Diary of the times of Charles II/Volume 1/The Earl of Essex to Charles the Second, July 21
THE EARL OF ESSEX[1] TO CHARLES II.
Since my coming to town I have heard of many discourses here, concerning the new company of guards which your Majesty is raising; those who do not wish well to your affairs do rejoice much at it, concluding it will give great cause of jealousy to your people, and prevent the good effects which your Majesty hopes for, this next session of Parliament; and that upon this occasion may be taken to question some guards now in being. 'Tis commonly said this is but a foundation of a standing army, whilst a body of officers shall be thus kept together to head men which may suddenly be raised; that this is an illusion of the act of disbanding, which intended to separate the officers and soldiers then in pay, when so soon after many of these officers are collected into a body again. There is nothing I do more apprehend than a mistrust men may have, that any design is on foot of governing by an army, and therefore the least action which may be construed to intend this cannot at this conjuncture but be very fatal to your Majesty. Your Majesty has gained much upon your people by disbanding the troops raised for Scotland, and I should grieve extremely to see you lose again that credit by forming this new constitution of guards. The world cannot but observe the great frugality your Majesty has begun in your household, and the retrenchments intended on pennons and otherwise. Now if monies shall be saved all other ways, and force increased, what hopes can there be of a supply to relieve your Majesty's pressing occasions, when, in so narrow a time as this, the charge of troops being increased, men will apprehend the money which shall be given will be applied to the like uses? I cannot but acquaint your Majesty of the effect it hath on the Treasury, for we do clearly find men much more backward to lend money than they were before. There are divers who have endeavoured to obstruct the credit there, but 'tis certain now they do it with much more force, whilst they have this pretence to back all they say. I speak nothing but from a heart zealous for your service, and therefore I hope your Majesty will be pleased graciously to accept what I have said, and make such reflections thereon as may be most for your own good, which is ever the aim of your Majesty's most dutiful and most obedient subject and servant.
- ↑ Arthur Lord Capel, the first Earl of Essex, was the son of the Lord Capel who lost his life in the service of Charles I.: he was created Earl of Essex in 1661. In 1670, he was sent Ambassador to Denmark, and two years afterwards he was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and at the present time he was the first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury. "As for my lord," says his great friend Evelyn, "he is a sober, wise, judicious, and pondering person, not illiterate beyond the rate of most noblemen in this age, very well versed in English history and affairs, industrious, frugal, methodical, and every way accomplished. * * * My lord was not long since come from his Lord Lieutenancy in Ireland, where he showed his abilities in administration and government, as well as prudence in considerably augmenting his estate without reproach. He had been Ambassador Extraordinary in Denmark, and in a word, is such a person as became the son of that worthy hero his father to be, the late Lord Capel, who lost his life for King Charles."—Evelyn's Mem. i., 518.
In 1683, the Earl of Essex was imprisoned in the Tower on suspicion of being engaged with Lord Russel and Algernon Sidney in the Rye House Plot. Being subject to constitutional melancholy, his fortitude gave way, and he cut his throat; which was the more to be lamented, as there is reason to believe nothing could have been proved against him.