king, (being in truth a man of great parts and notable dexterity,) that, during the duke's absence in Spain, he was not only negligent in the issuing out such sums of money as were necessary to the defraying those unlimited expenses, and to correspond with him with that deference he had used to do, but had the courage to dispute his commands, and to appeal to the king, whose ear was always inclined to him, and in whom he began to believe himself so far fastened, that he should not stand in need of the future support of the favourite. And of all this the duke could not be without ample information, as well from his own creatures, who were near enough to observe, as from others; who, caring for neither of them, were more scandalized at so precipitate a promotion of a person of such an education, and whom they had long known so much their inferior, though it could not be denied, that he filled the places he held with great abilities.

The duke no sooner found the parliament disposed to a good opinion of him, and being well assured of the prince's fast kindness, than he projected the ruin of this bold rival of his, of whom he saw clearly enough that the king had so good an opinion, that it would not be in his sole power to crush him, as he had done others in the same and as high a station. And so he easily procured some leading men in the house of commons, to cause an impeachment for several corruptions and misdemeanours to be sent up to the house of peers against that great minister, whom they had so lately known their equal in that house; which (besides their natural inclination to those kinds of executions) disposed them with great alacrity to the prosecution.

The wise king knew well enough the ill consequence that must attend such an activity; and that it would shake his own authority in the choice of his own ministers, when they should find, that their security did not depend solely upon his own protection : which breach upon his kingly power was so much without a precedent, (except one unhappy one made three years before, to gratify likewise a private displeasure,) that the like had not been practised in some hundred of years, and never in such a case as this.

When this prosecution was first entered upon, and that the king clearly discerned that it was contrived by the duke, and that he had likewise prevailed with the prince to be well pleased with it; his majesty sent for them, and with much warmth and passion dissuaded them from appearing farther in it; and conjured them "to use all their interest "and authority to restrain it, as such a wound to "the crown, that would not be easily healed." And when he found the duke unmoved by all the considerations, and arguments, and commands he had offered, he said, in great choler, "By God, Stenny, you are a fool, and will shortly repent this folly, " and will find, that, in this fit of popularity, you` are making a rod, with which you will be scourged yourself." And turning in some anger to the prince, told him, "That he would live to have his bellyful of parliaments: and that when he should "be dead, he would have too much cause to re"member, how much he had contributed to the weakening of the crown, by this precedent he was now so fond of;" intending as well the engaging the parliament in the war, as the prosecution of the earl of Middlesex.

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But the duke's power (supported by the prince's countenance) was grown so great in the two houses, that it was in vain for the king to interpose; and so (notwithstanding so good a defence made by the earl, that he was absolved from any notorious crime by the impartial opinion of many of those who heard all the evidence) he was at last condemned in a great fine to a long and strict imprisonment, and never to sit in parliament during his life a clause of such a nature as was never before found in any judgment of parliament, and, in truth, not to be inflicted upon any peer but by attainder.

And how aliened soever the king's affection was in truth from the duke, upon these three provocations; 1. The prince's journey into Spain; 2. The engaging the parliament to break the match and treaty with Spain, and to make a war against that crown; and, 3. The sacrificing the earl of Middlesex in such a manner, upon his own animosity; yet he was so far from thinking fit to manifest it, (except in whispers to very few men,) that he was prevailed with to restrain the earl of Bristol upon his first arrival, without permitting him to come into his presence, which he had positively promised, and resolved to do; and in the end suffered his attorney general to exhibit a charge of high treason, in his majesty's name, against the said earl, who was thereupon committed to the Tower; but so little dejected with it, that he answered the articles with great steadiness and unconcernedness, and exhibited another charge of high treason against the duke in many particulars.

And in this order and method the war was

hastily entered into against Spain, and a new treaty set on foot for the prince of Wales with the daughter of France; which was quickly concluded, though not executed till after the death of king James; who, in the spring following, after a short indisposition by the gout, fell into a quartan ague, which, meeting many humours in a fat, unwieldy body of [fifty-eight] years old, in four or five fits carried him out of the world. After whose death many scandalous and libellous discourses were raised, without the least colour or ground; as appeared upon the strictest and malicious examination that could be made, long after, in a time of license, when nobody was afraid of offending majesty, and when prosecuting the highest reproaches and contumelies against the royal family was held very meritorious.

Upon the death of king James, Charles prince of Wales succeeded to the crown, with as universal a joy in the people as can be imagined, and in a conjuncture, when all the other parts of Christendom, being engaged in war, were very solicitous for his friendship; and the more, because he had already discovered an activity, that was not like to suffer him to sit still. The duke continued in the same degree of favour at the least with the son, which he had enjoyed so many years under the father. Which was a rare felicity; seldom known, and in which the expectation of very many was exceedingly disappointed; who, knowing the great jealousy and indignation that the prince had heretofore had against the duke, insomuch as he was once very near striking him, expected that he would now remember that insolence, of which he

then so often complained; without considering the opportunity the duke had, by the conversation with the prince, during his journey into Spain, (which was so grateful to him,) and whilst he was there, to wipe out the memory of all former oversights, by making them appear to be of a less magnitude than they had been understood before, and to be excusable from other causes, still being severe enough to himself for his unwary part, whatsoever excuses he might make for the excess; and by this means to make new vows for himself, and to tie new knots to restrain the prince from future jealousies. And it is very true, his hopes in this kind never failed him; the new king, from the death of the old even to the death of the duke himself, discovering the most entire confidence in, and even friendship to him, that ever king had shewed to any subject: all preferments in church and state given by him; all his kindred and friends promoted to the degree in honour, or riches, or offices, as he thought fit, and all his enemies and enviers discountenanced, and kept at that distance from the court as he appointed.

But a parliament was necessary to be called, as at the entrance of all kings to the crown, for the continuance of some supplies and revenue to the king, which have been still used to be granted in that season. And now he quickly found how prophetic the last king's predictions had, and were like to prove. The parliament that had so furiously advanced the war, and so factiously adhered to his person, was now no more; and though the house of peers consisted still of the same men, and most of the principal men of the house of commons were