POLITICAL HISTORY 



composed of English and Irish Roman Catholics, Non-jurors, and 

 Jacobites. 415 The place chosen for the attempt was Turnham Green, the 

 day 1 5 February. The king intended to drive from Kensington 

 Palace to hunt in Richmond Park. It was agreed that the conspirators 

 should go in parties of two and three, some to inns at Brentford, some to 

 inns at Turnham Green. As the king returned to the ferry at Brentford 

 those who were posted there should ride back towards Turnham Green, 

 and the whole band would fall upon the royal party in the lane between 

 the two places, where the road was too narrow and the ditches too deep 

 for the coach to turn round. 414 On the appointed day, when all was 

 ready as arranged, news reached Barclay that the king had already 

 returned in haste to Kensington. Information of the plot had been 

 given by two of the conspirators, Prendergast and La Rue, and though 

 Barclay escaped to France many of his subordinates were captured. 417 

 The attempt roused the greatest agitation in London, and led to the 

 formation of the association for the protection of the king's person. 418 



The accident which caused William's death took place at Hampton 

 Court as he was riding in the park. 419 He died at Kensington Palace, 

 and Anne aroused great indignation among his Dutch friends by causing 

 his body to be removed at once to Westminster, so that she might take 

 immediate possession of Kensington Palace. 



Perhaps the most conspicuous figure in Middlesex during the reign 

 of William III was Charles Mordaunt, earl of Peterborough, admiral, 

 general and diplomatist, who had inherited the Carey house at Fulham 

 from his mother. In his younger days he had been an opponent of 

 James II, 480 and at the Revolution he had been in close attendance on the 

 Prince of Orange. 421 He held many court appointments under William, 

 and in all his dealings and he had much to do with the distribution 

 of patronage he was known as a man at once liberal and scru- 

 pulously honest. During the wars under Queen Anne Peterborough 

 was granted a commission as admiral and commander-in-chief of the 

 fleet with Sir Cloudesley Shovell. His greatest achievement was the 

 siege of Barcelona, where he displayed great generalship as well as 

 the highest personal valour. 422 



With the advent of the Hanoverian dynasty Middlesex seems to 

 lose more and more of its individual history, and to become altogether 

 merged in London and in the kingdom generally. The first two Georges 

 went frequently to Hampton Court and Kensington Palace, but these 

 ceased to be royal residences under George III. The many states- 

 men and men of distinction whom we find in Middlesex during the 

 eighteenth century lived there for short periods only, and looked 

 upon it merely as a place of residence, so they did not contribute 

 much to the history of the county. In early Georgian times 

 Holland House was famous for its political gatherings. Even before 



415 Evelyn's Diary, 509. '" Clarke, Life of Jas. II, ii, 550. 



17 Ibid. 553. 4I " Evelyn's Diary, 509. 



419 Burnet, Hist, of His Own Time, iv, 558. 4W Macaulay, op. cit. ii, 287. 



4>1 Hiit. MSS. Com. Rep. v, 136. 4I> Burnet, Hist, of His Own Time, v, 214. 



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