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Parliamentary Elections and Electioneering in 1685

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

R. H. George
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Extract

A Parliament was inevitable from the moment James II was proclaimed King of England on 6 February, 1685. Two days later the new sovereign informed Barrillon, the French ambassador, of his intention to convene Lords and Commons in May. With a prudent regard for his relations with Louis XIV, he took care to explain that he embarked upon this course so speedily in order to show the English that he was not afraid, and to render more acceptable his intended proclamation directing the continued collection of revenues from customs and excise. He also indicated that an immediate summons was essential if he were to gain credit for such action.

Type
Research Article
Information
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society , Volume 19 , December 1936 , pp. 167 - 195
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1936

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References

page 167 note 1 Acknowledgment is made to the Social Science Research Council, whose grant assisted the research upon which this article is based. For materials in local archives the writer has had to depend chiefly on printed collections. The year is given in New, the day of the month in Old Style.

page 167 note 2 Barrillon to Louis XIV, 9/19, 12/22 Feb., 1685, Archives de la Ministère des Affaires Etrangères, Correspondence Politique, Angleterre (hereafter cited as C.P.A.), cliv. 135, 157 verso; Public Record Office (hereafter cited as P.R.O.) P.C. 2/71, f. 8; ibid., S.P. 44/335, f. 468; Luttrell, N., Historical Relation (Oxford, 1857), i. 344Google Scholar; Steele, R., Bibliography of Royal Proclamations (Oxford, 1910), i. no. 3774. Luttrell's comment that the writs were stayed “to search and find out how elections would go” is suggestive.Google Scholar

page 168 note 1 Memoirs of the Verney Family (London, 1892–1899), iv. 343Google Scholar; John Drummond to Queensberry, 14 Feb., 1685, Buccleugh MSS., ii, Hist. MSS, Comm. (1903), p. 215Google Scholar; Luttrell, N., Historical Relation, i. 328.Google Scholar

page 168 note 2 Ralph, J., History of England (London, 1744–1746), i. 847Google Scholar; Plymouth to Sunderland, 18 Feb., 1685, P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, f. 20; SirWyche, C. to Ormond, , 21 Feb., 1685Google Scholar; Ormonde MSS., New Series, viii, Hist. MSS. Comm. (1912), p. 327Google Scholar; Barrillon, to Louis, XIV, 2/12 March, 1685, C.P.A., cli. 238.Google Scholar

page 169 note 1 Elias Ashmole to Mr. Martin, 26 March, 1685, Bodleian Library, Rawlinson MSS. (hereafter cited as Rawl.), D 864, f. 8 verso; Parker, Philip to Albemarle, , 14 April, 1685Google Scholar, Montague of Beaulieu MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. (1900), p. 190Google Scholar; Luttrell, N., Historical Relation, i. 341.Google Scholara On this and many other matters relating to the elections, see Sunderland's correspondence, P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, ff. 19–72; ibid., S.P. 44/56, ff. 171–98. Barrillon caused Louis XIV to rejoice when he reported that James was taking every care that Lords attached to his cause use all their credit in the “Provinces” to prevent the election of those whose loyalty was suspect. (Barrillon, to Louis, XIV, 2/12 March, 1685Google Scholar; C.P.A., cli. 238; Louis, XIV to Barrillon, , 13/23 March, 1685Google Scholar, ibid., cliv. 260.)

page 170 note 1 Sunderland, to Nottingham, , 13 April, 1685Google Scholar, Finch MSS., ii, Hist. MSS. Comm. (1922), p. 189.Google Scholar

page 170 note 2 Thirteen answers to Sunderland's missives have been found. Meetings of the gentry were in many cases held under the presidency of county officials to fix upon shire candidates (e.g. Bradshaigh, J. to Kenyon, Roger and others, 4 March, 1685Google Scholar, Kenyon MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xiv, app. 4 (1894), P. 178).Google Scholar

page 171 note 1 Rutland to Mayor of Leicester, 4, 5 March, 1685, Leicester Corporation MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. viii, app. 1 (1881), p. 440.Google Scholar

page 171 note 2 SirBramston, John, Autobiography (Camden Soc, 1845), p. 169Google Scholar; Lindsey, to Rutland, 16 March, 1685Google Scholar, Rutland MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xii, app. 5 (1889), p. 87Google Scholar; Frankland, Thomas to SirFrankland, William, 19 Feb. 1685Google Scholar, Frankland-Russell-Astley MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. (1900), p. 58Google Scholar; Fauconberg, to same, 28 March, 1685Google Scholar, ibid., p. 62; Burnet, G., History of the Reign of King James II (Oxford, 1852), p. 17Google Scholar; Evelyn, John, Diary (Wheatley ed., London, 1906)Google Scholar, 22 May, 1685, ii. 465; Bath to Town Clerk of Bodmin, — 1685, Courtney, W. P., The Parliamentary Representation of Cornwall to 1832 (London, 1889), p. 235.Google Scholar

