Mr. Editor,--The recent publication of Macaulay's _History of
England_, and the fresh prominence given thereby to the occurrences
of the Revolution of 1688, have induced me, joined to a wish for the
success of your happily-conceived work, to send you the following
"Note." It was drawn up by the late Sir Harris Nicolas, and printed in
the _Proceedings_ of the late Record Commissioners. As, however, only
fifty copies were printed for the use of the Commissioners, and a copy
is rarely met with, perhaps this Note may have sufficient novelty for
insertion. Sir Harris Nicolas, as editor of the _Proceedings of the
Privy Council_, would doubtless, had that work been continued to 1688,
have used the MSS. if attainable.
"Notice of manuscript in the possession of the Rev. Sir Thomas Miller,
Bart., containing the original Minutes of the Assembly of Peers and
Privy Councillors that met at Guildhall, upon the flight of James II.
from London.
"Extracts from Memorandum of a MS. in the possession of the Rev.
Sir Thomas Miller, Bart. shown to Mr. Cooper, Secretary to the
Record Commissioners, to Sir Harris Nicolas, and to Mr. Hardy, in
May, 1833, at Sir Thomas Miller's lodgings in the Edgeware Road.
"Immediately after the flight of James the Second from London, on
the 11th of December, 1688, a tumult arose among the citizens which
created considerable alarm; and with the view of preserving the peace,
of imparting public confidence, and of providing for the extraordinary
state of affairs, all the Peers and Privy Councillors then in the
vicinity of the metropolis assembled at Guildhall. Of this important
Assembly Bishop Burnet's notice is very brief, and it would appear
from his statement that it was called by the Lord Mayor.[5] A more
full account of the Convention {40} is, however, given in the Memoir
of James the Second published by Dr. Clarke: 'It seems, upon the
King's withdrawing from London, the lords about town met at Guildhall
to consult what was fit to be done. They looked upon the present state
of affairs as an interregnum, that the government was in a manner
devolved upon them, and were in great haste to make a present of it
to the Prince of Orange.'[6] Other acts of this Assembly are then
mentioned; and its proceedings are among the most interesting and
important events in English history, not only from their forming a
precedent in a conjuncture of affairs for which no express provision
is to be found in the constitution, but from the first regular offer
of the throne to the Prince of Orange having emanated from this
Convention. No Record of its proceedings has, it is presumed, been
hitherto known to exist; and the fact that so valuable a Document is
extant, cannot be too generally stated, for it is obvious that it has
high claims to the attention of historians.
"Sir Thomas Miller possesses the original Minutes of this Assembly of
the Peers in the handwriting of a Mr. Glyn, who acted as secretary.
His appointment to that situation is also preserved; and, as it is
signed by all the Lords who were present, it affords evidence of the
names of the Peers who took part in the business of the Assembly, and
contains a very interesting collection of autographs.
"The MS. itself is a small folio, but not above fifty pages are
filled. It comprises the period between the 11th and the 28th
December, 1688, both days inclusive, and appears to be a perfect
Record of every act of that memorable Assembly. The indorsement on the
cover merits notice: it states with singular minuteness the precise
hour of James's abdication, namely at _one in the morning_ of the 11th
of December, 1688."
Sir Thomas Miller also possessed a manuscript, containing an "Account
of the Earl of Rochester, Captain Kendall, and the Narrator's Journey
to Salisbury with King James, Monday, Nov. 19. to Friday, Nov. 23.
1688, inclusive."
In connection with this subject, it may be noticed that there is no
entry of any payment in the _Issue Books_ of the clerks of the Pells
between Tuesday, 11th December, and Monday, 24th December, 1688. J.E.
[Perhaps some of our correspondents could inform us where the MSS.
in question are now deposited.]
[5] After mentioning the excesses committed by the mob, and the
arrest of Judge Jefferies, Bishop Burnet says: "The Lord Mayor
was so struck with the terror of this rude populace, and with the
disgrace of a man who had made all people tremble before him, that
he fell into fits upon it, of which he died soon after.
"To prevent the further growth of such disasters, he called
a Meeting of the Privy Councillors and Peers, who meet at
Guildhall," &c. The pronoun _he_ must relate to the Lord Mayor,
but the sentence is obscurely expressed.
[6] Vol. ii. pp. 259, 260.
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