into a fine gentleman; the sour whey became the richest cream. The names of opprobrium blossomed into names of honour. They flourished in full glory for about a century and a half; and then passed into other distinctive titles, not so "fluent for the hasty repartee." Whatever may be said for or against party distinctions-and there is a great deal to be said in either view of the question-one thing is clear: the invention of Tory and Whig has been a very pleasant boon for the writers upon politics and history. These once rival nicknames save many circuitous expletives; and, if they do not exactly define political principles, they answer as well as if one large section of public men and their followers had been called red, the other blue-or one bigendians, the other little-endians. The terms of Whig and Tory are vernacular; and we are thankful for their help in the labour that is before us.

Charles the Second's alterations at Windsor-The Duke of York presented as a Romish Recusant -Progress of the Duke of Monmouth-James leaves for Scotland-Parliament-The Exclusion Bill-Trial and execution of Lord Stafford-The Parliament dissolved-The Oxford Parliament-Its sudden dissolution-The King's Proclamation-The Whig Vindication-State Prosecutions-Stephen College-Shaftesbury indicted for high treason-The Ignoramus-Court manœuvres for the choice of a sheriff of London-Shaftesbury flies to Holland-Persecutions of the Scotch Covenanters.

WINDSOR CASTLE was now the summer residence of Charles II. In August, 1678, Evelyn went with the duke of Norfolk to Windsor, "where was a magnificent Court, it being the first time of his majesty removing thither since it was repaired." Charles had changed the whole aspect of the Castle. By his command the palatial fortress had been adapted for those state-displays which were to rival the splendours of the Court of the great Bourbon. A new building, forming the most imposing feature of the north front, called the Star-building, had been erected from the plans of Wren; and by the connexion of the suite of rooms thus obtained with the older portion, that splendid series of state-apartments was produced which terminated in St. George's Hall. But in these alterations the ancient cha