The City accept the king's terms, 20 June, 1683.
A "long and serious" debate, we are told, followed the reading of this answer in the Common Council, after which a poll was taken on the question: whether the court should submit to the king's terms or not, with the result that 104 votes were recorded in favour of accepting them as against 85 votes to the contrary. Whereupon it was "unanimously" ordered that his majesty should be informed of the court's submission, and that the Midsummer-day elections should be put off until the 18th July.[1539]
The mayor and others arrested, 24 April.
Whilst these proceedings against the city were going on, a writ had been obtained by Papillon and[pg 501] Du Bois for the arrest of Pritchard, the mayor, Dudley North, the sheriff, and several aldermen, for having made a false return to a mandamus directed to them in November last.[1540] The writ was directed to Broom, the city's coroner, who executed it by lodging the parties in his own house (24 April). No sooner was this done than one of the city sergeants proceeded to arrest the coroner, who was taken to the compter, where he had to pass the night, whilst the mayor and his fellow-prisoners made their way home. A cry that the Whigs had seized the mayor and carried him off caused great consternation, and the trained bands were immediately ordered out for the security of the city. The citizens themselves were much divided in their opinions on the matter, "some condemning it and others approving it, according to the different tempers of persons."[1541]
Indignation of the Court of Aldermen and the Common Council.
A committee was appointed (26 April) by the Court of Aldermen to consider what was fit to be done by way of vindicating the honour of the mayor and the government of the city, as well as for punishing the authors of the indignity;[1542] whilst the Common Council caused it to be placed on record (22 May) that neither they nor the citizens at large had any participation in or knowledge of the action against the mayor, which Papillon and Du Bois alleged had been brought in the name of the citizens of London.[1543] Broom's conduct, as well as the terms on which he held his appointment, were made the subject of an investigation by a committee.[1544]
Pritchard recovers £10,000 damages, 6 Nov., 1684.
After Pritchard's year of office expired he brought an action on the case against Papillon for false imprisonment, and eventually (6 Nov., 1684) obtained a verdict and damages to the respectable amount of £10,000. This verdict, whilst it caused amazement to many, met with the avowed approval of Jeffreys, recently promoted to be Lord Chief Justice, who complimented the jury upon their good sense. "Gentlemen," he remarked at the close of the trial, "you seem to be persons that have some sense upon you, and consideration for the government, and I think have given a good verdict and are to be greatly commended for it."[1545] Papillon thereupon absconded.
The Rye House Plot, 1683.
Within a few days of delivery of judgment against the City, discovery was made of a plot against the lives of the king and the Duke of York.[1546] This was the famous Rye House Plot, which brought the heads of Lord Russell and Algernon Sydney to the block. Among the minor conspirators were two men who had been employed by Broom, the city coroner, in the recent arrest of the lord mayor. Broom himself was suspected of being implicated in the conspiracy, and was on that ground ordered into custody for the purpose of being examined by a justice of the peace. In the meantime he was to be suspended from his office of coroner, as well as from his duties as a member of the Common Council.[1547] Concurrently[pg 503] with the Rye House Plot there was, so it was said, a design to raise an insurrection in the city, in which Alderman Cornish was believed to be implicated.[1548] The municipal authorities, however, as a body, were indignant at the threatened attack on the king and his brother, and lost no time in voting an address (2 July) of congratulation upon their escape, assuring the king at the same time of their readiness to hazard their lives and fortunes in defence of his person and the maintenance of the government in Church and State.[1549]