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JOHN EVELYN

he expected their compliance speedily, that this session
being but short, they might meet again to satisfaction.»

At every period of this, the House gave loud shouts.
Then he acquainted them with that morning's news of
Argyle's being landed in the West Highlands of Scotland
from Holland, and the treasonous declaration he had
published, which he would communicate to them, and
that he should take the best care he could it should meet
with the reward it deserved, not questioning the Parlia-
ment's zeal and readiness to assist him as he desired; at
which there followed another ^(< Vive le Roi? and so his
Majesty retired.

So soon as the Commons were returned and had put
themselves into a grand committee, they immediately put
the question, and unanimously voted the revenue to his
Majesty for life. Mr. Seymour made a bold speech against
many elections, and would have had those members who
(he pretended) were obnoxious, to withdraw, till they had
cleared the matter of their being legally returned; but no
one seconded him. The truth is, there were many of the
new members whose elections and returns were universally
censured, many of them being persons of no condition, or
interest, in the nation, or places for which they served,
especially in Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, etc., said to have
been recommended by the Court, and from the effect of
the new charters changing the electors. It was reported
that Lord Bath carried down with him [into Cornwall]
no fewer than fifteen charters, so that some called him the
Prince Elector: whence Seymour told the House in his
speech that if this was digested, they might introduce what
religion and laws they pleased, and that though he never
gave heed to the fears and jealousies of the people before,
he was now really apprehensive of Popery. By the printed
list of members of 505, there did not appear to be above 135
who had been in former Parliaments, especially that lately
held at Oxford,

In the Lords' House, Lord Newport made an exception
against two or three young Peers, who wanted some
months, and some only four or five days, of being of age.

The Popish Lords, who had been sometime before re-
leased from their confinement about the plot, were now
discharged of their impeachment, of which I gave Lord
Arundel of Wardour joy.



	JOHN EVELYN he expected their compliance speedily, that this session being but short, they might meet again to satisfaction.» At every period of this, the House gave loud shouts. Then he acquainted them with that morning's news of Argyle's being landed in the West Highlands of Scotland from Holland, and the treasonous declaration he had published, which he would communicate to them, and that he should take the best care he could it should meet with the reward it deserved, not questioning the Parlia- ment's zeal and readiness to assist him as he desired; at which there followed another ^(< Vive le Roi? and so his Majesty retired. So soon as the Commons were returned and had put themselves into a grand committee, they immediately put the question, and unanimously voted the revenue to his Majesty for life. Mr. Seymour made a bold speech against many elections, and would have had those members who (he pretended) were obnoxious, to withdraw, till they had cleared the matter of their being legally returned; but no one seconded him. The truth is, there were many of the new members whose elections and returns were universally censured, many of them being persons of no condition, or interest, in the nation, or places for which they served, especially in Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, etc., said to have been recommended by the Court, and from the effect of the new charters changing the electors. It was reported that Lord Bath carried down with him [into Cornwall] no fewer than fifteen charters, so that some called him the Prince Elector: whence Seymour told the House in his speech that if this was digested, they might introduce what religion and laws they pleased, and that though he never gave heed to the fears and jealousies of the people before, he was now really apprehensive of Popery. By the printed list of members of 505, there did not appear to be above 135 who had been in former Parliaments, especially that lately held at Oxford, In the Lords' House, Lord Newport made an exception against two or three young Peers, who wanted some months, and some only four or five days, of being of age. The Popish Lords, who had been sometime before re- leased from their confinement about the plot, were now discharged of their impeachment, of which I gave Lord Arundel of Wardour joy.