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HISTORY OP ENGLAND.

c hap. j n to the belief that, as soon as he setup his standard, Bed-linn - fordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Cheshire wouldrise in arms.* He consequently became eager for the enter-prise from which a few weeks before he had shrunk. Hiscountrymen did not impose on him restrictions so elaboratelyabsurd as those which the Scotch emigrants had devised. Allthat was required of him was to promise that he would not as-sume the regal title till his pretensions had been submitted tothe judgment of a free Parliament.

It was determined that two Englishmen, Ay Ioffe and Rum-bold, should accompany Argyle to Scotland, and that Fletchershould go with Monmouth to England. Fletcher, fromthe beginning, had augured ill of the enterprise: but his chi-valrous spirit would not suffer him to decline a risk which hisfriends seemed eager to encounter. When Grey repeatedwith approbation what Wildman had said about Richmond andRichard, the well read and thoughtful Scot justly remarkedthat there was a great difference between the fifteenth and theseventeenth century. Richmond was assured of the supportof barons, each of whom could bring an army of feudal re-tainers into the field; and Richard had not one regiment otregular soldiers.**

The exiles were able to raise, partly from their own re-sources and partly from the contributions of well wishers inHolland, a sum sufficient for the two expeditions. Very littlewas obtained from London. Six thousand pounds had beenexpected thence. But instead of the money came excusesfrom Wildman, which ought to have opened the eyes of allwho were not wilfully blind. The Duke made up the de-ficiency by pawning his own jewels and those of Lady Went-worth. Arms, ammunition, and provisions were bought,and several ships which lay at Amsterdam were freighted.***

” Grpy’s Narrative; Wade’s Conression, Harl. MS. 6845.

** Burnet, i. 031. Grey’s Narrative.