The Gallery of Portraits: with Memoirs. Volume 5 (of 7)Malkin, Arthur Thomas
Religion
The Gallery of Portraits: with Memoirs. Volume 5 (of 7)
Malkin, Arthur Thomas
Biography
the Prince to migrate, first to Scilly, thence to Jersey, from which
place he departed into France in July, 1646. Hyde remained in Jersey for
the space of two years, devoting himself wholly to his History of the
Rebellion, which he had commenced in the Scilly Islands, and of which he
completed the four first books at that time. While engaged in this
manner, he received several letters from the King, expressive of his
approbation of his undertaking, and supplying him with a particular
relation of the occurrences which had taken place from the departure of
the Prince until the period of his joining the Scotch army.
In May, 1648, Hyde received the King’s commands to join the Prince of
Wales at Paris. On the way thither, he met Lord Cottington and others at
Rouen, where he learned that the Prince was gone to Holland, and was
ordered to follow him. After many difficulties and dangers, Cottington
and Hyde met their young master at the Hague in the month of August, and
were soon afterwards joined by several other members of the King’s
council.
On the announcement of the execution of his father, Charles despatched
Sir Edward Hyde and Lord Cottington as his ambassadors to Spain. After a
fruitless negotiation of fifteen months, they received a message from
court shortly after the arrival of the news of Cromwell’s victory at
Dunbar, desiring them to quit the Spanish dominions. Hyde then repaired
to Antwerp, where he resided with his wife and family, until, at the end
of 1651, he was summoned to Paris, to meet Charles II., after his
memorable escape from the battle of Worcester. He resided at Paris with
the exiled court for nearly three years, and during this period enjoyed
the unlimited confidence of his master, who left the arduous and
difficult task of corresponding and negotiating with the English
royalists entirely to his management. At this period the exiled
royalists were frequently reduced to great pecuniary distress. The
miserable dissensions and petty jealousies which prevailed among them
are fully described in the History of the Rebellion. At length Charles,
wearied and disgusted by the intrigues and broils which perpetually
disturbed his council, while subject to the interference of the Queen
Mother, determined to leave Paris; and accordingly he quitted that city
in June, 1654, and went to reside at Cologne, Sir Edward Hyde and the
rest of his court still following his humble fortunes. Upon the
execution of the treaty with Spain, Charles removed from Cologne to
Bruges in 1657, and in the course of that year bestowed upon Sir Edward
Hyde the then empty dignity of Lord High Chancellor of England. Soon
after this event the prospects of the Royalists began to brighten. The
government of Cromwell had been for some time growing infirm, in
consequence of domestic dissensions, the exhausted state of the revenue,
and the distrust entertained towards the Protector, who had successively
deceived and disappointed all parties. These seeds of discord were
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