page 171 note 3 Earl, Thomas of Ailesbury, , Memoirs (1890), i. 100Google Scholar; Ailesbury, to Rutland, 14, 22 Feb., 1685Google Scholar, Rutland MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xii, app. 5 (1889), pp. 85Google Scholar, 87; Pepys, Samuel, Life, Journals, etc. (London, 1841)Google Scholar, 18 Aug., 1683, i. 337; Dartmouth, to MrAshmole, , 23 March, 1685Google Scholar, Rawl. A 289, f. 123; Huntingdon, to Mayor, of Leicester, 4, 5 March, 1685Google Scholar, Leicester MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. viii, app. 1 (1881), p. 440Google Scholar; Clarendon to MrGoldwyer, , 16 March, 1685Google Scholar, Clarendon Correspondence (Singer ed., London, 1828), i. 181Google Scholar; same to Abingdon, 10, 26 Feb., 1685, Correspondence of Clarendon and Abingdon, Oxford Hist. Soc, Collectanea, iii. (1896), 254, 255.Google Scholar

page 172 note 1 North, R., Lives of the Norths (London, 1826), ii. 114Google Scholar; Memoirs of the Verney Family, iv. 335Google Scholar; Return of Members of Parliament, Part i (1878). Sir Dudley North sat for Banbury, where “on account of Lord Guilford's trust, he had a sure interest” (North, R., Lives of the Norths, iii. 160).Google Scholar

page 172 note 2 Negus, Francis to Lestrange, Edward, 10 Feb., 1685Google Scholar, Lestrange MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xi, app. 7 (1888), p. 105Google Scholar; Wood, A., Life and Times (Oxford, 1891–1900), iii. 135Google Scholar; Thanet, to SirFleming, Daniel, 24 Feb., 1685Google Scholar, Le Fleming MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xii, app. 7 (1890), p. 197Google Scholar; SirPhilipson, Christopher to same, 14 Feb., 1685Google Scholar; ibid., p. 196; Kenyon, Roger to various, 4, 5 March, 1685Google Scholar, Kenyon MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xiv, app. 4 (1894), p. 178Google Scholar; Leigh, R. to Derby, 31 March, 1685Google Scholar, ibid., 179; Derby to Deputy Lieutenants, 2 April, 1685, Le Fleming MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xii, app. 7 (1890), p. 197.Google Scholar

page 173 note 1 Wood, A., Life and Times, iii. 134; Bishop of Oxford to Christopher Hatton, 21 March, 1685, Brit. Mus., Add. MSS. 29582, f. 241. What appears to be a copy of the Whigs' anonymous warning is found in Bodleian Library, Tanner MSS. 32, f. 232.Google Scholar

page 173 note 2 L'Estrange, R., The Observator, 4 April, 1685, iii. no. 25.Google Scholar

page 174 note 1 Barrillon, to Louis, XIV, 12/22 March, 1685Google Scholar, C.P.A., cliv. 271; Frankland, Thomas to SirFrankland, William, 17 March, 1685Google Scholar, Frankland-Russell-Astley MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. (1900), p. 61.Google Scholar

page 174 note 2 Macaulay, T. B., History of England (Firth ed., London, 1913–1915), i, 473Google Scholar; Earl, Thomas of Ailesbury, , Memoirs, i. 100Google Scholar; Barrillon, to Louis, XIV, 23 March/12 April, 1685, C.P.A., cliv, 326.Google Scholar

page 175 note 1 For accounts of previous elections in the Restoration period, see Lipson, E., “The Elections to the Exclusion Parliaments,” English Historical Review, xviii. (1913), 59CrossRefGoogle Scholar; and George, M. D., “Elections and Electioneering, 1679–1681Google Scholar,” ibid., xlv. (1930), 552.

