1678 in England
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Events from the year 1678 in the Kingdom of England.
Incumbents
- Monarch - Charles II
Events
- 31 May - The Godiva Procession, a commemoration held in honour of Lady Godiva's legendary 11th century naked horseback ride through the streets of Coventry in protest against her husband's treatment of the citizens, begins.
- 6 September - Titus Oates first presents sworn allegations of the "Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to assassinate King Charles II.[1] On 28 September before the Privy Council he makes allegations against numerous Jesuits and Catholic nobles. Oates applies the term Tory to those who disbelieve his allegations.
- 17 October - Magistrate Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey is found murdered in Primrose Hill, London. Titus Oates claims it as a proof of his allegations.[1]
- 25 October - Five Catholic peers accused of involvement in the "Popish Plot" are arrested at the instance of the House of Commons and committed to the Tower of London.
- 3 December - Test Act provides that members of both the House of Lords and House of Commons must swear an anti-Catholic oath before taking office.
- Second Burying in Woollen Act, more rigidly enforced.[2]
Publications
- 18 February - John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.[3]
- John Dryden's play All for Love.[1]
Births
- July - Thomas Hearne, antiquarian (died 1735)
- 16 September - Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, statesman and philosopher (died 1751)
- 8 December - Horatio Walpole, 1st Baron Walpole of Wolterton, diplomat (died 1757)
- 14 December - Daniel Neal, historian (died 1743)
- 30 December - William Croft, composer (died 1727)
Deaths
- 16 August - Andrew Marvell, writer (born 1621)
- 28 August - John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, soldier (born 1602)
- 12 October - Edmund Berry Godfrey, magistrate (born 1621)
- 1 November - William Coddington, first Governor of Rhode Island (born 1601)
