Comm. 7th Rep. App. p. 368; cf. Reresby, p. 288).
After lodging for a time in Holborn and then at his country seat, Moor Park, near Rickmansworth, Monmouth, though subpœnaed on Hampden's trial, crossed from Greenwich to Zealand, where he arrived about January 1684 (Luttrell, i. 294–5, 298). It is at least open to question whether he was not acting under advice from court; he refused to go to Hungary into the emperor's service, because it ‘would draw him too far off’ (Life of James II, i. 744). In March, April, and May he was reported to be living in great splendour in Flanders and at Brussels, provided with a command, an income, the title of royal highness, and his plate from England (Luttrell, i. 303, 306; Hist. MSS. Comm. 7th Rep. App. p. 499). In October he was living luxuriously as the guest of the Prince of Orange at Leyden and The Hague, and treated by him with marked respect (Luttrell, i. 318; cf. Macaulay and Life of James II, i. 744–5). Shortly before the death of Charles II, Monmouth paid a secret visit to England, apparently about the end of November 1684 (cf. Hist. MSS. Comm. 7th Rep. App. pp. 378–9); and it was believed that had the king lived a little longer he would have taken Monmouth back into favour. But Charles II died on 6 Feb. 1685, without recommending Monmouth with the rest of his natural children to his brother (Evelyn, ii. 444). Monmouth received the news with genuine grief.
He was immediately banished from the Spanish Netherlands, whither he had withdrawn (Luttrell, i. 333), having been dismissed by the Prince of Orange, so as to avoid a summons to give him up. According to Macaulay's authorities he pledged his word to the Prince and Princess of Orange to attempt nothing against the government of England, and was advised by the former to serve the emperor against the Turks. Burnet asserts (iii. 14–15) that he was prevented by those around him from adopting so inoffensive a course. He was accompanied to Brussels by Lady Wentworth, who now lived with him as his wife.
Monmouth had not engaged himself with the English and Scottish exiles before the death of Charles II. After the accession of James II he consented to see Sir Patrick Hume at Rotterdam, and discussed a concerted plan of action between the other exiles and Argyll. Monmouth was soon ready to co-operate, and to conciliate republican feeling by promising not to claim the crown except by the common consent of those concerned. Ferguson was once more busy, and an interview between Argyll and Monmouth ended in an agreement for simultaneous action in Scotland and England under their respective leadership (Marchmont Papers, iii. 7–15; Grey, p. 93). Meanwhile Monmouth had been carrying on a correspondence with England (Grey, pp. 94–5). According to Lord Grey, Monmouth and he determined to make the west the scene of the English rising, and to land at Lyme Regis about the beginning of May, while other risings were to follow in London and Cheshire (ib. pp. 99, 104–5). Though at the request of the English government the States-General consented to banish Argyll, Monmouth, and Ferguson, the preparations were carried on with the connivance of the Amsterdam authorities. The money for Monmouth's expedition was provided by pawning the jewels of the duke and his mistress, and by subscriptions from private friends, of whom Locke was one; none came from England or from public sources. On 2 May Argyll sailed, leaving behind Ferguson and Fletcher of Saltoun to share Monmouth's fortunes. Thus the Scottish enterprise forced the hand of the English. Monmouth embarked at Santfort unmolested on 24 May, and six days later joined his petty armada in the Texel. It consisted of a man-of-war, the Helderenbergh, and two tenders; on board were Lord Grey, Fletcher of Saltoun, Ferguson, a Brandenburg officer of the name of Buyse, with a few other gentlemen and men, including Monmouth, eighty-three in all (Macaulay; cf. Ferguson ap. Echard, iii. 756–7, and in Ferguson the Plotter, pp. 209–12; Burnet, iii. 26 n.) Bad weather kept Monmouth nineteen days at sea. As he passed the Dorsetshire coast, he sent Thomas Dare, who possessed great influence at Taunton, to announce his coming. On 11 June the expedition itself was off Lyme Regis, and in the evening Monmouth went ashore (Roberts, i. 220 seqq.). His declaration, composed by Ferguson, which was read in the market-place, claimed for him, as ‘the now head and captain-general of the protestant forces of this kingdom,’ a ‘legitimate and legal’ right to the crown, but distinctly promised to leave the determination of that right to a free parliament (Roberts, i. 235–50; cf. Echard, iii. 758–760). The declaration reached London on 13 June, and three days later a bill of attainder against him received the royal assent, while a price of 5,000l. was placed upon his head (Reresby, p. 332).
Four days were spent at Lyme, where Monmouth sojourned at the George Inn. Men came in fast, but though arms were landed for five thousand, they proved mostly
