Cavendishing | 26th after Church- Xmas 1677

[Guest]

John sat with a sigh. It had been a busy day and it looked to continue being a busy day. He didn't mind really. Actually, he kind of enjoyed the rush, and he was fond of church. But it was still nice to take a load off. He idly fingered a book, wondering if he had time to get through a full chapter. Probably not. Before John was a roaring fire (to keep his books safe as much as keep the room warm) and another seat.

 

Instead he looked up at the portrait of the first Lord Salisbury hanging in his library. One of his ancestors (and Cavendish's too). One of the longest serving Chief Ministers in English history, the man who had ruled England during the interregnum between Tudor and Stuart. He'd been instrumental in arranging the Stuart succession, making peace with the Spanish, suppressing plots against the new regime... and ensuring the Catholics stayed off the throne. He'd also died peacefully. Even as an old and withered man recovering in Bath he'd not been replaced until he actually shuffled off his mortal coil.

 

But there was a special significance to John. He'd been ugly, hunchbacked, crippled. It had not stopped him. Indeed, he'd started his career as a diplomat and then served as an MP before working his way up. John less wanted to follow his specific career as remember that everything was still possible. And if not... well, the world had changed. And for the worse, in his opinion.

 

John took some cider. A servant would show Cavendish in, when he showed up.

[Blackguard]

It wasn't long before Willy showed up, in a reasonably good temperament. "John," he greeted as he was shown in. "I managed to secure a bottle of good Jamaican rum. I find that I have acquired a taste for it." He brandished a bottle of golden liquid and held it out for his host.

 

"I don't know that I have had a full tour of your house John," he remarked as he found himself looking around. "I prefer to come over in full daylight on the Sabbath, just in case that witch is still about." He laughed, showing he was not serious. Still, the common folk whispered about such things, thinking that magic and witchcraft were to be taken seriously.

[Guest]

“Ah, thank you.” John said with a smile, gingerly taking the bottle and placing it on the side table. Either a servant would pick it up for the pantry or John would have something to make his nightly reading more interesting.

 

He chuckled, “I d-d-don’t know I have. Place is full of secret rooms.” John said. He stood up, “Next season, when things are warmer and a b-b-bit less merry, I’m going to deck out the house and the g-g-gardens and make a haunted house of it. Dress my servants up in white and make them for ghosts.” John said with a gleeful smile.

 

“The p-p-poor lady really thought she was a witch you know.” John said, his tone more pitying than anything else. He obviously didn’t believe that. Then it turned a bit more chipper, “What w-w-would you like to see?”

 

"This is the library," He added, uselessly.

[Blackguard]

"Do you think that is a good idea John?" Cavendish questioned. "The small folk take such things seriously ... though I admit I would like to see it." His serious look gave way to a smile.

 

"If she was a witch," he postulated "she was not a very good one. Died in mystery they say." The idea of secret rooms intrigued him. "Perhaps I should add a secret room to my house." It sounded quite fashionable.

 

He looked around the library. "Find any good books lately?" he mumbled as he walked towards the bookshelves to see for himself.

[Guest]

“The small f-f-folk take witchcraft and sorcery seriously. Every village has a m-m-maze of horror come harvest time, and c-c-couples go in so they can be scared and the girl can jump on the boy.” Or at least they did where John was from, admittedly the mercantile and decadent south. Still, he was not suggesting it would be anything serious, and it would probably be an event rather than a permanent change.

 

“I think she t-t-took a potion seeking immortality and it poisoned her. Or p-p-possibly a servant slipped in an extra ingredient.” John said. He felt little need to conceal things from Cavendish. And besides, he’d not been involved.

 

He chuckled at the idea of a secret room, “It’s useful,” He advised, though his tone was as cryptic as the words.

 

“There were a f-f-few books on witchery and horoscopes and such left behind. Nonsense, of course.” They would not be found on the bookshelves here. John was at least that cautious. Though John found the occult interesting, he didn’t believe in any of it.

 

John gestured towards one of the shelves, “There’s a d-d-digest there that might interest you. The unmarked one, in b-b-brown leather.” It was a digest of the various acts that Parliament had passed to affect the succession, with historical context. It had references to other works and contained the full texts of the acts. John had prepared it as a gift for Cavendish, but had decided it was a bit too serious for Christmas. It was under the Blackwood name.

 

Whatever John felt about exclusion, it was not unprecedented. Regardless of whether John felt it was justified in this particular case, false claims about history would irk him.

[Blackguard]

"Only fools would think immortality possible," Cavendish dismissed with a frown. "I'd not drink such a potion unless it was presented by a man that could prove to me he was over 1000 years old," he mumbled as he bent to look at the spines of some of the leather bound books on the shelves. "I'll leave the books on witchcraft for the uneducated minds.

 

The brown cover attracted his attention and he picked up the tome. "Only one last piece to enact to prevent that Roman toady from ascending the throne," he muttered as if John was in complete agreement. "All of the blood spilled to protect the Church of England would be for naught." He turned some of the pages in the book.

