Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy.
- Thomas Duffus Hardy
- Date:
- 1866
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Report to the Right honourable the master of the rolls upon the documents in the archives and public libraries of Venice / by Thomas Duffus Hardy. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![that Lord Clarendon, being of birth far below the post now filled by him, seeks but its confirmation and his personal advance- ment; and therefore applies himself exclusively to the home '* interests of England, nor does he wish the King to form any foreign ties, save those connected with Dunkirk, which are unavoidable, whilst his Majesty, having scarcely the means of maintenance for himself, and being unable to raise money save '• through tlie Parliament, cannot depart from its wishes; and as many members of the House of Commons are deeply concerned in the Turkey trade, they would with difficulty consent to measures no less expensive than repugnant and hazardous, from the confusion they would entail on maritime affairs. Concerning Parliament, the Presbyterians,* and the seditious books, the Venetian ambassador writes, 5th August 1661,— His Majesty was to attend Parliament this morning, so the present Session is supposed to be at an end, and we shall hear what Acts have been passed. It had been intended ? [si voleva] that for the future the members of Parliament should no longer be nominated by the provinces, but by the King himself. The project emanated from the Upper House with a view to furthering his Majesty's interests, but the Commons, who would thus have received too severe a blow, rejected it ; so that discontent is re- appearing, and the other day a scandalous libel circulated publicly against the proceedings of the Parliament itself, which was said to be too much bent on gratifying the King. The author was discovered to be a most violent Presbyterian, and would have suffered punishment according to his deserts had he not pleaded guilty and promised allegiance to the royal cause, whereupon the King pardoned him. The next letter (11th August 1661) narrates the private audience which the ambassadors had of the King, who when expressing his regrets at being unable to grant the assistance required for Candia, said, Your Lordships perceive that I am not yet well re-established, but I will certainly do all I can, an admission which the ambassadors believed to be too true. They then went to General Monk, who received them graciously, but like a soldier rather than as a courtier. He likewise limited himself to general expressions, showing that he had small share in the King's resolves, which the ambassadors also credited, because * In Pepys' Diary there are the following entries concerning Parliament and the Presbyterians :— 26th July 1661, O. S.—Mr. Hill of Cambridge tells me that yesterday put a change to the whole state of England as to the Church, for the King now would be forced to favour Presbytery, or that the city would leave him ; but I heed not what he says, though upon enquiry I do find that things in the Parliament are in a great disorder. 30th July 1661, O. S.—After my singing master had done with me this morning I went to Whitehall and Westminster Hall where I found the King was expected to come and adjourn the Parliament. I found the two Houses at a great difference about the Lords' challenging their privileges not to have their houses searched, which makes thtm deny to pass the House of Commons' Bill for searching for pamphlets and seditious books ; thence by water to the wardrobe (meeting the King upon the ■water going in his barge to adjourn the House) where I dined with my Lady.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21021284_0038.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
