Now! Then! Following Charles II’s purge of Presbyterian ministers, Roundhead Captain John Hodgson of Coley Hall (Halifax) is again harassed as a suspected plotter

25 August 1662: Following Charles II’s purge of Presbyterian ministers, Roundhead Captain John Hodgson of Coley Hall (Halifax) is again harassed as a suspected plotter

John Hodgson. 1882. Autobiography of Captain John Hodgson, of Coley Hall, near Halifax. Brighouse: A.B. Bayes. Get it:

Excerpt

The 25th August, 1662, the morning after the ministers were all silenced, they had a new plot in hand; and early in the morning, being Monday, a dark morning after black Bartholomew, the constables come to my house, with a party of horse, to apprehend me, with a warrant from Sir John Armytage, and after I had seen and read it, I made ready to go along with them, and Sir John being absent, the constables kept me prisoner until Wednesday. Then I was brought before his worship, and he told he had several informations against me. I asked what they were, and who were the informers. He said I had furnished myself with good horses, and that there was a great plot in hand, and that I had a hand in it. And when he insisted on that, I offered him the best horse I had for £5, and told him it was like the rest of the things they had, from time to time, forged against me. He told me I must find sureties to appear at the next quarter sessions, and, in the interim, to be bound to the good behaviour. I asked him in what particular I had misbehaved myself. If there was nothing but lies and falsities against me, why should I be demanded such a thing, adding I would not give in any sureties, he might do with me what he pleased. And he then took my word to appear at the sessions, but his clerk, my false friend John Lyster, sent me word not to trouble myself in appearing at the sessions. Sir John took me into an inner room, and called for a bottle of ale, and being private, I told him what hard measures I had from him, considering what I had done for him and his servants whenever they came with any complaint I thought it was a poor requital – and seeing that providence had ordered that I was fallen under his protection, I desired if he had anything against me, that he would let me know. If he sent the meanest boy about his house I would requite him, and wait upon him night or day, to prevent these bailiffs and soldiers. And he promised me very seriously, he would do it. But how he performed, take notice.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

Does Hodgson’s black Bartholomew also invoke for him the French Catholic St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre of Huguenots?

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Original

The 25th August, 1662, the morning after the ministers were all silenced, they had a new plot in hand; and early in the morning, being Monday, a dark morning after black Bartholomew, the constables come to my house, with a party of horse, to apprehend me, with a warrant from Sir John Armitage, and after I had seen and read it, I made ready to go along with them, and Sir John being absent, the constables kept me prisoner until Wednesday-then I was brought before his worship, and he told he had several informations against me. I asked what they were, and who were the informers? He said I had furnished myself with good horses, and that there was a great plot in hand, and that I had a hand in it. And when he insisted on that, I offered him the best horse I had for L5, and told him it was like the rest of the things they had, from time to time, forged against me. He told me I must find sureties to appear at the next quarter sessions, and, in the interim, to be bound to the good behaviour. I asked him in what particular I had misbehaved myself? if there was nothing but lies and falsities against me, why should I be demanded such a thing?-adding I would not give in any sureties, he might do with me what he pleased,—and he then took my word to appear at the sessions, but his clerk, my false friend Lyster, sent me word not to trouble myself in appearing at the sessions. Sir John took me into an inner room, and called for a bottle of ale, and being private, I told him what hard measures I had from him, considering what I had done for him and his servants whenever they came with any complaint I thought it was a poor requital-and seeing that providence had ordered that I was fallen under his protection, I desired if he had anything against me that he would let me know if he sent the meanest boy about his house I would requite him, and wait upon him night or day, to prevent these bailiffs and soldiers-and he promised me very seriously, he would do it. But how he performed, take notice.

386 words.