Party spirit was embittered at the time of the Exclusion agitation,' and the worst faults of either side seemed to be at once extenuated, condoned, and warmly applauded by men ordinarily just, if thus their own personal antipathies were gratified. Danby was by no means so black as he is here painted: cela va sans dire. Indeed, he was as "loyal," in his way as any of those men who maliciously sought his destruction. Similar intolerance has been shown in later years, in political warfare. Flinging javelins is an awkward habit for indulgence of any except kings: even then, friends come in for the missiles at odd moments.

The Earl of Mulgrave, in An Essay upon Satyr mistakenly attributed to Dryden (and involving a cudgelling from Rochester, wrongly bestowed on the "Poet Squab "), wrote contemptuously of Lord Danby, as a statesman:—

2

Earnely and Ayles[bur],3 with all that race

Of busy Blockheads shall have here no place;
At Council set as foils on D[an]by's score,

To make that great false Jewel shine the more:
Who all that while was thought exceeding wise,
Only for taking pains, and telling lyes.

Another satire," by John Dryden," (as though by Charles II.) mocked

[an]by's Farewel.

Frereas for my own ends I made you so great;

Arewel, my Tom D[an]hy, my Pimp and my Cheat,

The Plot is discover'd, our Money's all spent,
I'll leave you to hang, and my self to repent.
Our Masters, the Commons, begin now to war,
And swear they will either have you or my wh
Then, [an]by, forgive me if I am forsworn,
And leave you to die like a Traitor forlorn.

e.5

1 Erratum. A grievous error crept into Bagford Ballads, and escaped detection, unaccountably. On p. 636, the first line of Note should read-" Who were thereafter to make exertions to promote the Exclusion Bill of 1680," etc. 2 Sir Thomas Earnely, Chancellor of the Exchequer, in 1678.

3 This was Robert Bruce, Earl of Aylesbury.

4 When Plots and Sham-Plots were so numerous, one need be precise in the naming of each. The Plot here was the secret arrangement between Louis XIV. and our Charles II. For three years subsidy from France, England was to perform certain services, such as the Commons were sure to discountenance. Ralph Montagu betrayed the transaction, in December, 1678. Danby's signature being on the paper of application for the subsidy, with the approval of Charles (" this is written, by my order, C R."), led to an impeachment of the minister.

For the same reason that guided to the foregoing note, it is better to note which lady of the many rejoicing in this common appellation was intended. It was Louise de Querouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth; who was accredited as a spy of Louis. But there were many worse women than Louise. The abuse hurled against her in lampoons was atrocious, e.g., "Portsmouth's Looking-Glass," by the Earl of Rochester, beginning, Methinks I see you newly risen." Also "On the Dutchess of Portsmouth's Picture," 1682, in State Poems, continued, p. 51.

"These will appear such Chits in story."

83

The nation passed free comments on the King for having left Danby to bear the brunt of the Opposition's resentment, at the discovery of the secret French Treaty. In a cleverly written mock "Speech to both Houses of Parliament " Charles II. is made to say, regarding "the late embezzlements of my Dripping-pans and Kitchin-stuff, of which, by the way, upon my Conscience, neither my Lord Treasurer, nor my Lord Lauderdale are guilty: I tell you my Opinion, but if you should find them dabbling in that business, I tell you plainly, I leave 'em to you; for I would have the World

to know I am not a man to be cheated."

To please Shaftesbury and his ever-discontented allies in both Houses, Danby was made the scape-goat, since they were unable otherwise to reach at the King. As a contemporary squib puts it: Danby's the first shall to the slaughter go; 'Tis we, the Commons, do command it so.

In the lines (attributed to John Dryden, but more probably by Lord Dorset), 1680, which briefly characterize "The Chits," otherwise "The Young Statesmen," Danby's portrait is not flattered :Clarendon had Law and Sense,1 To be repeated like John Dory,

Clifford was fierce and brave, Bennett's grave look was a pretence, And Danby's matchless Impudence Help'd to support the Knave.

When Fidlers sing at feasts.

Protect us, mighty Providence!

What would these Mad-men have? First, they wou'd bribe us without Pence,

Deceive us without common Sense,

And without Power enslave, &c.3

ButSunderland, God[olphi]n, L[or]y,2
These will appear such Chits in story,
'Twill turn all Politicks to Jests,
In another Poem on State Affairs (iii. 120), a "Satyr on Old
Rowley," with reference to King Charles being set against the Duke
of Monmouth, we read:-" The Chits have made him hate his son."
In "Portsmouth's Looking-Glass," by the Earl of Rochester,
already mentioned, telling of Charles II. enslaved to indulgence by
the Duchess, there is a further mention of "the Chits," whose
lease of power continued after Danby's.

[For Charles] he knows not what to do,
But loll and fumble here with you:
Amongst your Ladies and his Chits,
At Cards and Council here he sits;

30

1 Alluding to Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon; Sir Thomas Clifford, one of the Cabal, whose " daring impetuous spirit gave him weight in the King's councils;" Sir Henry Bennet, Secretary of State, better known as the Earl of Arlington, another of the Cabal (the others being Buckingham, Ashley, and Lauderdale). Marvell mentions "Circaan Clifford, with his charming wand."

In contrast here are named, Robert Spencer, second Earl of Sunderland; Sidney Godolphin, who had been a Commissioner of the Treasury, and was made a Privy Councillor in 1679; and Laurence Hyde, First Commissioner, at the same date, succeeding the Earl of Essex.

3 Collection of Poems against Popery, 1689, Part iii. p. 8. There are three more verses, of little importance. It is also found in State Poems, i. 163.

