FN 29 See Prior's Dedication of his Poems to Dorset's son and successor, and Dryden's Essay on Satire prefixed to the Translations from Juvenal. There is a bitter sneer on Dryden's effeminate querulousness in Collier's Short View of the Stage. In Blackmore's Prince Arthur, a poem which, worthless as it is, contains some curious allusions to contemporary men and events, are the following lines "The poets' nation did obsequious wait For the kind dole divided at his gate.
Laurus among the meagre crowd appeared, An old, revolted, unbelieving bard, Who thronged, and shoved, and pressed, and would be heard.
Sakil's high roof, the Muses' palace, rung With endless cries, and endless sons he sung.
To bless good Sakil Laurus would be first;But Sakil's prince and Sakil's God he curst.
Sakil without distinction threw his bread, Despised the flatterer, but the poet fed."I need not say that Sakil is Sackville, or that Laurus is a translation of the famous nickname Bayes.
FN 30 Scarcely any man of that age is more frequently mentioned in pamphlets and satires than Howe. In the famous petition of Legion, he is designated as "that impudent scandal of Parliaments." Mackay's account of him is curious. In a poem written in 1690, which I have never seen except in manuscript, are the following lines "First for Jack Howe with his terrible talent, Happy the female that scopes his lampoon;Against the ladies excessively valiant, But very respectful to a Dragoon."FN 31 Sprat's True Account; North's Examen; Letter to Chief Justice Holt, 1694; Letter to Secretary Trenchard, 1694.
FN 32 Van Citters, Feb 19/March 1 1688/9.
FN 33 Stat. I W.&M. sess. i. c. I. See the Journals of the two Houses, and Grey's Debates. The argument in favour of the bill is well stated in the Paris Gazettes of March 5. and 12. 1689.
FN 34 Both Van Citters and Ronquillo mention the anxiety which was felt in London till the result was known.
FN 35 Lords' Journals, March 1688/9.
FN 36 See the letters of Rochester and of Lady Ranelagh to Burnet on this occasion.
FN 37 Journals of the Commons, March 2. 1688/9 Ronquillo wrote as follows: "Es de gran consideracion que Seimor haya tomado el juramento; porque es el arrengador y el director principal, en la casa de los Comunes, de los Anglicanos." March 8/18 1688/9FN 38 Grey's Debates, Feb. 25, 26, and 27. 1688/9FN 39 Commons' Journals, and Grey's Debates, March 1. 1688/9FN 40 I W. & M. sess. I c.10; Burnet, ii. 13.
FN 41 Commons' Journals, March 15. 1688/9 So late as 1713, Arbuthnot, in the fifth part of John Bull, alluded to this transaction with much pleasantry. "As to your Venire Facias,"says John to Nick Frog, "I have paid you for one already."FN 42 Wagenaar, lxi.
FN 43 Commons' Journals, March 15. 1688/9.
FN 44 Reresby's Memoirs.
FN 45 Commons' Journals, and Grey's Debates, March 15. 1688/9;London Gazette, March 18.
FN 46 As to the state of this region in the latter part of the seventeenth and the earlier part of the eighteenth century, see Pepys's Diary, Sept. 18. 1663, and the Tour through the whole Island of Great Britain, 1724.
FN 47 London Gazette, March 25. 1689; Van Citters to the States General, March 22/April 1 Letters of Nottingham in the State Paper Office, dated July 23 and August 9. 1689; Historical Record of the First Regiment of Foot, printed by authority. See also a curious digression in the Compleat History of the Life and Military Actions of Richard, Earl of Tyrconnel, 1689.
FN 48 Stat. I W.&M. sess. I. c. 5.; Commons' Journals, March 28.
1689.
FN 49 Stat. I W.& M. sess. I. c. 2.
FN 50 Ronquillo, March 8/18. 16S9.
FN 51 See the account given in Spence's Anecdotes of the Origin of Dryden's Medal.
FN 52 Guardian, No. 67.
FN 53 There is abundant proof that William, though a very affectionate, was not always a polite husband. But no credit is due to the story contained in the letter which Dalrymple was foolish enough to publish as Nottingham's in 1773, and wise enough to omit in the edition of 1790. How any person who knew any thing of the history of those times could be so strangely deceived, it is not easy to understand particularly as the handwriting bears no resemblance to Nottingham's, with which Dalrymple was familiar. The letter is evidently a common newsletter, written by a scribbler, who had never seen the King and Queen except at some public place, and whose anecdotes of their private life rested on no better authority than coffeehouse gossip.
FN 54 Ronquillo; Burnet, ii. 2.; Duchess of Marlborough's Vindication. In a pastoral dialogue between Philander and Palaemon, published in 1691, the dislike with which women of fashion regarded William is mentioned. Philander says "But man methinks his reason should recall, Nor let frail woman work his second fall."FN 55 Tutchin's Observator of November 16. 1706.
FN 56 Prior, who was treated by William with much kindness, and who was very grateful for it, informs us that the King did not understand poetical eulogy. The passage is in a highly curious manuscript, the property of Lord Lansdowne.
