would not go, unless he might be governor, which was not true, Jones having accepted of the place of deputy-governor from the committee at Derby-house, who had also appointed the Lord Lisle to commission his brother Algernon to be governor of Dublin, which he had done before he went into Munster. This motion of the recorder was seconded by old Sir Henry Vane, who pretended that his conscience moved him to be of opinion, that since the House had thought proper to recall the Lord Lisle, it was not fit to let his brother, Algernon Sydney, remain governor of so important a place as Dublin. Sir William Armyn and others opposed this motion, alledging, that if they had used one brother ill, they ought not to do injustice to the other, who had so well deserved of them. But it was carried against him, and the government was conferred on Jones. After which resolution, it was moved that some recompence might be given to Algernon Sydney, according to his merit; to which the House assented without opposition." And on the 7th of May, Colonel Sydney had the thanks of the House for his good services in Ireland; and was afterwards made governor of Dover. In January, 1648, he † was nominated one of King Charles' judges, though he did not sit among them. What his reasons were for declining this, we know not. It is manifest that he was, both by inclination and principle, a zealous

* Whitelocke's Memorials, p. 246. Edit. 1732.

Our authority for this article is taken from Echard's History of England, 675 and 697.

republican; and, on that account, * a violent enemy to Oliver Cromwell, when he assumed to himself the government, to which, as well as to that of Richard, his successor, he was absolutely irreconcileable. But, upon the resignation of Richard, the Long Parliament being restored in May, 1659, and having passed a declaration, "to secure the liberty and property of the people, both as men and christians, and that without a single person, kingship, or House of Lords, and to uphold the magistracy and the ministry," " he adhered to them; and was appointed one of the Council of State, with the Lord Fairfax, Bradshaw, Sir Henry Vane, General Ludlow, Sir Arthur Haselrig, Fleetwood, Lambert, † Colonel Henry

Whitelocke, p. 678.

Within two days after this discourse, from Mr. Fiennes, Mr. Hyde walking between the Parliament House and Westminster, in the church-yard, met with Harry Marten, with whom he lived very familiarly, and speaking together about the proceedings of the House, Marten told him, that he would undo himself by his adhering to the court; to which he replied, that he had no relation to the court, and was only concerned to maintain the government, and preserve the law: and then told him, he could not conceive what he proposed to himself, for he did not think him to be of the opinion or nature with those men who governed the house; and asked him what he thought of such and such men; and he very frankly answered he thought them knaves, and that when they had done as much as they intended to do, they should be used as they had used others. The other pressed him to say what he desired; to which, after a little pause, he very roundly answered, I do not think one man wise enough to govern us all; which was the first word he had ever heard any man speak to that purpose, and VOL. I.

C

Marten, Mr. Thomas Challoner, Mr. Thomas Scot, *Mr. Henry Neville, Mr. Wallop, and others....

would without doubt, if it had then been communicated or attempted, been the most abhorred by the whole nation of any design that could be mentioned: and yet it appears it had even so early as 1640 or 1641, entered into the hearts of some desperate persons; that gentleman being at that time possessed of a very great fortune, and having great credit in his county.... The life of Edward, Earl of Clarendon, part i. p. 81. oct. edit.

The Colonel was author of divers curious tracts; and was also a principal promoter of the publishing of "The first Century of scandalous malignant priests," "The King's Cabinet opened," and other state tracts....See his character in A. Wood's Athene Oxionienses, and in Bishop Kennett's historical register; but drawn in bitterness of wrath and anger.

Henry Neville, second son of Sir Henry Neville, of Billingbeare. in Berks, was educated at Oxford. In the beginning of the civil war, he travelled into Italy and other countries, whereby he advanced himself much as to the knowledge of modern languages and men; and returning in 1645, or thereabouts, became Recruiter in the Long Parliament, for Abingdon in Berkshire, at which time he was very intimate with Harry Marten, Thomas Challoner, Thomas Scot, James Harrington, and other zealous commonwealth's-men. In Nov. 1651, he was elected one of the Council of State, being then a favourite of Oliver; but when he saw that person gaped after the government by a single person, he left him, was out of his favour, and acted little during his government. In 1658, he was elected Burgess for Reading, to serve in Richard's Parliament; and when that person was deposed, and the Long Parliament shortly after restored, he was again elected one of the Council of State....He was a great Rota-man, was one of the chief persons of James Harrington's club of commonwealth's-men, to instil their principles into others; he being esteemed to be a man of good parts, and a well-bred gentle

man.

