P. 216.—“Pelagian.” Holding the doctrines of Pelagius, who denied the received tenets in regard to free will, original sin, grace, and the merit of good works.
“Bulstrode,” bulˈstrode. (1588-1659.) An English jurist.
P. 217.—“Sidney.” (1622-1683.) An eminent English patriot. He belonged to the army of parliament, but held no office under Cromwell. When Charles II. was restored he was on the continent, where he remained. In 1666 he solicited Louis XIV. to aid him in establishing a republic in England, and having returned to England he joined the leaders of the popular party. In 1683 he was tried as an accomplice in the Rye House plot, and executed.
“Ludlow.” (1620-1693.) A republican general who assisted in founding the English republic, but was opposed to Cromwell’s ambition. He had been commander of the army, but his opposition to Cromwell lost him the position. On Oliver’s death he was replaced, but at the Restoration escaped to France, where he spent the remainder of his life.
P. 227.—“O. S.” Dates reckoned according to the calendar of Julius Cæsar, who first attempted to make the calendar year coincide with the motions of the sun, are said to be Old Style as contrasted with the dates of the Gregorian calendar. This latter corrected the mistake of the former, and was adopted by Catholic countries about 1582, but Protestant England did not accept it until 1752.
P. 228.—“Shomberg,” shomˈberg. (1616-1690.)
P. 233.—“Jeffreys.” (1648-1689.) A lawyer of great ferocity. In 1685 he caused 320 of Monmouth’s adherents to be hung, and 841 to be sold as slaves.
P. 234.—“South Sea Bubble.” This scheme was proposed in 1711, by the Earl of Oxford, in order to provide for the national debt. The debt was taken by prominent merchants, to whom the government agreed to pay for a certain time six per cent. interest, and to whom they gave a monopoly of the trade of the South Seas. From 1711 to 1718 the scheme was honestly carried out, but after that time all scruples were thrown aside, and the rage of speculation here described followed.
P. 235.—“The Rue Quincampoix.” A street of Paris where John Law developed his South Sea Bubble. He was a Scottish financier (1671-1729), who had won a place in London society, and supported himself by gaming. In 1715 he persuaded the Regent of France to favor his schemes, obtained a charter for a bank, and in connection with it formed this company, which had the exclusive right of trade between France and Louisiana, China, India, etc. The stock rose to twenty times its original value. He was appointed minister of finance in 1720, but confidence was soon lost in his plan, and notes on his bank rapidly fell. Law was obliged to leave France, and finally died poor.
P. 236.—“Scire Facias.” Cause it to be known.