14

HISTORY OF ENGLAND*

CHAP.

XXI.

nn>5.

Vote ofcensureon theSpeakerof theHouse ofCommons,

a committee was appointed to examine the books of the City ofLondon and of the East India Company.*

Foley was placed in the chair of the committee. Withina week he reported that the Speaker, Sir John Trevor, had inthe preceding session received from the City a thousand guineasfor expediting a local bill. This discovery gave groat satisfac-'t,ion to the Whigs, who had always hated Trevor, and was notunpleasing to many of the Tories. During six busy sessions hissordid rapacity had made him an object of general aversion.The legitimate emoluments of his post amounted to about fourthousand a year: but it was believed that he had made at leastten thousand a year.** Ilis profligacy and insolence united hadbeen too much even for the angelic temper of Tillotson. It wassaid that the gentle Archbishop had been heard to mutter some-thing about a knave as the Speaker passed by him.*** Yet,great as were the offences of this bad man, his punishmentwas fully proportioned to them. As soon as the report of thecommittee had been read, it was moved that he had been guiltyof a high crime and misdemeanour. He had to stand up and toput the question. There was a loud cry of Aye. He called onthe Noes; and scarcely a voice was heard. He was forced todeclare that the Ayes had it. A man of spirit would have givenup the ghost with remorse and shame; and the unutterableignominy of that moment left its mark even on the callous heartand brazen forehead of Trevor. Had he returned to the Houseon the following day, he would have had to put the question ona motion for his own expulsion. He therefore pleaded illness,and shut himself up in his bedroom. Wharton soon brought

* L’llermitage, March 1695. L’llermitagc’s narrative is confirmedby the Journals, March 7. 169$. It appears that, just before the committeewas appointed, the House resolved that letters should not be delivered outto members during a sitting.

** L’liermitage, March 1695.

*** Birch’s Life of Tillotson.