 

Pausing, he looked up at John with a serious eye. "Surely you plan to vote for the Exclusion Act when Parliament reconvenes?"

[Guest]

“I hope the King w-w-will compromise, g-g-give up his absolutist delusions to avoid Exclusion. You should t-t-too.’” John said. “You’ll d-d-do more for England and the Reformation by changing the throne than b-b-by changing who sits on it. You m-m-might even gain some measure of royal support since the King has an interest in p-p-propping up those he can work with in the opposition.”

 

“B-b-besides, I doubt the King will let the act go to vote.” John said. “He’s overcommitted to that f-f-fight. The smart thing is to t-t-take other objectives. Fight the war, not the b-b-battle.” In fact, John thought this was the Whig's strategy.

[Blackguard]

"The King will never surrender any meaningful part of his power," Cavendish replied gravely. "He would not even entertain the requirement that Parliament never be dismissed, or that a Parliament must be summoned each year. He is prepared to rule without Parliament in defiance of the wishes of his people. Nor has he shown any willingness to require his brother to convert."

 

He continued to thumb through the book. "If he will not compromise, then how can we? He wants a surrender, not an understanding. That will never happen John. He does not understand that the French model will not work in England and that his thinking is medieval, rather than enlightened."

 

"It is simple really. All York need do is convert back to Anglican. You would think he would even feign it ... but no."

[Guest]

“The King is required to c-c-call a Parliament every three years f-f-for a session lasting at least fifty days.” John reminded Cavendish. The King had neutered the act by removing some of its enforcement mechanisms, but it was still a law.

 

"Remember, we are d-d-defending, not attacking there." John fancied himself conservative. This was why he objected to the characterization of his Country sentiments as radical or novel. He genuinely (and not without reason) saw absolutism as an innovative, dangerous new philosophy.

 

“I think he might c-c-compromise. He’s l-l-lost Danby, his High Anglican Tories and his ill-gotten influence. He can’t know how much that hurt him in Parliament yet. He d-d-doesn’t have a Chief Minister or an obvious candidate. Ormonde and Lauderdale are f-f-foreigners with no natural support b-b-base. And b-b-both have failed to control the English Parliament in the p-p-past.”

 

“And Buckingham… c-c-can’t have that much Parliamentary influence if that p-p-petition against him passed a few years ago.” A petition had passed both houses asking Buckingham be forbidden from serving in the King’s government, household, or employ forever. The King had accepted it at the time. “At l-l-least not independently from his Country allies.”

 

The King was weaker than he’d been in a long time from John’s perspective. And the Tories simply lacked the political power to form a new government. At least not smoothly. This was evident because they hadn't.

 

“I think he w-w-will be desperate to stall in the short term. It’s t-t-too much of a risk until he f-f-finds a coalition to support him. Until he knows it's p-p-powerful and faithful enough. And if York is excluded before then, he l-l-loses everything.”

 

“And in the l-l-long term, he needs to find people to support him. So he'll n-n-need to accommodate someone with Parliamentary influence. Better it be someone like you and our family than another Danby or worse." The King needed time and he needed new allies. Both were opportunities for Whigs who were willing to compromise in John’s opinion. Not turn coat, but trade away what the King feared most for significant concessions the King might not like but could live with.

 

As for York’s Catholicism, “That’s the p-p-point, isn’t it? It is a declaration he should be allowed to commit t-t-treason unpunished. Because he’s a royal.” York’s Catholicism was an act of staggering selfishness to John.

[Blackguard]

Willy all but rolled his eyes as John recited the law with respect to calling Parliament. He had no doubt that the King would prorogue Parliament and rule for years if he felt so inclined. Those sorts of powers needed to be curtailed.

 

"The King is weak John. Now is the time to attack rather than defend. One does not allow a weakened adversary to regain strength. The mob is with us. The intellectuals and gentry are with us. Seventeen years of abuse frittering the wealth of England away on mistresses and corrupt cronies is long enough. Coddling Catholics weakens the kingdom further. The King needs competent ministers, but all he can attract these days are opportunists and embezzlers. It is time for men of merit to salvage things. One cannot do that while on defense," he continued.

 

"The King will offer to compromise somewhat, merely as a ploy to purchase needed time to replace Danby and restore the Court Party to prominence." He put down the book and turned back towards John. "Royals should not be exempt from treason. It is Parliament that should have the power to prevent it."

[Guest]

“If he d-d-does not bend, he w-w-will break. We don’t want that. Cornered, desperate p-p-people do stupid, dangerous things. Things that start civil wars.” John said. “Better to chip at his ability to… be arbitrary or tyrannical slowly, t-t-till it’s gone.” John had said something similar last season.

 

“You are stronger at the m-m-moment. Now is the time to take ground.” John agreed. And he nodded more vigorously as Cavendish spoke of corruption, of powers balanced properly, of good ministers. “You should be one of those m-m-ministers. You c-c-can do more England by forcing the King… to lean on you than by attacking him.”

