! 36 Car. II. it: But as he found a powerful Faction con- 4.D.1684 Occafion But to proceed: This Year the Hamborough Charters Company, to teftify their Loyalty and Affec- being tion for his Majefty, erected his Statue in the Middle of the Area of the Royal Exchange, caufing the following Infcription to be engraven on the Pedestal; viz. Charles II. CAROLO II. Cæfari Britannico, Patria A Statue Patri, Regum optimo, clementiffimo, auguftiffimo, of King generis humani Deliciis, utriufque fortuna Victori, pacis Europe Arbitro, maris Domino & Vindici, Societatis Mercatorum Adventur. Angliæ, quæ per 400 jam prope annos Regia Benignitate floret, Fidei intemerata, Gratitudinis æterna, hoc Teftimonium venerabunda pofuit, Anno Salutis humana 1684. 10 000 1. and Dubois. And now Sir William Pritchard, late Lord Pritchard Mayor of London, in order to recover Satif- recovers faction for the Infults he fuffered in the Days Damages of Whiggifm, brought his Action against Mr. against Papillon and Mr. Dubois, for maliciously cauf- Papillon ing him to be arrested during his Mayoralty: And the Caufe being tried in Michaelmas Term, this Year, at Guildhall, the Jury gave Sir William Ten thoufand Pounds Damages. There were about the fame time fome Perfons convicted of feditious Words and Libels against the Government, and fined; but the Trial Rosewell's that made moft Noife was that of Thomas Trial for Rofewell, a diffenting Teacher, for treafonable Words in Words uttered in his Sermon on the 14th of his Sermon September: Some of which were thefe; viz. "We have had two wicked Kings together, who treasonable 36 Car.II. « A.D.1684" who have permitted Popery to enter in "under their Nofes; whom we can refemble to no other Perfon but the moft wicked Jeroboam: But if they would ftand to their Principles, he did not fear but they should overcome their Enemies, as in former "Times with Rams-horns, broken Platters, "and a Stone in a Sling." Of which the Prifoner was convicted; but the King was pleased to pardon him. Sir Scroop doned on دو Sir Scroop How, one of the late Knights of How par- the Shire for the County of Nottingham, alfo his Sub- pleading guilty, to an Indictment preferred million against him for fcandalous Words fpoken of his Majefty and the Duke of York, upon his confeffing the Offence, and throwing himfelf upon his Majefty's Mercy, was pardoned; and the next Day being introduced to the King, he acknowledged that he owed his Life and Eftate to his Majefty's Goodness, and that he would for the future dedicate both to the Service of his Majesty and the Royal Family. The King and the Nation in perfect lity. The King now reigning in perfect Peace, and in the Affections of his Subjects, his Revenues encreasing, and his Debts in a fair Tranquil way of being paid off, propofed the founding and endowing an Hofpital for the Relief of the indigent Cavaliers: And thereupon fent his Letters to the Archbishop of Canterbury; wherein he fays, He obferved with great Grief, that many of his loyal Subjects, who propofed had taken up Árms in behalf of himself and his Father, in order to refift that Torrent of Rebellion, which at laft overturn"ed the Monarchy and the Church, were, by old Age, Wounds, or other Accidents, L reduced to extreme Poverty: He had re Chellea to be an Hofpital for old Soldiers. "folved 37 Car. II. folved to found and erect at Chelsea a per- 4.D.168. petual Hofpital, in which more than four hundred aged and difabled Soldiers might be lodged and fupplied with the Neceffaries of Life: And therefore defired the Archbishop to fend his Circular Letters to all the Bishops of his Province, earnestly exciting them to deal effectually with all in their Diocefes to contribute liberally to "fo good a Defign." But this his Majefty did not live to fee effected. claration. His Majefty about the fame time published His Maje a Declaration, teftifying his Satisfaction in the fty's DeLoyalty and Affection of his Subjects; where- of the Loyin he obferves, That though fome had fwerved alty of his from their Duty, far the greater and better Subjects. Part of them had ftood by him in his feverest Trials; particularly the main Body of the Nobility and Gentry, the whole found and honeft Part of the Commonalty, the great Fountains of Knowledge and Civility, the two Universities, the wifeft and most learned in the Laws, the whole Clergy, and all the genuine Sons of the Church of England: He alfo expreffed his entire Satisfaction in the Readiness the Corporations had fhewn to furrender their Charters into his Hands; and faid, he thought himfelf more than ordinarily obliged to continue as he had begun, to fhew the greateft Moderation and Benignity, in the Exercife of fo great a Truft; refolving, upon this Occafion, to convince the higheft Pretenders to the Common Weal,That as the Crown was the Original, fo it was ftill the fureft Guardian of the People's Rights and Privileges. But when a general Tranquillity reigned in The King's the Nation, and the King and People thought laft Illness. them A.D.1684 themfelves happy in each other, a dangerous Illness feized his Majefty, and threw the 37 Car. I. Kingdom again into the utmoft Confternation: He was furprized with a Fit of an Apoplexy on Monday the fecond of February, and his Recovery looked upon as desperate; and though upon Bleeding he was brought to his Senfes again, yet having another Fit four Days after, it carried him off, to the unfpeakable Grief of his Subje&s. While the King lay on his Death-Bed, he was attended three whole Days and Nights by Bishop Kenn, who was more in his Favour, 'tis faid, than any other Prelate. The good Man took all Opportunities in that Interval to fit and prepare the King for his approaching Diffolution; and when the Dutchefs of Portfmouth, the favourite Mistress, came into the Room, prevailed on his Majesty to command her Abfence, and to fend for the Queen, and ask her Pardon for the Violation of her Bed; which was accordingly done; and the Bishop apprehending his Majefty to be fincerely penitent, propofed his receiving the Bleffed Sacrament; which the Duke of York being apprized of, and finding the King not likely to live many Hours, that the RomanCatholicks might have the Honour of his dying in their Communion, brought in Father Huddlefton, a Benedictine Monk, when his Majesty The Popish was fcarce fenfible, and the three Popish SaSacraments craments of Penance, Extreme Unction, and the adminiftred Eucharift, were adminiftred; none daring to to him. oppofe a Prince who was fo fuddenly expected to mount the Throne, and become their SoHe dies. vereign: And his Majefty expired the next Day, being the fixth of February, 168, in the fifty fifth Year of his Age, and the thirty feventh feventh of his Reign, if we reckon from the Death of the King; twenty four Years, and fomething above eight Months, after his Reftoration. 209 Intentions. It is fuggefted by fome, but without any Various Shadow of Proof that ever I could meet with, Reports of That if the King had lived a little longer, he the King's would have fent away the Duke of York again, difcarded all Papifts, and those who had the Reputation of being popifhly affected; have recalled the Duke of Monmouth, and thrown himself into the Hands of the Whigs: Which the fame Set of Writers feem to confute, by fuggefting, That King Charles died very opportunely for England; for if he had lived a little longer, they tell us, he would probably have established Popery and Arbitrary Power: So confiftent are fome Men with themselves! The Perfon and Character of this Prince are admirably defcribed by Dr. Charlton and Sir William Temple; who both perfonally converfed with him, and are far from being partial to his Errors. Dr. Charlton obferves, That " his Majefty His Perfon at the Restoration was juft chirty Years of and Character, by Age; fomewhat taller than the middle Dr. Chari"Stature of Englishmen; fo exactly formed, ton. "that the most curious Eye could find no "Error in his Shape; his Countenance was "rather grave than fevere, but much foft ened whenever he fpoke; his Complexion "fomewhat dark, but highly enlightened by "his quick and fparkling Eyes; the Figure of his Face was very lovely till near twenty E e |