On the 29th of November Marvell’s letter contains the following passage:—­

“Yesterday the Bill of the King’s Declaration in religious matters was read for the first time; but upon the question for a second reading ’twas carried 183 against 157 in the negative, so there is an end of that Bill and for those excellent things therein.  We must henceforth rely only upon his Majesty’s goodness, who, I must needs say, hath hitherto been more ready to give than we to receive.”

It is a noticeable feature of this correspondence that Marvell seldom mentions which way he voted himself.

The letter of the 4th of December contains some interesting matter:—­

“GENTLEMEN,—­Since my last, upon Thursday, the Bill for Vicarages hath been carryed up to the Lords; and a Message to them from our House that they would expedite the Bill for confirmation of Magna Charta, that for confirmation of marriages, and other bills of publick concernment, which haue laid by them euer since our last sitting, not returned to us.  We had then the Bill for six moneths assesment in consideration, and read the Bill for taking away Court of Wards and Purveyance, and establishing the moiety of the Excise of Beere and ale in perpetuum, about which we sit euery afternoon in a Grand Committee.  Upon Sunday last were consecrated in the Abby at Westminster, Doctor Cossins, Bishop of Durham, Sterne of Carlile, Gauden of Exeter, Ironside of Bristow, Loyd of Landaffe, Lucy of St. Dauids, Lany, the seuenth, whose diocese I remember not at present, and to-day they keep their feast in Haberdasher’s hall, in London.  Dr. Reinolds was not of the number, who is intended for Norwich.  A Congedelire is gone down to Hereford for Dr. Monk, the Generall’s brother, at present Provost of Eaton.  ’Tis thought that since our throwing out the Bill of the King’s Declaration, Mr. Calamy, and other moderate men, will be resolute in refusing of Bishopricks....  To-day our House was upon the Bill of Attainder of those that haue been executed, those that are fled, and of Cromwell, Bradshaw, Ireton, and Pride, and ’tis ordered that the carkasses and coffins of the four last named, shall be drawn with what expedition possible, upon an hurdle to Tyburn, there (to) be hanged up for a while, and then buryed under the gallows....

   “WESTMINSTER, Dec. 4, 1660.”

Marvell’s cool reporting of the hideous indignity inflicted upon his old master, and allowing it to pass sub silentio, is one of the many occasions that stirred Mr. Grosart’s wonder.  Nerves were tough in those days.  Pepys tells us unconcernedly enough how, after seeing Lord Southampton sworn in at the Court of Exchequer as Lord Treasurer, he noticed “the heads of Cromwell, Bradshaw, and Ireton set up at the further end of Westminster Hall.”  It is quite possible Lady Fauconberg may have seen the same sight.[95:1]

The Convention Parliament was dissolved on the 29th of December 1660.