Consternation of the Parliament when the Great Seal was carried to the King, Page 1.
They send Writs to be sealed by Littleton, 2. Littleton's equivocal Answer, 2.
Proceedings in Parliament respecting Great Seal, 2. Ordinance against Use of
Great Seal by the King, 3. Despair of the Lawyers, 3. Plan for new Great
Seal, 3. Opposition to it, 3. Arguments for it, 4. Resolutions of the Commons
rejected by the Lords, 4. Conferences, 4. Reasons of Commons, 5. Commons
order new Great Seal to be made, 6. New Great Seal in Custody of Speaker, 7.
Perplexity of Commons, 7. Prynne's "Opening of Great Seal of England," 7.
Committee of Commons, 8. Serjeant Wilde, 8. The Lords consent to use of
new Great Seal, 9. Ordinance, 9. Parliamentary Commissioners of Great
Seal, 9. Ceremony of swearing them in, 10. Proclamation by the King,
charging those concerned in making the new Great Seal with High Treason, 11.
Court of Chancery re-opened, 11. Origin of "Suitors' Fund" in Chancery, 11.
Activity of Serjeant Wilde, 12. Proceedings on Capture of King's Great Seal
at Oxford, 12. Self-denying Ordinance respecting the Great Seal passes
Commons, 13. Rejected by the Lords, 13. Ordinance making the Speakers
of the two Houses joint Keepers of the Great Seal, 14. Authority of the Lords
Commissioners defied by Judge Jenkins, 15.
Complaints against the two Speakers as Equity Judges, 17. Ordinance for appoint-
ing the Earl of Kent, Lord Grey de Werke, Whitelock, and Widdrington, Com-
missioners of Great Seal, 17. Reasons for writing Life of Lord Keeper
Whitelock, 18. His Origin, 18. Education, 18. Called to Bar, 19. Cir-
cuit, 19. Introduction to Noy, the Attorney General, 19.
Masque to the Queen, 20. Chairman of Quarter Sessions, 20.
Side, 21. His Moderation, 21. Returned to Parliament, 21.
Speech, 21. One of the Managers of Impeachment of Lord
Whitelocke doubts as to the Side he ought to choose, 22. His Warning against
Civil War, 23. Takes Arms against the King, 23. He renounces Arms, 24.
A Lay Member of the Westminster Assembly, 24. Whitelock Commissioner at
Oxford to treat with King, 24. Charge against him of intriguing with King, 25.
Whitelock takes part against Cromwell, 26. But succumbs to him, 27. White-
lock's professional Success, 27. He refuses the Office of Recorder of London, 27.
He is appointed Commissioner of Great Seal, 27. Whitelock's Statement of this
Transaction, 27. Whitelock and Widdrington sworn in, 29. Whitelock's
Address to Serjeant Wilde when made Chief Baron of the Exchequer, 29.
Whitelock's Address on a Call of Serjeants, 30. Pride's Purge, 33. Conduct
of Lords Commissioners, 33. Conference of Lords Commissioners with Crom-
well, 34. The King to be brought to Trial, 34. Arguments in favour of this
Proceeding, 34. Opposed by Whitelock, 35. Cromwell's Speech, 35. Reso-
lution carried, 35. The Lords Commissioners refuse to concur in the Trial of
the King, 35. They conceal themselves, 36. Ordinance for Grand Court of
Justice to try the King, 36. Rejected by the Lords, 37. Commons vote that
the Supreme Power was exclusively in them, 37. New Great Seal with Re-
publican Insignia ordered, 38. Lords Commissioners refuse to sit in the High
Court of Justice, 38. Difficulty about adjourning the Courts in Westminster
Hall pending the King's Trial, 39. Proceedings in the Lords, 39. Messengers
of the Lords refused admittance by the Commons, 40. The Commons vote the
Lords useless, 40. Whitelock compelled to draw an Ordinance for abolishing
the Lords, 40. And an Ordinance for abolishing the Office of King, 41. Great
Seal with Royal Arms broken, 41. Serjeant Widdrington refuses to serve as
Lord Commissioner under new Government, 41. Trimming Conduct of White-
lock, 41. Major Lisle a Commissioner of the Great Seal, 42. And Serjeant
Keble, 43. Ordinance passes for new Lords Commissioners, 43. Copy of
Ordinance, 43. Preservation of Titles in Time of Commonwealth, 43. Speaker's
Address to them, 44. Lord Commissioner Whitelock's Answer, 44.