At the appearance of "The Commonwealth of Oceana,"

On the 5th of June, he was likewise nominated, with Sir Robert Honeywood and Bulstrode White

it was greedily bought up, and coming into the hands of Thomas Hobbes of Malmsbury, he would often say, that Harry Neville had a finger in that pye, and those that knew them both were of the same opinion. By that book, and both their smart discourses and inculcations daily in coffee-houses, they obtained many proselytes. In 1659, in the beginning of Michaelmas term, they had every night a meeting at the then Turk's Head, in New Palace Yard, Westminster, called Miles' Coffee-house, to which place their disciples and virtuosi would commonly repair; and their discourses about government and ordering of a commonwealth, were the most ingenious and smart that ever were heard, the arguments in the Parliament House being but flat to those. They had a ballottingbox, and ballotted how things should be carried, by way of Tentamen; which not being used or known in England before, on that account, the room every evening was very full. Besides the author and Harry Neville, who were the prime men of this club, were Cyriac Skinner, a merchant's son of London, an ingenious young gentleman, and scholar to John Milton, which Skinner sometimes held the chair; Major John Wildman, Charles Wolseley of Staffordshire, Roger Coke, William Poultney, (afterwards a knight) who sometimes held the chair; John Hoskyns, John Aubrey, Maximilian Pettie of Tetsworth in Oxfordshire, a very able man in these matters, and who had more than once turned the council-board of Oliver Cromwell; Michael Mallet, Philip Carteret of the Isle of Guernsey, Francis Cradock, a merchant, Henry Ford, Major Venner, Thomas Marriet of Warwickshire, Henry Croone, physician, Edward Bagshaw, of Christ Church, and Robert Wood of Lincoln College, Oxford; James Arderne, then or soon after a divine, with many others; besides auditors and antagonists of note. Dr. William Petty was a Rota-man. The doctrine was very taking, and the more, as there was no probability of the King's return. The greatest of the Parliamentmen hated this design of rotation and ballotting, as being against

locke, Esq. to go commissioners to the Sound, * in order to mediate a peace between the Kings of

their power. Eight or ten were for it, of which number Harry Neville was one, who proposed it to the House, and made it out to the members thereof, that except they embraced that way of government they would be ruined. The model of it was, that the third part of the Senate or House should rote out by ballot every year, so that every third year the said Senate would be wholly altered. No magistrate was to continue above three years, and all to be chosen by ballot; than which choice nothing could be invented more fair and impartial, as was then thought, though opposed by many for several reasons. This club of commonwealth's-men lasted till about February 21, 1659; at which time the secluded members being restored by General Monke, all their models vanished....After the Restoration, he absconded for a time; but being seized, he was among others imprisoned, though soon after set at liberty.

Among various publications, there is a curious book of his, in octavo, intitled, " Plato Redivivus, or a Dialogue concerning government, wherein, by observations drawn from other kingdoms and states, both ancient and modern, an endeavour is used to discover the present politic distemper of our own, with . the remedies." It came out first in the month of October, 1680, against the re-sitting of the Parliament, was very much bought up by the members thereof, and admired. Soon after, in the year 1681, it was republished with additions. In that book he says, "As for our History, it will not be forgotten. One of those, who was in employment from the year 40 to 60, hath written the history of those twenty years, a person of good learning and elocution; and though he be now dead, yet his executors are very unwilling to publish it so soon, and to rub a sore that is not yet healed. But the story is writ with great truth and impartiality, although the author was engaged both in councils and arms for the Parliament."........Reader, shouldst thou be possessed of such a history,bestow it upon the public.

The Committee of safety having dispatched a messenger to our fleet in the Sound, before the election of the Council of