Political and other events

From Luttrell's Brief Historical Relation, a diary of news and current events.

January 1690

Several horse are lately brought to town for the king's service.

The earls of Pembroke and Torrington have each a commission to raise a marine regiment, to consist of 12 companies each, and 200 men in a company, to go on board the fleet. BR 2.1, 1 January 1690

Pembroke is Thomas Herbert (1656 - 1733), 8th earl of Pembroke. MP for Wilton before taking up the peerage. Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, commanded the county militia in putting down Monmouth's rebellion in 1685. First Lord of the Admiralty from 1690 to 1692, also for short periods Lord High Admiral. Negotiator at Ryswick 1697. Lord Privy Seal 1692 - 1699. Lord President of the Council 1699 - 1708. John Locke dedicated his Essay Concerning Human Understanding to him.

Torrington is Arthur Herbert (1648 - 1716), fourth cousin once removed of Thomas, if my calculations are correct. He worked for twenty years in the navy, rising from lieutenant to rear-admiral. Dismissed after standing up to the tyrannical James II, he personally delivered the famous letter from the immortal seven inviting William of Orange to come to England as king. For a short period in high favour, he was ennobled and briefly allowed to be Lord High Admiral.

It wasn't long before William decided to put the office in commission, that is, appoint a committee instead of an individual. These were known as the Lords of the Admiralty, although not all were actually lords. Initially he left Arthur Herbert in charge as First Lord. But at around this time (Luttrell does not seem to record it) William dismissed Arthur Herbert from the Admiralty commission and replaced him as First Lord with his cousin and rival Thomas Herbert.

Col. Slaughter is appointed governour and captain general of his majestie's forces in New York in America.

Wrote from Plymouth that a man and a boy had brought in there a Virginia ship with 700 hogsheads of tobacco, which was taken by a French privateer, who putt 4 French men on board to carry her into one of their own harbours; but the French being greedy of plunder, they went down into the hold to search; of which the man and boy took advantage, and nail'd down the hatches and brought the ship in.

His majestie hath writt over to Duke Schonberg that he will send him out of Scotland 4 entire regiments, consisting of 13 companies and 60 men in each. ... We hear from Germany that the prince and states of Walachia have agreed with the Germans for providing them winter quarters, and furnishing 1500 horses to remount the imperiall cavalry.

Flanders letters say that frequent rencounters happen between the French and the Spaniards, &c. in those parts, but that the French have generally the worst of it. BR 2.2

The two marine regiments that are to be raised here are to have 15 companies in each, and 200 men in a company; they are to have no ensigns, but all fuzileers without pikes. BR 2.3

We hear from Italy that several of the princes there are making great preparations against spring; they say they are generally well inclined to king William's interests.

Preparations for Ireland goe on vigorously; several merchants ships and vessels of burthen are taken up; 80,000 quarters of borad corn, 10,000 of oats and beans, and 30,000 weight of cheese are contracted for, which are to be speedily sent for Ireland; the Tower is ordered to gett ready 15,000 new muskets, 5,000 pikes, and a great number of chevaux de freeze; as also 4 of the new invented wheel engines, which discharge 150 musquet barrells at once, and turning the wheel as many more; they are very serviceable to guard a passe.

The king has ordered £80,000 to pay seaman's wages; £40,000 to the ship yards; the like summ for naval provisions and stores, and £30,000 to the office of the ordnance.

The East India company have received advice that the great mogull has taken Bombay from the English and putt all them at Surat in chaines. BR 2.4, between 8 & 13 Jan

From Portsmouth we hear that the lord Berkley is come to Spithead with the squadron of ships under his command. BR 2.7

The 16th his majestie was in the house of lords in his robes, and gave the royal assent to three bills; one for an additional aid of 1s in the pound for one year; another for the charging and collecting the duties upon coffee, tea and chocolate at the custom house; and a private bill.

Scotch letters say that col. Mackgregger, a cheif among the highlands, was taken and brought in to Edinburgh.

The sessions was lately at the Old Baily, where three persons were burnt in the hand, two ordered to be transported, 6 to be whipt, and 9 received sentence of death, one of them to be drawn, hang'd and quartered, for high treason in raising soldiers for king James; and some were ordered to be sett in the pillory.BR 2.7

The former East India company having been voted by the committee of the house of commons not to be for the true interest of England; proposals have been made for setting up a new company on other terms; and books for subscriptions are prepared, and near 100,000 l. was subscribed in one day.

Great quantities of hay and oates have been lately bought for his majesties service; as also great numbers of horse.

