354

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap. was therefore sacked without mercy; and a noble library,

■ 1688 _ ■■ which ho had collected, perished in the flames. His onlycomfort was that the host in his chapel was rescued from thesame fate.*

The morning of the twelfth of December rose on a ghastlysight. The capital in many places presented the aspect of acity taken by storm. TheLords met at Whitehall, and exertedthemselves to restore tranquillity. The trainbands were or-dered under arms. A body of cavalry was kept in readinessto disperse tumultuous assemblages. Such atonement as wasat that moment possible was made for the gross insults whichhad been offered to foreign governments. A reward was pro-mised for the discovery of the property taken from WildHouse; and Ronquillo, who had not a bed or an ounce ofplate left, was splendidly lodged in the deserted palace of theKings of England. A sumptuous table was kept for him; andthe yeomen of the guard were ordered to wait in his ante-chamber with the same observance which they were in thehabit of paying to the Sovereign. These marks of respectsoothed even the punctilious pride of the Spanish Court, andaverted all danger of a rupture.**

Arrest of In spite, however, of the well meant efforts of the provi-Jeffreys. g ; ona j government, the agitation grew hourly more formi-dable. It was heightened by an event which, even at this dis-tance of time, can hardly be related without a feeling of vin-dictive pleasure. A scrivener who lived at Wapping, andwhose trade was to furnish the seafaring men there with money* London Gazelle, Dec. 13. 1088; Rarillon, Dec. 1J.; Cillers, samedate; Lutlrell’s Diary; Clarke’s Life of James, ii. 256. Orig. Mem.;Ellis Correspondence, Dec. 13.; Consullation of the Spanish Council ofState, Jan. J?. 1689. It appears that Ronquillo complained bitterly tohis government of his losses; “Sirviendole solo de consuelo el habertenido prevencion de poder consumir El Sanlisimo.”

** London Gazette, Dec. 13. 1688; Lutlrell’s Diary; Mulgrave’sAccount of the Revolution; Consultation of the Spanish Council ofState, Jan. 4jf. 1689. Something was said about reprisals: but theSpanish council treated the suggestion with contempt. “Habiendosido este hecho por un furor de pueblo, sin consenliniienlo del go-bierno, y antes contra su voluntad, como lo ha mostrado la satisfaccionque le ban dado y le han prometido, parece que no hayjuicio humanoque puede aconsejar que se pase a semejante remedio.”