Saltash, Mr. Edward Hyde*, fome advantage, Strode's by the unusual violence of tone with which he violence. broadly infifted on the right of the Houfe to a negative voice in placing great officers of ftate. "I think moft he faid was premedi"tated," fays a member who was prefent; "but it was fo extreme in ftrain, as Mr. Hyde did, upon the fudden, confute most

in favour of identity, though far from decifive, is ftronger favour of than I fuppofed. A Refolution of the House is reported, vot- identity. ing a tribute after the death of Strode of the Long Parliament, which would seem to recognise, not only his attempted arreft by Charles, but his former fufferings under James. On the other hand, this vote belongs to a period when a confufion between perfons of the fame family was quite poffible The other in a refolution having for its object to exprefs the public grati- view tude. And I subjoin, in further corroboration of doubts strengthwhich I still hold to predominate, an extract from a private ened: letter of D'Ewes to his wife defcribing the introduction of the Triennial Bill, unquestionably the act of the man associated afterwards with Hampden and Pym in the King's attempted Arrest. "My dear Love," writes D'Ewes, "I had thought "to have written at large unto you this weeke, but multitude "of business hinders mee. I heere enclofed fend you a copie ( "of an Act of Parliament which was firft brought into the in letter "House by one Mr. William Stroud, a young man." Is it to Lady conceivable that D'Ewes, one of the most punctiliously accurate D'Ewes. of writers, would thus have defcribed a man who had obtained diftinction as a representative of the people before the close of the preceding reign, when D'Ewes himself was little more than a lad from college? And as he thus firft described the Strode of the Long Parliament, fo, after nearly twelve months had paffed, we have seen that he continued to describe him. 1860.]

*

I call him by either name indifcriminately, Hyde or Another Lord Clarendon, in the courfe of this work; but he was not Hyde: the only Hyde who fat in the Long Parliament. There was a Robert Hyde, alfo a lawyer and a royalift, who fat for Salifbury; commonly called Serjeant Hyde. Robert voted against Strafford's attainder, and has occafionally been mistaken for Edward in the lift of "Straffordians." When Edward first more received the King's meffage for an interview before he fet decidedly forth to Scotland, he affected to believe the messenger had Royalift committed a mistake, and that his royalift namefake was than intended. Much more likely he, than one who had taken Edward. fuch part on the other fide! See Life, i. 92.

Hyde's

oppor tunity.

bellion.

"of it." Eagerly was Mr. Hyde now plying his chofen office of King's defender; but he doubtlefs found his tafk more difficult after the interval of a week, during which the ftartling news had arrived (received in the House, fays Clarendon, with deep filence and Irish Re- a kind of confternation) of that rebellion and moft appalling maffacre by the Irish papists, from fome connivance with whofe abettors the memory of Charles the First has never yet. been cleared. Pym then faw his advantage. He put the matter of evil counsellors in a more practical form, and brought fuddenly into open clafh and collifion the two parties into which the House had become divided. And the fame great name of Strafford which had formerly united them, re-appeared now but as the fignal to fhow how completely they were riven afunder.

Pym's

opportunity.

5th No

1641.

Pym's

evil coun

§ IX. THE NEW PARTY AND THE OLD. On Friday, the 5th of November, upon vember, the queftion of the fupply neceffary for the forces to be fent into Ireland, and whether or fpeech on not affiftance fhould be afked from the Scotch, fellors. Pym arose, and after remarking that no man fhould be readier or more forward than himself to engage his estate, his person, his life, for the fuppreffion of this rebellion in Ireland, there was yet another question alfo to be confidered. All that they there did would be vain, as long as the King gave ear to the counfellors about him. His Majefty must be told, faid the member for Tavistock, that Parliament

here finds evil counfels to have been the cause of all these troubles in Ireland; and that unless the Sovereign will be pleafed to free himself from fuch, and take only counsellors whom the kingdom can confide in, Parliament will Excitehold itself abfolved from giving affiftance in ment in the matter. "Well moved! Well moved!" cried many members; and "divers," fays D'Ewes, "would have had it speedily affented "unto, but Mr. Hyde ftood up, and first

Houfe.