February 1690

Letters from the north of England say that some more vessels were arrived there with Danish soldiers; and that the Danish horse in those parts were ordered to march towards Scotland. BR 2.11

Letters from Chester sayt that several officers were arrived there from Ireland, who were come to make recruits for their several regiments; they bring that our army was in a good state of health, have plenty of provisions; that they had lately taken several booty's of cattle from the Irish; they say that the Irish army are in a bad condition, that many of their horse were dead; and that king James was clothing a body of Irish, who are to be exchanged for the body of French that are comeing from France.

By some persons lately arrived from Ireland, we hear that great numbers of the Irish army have lately died; that provisions were very scarce in the province of Leinster, but more plenty in Munster, where good part of the Irish army were quartered; and they confirm the good state of health of our army.

Sir Christopher Wren hath compleated the itinerant house for his majestie to carry into Ireland, for him to lye in, in the feild: it is to be taken into peices and carried on two waggons, and be quickly fixt up. BR 2.12

The lady Margaret Russell, daughter to the late lord Russel, is to marry very speedily the lord Cavendish, son to the earl of Devonshire, and is to have with her £25,000 portion.

The marquess of Hallifax hath quitted the place of lord privy seal.

The 7th was published a proclamation by their majesties for the dissolving of this present parliament, and for the speedy calling of another to meet on the 20th of March next.

The earl of Clare is lately married to the lady Mary Cavendish, daughter to the Duke of Newcastle.

Most of the writs for the choice of parliament men are made out, and many of them sent into the respective counties; we hear there is great contests like to be, the church party and the dissenting interest stickling much on both sides. BR 2.13

Orders are given for stopping all correspondence to and with France, and yet no pacquet boat shal goe thither; and to settle a pacquet boat between Spain and England, to goe from Falmouth to the Groyne, and so to return to carry all intelligence to those parts. BR 2.14

The Groyne is an archaic name in English for the port of A Coruña or Corunna, in north-west Spain.

His majesty hath constituted Wm. Cheney esq., sir John Knatchbull and sir Wm. Poulteney, commissioners for executing the office of keeper of the privy seal. BR 2.15

The Danish foot are marched towards Chester, and the Danish horse are marched from Edinburgh and those parts to the west of Scotland, where they are to imbark for Ireland; the prince of Wirtemburgh their general is gone down to Chester, and is to hasten over with the forces as soon as may be. BR 2.17

The general may be Frederick Charles, duke of Württemberg, who was captured in 1692 when the French overran the cavalry unit he was commanding in Baden-Württemberg.

Great preparations are made for his majesties royal voyage to Ireland, a good train of artillery is preparing at the Tower, near 1,000 cariages are made for carrying ammunition, provision, medicaments, and other necessaries for the army; and some are goeing away continually towards Chester to be sent for Ireland.

Four and twenty of the cariages being laden with coppers, kettles, iron peels and other things belonging to bakers, with saddles, bridles, horse shoes &c. went hence for Chester. BR 2.19

The two marine regiments consisting of 6,000 men, under the command of the earls of Pembroke and Torrington, are almost compleated; their clothes are to be blew lined with white, and to have granadeers caps. BR 2.20

March 1690

The inscription on the monument of the burning of London by the papists, and which was defaced in the late kings time, is reinserting again upon it.

His majestie hath sent into the citty of London to borrow of them about £200,000 for his present occasions; the common council of London have mett about it accordingly, to consider of wayes how to advance it, which is for the members to goe round their several wards and take the subscriptions of the inhabitants. BR 2.21, 12 March 1690

Letters from the west say, that our fleet under the command of admiral Russel, being about 30 men of warr, English and Dutch, and above 400 sail of merchant men, were past by the Lands End having a fair wind. BR 2.22

20th March 1690 - Sir John Trevor chosen as speaker of the House of Commons.

At the assizes this Lent for Northampton, a parson was indicted for sayeing king William and queen Mary were not lawful king and queen of England, that the last parliament was no parliament, and prayeing for the late king and queen and the prince of Wales: he was convicted, and sentenced to stand in the pillory, pay £200 fine, and find sureties for his good behaviour for a year, and was told this was a lesse punishment than he deserved, for he might have been tryed for his life. BR 2.24

The subscriptions in the citty to lend his majestie a considerable summ of money goe on very chearfully; we hear £150,000 is already subscribed, and good part of it carried into the chamber of London. BR 2.25

Source

• BR = Luttrell, Narcissus. A brief historical relation of state affairs, Sept. 1678 - Apr. 1714 vol. 2 of 6 (OUP 1857, repr. Gregg 1969)