LOUIS A. LANDA, _Princeton University_
SAMUEL H. MONK, _university Of Minnesota_
ERNEST MOSSNER, _University of Texas_
JAMES SUTHERLAND, _Queen Mary College, London_
H. T. SWEDENBERG, JR., _University of California, Los Angeles_

INTRODUCTION

On October 24, 1659, a quarto pamphlet was published in London with the
following title: "The Army's Plea for Their present Practice: tendered to
the consideration of all ingenuous and impartial men. Printed and
published by special command. London, Printed by Henry Hills, Printer to
the Army, dwelling in Aldersgate Street next door to the Peacock. 1659".
Three days afterwards, on October 27, John Evelyn had finished writing an
answer, which was published a week later, on November 4, under the title:
"An Apologie for the Royal Party ... With a Touch At the pretended Plea
for the Army. Anno Dom. MDCLIX". No author's name, printer or place was
given. Evelyn afterwards made the note in his Diary under the date
November 7, 1659, that is, three days after the actual publication: "Was
publish'd my bold Apologie for the King in His time of danger, when it was
capital to speak or write in favour of him. It was twice printed, so
universaly it took."[1] Evelyn was by conviction an ardent royalist, but
by temperament he was peaceable, and the publication of this pamphlet was
a courageous act on his part, involving considerable risks.

The _Apologie for the Royal Party_ contains an eloquent and outspoken
attack upon the parliamentary party, the depth of the author's feelings
making his style of writing more effective than it usually was.

Events were at this date nearing their climax, and Evelyn, soon after the
publication of his pamphlet, made persistent attempts to induce Colonel
Henry Morley, then Lieutenant of the Tower of London, to declare for the
King. In the edition of Baker's _Chronicle of the Kings of England_,
edited by Edward Phillips, 1665, is given the following account of the
negotiations (p. 736): "Mr. Evelyn gave him [Col. Morley] some visits to
attemper his affection by degrees to a confidence in him, & then by
consequence to ingage him in his designes; and to induce him the more
powerfully thereunto, he put into his hands an excellent and unanswerable
hardy treatise by him written and severall times reprinted, intituled _An
Apology for the Royall Party_, which he backed with so good Argument and
dextrous Addresses in the prosecution of them, that, after some priv