Waller's

reply.

oppofed it, and faid, amongst other things, "that by fuch an addition we should as it "were menace the King." Upon this hint Edmund up fprang fuddenly the member for St. Ives, Mr. Edmund Waller, coufin to Hampden and to Cromwell, yet one of Hyde's most eager recruits, nor more defpifed for his abject, veering, vacillating fpirit, than he was popular for his wit, vivacity, and genius.* Thefe he had now placed entirely at the King's disposal. He begged the Houfe to obferve what Mr. Compares Pym had juft faid, and to remember what for- Pym to merly had been faid by the Earl of Strafford. Where in effect was the difference between fuch counsel to a King, as that he was abfolved. from all laws of government, on Parliament

Strafford.

"He had a graceful way of speaking; and by thinking Value of "much upon feveral arguments, he seemed often to speak preparaupon the sudden, when the occafion had only administered tion in "the opportunity of faying what he had thoroughly con- oratory. fidered, which gave a great luftre to all he said; which yet

66

66

was rather of delight than weight. There needs no more "be faid to extol the excellence and power of his wit, and pleafantnefs of his converfation, than that it was of magni"tude enough to cover a world of very great faults; that is, "fo to cover them, that they were not taken notice of to his "reproach." Clarendon, Life, i. 54.

refufing his unjuft demands; and fuch advice to a Parliament, as that it fhould hold itself abfolved from affifting the State, on the King's non-compliance with demands perhaps not more juft? The too ingenious speaker was Pym rifes not permitted to fay more. Pym rofe immeto order. diately and spoke to order. If the advice he had given were indeed of the fame nature as Lord Strafford's, then he deserved the like punishment; and he craved, therefore, the juftice of the House, either to be submitted to its cenfure, or that the gentleman who spoke laft be compelled to make reparation. Many Cries for and loud were the cries for Waller which folWaller. lowed this grave and dignified rebuke; but a ftrong party fupported him in his refufal to give other than fuch modified explanation as he at first tendered, and it was not until after long debate that he was ordered into the committee chamber, and had to make fubmiffion in the required Repara- terms. It was near five o'clock on that November evening, when Mr. Waller " publickly asked pardon of the House and Mr. "Pym."*

tion

made.

Commons'

* All, until now, revealed of this affair, is contained in the fubjoined entry from the Commons' Journals (ii. 306), under Journals: head of Friday, 5th Nov. 1641:

5th Nov.

Waller's apology.

Exceptions were taken at words fpoken by Mr. Waller, "which reflected upon Mr. Pym in a high way: for which "he was commanded to withdraw.

"And he being withdrawn, the Business was a while de"bated: And then he was commanded to return to his place. "And then the Speaker told him, that the House held it fit, that, in his place, he fhould acknowledge his offence given by his words, both to the Houfe in general, and Mr. "Pym in particular.

"Which he did ingenuously, and expreffed his forrow " for it."

The special cause of offence is now first made known.

changes:

King:

But the House, or Mr. Pym, was little now to Mr. Waller and his friends, in comparison with their new and late-found allegiance to the other master whom till now they had determinedly oppofed. So quick and complete the Dramatic change, it was as the fhifting of a scene upon the stage. The men who had always been courtiers were seen fuddenly depofed from what importance they had, and an entirely new fet of characters promptly filled their place. "I may not forbear to let your Majefty reported "know," writes Nicholas immediately before to the the scene juft named, and defcribing the debates which led to it, "that the Lord Falkland, "Sir John Strangways, Mr. Waller, Mr. "Edward Hyde, and Mr. Holborne, and "divers others, ftood as champions in mainte"nance of your prerogative, and fhowed for "it unanswerable reafon and undeniable prece"dents, whereof your Majesty shall do well "to take fome notice, as your Majesty shall "think beft, for their encouragement." Eagerly Royal did the King refpond, that his good Nicholas thanks to was commanded to do fo much at once in his name, and to tell thofe worthy gentlemen that he would do it himfelf at his return. The Secretary was ill when that meffage reached him, but it was not a matter that admitted of delay. Hyde was fent for to King Street, Hyde fent for by where Nicholas lived; was fhown up to his bed-room, in which he lay very fick; and the business was wholly, Mr. Hyde informs us with a modeft fatisfaction, "to fhow Mr. 'Hyde a letter from the King to Mr. Nicholas, "in which he writ to him, that he understood,

managers.

Nicholas.