should explain himself. Anglesea,
dreading the resentment of the house, was glad to make an apology;
which was accepted. The earl of Oxford was attended to the Tower by a
prodigious concourse of people, who did not scruple to exclaim against
his persecutors. Tumults were raised in Staffordshire, and other parts
of the kingdom, against the whig party, which had depressed the friends
of the church and embroiled the nation. The house of commons presented
an address to the king, desiring that the laws might be vigorously
executed against the rioters. They prepared the proclamation-act,
decreeing, that if any persons to the number of twelve, unlawfully
assembled, should continue together one hour after having been required
to disperse by a justice of peace or other officer, and heard the
proclamation against riots read in public, they should be deemed guilty
of felony without benefit of clergy.

{GEORGE I, 1714--1727}

THE KING DECLARES TO BOTH HOUSES THAT A REBELLION IS BEGUN.

When the king went to the house of peers on the twentieth day of July,
to give the royal assent to this and some other bills, he told both
houses that a rebellion was actually begun at home; and that the nation
was threatened with an invasion from abroad. He therefore expected that
the commons would not leave the kingdom in a defenceless condition, but
enable him to take such measures as should be necessary for the public
safety. Addresses in the usual style were immediately presented by
the parliament, the convocation, the common-council and lieutenancy of
London, and the two universities; but that of Oxford was received in the
most contemptuous manner; and the deputies were charged with disloyalty,
on account of a fray which had happened between some recruiting officers
and the scholars of the university. The addresses from the kirk of
Scotland, and the dissenting ministers of London and Westminster, met
with a much more gracious reception. The parliament forthwith passed a
bill, empowering the king to secure suspected persons, and to suspend
the _habeas-corpus_ act in that time of danger. A clause was added to a
money-bill, offering the reward of one hundred thousand pounds to such
as should seize the pretender dead or alive. Sir George Byng was sent to
take the command of the fleet. General Earle repaired to his government
of Portsmouth; the guards were encamped in Hyde-park; lord Irwin was
appointed governor of Hull, in the room of brig