POLITICAL HISTORY 



was now being made, had spoken of ' great assistance for the plot from the 

 county of Nottinghamshire, also of great preparations in the middle of 

 England, and of a great number of persons of quality engaged.' * In the 

 following March a certain Philip Wild was examined concerning his know- 

 ledge of the plot. It was proved that he knew that Lockier would raise 500 

 men at Nottingham, that he ' often spoke of the plot, offered press money to 

 enlist persons, and said there would soon be an alteration.' The prisoner's 

 defence was that he remembered nothing of this, but that ' his head was once 

 hurt and a piece of his skull taken out, that his brain was somewhat distem- 

 pered, and that he had been drinking.' 2 He was therefore pardoned in June, 

 1665, since the 'jury were satisfied that he was drunk when he tried to enlist 

 soldiers, and that he is distracted on the changes of the moon.' 3 Plots such 

 as this were naturally the result of a strong anti-Papist element in the county, 

 and the strength of the feeling in Nottingham itself seems to be proved by 

 the joy with which the proclamation against Papists was received in the town 

 in March, 1673. 'It was received with so much joy that bells and 

 bonfires rang and flamed as they never did since the restoration. The Fanatics 

 contended with the Conformists who should show most zeal in expressing 

 their joy for his Majesty's great grace.' * 



It was, indeed, the ecclesiastical policy of the later Stuarts that gave 

 colour to the political events of their reigns, since it alienated both Cavalier 

 and Roundhead, ' Conformist ' and ' Fanatic.' Hence Nottinghamshire was 

 ready with the rest of England to welcome the Prince of Orange as it had 

 welcomed Charles Stuart. 5 On 24 November, 1688, William Cavendish, 

 duke of Devonshire, wrote to the earl of Derby concerning the supporters of 

 the Prince of Orange in the Midland shires, that there were now at Notting- 

 ham, Lord Cholmondeley, Sir Scrope How, Sir William Russell, Mr. Charleton, 

 Mr. Harvey, Mr. Hartop, Mr. Palmer and others. That morning before 

 Lord Delamere left a public declaration was made by his supporters in the 

 Nottingham market-place, ' where there was a great concourse of people,' to 

 stand by the Prince of Orange with their lives and fortunes. 6 Four days later 

 the duke wrote from Mansfield to the Yorkshire supporters, that since the 

 prince needed a considerable addition of horse the Yorkshire horse, num- 

 bering 240, should join with the contingents from Nottinghamshire 

 and Northamptonshire, and march together to him a thousand strong. 

 ' For we' shall march to-morrow from hence (i.e. Mansfield) to Nottingham 

 about 300, and I am assured to have near 100 more sent me in there.' 7 

 A similar account of the part played by the county comes in a contem- 

 porary record of William's progress through England : ' Que les my lords 

 de Devonshire de Derby Lumley et plusieurs autres avoi't assemble de la 



1 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1664-5, P- 3 2 - This is rather different from what was reported in July, 1663, that 



'no considerable men ' would join the rebels. Ibid. 16634, p. 216. 



* Ibid. 1664-5, pp. 262-3. * Ibid. pp. 263, 449. 



* Ibid. 1672-3, p. 49. 



5 Early in November, 1688, Lord Delamere 'having a mind to try the disposition of the populace, on a 

 sudden ordered the trumpets to sound to arms, giving out that the king's forces were within four miles of 

 Nottingham.' Immediately both horse and foot were in readiness, ' some appeared with firelocks, some with 

 swords, some with other weapons, even pitchforks not excepted,' and ' My Lord Delamere and his party were 

 well pleased with the readiness of the people to give their assistance.' Sutton, Nott. Date Book. 



6 Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. ix, 460^. This meeting was according to an arrangement made by Lord Danby 

 (Ibid. Ref. xi, pt. vii, 30). 



7 Ibid. Rep. ix, 460^. 



357 



