a time they were content to suspend their purpose, until the further pleasure of the House were knowne. Master Martin only was displeased to be so put off; and, thinking that the right which he had acquired to the crowne of England was not to be deserted on such easie termes, sealed up the doors immediately as soone as the Members of each House were gone, as if whatever was within those doores did belong to him. One thing is very memorable in this brave exployt (such as was never yet attempted by the greatest rebells of whom our stories have made mention), which was, that when some of the rabble which attended Martin said plainely they would take out the crowne to crowne His Majesties youngest sonne the Duke of Glocester, Master Martin with great indignation told them, they were a company of fooles to talke of having Crownes or Kings, of which there was to be so little use in the times to come. And lest this should be thought in charity to be some desperate and bold attempt of Master Martyn's, and that the Commons House had no hand therein, it was signified by the same letters, that upon Saturday it was debated two long howres, and carried at the last by the major part, that the Regalia should be seized on, an inventory made of all things were found therein, and a Committee nominated to see it done (whereof Master Martyn in all reason must needs be one); under pre

tence

tence that there were many superstitious things exceeding fit to be removed, as no longer usefull. I doubt the King himselfe will be taken shortly to be some superstitious monument of decayed divinity, and so thought fit to be removed."

The year 1642 furnished a disagreeable instance of the custom of enlarging upon the advantages of one country and the depreciation of another. The old feuds, which had so many years existed between the English and Scotch, was revived on the 16th of March in Westminster Hall; where Captain Hothorne and a Captain Ogilvy had a dispute as to the merits of their respective claims on the gratitude of the state. The former observed, that the Scotch came to England to eat its provisions, receive pay, and do no kind of service-while the English fought bravely, and were in arrears. Ogilvy retorted with his cane: swords were drawn on both sides, and Ogilvy was severely cut on the head by Hothorne. The quarrel now became general between the natives of both countries then present, amounting nearly to an hundred. Fortunately for the parties, the watermen of the neighbouring stairs on the Thames interfered, and, at the risk of their lives, separated the enraged combatants.

We are indebted to Mrs. Lucy Hutchinson · for sketches of two characters, who flourished in the reign of Charles I. which will contribute

in aid of my plan. In the early part of this lady's husband's life he left his father's house, and resided in London. "In the mean time, the best company the town afforded him was a gentleman of as exquisite breeding and parts as England's court ever enjoyed; one that was now married, and retired into this town; one of such admirable power of language and persuasion as was not any where else to be found. But after all this, discontents, or the debaucheries of the times, had so infected him, that he would not only debauch himself, but make a delight to corrupt others for his sport. Some he would commend into such a vain-glorious humour, that they became pleasantly ridiculous; some he would teach apish postures, and make them believe themselves rare men; some he would encourage to be poets, and laugh at their ridiculous rhymes; some young preachers he would make stage-players in their pulpits; and several ways sported himself with the follies of most of the young men that he conversed with. There was not any way which he left unpractised upon Mr. H.; but when, with all his art and industry, he found he could not prevail, then he turned seriously to give him such excellent advice and instructions for living in the world as were not afterwards unuseful to him.

There was, besides

this gentleman, a young physician (Dr. Plumtre) who was a good scholar, and had a great deal

of

of wit, but withal a professed atheist; and so proud, insolent, and scurrilous a fellow (daring to abuse all persons how much soever above him), that he was thrown out of familiarity with the great people of the country, though his excellency in his profession made him to be taken in again."

Were

The same lady speaks of a strange, though perhaps not very uncommon character, who distinguished himself in villainy during the civil war, that rendered Colonel Hutchinson conspicuous as a partizan of the popular cause. I to adhere strictly to the spirit of the title of this work, the person alluded to ought not to be mentioned in it; but as the kingdom was in a state of miserable confusion, and no male was permitted to remain quietly at his home, it is possible the general commixture of manners was such, that a person who lived in Nottinghamshire might resemble a citizen of London in part of his conduct.

"In Nottinghamshire, upon the edge of Derbyshire, there dwelt a man who was of mean birth and low fortunes, yet had kept company with the underling gentry of his neighbourhood, This man had the most factious, ambitious, vainglorious, envious, and malicious nature that is imaginable; but he was the greatest dissembler, flatterer, traitor, and hypocrite, that ever was; and herein had a kind of wicked policy :-know

ing himself to be inferior to all gentlemen, he put on a vizard of godliness and humility, and courted the common people with all plausibility and flattery that could be practised—all this while he was addicted to many lusts (especially to that of women), but practised them so secretly, that they were not vulgarly taken notice of; though God, to shame him, gave him up to marry a wench out of one of the ale-houses he frequented. But to keep up a fame of godliness, he gave large contributions to Puritan preachers; who had the art to stop the people's mouths from speaking ill of their benefactors.

"By a thousand arts this fellow became popular, and insinuated himself so into all the gentlemen that owned the Parliament's party, that, till he was discovered some years after, they believed him a most true-hearted, faithful, vigilant, active man, for the godly interest. But he could never climb higher than a Presbyterian persecutor; and, in the end, fell quite off to a declared Cavalier. In Sir George Booth's business, thinking he could sway the scales of a country, he raised a troop, and brought them into Derby, and published a declaration of his own for the King; then ran away to Nottingham, and lost all his troop in the rout there, and hid himself till the King came in (Charles II.); when he was rewarded for his revolt with an office; which he enjoyed not many months