amentary proceedings was interrupted by the news of
Monmouth's arrival in the west with three ships from Holland. No sooner
was this intelligence conveyed to the parliament, than they voted that
they would adhere to his majesty with their lives and fortunes. They
passed a bill of attainder against Monmouth; and they granted a supply
of four hundred thousand pounds for suppressing his rebellion. Having
thus strengthened the hands of the king, they adjourned themselves.

Monmouth, when ordered to depart the kingdom, during the late reign, had
retired to Holland; and as it was well known that he still enjoyed the
favor of his indulgent father, all marks of honor and distinction were
bestowed upon him by the prince of Orange. After the accession of
James, the prince thought it necessary to dismiss Monmouth and all his
followers; and that illustrious fugitive retired to Brussels. Finding
himself still pursued by the king's severity, he was pushed, contrary
to his judgment as well as inclination, to make a rash and premature
attempt upon England. He saw that James had lately mounted the throne,
not only without opposition, but seemingly with the good will and
affections of his subjects. A parliament was sitting, which discovered
the greatest disposition to comply with the king, and whose adherence,
he knew, would give a sanction and authority to all public measures.
The grievances of this reign were hitherto of small importance; and
the people were not as yet in a disposition to remark them with great
severity. All these considerations occurred to Monmouth; but such was
the impatience of his followers, and such the precipitate humor of
Argyle, who set out for Scotland a little before him, that no reasons
could be attended to; and this unhappy man was driven upon his fate.

The imprudence, however, of this enterprise did not at first appear.
Though on his landing at Lime, in Dorsetshire, he had scarcely a hundred
followers, so popular was his name, that in four days he had assembled
above two thousand horse and foot. They were, indeed, almost all of them
the lowest of the people; and the declaration which he published was
chiefly calculated to suit the prejudices of the vulgar, or the most
bigoted of the whig party. He called the king, duke of York; and
denominated him a traitor, a tyrant, an assassin, and a Popish usurper.
He imputed to him the fire of London, the murder of Godfrey and of
Essex, nay, the poisoning of the late