Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 32.djvu/300

Lawson in favour of the restoration of the parliament, which had been interrupted on 13 Oct. [see ), and for which they were now ready to adventure their lives ; at the same time disclaiming 'the interest of Charles Stuart or of any single person whatsoever, or of the House of Lords' (''Merc. Polit. 22-9 Dec. 1669). Consequent on this and the other agencies working in its support, the restored parliament met on 26 Dec., and on the 29th voted their hearty thanks to Lawson and all the commanders and officers of the fleet, which were delivered to Lawson personally on 9 Jan. 1659-60 (Commons' Journ.'' vii. 799, 806). On 2 Jan. he was elected one of the council of state, and on the 21st was granted a pension of '500l. a year, land of inheritance, to be settled on him for his fidelity and good service done for the parliament and commonwealth' (ib. vii. 801, 818). On 23 Feb. a new council of state was elected, of which Lawson was not a member. Monck and Mountagu were at the same time appointed generals of the fleet, Lawson remaining vice-admiral as before, though no longer commander-in-chief. It would seem that Lawson, as an anabaptist, was equally mistrusted by presbyterians and royalists; but by this time he had satisfied himself that the country's choice lay between restoration and anarchy, and was quite content to follow Monck and to co-operate with Mountagu (, pp. 819, 821 ; cf. Cal. State Papers, Dom. 19 Nov. 1669, 18-19 Jan. 1669-60;, 21 Feb. 23 March 1659-60). His assent carried with it that of the seamen of the fleet, who entirely confided in him. He was vice-admiral of the fleet which went to Holland to receive the king, and a few months later, 24 Sept., he was knighted (ib. 25 Sept. ;, p. 111). He bad won the favour of both the king and the Duke of York, who recommended the question of his pension of 500l. to the consideration of the parliament ; but, after a long debate (18 Dec. 1660), in which it appeared that his old republican principles were bitterly remembered against him, it was resolved that the grant was invalid, as it had been made only by the Rump, and had not been confirmed after the return of the secluded members (Commons' Journ. viii. 214; Old Parliamentary Hist xxiii. 56). Two years later, however, the pension was secured to him by the king's warrant (Cal. State Papers, Dom., 29 Dec. 1662).

In June 1661, with his flag in the Swiftsure, Lawson accompanied Mountagu, now earl of Sandwich, to the Mediterranean ; and when Sandwich went to Lisbon to conduct the queen to England, Lawson remained in command of a strong squadron with instructions to coerce Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli. After capturing several of their ships, releasing some two hundred captives, and selling about the same number of Moors into slavery, he compelled them to renew the treaties. He returned to England for the winter of 1662-3, and again for that of 1663-1664 ; and the Algerines, seizing the opportunity, recommenced their piracies. In May Lawson was again in the Mediterranean, but before the corsairs could be reduced he was ordered home, August 1664 [see ]. War with the Dutch had again broken out, and he was appointed vice-admiral of the red squadron. In the action off Lowestoft on 3 June 1665 he was wounded in the knee by a musket-shot. Gangrene set in, and he died at Greenwich on 29 June. He was buried in the church of St. Dunstan's-in-the-East, by the side of several of his children who had predeceased him.

Before the civil war broke out Lawson had married Isabella, daughter of William Jefferson of Whitby, who survived him, with three daughters, Isabella, Elizabeth, and Anna. During her father's life Isabella married Daniel Norton of Southwick, Hampshire, and afterwards Sir John Chicheley fa. v.], by whom she had a large family. The other two were still minors at the time of Lawson's death. In his will (in Somerset House), dated 19 April 1664, he desires his pension of 500l. to be settled if possible on his two daughters Elizabeth and Anna. To Elizabeth he leaves 'a gold chain that was given me in Portugal in 1663.' for her eldest son ; and to Isabella 'a gold chain that was given me in the Dutch war, 1653.' No mention is made of the medal (, Medallic Illustrations, ed. 1885, pp. 398-402). To each of 'two William Lawsons now on board the Royal Oak' 51. is left; 'my cousin John Lawson, citizen and grocer of London, living in Lyme Street,' and his son Samuel Lawson, merchant, are appointed overseers. Lawson's portrait, by Sir Peter Lely, is in the Painted Hall at Greenwich.  LAWSON, JOHN (d. 1712), traveller, a native of Scotland, was sent to America as surveyor-general of North Carolina, and arrived at Charleston in September 1700. A few months later he started on his exploration of the Carolinas with five white men and four Indians, went by canoe as far as Santee, and then turned inland on foot, jotting down his experiences as he journeyed-