By W. W. Ravenhill, Esq. 



53 



then sent back to gaol, to await the charge of murder at the 

 next spring assizes ; John still asserting that they had murdered 

 his master, and that since they had been in custody, his mother 

 and brother had attempted to poison him for confessing. 



The Perrys and Mr. Harrison were forgotten for the time by the 

 general public, who were soon busy talking over the reception of 

 the Princess Mary of Orange, the King's sister. How the King 

 and his brother, the Duke of York, went to meet her on her arrival 

 in the Thames, and how she was escorted by them up the river in 

 the royal barge to Whitehall. Tower guns firing, ships decked out 

 in colours, and saluting with all their might, whilst British cheers 

 gave a hearty welcome, rising above the music of the Church bells. 

 At night there were bonfires and gaieties. Such was the gallant 

 reception of Michaelmas, 1660, alas ! too soon (December) to be fol- 

 lowed by the death of the Princess. Her brother, the Duke of 

 Gloucester, had in the previous September died from the same 

 disease, small pox, so fatal to Royalty in that age. Meanwhile | 

 notwithstanding the good feeling evinced, the prosecution of the 

 Regicides was pressed on. 



It is well for history that the old Wiltshire Republican General, 

 Edmund Ludlow, of Maiden Bradley, now escaped to the Continent, 

 though £300 was offered for his arrest. 



Of Wilts news I find a few matters. Sir James Thynne, Knight, 

 of Longleat, was on Monday, November 5th, 1660, nominated by 

 the King, High Sheriff for the county. Five days afterwards, 

 (perhaps under his auspices, certainly under those of its commander, 

 Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper, afterwards Lord Shaftesbury,) the 

 Wilts County Regiment was disbanded at Salisbury, amidst much 

 rejoicing — for had not all the regiment welcomed the King? The 

 arrears of pay due to them were £15,027 4s. lid., which I sincerely 

 hope they received. There were happy doings on the occasion. 

 First a pertinent speech by that worthy gentleman, the Major of the 

 regiment, better known as Colonel Brown of the King's army. 

 Then there were loud acclamations when His Majesty's Commission- 

 ers appointed to disband them advanced, which increased on the 

 declaration, that a royal bounty of a week's pay would be added to 