page 175 note 2 Dunwich MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Various Colls., vii. (1914), p. 104Google Scholar; Bishop's Castle MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. x, app. 4 (1885), p. 405Google Scholar; Bury St. Edmunds Records, Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xiv, app. 8 (1895), p. 150.Google Scholar

page 176 note 1 Lindsey, to Rutland, 16 March, 1685Google Scholar, Rutland MSS. ii, Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xii, app. 5 (1889), p. 87Google Scholar; Commons Journals, ix. 719Google Scholar; xxii. 693; Goldney, F. H., Records of Chippenham (London, 1889), p. 71Google Scholar; Hartopp, H., Register of the Freemen of Leicester (Leicester, 1927)Google Scholar, under dates 1, 3, 4, 11 March, 1684/5; Victoria County History, Lancaster, viii. 18Google Scholar; Scott, John, Berwick upon Tweed (London, 1888), p. 219.Google Scholar

page 176 note 2 Pepys, Samuel to Albemarle, , 9 April, 1685Google Scholar, Buccleugh and Queensberry MSS. i. Hist. MSS. Comm. (1899), p. 341. Albemarle suggested the regulation of the corporation at Dartmouth, only to be informed that while the charter allowed the King to displace officers he could not nominate their successors. (Sunderland to Albemarle, 6 April, 1685, P.R.O., S.P. 44/56, f. 193.)Google Scholar

page 178 note 1 Verulam MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. (1906), pp. 98–9Google Scholar; Warrant 6 March, 1685, P.R.O., S.P. 44/335, f. 524; Commons Journals, ix. 722Google Scholar; Luttrell, N., Historical Relation, i. 341.Google Scholar

page 178 note 2 Memoirs of the Verney Family, iv. 320Google Scholar; Reading Corporation Archives, Corporation Diary no. 15, under dates 9, 20 Feb., 9, 12, 13 March, 26, 27 June, 1685, and also the brief calendar of the same in Reading Corporation MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xi, app. 7 (1888), p. 199Google Scholar; Commons Journals, ix. 716, 745.Google Scholar

page 179 note 1 SirReresby, John, Memoirs (London, 1875), 10 March, 1685, pp. 318–20.Google Scholar

page 179 note 2 Sir Robert himself sat for Newport, William Hewer for Yarmouth, and William Blathwayt for Newtown. The last named was a royal nominee. Return of Members of Parliament, Part i.

page 180 note 1 Ashton, E. to SirPeel, Roger, 24 Feb., 1685Google Scholar, Kenyon MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xiv, app. 4 (1894), P. 177Google ScholarAlbemarle, to Kenyon, Roger, March, 1685Google Scholar, ibid., p. 179; Kenyon, Roger to Albemarle, 10 March, 1685Google Scholar, ibid., p. 178; Return of Members of Parliament, Part i.

page 180 note 2 Col. Widdrington to Dartmouth, 1 April, 1685, Dartmouth MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xi, app. 5 (1887), p. 124.Google Scholar

page 180 note 3 On the Lichfield election, see D.N.B., art. “Elias Ashmole”; Wedgwood, J. C., Staffordshire Parliamentary History (William Salt Soc. Publications, 1917–1922), p. 160; and especially the correspondence of Sunderland, P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, ff. 67–80; and that of Elias Ashmole, Rawl. A 289, B 121, and D 864.Google Scholar

page 183 note 1 Lawley's appeal to Sunderland failed, the King thinking it “too late to interpose” (Sunderland to SirLawley, Francis, 6 April, 1685Google Scholar, P.R.O., S.P. 44/56, f. 193). Lawley petitioned the House of Commons, but no action was taken (Commons Journals, ix. 717).Google Scholar

page 183 note 2 On the Winchester election, see the correspondence of Sunderland, P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, ff. 58–66, and ibid., S.P. 44/56, ff. 179–86.

page 183 note 3 L'Estrange, R., The Observator, 12 March, 1685, iii, no. 16.Google Scholar

page 184 note 1 Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath and Wells, to Dartmouth, 15 March, 1685, Dartmouth MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. xi, app. 5 (1887), p. 123.Google Scholar

page 184 note 2 The Mayor had refused to honour tradition and advance the date of the city election to avoid coincidence with the election for the shire.

page 184 note 3 Bramston's account of the Maiden and Essex County elections appears in his Autobiography, pp. 169–78. See also Oxford to Albemarle, n.d., Buccleugh and Queensberry MSS. i, Hist. MSS. Comm. (1899), p. 344; and Ezekiel Everest to [Sunderland], 26 March, 1685, P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, f. 73.Google Scholar

