General History of Bath. 67 



Of the Restoration we need say but little. There was a 

 great rejoicing at Bath. The citizens had feasted Hertford 

 and then Waller, Bridges and then Fairfax. They had 

 given a cup to the Queen, and one to the King, and then 

 rejoiced with much smoking and shouting and drinking at 

 the defeat of the Royal cause. Now, of course, there was a 

 grand jubilation ; the city conduits ran with claret, there 

 was a procession and a banquet, and "four hundred virgins 

 (most in white waistcoats and green petticoats), going two 

 and two, bore aloft in their hands crowns and garlands 

 made in the form of crowns, bedecked with all manner of 

 rare and choicest flowers." 



Captain Harington, whom we have already mentioned, 

 was excepted from the " Act of Indemnity and Oblivion," 

 but he was a favourite in the county, and a certificate was 

 signed by twenty-four of the most influential noblemen and 

 gentlemen of Somerset, containing the following bold 

 assertions : — 



" Whatever his father's principles led him to, his son is no object of 

 wrath for his Majesty's displeasure . . 



"fJe did bear a commission from Oliver Cromwell, but at our 

 request to protect us from ruin and plunder . the city cf 

 Bath was much protected and preserved by Mr. Haringion's 

 accepting Oliver's commission, which also had been exposed to 

 plunder and ruin." 



We need not say that the Restoration did not bring un- 

 alloyed happiness to either party. The Puritans groaned 

 beneath the persecution they endured, and many of the old 

 Cavaliers begrudged the influence which men who had 

 borne arms against the King's father obtained in the coun- 

 cils of the son. Bath affords good specimens of each of 

 these discontents — William Prynne and Henry Chapman. 