2 G

Yet minds not how they play at either,
Nor cares not when 'tis walking weather:
Bus'ness and Power he has resign'd,
And all things to your mighty Mind.
Is there a Minister of State,
Or any Treasurer of late,

That's fawning and imperious too ?—
He owes his greatness all to you.
And as you see just cause to do't,
You keep him in, or turn him out.
Hence 'tis you give us War and Peace,

Raise Men, disband them as you please:
Take Pensions, retrench Wages,
For Petticoats and lusty Pages:
Contrive and execute all Laws,

Suiting the Judges to the Cause, etc.1

40

48

Of the same date, 1678, was another contemporary squib, let off by the enemies of Danby when impeaching him, and seeking to take his life. It befittingly comes in here :

:

On the Earl of D[an]by's Empeachment by the House of

Commons, 1678.

Hat the Devil ails the Parliament ?

W sure they were drunk with Brandy,

When they did seek to circumvent
Thomas Earl of D[an]by.

But they ungrateful will appear,
As any thing that can be;
For they received Fiddler's Fare 2
From Thomas Earl of D[an]by.

But Shaftesbury does lie and lurk,
That little Jack-a-Dandy,
And all his Engin[e]s set on work
'Gainst Thomas Earl of D[an]by.

3

Now whether he will stay or go,3
I think it handy-dandy;
If he dare stay, he'll hang, I trow:
Poor Thomas Earl of D[an]by!

I never heard of Subject tell,

Nor can one in this Land be,
Deserves a Halter half so well
As Thomas Earl of D[an]by.

Then Commons trust him not a bit,
Unless you will trapan'd be;
There's not so false a Jesuit
As Thomas Earl of D[an]by.

Such were the Amenities of Literature for political opponents, of either sex, when the Anti-Papal spirit was rampant, in 1678.

Compare Butler's allusion to the same Duchess (as it is supposed), in the Lady's Answer to Hudibras, his Heroical Epistle (Part iii. 1678, lines 1437-38): We make and execute all Laws,

Can judge the Judges and the Cause.

The lines are of nearly coincident date. Which writing held priority?

2

Fiddler's money was the term used for small silver coins, sixpences or groats, collectively. Not that fiddlers always got so generous a contribution (we may not say liberal," for the word has acquired an odious equivocal significance). Thus in the 1671 ballad," Come lasses and lads," we read, And every one gave twopence, twopence, twopence, and came away." A fiddler gave "a fit of mirth for a groat," we are told; with hint of receiving a shilling for singing a ballad. In dancing every dancer paid contribution.

3 Danby soon resolved this puzzling question, by taking to flight. Family considerations induced him, unhappily, to return. He may have been persuaded to do so by secret promises that the prosecution would “blow over."

[Roxburghe Collection, II. 109.]

The Disloyal Favourite;

Or,

The Unfortunate States-Man.
Who seeks by fond desire for to Climb,
May chance to catch a fall before his time,
For Fortune is as fickle, as the Wind,
To him that bears a proud ambitious mind.
TUNE OF, Sauny will ne'r be my Love again.

Ommy was a Lord of high renown,
and he was Rais'd from a low degree,
He had Command or'e every Town;
there was never a one so great as he:
But he, like an ungrateful wretch,
Did set his Conscience on the Stretch,
And now is afraid of Squire Ketch,1

For Tommy will ne'r be belov'd again.

4

8

It is to be remembered that this degraded being was the veritable "Jack Ketch" whose name was long remembered for his butcherly work in hanging,

When he was a Young and a lively Lad,
he had strange projects in his pate,
He thought that Honour was to be had,

2

and that it was fine to be high in State;
Which made him up to the Court to come,
To try his Friends, both all and some,
He got them to swallow a Sugar Plumb,
But Tommy will ne'r be belov'd again.
He took delight, to be made a Knight,
for that he counted a lucky stepp,
Thought he, "If I can rise so high,
perhaps the next time I may leap."
Such fancys harboured in his brest,
That he could hardly take his rest,
Since that Ambition was his guest,

But Tommy will ne'r be belov'd again.

He came to be both High and Great,
and Lord it over all the rest,
His betters sate on a lower seate,

whilst he was placed with the best;
Which made him so with Honour swell,
Where his breech hung, he could not tell,
He thought that all things happened well,
But Tommy will ne'r be belov'd again.

28

32

mutilating, disembowelling many unfortunates. Among those who came under his heavy hand were Lord Stafford, the murdered Catholic Peer whom Lord William Russell tried to rob of the clemency which changed all the customary barbarities and torture into simple beheading; Russell himself, who found Charles not vindictive enough to assign to him in 1683 the indignities which he had sought to fix on Stafford, in 1680; and, lastly, James Scott, Duke of Monmouth, in 1685. A portrait of Jack Ketch is given in our forthcoming Monmouth Group. We give two ballads on Lord Stafford's execution; also two on that of Coleman; he was another of Jack Ketch's victims. Even "Squire" Ketch had, like Nero, his one admirer. His wife is reported to have said, "That any bungler might put a man to death, but that her husband only knew how to make a Gentleman die sweetly." Nevertheless he was what Byron declared another person to be, "A bungler even in his disgusting trade;" as history proves. 1 Danby had been made a Privy Councillor in 1672.

2 Sir Thomas Osborne was honoured as a Knight of the Garter, in 1677, and bore successively the titles of Baron Osborne, Viscount Latimer of Danby, 1673; Earl of Danby, 1674; Viscount Dunblane, 1675; Marquis of Carmarthen, 1689; and Duke of Leeds, 1694. His going over to William of Orange's party, after all that he had suffered of persecution from it formerly, is one of the worst features in him, betokening a "slight" man. Stringer calls him "a bold undertaker, a brazen liar, a violent persecutor of malice and revenge."