 

John nodded to Cavendish’s assessment of what the King would try, “Of c-c-course. But the simple way to g-g-get around that is to demand he do it in a timely fashion. And if he d-d-does not, to withdraw and c-c-claim he reneged.”

 

As for royals being immune to treason, “They’re n-n-not. The King is, but there’s a very robust history of royals, even heirs, being charged with t-t-treason.” John said. “Because he’s a l-l-lord, the trial would be public and in Lords though.” It might be embarrassing but had little chance of passing.

[Blackguard]

"This King is not like his father," Willy speculated. "He will bend, but only when enough pressure is brought to bear. He is more pragmatic."

 

Continuing to peruse John's book collection, Cavendish continued. "Yes, we can chip away. I know that the hardest stone can be worn down with wind and rain ... in time. But, you will excuse me John if I would like to see change in my own lifetime." His impatience was obvious. "Me, a minister? Hardly. That is something for my grandchildren perhaps. Father could be one, but he is too old and frail."

 

The topic was unpleasant for him as he thought on that, so he changed the subject. "What are you reading these days?" he inquired. One could tell much from another's reading list.

[Guest]

“Do you think there’s n-n-not enough pressure now that he w-w-will bend?” John asked, seeing bend as just another word for compromise. “Even if n-n-not on Exclusion, on other things?” That was John’s argument: the King would bend to avoid what he feared most. He needed someone on the other side for that.

 

As for Cavendish’s future, “William w-w-was one. You will be too. The First Lord of Trade n-n-needs influence in the Commons since trade policy is set there. Few people have more than you.” John thought of that because Devonshire had held that office for some time, “Or you c-c-could be invited to the Privy Council. Both p-p-previous Kings did it for their more reasonable opponents.” John held off on listing their many, many Whiggish relations who already held high office.

 

“I’m b-b-between books just now,” John said. “I j-j-just finished some about English g-g-governemnt and a f-f-few about Ireland. Do you have any recommendations?”

 

The books around the one John had pointed out were history books mostly. John also had a good deal of records, many of them quite dry. They focused around England, especially the south, and the great families of England, especially the Stuarts and his own. Cavendish would find his own genealogy there if he was interested.

 

He could also find a great many books on gardening, plants, politics, philosophy and theology. The philosophy was mostly English and had a lot of Hobbes. There was only a little Locke, but they were some of his original manuscripts with notes in his handwriting. They were carefully wrapped in cloth.

 

John also had many novels, everything from fairytales to romances to the matter of England. There was a particularly beautiful copy of The Battle of Maldon on display in front of that section.

[Blackguard]

"Yes, we shall see," Willy commented absent-mindedly as he looked through John's books. "I do not think the King will be accommodating with offices as we push for exclusion. No doubt he would offer plenty of offices if we would but drop the push to forever remove Catholics from the throne. I, for one, am not inclined to compromise my integrity for an obvious bribe."

He picked up a manuscript from John Locke, surprised to see that John had anything. Locke was reported to be working on a treatise about government, but Willy had seen nothing yet.

 

"I am reading Milton's Paradise Lost again, just for entertainment of course." Putting down the manuscript he turned back to John. "How about a quick tour before I have to go?"

[Guest]

“As you say,” John agreed, mostly because things didn’t seem to be actually advancing. He found it frustrating to be among a divided family, but he supposed all families were in the end. “But remember, every inch you t-t-take and hold is a victory. If that inch is a guarantee of liberties, an office p-p-put into proper hands…” John trailed off. “Even bought with a delay, it m-m-might be worthwhile.”

 

"You m-m-might never have your glorious victory. But if you do well by England, isn't that worthwhile?" John asked. He was aware the King had certain strange ideas about absolutism, but he saw republicanism as a threat. It was difficult to be moderate in a polarized world. "That's what I think." And his tone implied all the uncertainty that should exist between a man who'd been fighting for liberty for twenty years and a boy fresh to politics.

 

They turned to more literary subjects, “Have you read Paradise Regained?” John asked. It was the sequel, published after the Restoration. John thought the work incomplete without it. But Cavendish asked for a tour, “Yes, of course.” John gestured for him to follow, “This is the d-d-dining room…” He intended to give a more or less complete tour, though leaving out the secret rooms. One had to have some surprises.

 

OOC: Once they're into the tour, we can fin, if you wish.

[Blackguard]

"You may be right John, but we cannot stop until the likes of Danby and Lauderdale are impeached and either York renounced Catholicism, or the head of the Church of England." In that moment Cavendish showed more willingness to compromise than some. "The Church must be independent of a Catholic King and have the power to protect itself from tyranny. Still, I am not sure that England can afford another Catholic monarch. England is over 90% Protestant. How could we not have a Protestant king?"

 

"I did," William admitted as to Milton's sequel. "But I read it years ago."

 

"It is spacious enough," he noted about the dining room, and then he continued along the tour. At the end Cavendish concluded that John had made a great deal, assuming that the house was not haunted. It was also time for him to be heading out to meet his wife, so he thanked John for the tour and bid him good day.

 

~fin for me