Whitelock as Equity Judge, 46. Ordinance to make Forgery of Republican Great
Seal Treason, 46. Ceremony of approving the Lord Mayor, 46.
of Lord Commissioner Whitelock at Lord Mayor's Dinner, 47.
Address to the Republican Judges, 47. His Merit in preserving Books and
Works of Art, 48. His noble Defence of the Profession of the Law, 48. Law
Reform supported by Whitelock, 50. Whitelock discourages Cromwell's As-
sumption of the Crown, 50. Conference before Dissolution of the Long Parlia-
ment, 51. Dissolution of the Long Parliament, 52. New "Council of State,"
52. Barebones' Parliament, 53. Resolution for total and immediate Abolition
of the Court of Chancery, 53. Difficulties in the Plan, 54. Bill to suspend all
Proceedings in Chancery, 54. Bill to abolish the Court, 54. End of Bare-
bones' Parliament, 55. Whitelock goes on an Embassy to Sweden, 55.
Cromwell installed as Protector, 56. Whitelock acknowledges Cromwell as Pro-
tector, 56. Lord Protector delivers Great Seal to Commissioners, 57. Crom-
well's second Parliament, 57. Abruptly dissolved, 57. Cromwell's Ordinance
for Reform of Chancery, 57. Lords Commissioners refuse to obey it, 58. Lords
Commissioners summoned before the Council, 59. They are dismissed, 59.
Great Seal committed to the Keeping of a Colonel and a Major, 60. History of
Lord Commissioner Colonel Fiennes, 60. Judicial Conduct of the Colonel and
Political Conduct of the Lords Commissioners, 62.
excluding the Stuarts, 63. Offer of the Crown to Cromwell, 69. New Form
of Government under "Petition and Advice," 64. Cromwell creates Peers, 64.
Lord Protector opens Session, 65. Reasons of Summons declared by Lord
Commissioner, 65. Proceedings in the House of Peers, 66. Refusal of Com-
mons to recognise the House of Peers, 66. Cromwell dissolves his third and last
Parliament, 67. High Court of Justice established, 67. Whitelock refuses to
be made a Viscount, 68. Death of Cromwell, 69.
Proclamation of Richard as Lord Protector, 70. Fiennes and Lisle confirmed as
Keepers of Great Seal, and Whitelock joined with them, 70. Opening of Par-
liament, 70. The three Commissioners of the Great Seal sit in the Upper House
as Peers, 71. Commons refuse to acknowledge them, 71. Parliament dissolved,
71. Lord Whitelock again in the House of Commons, 72. New Great Seal
ordered by Rump, 72. Ordinance for new Great Seal, 72. Act for reformning
Court of Chancery, 73. Bradshaw, Terryll, and Fountain, new Commissioners
of Great Seal, 73. Oath administered to them, 73. Commission for hearing
Causes, 73. Rump again expelled, 74. Whitelock invited to join the Council
of Officers, 74. Whitelock sole Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, 75. He hears
Causes at Whitehall, 76. Proclamation for new Parliament, 76. Dialogue be-
tween Lord Keeper and a Military Officer on the Vices and Merits of Lawyers,
77. Project of Whitelock to carry the Great Seal to the King at Breda, 77.
Fleetwood consents to join in Resioration of Charles, 78. But is deterred, and
the Scheme is abandoned, 79. Its probable Consequences, 79. Lord Keeper
issues Writs for new Parliament, 80. Rump restored, 80. Alarm of Whitelock,
80. Whitelock sends the Great Seal to the Speaker, and conceals himself, 81.
Charles II.'s Speech to Whitelock, 81. Whitelock's Death, 81. His Character,
81. His Writings, 83. His Sons, 83. Great Seal in Custody of Speaker. 83.
Delivered to Widdrington, Terryll, and Fountain, 84. Act for dissolving Long
Parliament, 85. Lords Commissioners issue Writs for the Convention Parlia-
ment, 85. Lords elect Earl of Manchester Speaker, 85. He is added as a Com-
missioner of the Great Seal, 85. Difficulty about Use of Republican Great Seal,
86. Approach of King Charles II., 87. Republican Great Seal broken, 87.
Restoration, 88. Plan for adopting the Mosaic Law, 88. Cromwell's rude
Notions of Law Reform, 88. Enlightened Law Reformers under the Common-
wealth, 89. Their Measures, 89. Parliamentary Reform, 90. Cromwell ap-
points good Common-law Judges, 91. Equity ill-administered during the
Commonwealth, 91. Desire of Lenthall, Master of the Rolls, to be a Peer, 93.
