he writes, "To-morrow the King's counsell is to be heard at our bar, to lay out evidence against the King's dead and living judges, and the other persons whom the act of Indemnity has left to pains and penaltyes. The act for universal Conformity will, in a day or two, be brought in.” From June, 1661, we have a long vacancy in Marvell's correspondence. It appears that he was at this time in Holland; and did not show any intention of returning, till LORD BELLASIS* requested the town of Hull to proceed to the election of a new Member, in case of their burgess not appearing in his seat in the House of Commons. The Corporation thanked his lordship, and informed him, that they had had two letters from Marvell, who was not far off, and would be ready at their call. They therefore wrote to him, stating if he did not return, they would be compelled to embrace the expedient proposed by his lordship. This summons brought Marvell to England, as we find by his letter dated "GENTLEMEN, "Frankfort, March 12, 1663. Had mine own thoughts not been strong enough to persuade me to slight concernments of mine, in respect to the public, and your service, your prudent and courteous letter of the 3rd of February would have brought me over, though I had been at a greater distance. This is only to assure you that I am making all the speed possible back, and that with God's assistance, in a very short time you may expect to hear of me at the Parliament House; in the mean time, I remain, Gentlemen, Your most affectionate friend to serve you, ANDREW MARVELL." * Lord Bellasis was then High Steward of Hull, and Deputy Governor under the Duke of Monmouth. It appears that Marvell soon after arrived in England to attend his duty in Parliament. In his letter he alludes to the request of Lord Bellasis to the town of Hull, that they should proceed to elect another Burgess, on account of his absence. "GENTLEMEN, "Westminster, April 2, 1663. Being newly arrived in town, and full of businesse, yet I could not neglect to give you notice that this day I have been in the House, and found my place empty; though it seems that some persons would have been so courteous, as to have filled it for me. You may be assured that as my obligation and affection to your service hath been strong enough to draw me over, without any consideration of mine own private concernments, so I shall now maintain my station with the same vigour and alacrity in your business which I have always testify'd formerly, and which is no more than is due to that kindnesse which I have constantly experienced from you. So at present, though in much haste, saluting you all with my most hearty respects, I remain, Gentlemen, Your most affectionate friend to serve you, ANDREW MARVELL." Marvell does not seem settled this session, and reasons with his friends, that the vigilance and sufficiency of his partner might have excused his absence. Three months were scarcely elapsed before we find him stating his intention to his constituents, of going beyond sea with LORD CARLISLE, who was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary to Russia, Sweden, and Denmark. By accepting this appointment, Marvell did not then appear to be much at variance with government, though by the manner of his expressing himself, he seems, in a great meausure, to have been influenced by a friendship for Lord Carlisle. "London, June 16, 1663. "GENTLEMEN, The relation I have to your affairs, and the intimacy of that affection I owe you, do both incline and oblige me to communicate to you, that there is a probability I may very shortly have occasion to go beyond sea; for my LORD CARLISLE being chosen by his Majesty, Ambassador Extraordinary to Muscovy, Sweden, and Denmark, hath used his power, which ought to be very great with me, to make me goe along with him, as Secretary in these embassages. It is no new thing for members of our House to be dispensed with, for the service of the King and the nation, in foreign parts. And you may be sure I will not stirre without speciall leave of the House, so that you may be freed from any possibility of being importuned, or tempted, to make any other choice in my absence. However, I cannot but advise with you, desiring also to take your assent along with me, so much esteeme I have both of your prudence and friendship. The time allotted for the embassy is not much above a year; probably may not be much lesse, than betwixt our adjournment, and next meeting; however, you have Col. Gilby, to whom my presence can make little addition, so that I cannot decline this voyage. I shall have the comfort to believe, that, all things considered, you cannot thereby receive any disservice. I shall hope herein to receive your speedy answer. I remain, Gentlemen, &c. Your most affectionate friend to serve you, ANDREW MARVELL." Before leaving England he again writes: "GENTLEMEN, "London, July 20, 1663. Being this day taking barge for Gravesend, there to embark for Archangel, thence to Sweden, and last of all to Denmark; all which I hope, by God's blessing, to finish within twelve months' time: I do hereby, with my last and most serious thoughts, salute you, rendering you all hearty thanks for your great kindness and friendship to me upon all occasions, and ardently beseeching God to keep you all in his gracious protection, to your own honour, and the welfare and flourishing of your Corporation, to which I am, and shall ever continue, a most affectionate and devoted servant. I undertake this voyage with the order and good liking of his Majesty, and by leave given me from the House, and entered in the journall; and having received, moreover, your approbation, I go, therefore, with more ease and satisfaction of mind, and augurate to myself the happier success in all my proceedings. Your known prudence makes it unnecessary for me to leave my advice or counsell with you at parting; yet can I not forbear, out of the superabundance of my care and affection for you, to recommend to you a good correspondence with the garrison, so long as his Majesty shall think fit to continue it; unto which, and all your other concerns, as COL. GILBY hath been, and will be, always mainly instrumentall, and do you all the right imaginable; so could I wish, as I do not doubt that you would, upon any past or future occasion, confide much in his discretion, which he will never deny you the use of. This I say to you with a very good intent, and I know will be no otherwise understood by you. And so renewing and redoubling my most cordiall thanks, my most earnest prayers, and my most true love and service to and for you all, I remain, as long as I live, Gentlemen, Your most affectionate friend to serve you, This embassy continued nearly two years, after which we find Marvell attending the Parliament, at Oxford, in 1665. He then began to correspond with his constituents almost every post, which is said to be the last instance of that valuable relation between representatives and electors. His letters are highly curious for their historical and parliamentary information, and, we presume, a few extracts from some of them may not be uninteresting. On the 22d of October, in the above year, he thus writes: "There is a bill in good forwardnesse to prohibit the importation of Irish cattle,* the fall of lands and rents being ascribed to the bringing them over into England in such plenty." And again, a few days after, * Query. What kind of cattle? he writes:-" Our bill against the importation of Irish cattle was not passed by his Majesty, as being too destructive to the Irish interest." But it appears the bill did afterwards pass, for he writes:- "Our House has returned the bill about Irish cattle to the Lords, adhering to the word NUISANCE, which the Lords changed to detriment and mischief: but at a conference, we delivered the reasons of our adhering to the word nuisance, which was agreed to." November 2:-" The bill for preventing the increase of the Plague could not pass, because the LORDS would not agree with us, that their houses, if infected, should be shut up." In November, 1666:- "Since my last we have, in a manner, being wholly taken up with instructions for the Poll Bill. The chief of which the House voted were, besides that of twelve pence on every head, and double on aliens, and nonconformists, twenty shillings in the £100. for personal estates, three shillings in the pound for all offices and public employments, except military; lawyers and physicians, proportionable to their practice. There is one bill ordered to be brought in of a new nature; that all persons shall be burried in woollen for the next six or seven years. The reason propounded is, because a matter of £100,000. a year of our own manufacture will be employed, and so much money kept at home from buying foreign linen, till our trade of flax, &c. be grown up.” Jan. 12, 1667:-" We have not advanced much this week; the alterations of the Lords upon the Poll Bill have kept us busy. We have disagreed in most: Aliens, we adhere to pay double; Nonconformists, we agree with the Lords, shall not pay double: carried by 126 to 91." |