which
writs had been issued, but a House of Lords also, assembled by its
own will and motion. In the Commons, where Sir Harbottle Grimstone
was elected Speaker, there were present over 400 out of the total of
500 and more that were actually due; in the Lords, where the Earl of
Manchester was chosen Speaker _pro tem._, there were present on
the first day only nine peers besides himself: viz. the Earls of
Northumberland, Lincoln, Denbigh, and Suffolk, Viscount Say and Sele,
and Lords Wharton, Hunsdon, Grey of Wark, and Maynard. It was for
these two bodies to execute between them the task appointed.[1]

[Footnote 1: Commons Journals and Parl. Hist., for the opening of the
Convention Parliament.]

The meetings of the first three days were but preliminary, and not a
word passed in either House to signify what was coming. On Friday,
the 27th of April, there was an adjournment of both Houses to
Tuesday, the 1st of May. During that breathless interval it was as
when a mine is ready, the gunpowder and other explosives all stored,
the train laid, and what is waited for is the application of the
lighted match. That duty fell to Sir John Greenville, and the mode in
which it should be performed was settled privately between him and
wary Old George.

On Saturday, April 28, the Council of State are met at Whitehall,
Annesley in the chair as usual. Colonel Birch, one of the members,
entering late, informs General Monk that there is a gentleman at the
door who desires to speak with him. Monk goes to the door, finds Sir
John Greenville there, and receives him as a perfect stranger, the
guards looking on. Sir John delivers to him a letter, and tells him
that he does so by command of his Majesty. Monk orders the guards to
detain this gentleman, and returns to the Council-room with the
letter. Having broken the seal, but not opened the letter, he hands
it to the President, intimating from whom it has come. The
superscription itself leaves no doubt on that point. The letter is
one of the six, dated "_At our Court at Breda this 4/14th of April
1660, in the twelfth year of Our Reign_," which Sir John
Greenville had brought over to be used by Monk at his discretion, and
which Monk had given back into Greenville's custody till the proper
moment for using them should arrive. It was that particular one of
the six which was addressed to Monk himself, to be communicated by
him to the Council of State and the Officers of the Army. There was
muc