page 186 note 1 No return for Wendover is listed in the Return of Members of Parliament for 1685, and none is found at the P.R.O. Richard Hampden, however, declared that he was “chosen and return'd at Wendover” (Hampden, Richard to Lord Lovelace, 20 March, 1685Google Scholar, Brit. Mus., Add. MSS. 31141, f. 1). His name also appears on contemporary manuscript and printed lists, and that given in the Parliamentary History. Barrillon records the fact of his election, as does Bramston, without naming the constituency which he represented (Bodleian Library, Willis MSS. 9, f. 119; P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, f. 97; Parliamentary History (1808), ivGoogle Scholar. 1348; Bárrillon to Louis XIV, 23 March/2 April, 1685, C.P.A., cliv. 326 verso; SirBramston, John, Autobiography, p. 217Google Scholar). Sir Thomas Lee claimed to have been defrauded of the election at Aylesbury, and petitioned the House accordingly (Frankland, Thomas to SirFrankland, William, 17 March, 1685Google Scholar, Frankland-Russell-Astley MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm. (1900), p. 61Google Scholar; Commons Journals, ix. 725).Google Scholar

page 186 note 2 On the election for Bucks, see Memoirs of the Verney Family, iv. 334–9Google Scholar; Latimer Correspondence, Brit. Mus., Add. MSS. 28053, f. 316, and ibid., 28087, ff. 27, 35; Sunderland to Nottingham, 3 April, 1685, Finch MSS. ii., Hist. MSS. Comm. (1922), p. 189.Google Scholar

page 187 note 1 Jeffreys, to Sunderland, 5 April, 1685Google Scholar, P.R.O., S.P. 31/1, f. 82; same to Winwood, Richard, 5 April, 1685Google Scholar, Buccleugh and Queensberry MSS. i, Hist. MSS. Comm. (1899), p. 341Google Scholar; Sunderland to MrWaller, , 6 April, 1685Google Scholar, P.R.O., S.P. 44/50, f. 192; Danby to Latimer, 9 April, 1685, Lindsey MSS., Hist. MSS. Comm., Rep. ix, app. 9 (1895), P. 446.Google Scholar

page 188 note 1 Macaulay, T. B., History of England, i. 473Google Scholar; Memoirs of the Life of … Thomas late Marquess of Wharton (London, 1715), p. 29Google Scholar. Thomas Hackett petitioned the House of Commons against the seating of Wharton, but his petition was dismissed since he failed to support it (Commons Journals, ix. 717, 760).Google Scholar

page 188 note 2 The election was announced as early as 4 March, but did not take place until 15 May. An unusual amount of evidence is furnished by the Memoirs of the Verney Family, iv. 321–57Google Scholar, on the one hand, and by Lord Latimer's Correspondence (Brit. Mus., Add. MSS. 28053, fi. 3–68, and ibid., 28087, ff. 316–20), on the other.

page 189 note 1 The warrant for the new charter bears the date 13 June, 1684 (P.R.O., S.P. 44/70, f. 30). According to decisions by the House of Commons, the franchise was vested in the “select number” (Commons Journals, viii. 87; x. 467).Google Scholar

page 191 note 1 Cal. State Papers Dom., 1679–80, pp. 361–2. Latimer proposed to place £200 or more at the corporation's disposal for building the edifice, which, however, was ultimately erected at the charge of Sir Ralph Verney.

page 191 note 2 Latimer not merely sought advice from his father, but also the use of his coach. Danby's request for its return is amusing— “I must needs desire my coach to bee returned for the Coronation being so near, and your Mother having so much bussinesse to do in London, she is forc't to use hackney coaches, with great inconvenience to her.”

page 191 note 1 Among Latimer's correspondence there is the draft of a petition claiming the seat on the basis of election by the populace, but the petition actually presented to the House of Commons was not actively prosecuted (Commons Journals, ix. 716, 760).Google Scholar

page 194 note 1 Barrillon, to Louis, XIV, 23 Feb./5 March, 1685Google Scholar, C.P.A., cliv. 236 verso; same to same, 2/12, 12/22 March, 24 March/3 April, 30 March/9 April, 13/23 April, 1685, ibid., cliv. 238, 271, 335, 345, 412.

page 194 note 2 A Collection of State Tracts (London, 1705–1707), iii. 700Google Scholar; Burnet, G., History of the Reign of James II, p. 18Google Scholar; Rochester, to William, of Orange, 24 March, 1685Google Scholar, P.R.O., S.P. 8/1; James, II to William, of Orange, 13 April, 1685Google Scholar, ibid., S.P. 8/3, f. 94.

page 194 note 3 Barrillon, to Louis, XIV, 30 March/9 April, 13/23 April, 1685Google Scholar, C.P.A., cliv. 345, 412. The Bishop of Oxford also made the cautious note that “the ensuing Parliament … will probably be made of men who if not altered by the genius of the place will be very apt to comply, with what is desir'd of them” (Bishop of Oxford to Hatton, Christopher, 19 Feb., 1685, Brit. Mus., Add. MSS. 29582, f. 215).Google Scholar