Orders and Ordinances improving Chancery Practice, 93. Comparison between
Republicans in England and in France, 93.
Lost at Battle of Worcester, 95. New Great Seal in France, 9.5. Struggle
between Hyde and Herbert, 96. Herbert, Lord Keeper, 96. His Birth, 96.
Practice at Bar, 96. Strong Prerogative Lawyer, 96. Made Solicitor General,
97. His Difficulties at Commencement of the Long Parliament, 97. Made
Attorney General, and leaves House of Commons, 98. His irksome Position in
the House of Lords, 98. He is ordered by the King to prosecute Lord Kim-
bolton and the Five Members for Treason, 98. He imprudently obeys, 99.
Prosecution against the Attorney General, 99. King's Letter acquitting him of
all Blame, 100. Serjeant Wilde conducts Prosecution as Manager for the Com-
mons, 101. Serjeant Wilde's Notions of Parliamentary Privilege, 101. Das-
tardly Behaviour of the Attorney General's leading Counsel, 102. Attorney
General's Defence, 102. He is found guilty, and imprisoned, 103. Being
liberated, he joins the King at York, 103. Resides at Oxford, 103. Goes into
Exile, 104. Hated by Hyde, 104. Instance of his courteous Behaviour to
Hyde, 104. Charge against him by Hyde of Breach of Confidence and breeding
Strife, 104. Declaration on Accession of Charles II., 105. Herbert accompanies
Duke of York to Lorraine, 105. Herbert joins Charles II. at Paris, 105.
Clarendon's Account of Herbert receiving the Great Seal, 106. Herbert while
Lord Keeper, 106. Said to have originated Charge against Clarendon of cor-
responding with Cromwell, 106. His Charge against Clarendon for abusing the
King, 106. Charles's noble Conduct on this Occasion, 107. Herbert dismissed
from Office of Lord Keeper, 107. His Grief, 108. The inglorious Termination
His Descendants, 109.
of his Career at Paris, 108. His Character, 109.
His Family, 110. His Birth, 111. His Education, 111. At Oxford, 111.
Studies Law at Middle Temple, 111. Associates with dissolute Company, 111.
Sent as Marshal on the Circuit, 112. Marries for love, 112. Death of his first
Wife, 113. Gets into good Society, 113. His Friendship with Lord Falkland,
114. His second Wife, 114. Death of his Father, 114. Devotes himself to
Profession of the Law, 114. His Success, 115. Manager of the Masque to the
Queen, 115. Happy Period of his Life, 116. His liberal Opinions, 116. In-
troduced to Archbishop Laud, 116. The "Short Parliament," 117. Hyde
attacks Earl Marshal's Court, 117. Supports the Supply, 118. Tries to pre-
vent the Dissolution, 119. Conversation with St. John on the Dissolution, 119.
Arbitrary Measures of the Government, 120. Long Parliament, 120. Hyde
gives up his Practice at the Bar, 120. Procures the Suppression of Earl Mar-
shal's Court, 121. He assists in the Proceedings against the Judges, 121.
Attacks Court of the North, 123. Tries to raise a Loan for the Government,
123. Strenuously supports the Prosecution against Lord Strafford, 123. Proofs
of this Fact, 123. Hyde supported Bill of Attainder against Lord Strafford,
124. Contrary Evidence, 125. Question upon the Propriety of proceeding
capitally against Strafford, 126.
Dangerous Bill to prevent a Dissolution of the Parliament supported by Hyde, 127.
Alarm of Hyde when this Bill had passed, 127. He goes over to the Royalist Side,
128. Designs of some popular Leaders, 128. Hyde opposes Exclusion of Bishops
from Parliament, 128. Bill for abolishing Episcopacy, 129. Hyde's first Inter-
view with Charles I., 129. Hours and Habits during Long Parliament, 129.
Q. as to Part then to be taken by a good Citizen? 130. "Remonstrance" by
Parliament, 131. Hyde's maiden State Paper, 131. He refuses Office of Soli-
citor General, 131. Hyde, Member of Inner Cabinet, 132. Fatal Step of the
Impeachment of Lord Kimbolton and the Five Members, 132. Hyde sent by
Parliament on a Deputation to the King, 133. The King leaves London for the
North, 134. Militia Ordinance, 135. Hyde joins the King at York, 135. Pro-
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