281

MEMOIRS

Relating to the LIFE of

ANTHONY

First EARL of

SHAFTSBURY.

B

EING at Oxford in the beginning of the Civil War (for he was on that fide as long as he had any hopes to ferve his Country there) he was brought one day to King Charles I. by the Lord Falkland his Friend, then Secretary of State, and prefented to him as having fomething to offer to his Majefty worth his Confideration. At this Audience he told the King that he thought he could put an end to the War if His Majefty pleas'd, and would af fift him in it. The King anfwer'd, that he was a very young Man for fo great an un

dertaking

dertaking. Sir, reply'd he, that will not be the worfe for your Affairs, provided I do the business; whereupon the King fhewing a willingness to hear him, he difcours'd to him to this purpose.

The Gentlemen and Men of Estates who firft engaged in this War, feeing now after a Year or two that it feems to be no nearer the end than it was at first, and beginning to be weary of it, I am very well fatisfied would be glad to be at quiet at home again, if they could be affur'd of a redress of their Grievances, and have their Rights and Liberties fecur'd to them. This I am satisfied is the prefent Temper generally through all England, and particularly in those parts where my Eftate and Concerns lie; if therefore your Majefty will impower me to treat with the Parliament Garifons to grant them a full and general Pardon, with an affurance that a general Amnifty (Arms being laid down on both fides) fhould reinstate all things in the fame pofture they were before the War, and then a free Parliament fhould do what more remain'd to be done for the fettlement of the Nation,

That he would begin and try the Experiment first in his own Country, and doubted not but the good fuccefs he fhould have there, would open him the Gates of other adjoyning Garisons, bringing them the news

of

of Peace and Security in laying down their Arms.

Maurice,

Being furnish'd with full power according to his defire, away he goes to Dorfethire, where he manag'd a Treaty with the Garifons of Pool, Weymouth, Dorchefter, and others; and was fo fuccefsful in it, that one of them was actually put into his Hands, as the other were to have been fome few days after. But Prince Maurice Prince who commanded fome of the King's Forces, being with his Army then in those Parts, no fooner heard that the Town was furrender'd but he presently march'd into it, and gave the pillage of it to his Soldiers. This Sir A. faw with the utmost displeasure, and could not forbear to exprefs his Refentments to the Prince; fo that there pass'd fome pretty hot words between them; but the violence was committed, and thereby his defign broken. All that he could do was, that he fent to the other Garisons, he was in Treaty with, to ftand upon their guard, for that he could not fecure his Articles to them, and fo this defign prov'd abortive and died in filence,"

This Project of his for putting an end to a Civil War which had fufficiently harrafs'd the Kingdom, and no body could tell what fatal Confequences it might have, being thus fruftrated, it was not long before his

active

active Thoughts, always intent upon faving his Country (the good of that being that by which he fteer'd his Counfels and Actions through the whole Course of his Life) it was not long before he fet his Head upon framing another defign to the fame purpose. The first Project of it took its rife in a Debate between him and Serjeant Fountain in an Inn at Hungerford, where they accidentally met, and both disliking the continuance of the War, and deploring the ruin it threatn'd, it was started between them, that the Countries all through England, fhould arm and endeavour to fupprefs the Armies on both fides. This Propofal, which, in one Night's debate, look'd more like a well-meant Wish than a form'd Defign; he afterwards confider'd more at leifure, fram'd and fashion'd into a well-order'd and practical Contrivance, and never left working in it 'till he had brought most of the fober and well intention'd Gentlemen of both fides all through England into it. This was that which gave rife to that third fort of Army, which of a fudden started up in feveral parts of England, with fo much terror to the Armies both of King and Parliament, and had not fome of thofe who had engaged in it, and had undertaken Club-men. to rife at the time appointed failed, the Clubmen, for fo they were call'd, had been strong

enough