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THE

PREFACE.

T

HE Reader can defire no better Recommendation of the Hiftory now published, than to be af Jured that it is the genuine Work of the great Earl of Clarendon. The Work itself bears plain Characterifticks of its Author. The fame Dignity of Sentiment, and Style, which diftinguishes THE HISTORY OF THE REBELLION, and all other the Works of this noble Writer, breathes through the whole of this Performance.

THE Reafon, why this Hiftory has lain fo long concealed, will appear from the Title of it, which fhews that his Lordship intended it only for the Information of his Children. But the late Lord Hyde, judging that fo faithful and authentick an Account of this interefting Period of our Hiftory would be an use ful and acceptable Prefent to the Publick, and bearing a grateful Remembrance of this Place of his Education, left by his Will this, and the other Remains of bis Great Grandfather, in the Hands of Trustees, to be printed at our Prefs, and directed that the Profits arifing from the Sale fhould be employed towards the establishing a Riding-School in the Univerfity. But Lord Hyde dying before his Father, the then Earl of Clarendon, the Property of these Papers never became vested in him, and confequently this Bequeft was void. However, the noble Heirelles of the Earl of Clarendon, out of their Regard to the

Reclass.

*

Publick, and to this Seat of Learning, have been pleafed to fulfill the kind Intentions of Lord Hyde, and adopt a Scheme recommended both by him, and his Great Grandfather. To this End They have fent to the University this Hiftory to be printed at our Prefs, on Condition that the Profits arifing from the Publication or Sale of this Work be applied, as a Beginning for a Fund for fupporting a Manage, or Academy for Riding, and other useful Exercises, in Oxford.

THE Work bere offered to the Publick confifts of two Parts. The Second, which is the most important and interefting Part of the Work, is THE HISTORY OF THE EARL OF CLARENDON'S LIFE FROM THE YEAR 1660 TO 1667, from the Restoration to the Time of his Banishment, and includes in it the most memorable Tranfactions of thofe Times. It may be therefore confidered in two Views. It is a Second Part of LORD CLARENDON'S LIFE: And is also a Continuation of his former Hiftory, entitled THE HISTORY OF THE REBELLION, from the Year 1660, where that ends, to the Year 1667. This is carefully printed, without any material Variations, from a Manufcript all of Lord Clarendon's own Hand-writing, excepting fome few Pages in the Hand of his Amanuenfis, which are only Tranfcripts from two Papers, the one, a Letter from the Chancellor to the King on the Subject of his Majesty's declared Difpleafure; the other, a Paper containing his Reafons for withdrawing himself, which He left behind him to be prefented to the House of Peers.

TO this our noble Benefactresses have thought fit to prefix, as a First Part, THE HISTORY OF THE EARL OF CLARENDON'S LIFE, FROM HIS BIRTH, TO THE YEAR 1660, extracted from another Manufcript of Lord Clarendon's own Hand-writing. See his Dialogue on Education, Page 325, &c.

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This other Manufcript is entitled by his Lordship, THE HISTORY OF HIS OWN LIFE, and contains likewife the Subftance of THE HISTORY OF THE REBELLION. However, it is not the Manufcript from whence that Hiftory was printed, but appears rather to be the rough Draught from whence that Hiftory, or however great Part of it, was afterwards compiled. For although He tells us towards the Clofe of this Work, that He wrote the first four Books of THE HISTORY OF THE REBELLION in the Island of Jerfey, (many Years before the Date of this HISTORY OF HIS LIFE) yet He likewife informs us, that He did not proceed to compleat that Hiftory till after his Banishment. It is therefore Suppofed by the Family (and the Suppofition feems to carry with it great Probability) that, feeing an unjuft and cruel Perfecution prevail against him, He was induced at that Time to extend the original Plan of his Work, by introducing the particular History of his own Life, from his earliest Days down to the Time of his Difgrace, as the most effectual Means of vindicating his Character, wickedly traduced by his Enemies, and artfully misreprefented to a Maf ter, whom He had long and faithfully ferved, whofe Countenance and Favour being transferred to the Authors and Abettors of his Ruin, might probably in the Eyes of the World, give too much Colour to their Afperfions. But afterwards, on more mature Thoughts, his great Benevolence, and publick Spirit, prevailed on him to drop the Defence of his own private Character, and refume his original Plan of THE HISTORY OF THE REBELLION. However his noble Defcendants, willing to do Juftice to the Memory of their Great Grandfather, and thinking it might be alfo of Service to the Publick to deliver his Exemplary Life as compleat, as They could authentically collect it, have caufed fuch Parts of this Manufcript, as related to the Earl of Clarendon's private Life,

to be extracted, and according to their Directions it

is printed.

The Directions are as follows.

"THE LIFE OF LORD CHANCELLOR CLAREN"DON FROM HIS BIRTH TO THE RESTORATION "OF THE ROYAL FAMILY, is extracted from a "large Manufcript in his own Hand-writing, in "which is contained what has already been printed "in THE HISTORY OF THE REBELLION; and "therefore Care has been taken to tranfcribe only "what has never yet been published: But as those Paffages are often intermixed with the History already printed, it has been found neceffary to preferve Connection, by giving * Abstracts of fome Parts of "the printed Hiftory, with References to the Pages, "where the Reader may be fatisfied more at large. 'And, as great Pains have been taken to put this "First Part in the Order it now ftands, it is defired "that in this first Edition it may be printed exactly "after the Copy to be sent.

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"THE original Manufcript of THE CONTINUA"TION OF LORD CHANCELLOR CLARENDON'S "LIFE FROM 1660 TO 1667 INCLUSIVE is very "incorrect, many Words being omitted, that must neceffarily be fupplied: But it is defired that no "other Alterations may be made, except in the Orthography, or where literal, or grammatical Er"rors require it, or where little Inaccuracies may "have escaped the Attention of the Author. The "Work must be printed entire, as it now ftands, "no Part of it left out, not an Abstract, nor a Re"ference omitted.

*Those Paffages are indented. Those printed in Italicks, Pages 59. 82, 90, 133, the Note Page 100, and fome others ftill less material, were added with the fame View.

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