lently, and surely knew all things wonderfully, and took much delight in indoctrinating his young unexperienced favourite, who, he knew, would be always looked upon as the workmanship of his own hands, he had obtained a quick conception, and apprehension of business, and had the habit of speaking very gracefully and pertinently. He was of a most flowing courtesy and affability to all men who made any address to him; and so desirous to oblige them, that he did not enough consider the value of the obligation, or the merit of the person he chose to oblige; from which much of his misfortune resulted. He was of a courage not to be daunted, which was manifested in all his actions, and his contests with particular persons of the greatest reputation; and especially in his whole demeanour at the Isle of Rhé, both at the landing and upon the retreat: in both which no man was more fearless, or more ready to expose himself to the brightest dangers. His kindness and affection to his friends was so vehement, that it was as so many marriages for better and worse, and so many leagues offensive and defensive; as if he thought himself obliged to love all his friends, and to make war upon all they were angry with, let the cause be what it would. And it cannot be denied that he was an enemy in the same excess, and prosecuted those he looked upon as his enemies with the utmost rigour and animosity, and was not easily induced to a reconciliation. And yet there were some examples of his receding in that particular. And in the highest passion, he was so far from stooping to any dissimulation, whereby his displeasure might be concealed and covered till he

had attained his revenge, (the low method of courts,) that he never endeavoured to do any man an ill office, before he first told him what he was to expect from him, and reproached him with the injuries he had done, with so much generosity, that the person found it in his power to receive further satisfaction, in the way he would choose for himself.

And in this manner he proceeded with the earl of Oxford, a man of great name in that time, and whom he had endeavoured by many civil offices to make his friend, and who seemed equally to incline to the friendship: when he discovered (or, as many thought, but suspected) that the earl was entered into some cabal in parliament against him; he could not be dissuaded by any of his friends, to whom he imparted his resolution; but meeting the earl the next day, he took him aside, and after many reproaches for such and such ill offices he had done, and for breaking his word towards him, he told him, "he would rely no longer on his friendship, nor should he expect any further 'friendship from him, but, on the contrary, he "would be for ever his enemy, and do him all the "mischief he could." The earl, (who, as many thought, had not been faulty towards him, was as great-hearted as he, and thought the very suspecting him to be an injury unpardonable,) without any reply to the particulars, declared, "that he "neither cared for his friendship, nor feared his

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hatred ;" and from thence avowedly entered into the conversation and confidence of those who were always awake to discover, and solicitous to pursue, any thing that might prove to his disadvantage;

which was of evil consequence to the duke, the earl being of the most ancient of the nobility, and a man of great courage, and of a family which had in no time swerved from its fidelity to the

crown.

Sir Francis Cottington, who was secretary to the prince, and not grown courtier enough to dissemble well his opinion, had given the duke offence before the journey into Spain, as is before touched upon, and improved that prejudice, after his coming thither, by disposing the prince all he could to the marriage of the infanta; and by his behaviour after his return, in justifying to king James, who had a very good opinion of him, the sincerity of the Spaniard in the treaty of the marriage, "That they did in truth desire it, and were fully re"solved to gratify his majesty in the business of "the palatinate; and only desired, in the manner "of it, to gratify the emperor and the duke of "Bavaria all they could, which would take up very "little time." All which being so contrary to the duke's positions and purposes, his displeasure to Cottington was sufficiently manifest. And king James was no sooner dead, and the new officers and orders made, but the profits and privileges which had used to be continued to him who had been secretary, till some other promotion, were all retrenched. And when he was one morning attending in the privy lodgings, as he was accustomed to do, one of the secretaries of state came to him, and told him, "that it was the king's pleasure that " he should no more presume to come into those "rooms;" (which was the first instance he had received of the king's disfavour;) and at the same

instant the duke entered into that quarter. Upon which sir Francis Cottington addressed himself towards him, and desired " he would give him "leave to speak to him:" upon which the duke inclining his ear, moved to a window from the company, and the other told him, that he re"ceived every day fresh marks of his severity;" mentioned the message which had been then delivered to him, and desired only to know, "whether "it could not be in his power, by all dutiful appli

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cation, and all possible service, to be restored to "the good opinion his grace had once vouchsafed "to have of him, and to be admitted to serve " him ?" The duke heard him without the least commotion, and with a countenance serene enough, and then answered him, "That he would deal very clearly with him; that it was utterly impossible "to bring that to pass which he had proposed: "that he was not only firmly resolved never to "trust him, or to have to do with him; but that " he was, and would be always, his declared enemy; " and that he would do always whatever should be "in his power to ruin and destroy him, and of "this he might be most assured;" without mentioning any particular ground for his so heightened displeasure.

The other very calmly replied to him, (as he was master of an incomparable temper,) "That since he was resolved never to do him good, that he 'hoped, from his justice and generosity, that he "would not suffer himself to gain by his loss; "that he had laid out by his command so much money for jewels and pictures, which he had received and that, in hope of his future favour,

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" he had once presented a suit of hangings to him, which cost him 8007. which he hoped he would cause to be restored to him, and that he would "not let him be so great a loser by him." The duke answered, "he was in the right; that he "should the next morning go to Oliver, (who was "his receiver,) and give him a particular account 'of all the money due to him, and he should presently pay him;" which was done the next morning accordingly, without the least abatement of any of his demands.

And he was so far reconciled to him before his death, that being resolved to make a peace with Spain, to the end he might more vigorously pursue the war with France, (to which his heart was most passionately fixed,) he sent for Cottington to come to him, and after conference with him, told him, "the king would send him ambassador thither, and that he should attend him at Portsmouth for his despatch."

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His single misfortune was, (which indeed was productive of many greater,) that he never made a noble and a worthy friendship with a man so near his equal, that he would frankly advise him for his honour and true interest, against the current, or rather the torrent, of his impetuous passion; which was partly the vice of the time, when the court was not replenished with great choice of excellent men; and partly the vice of the persons who were most worthy to be applied to, and looked upon his youth, and his obscurity, as obligations upon him to gain their friendships by extraordinary application. Then his ascent was so quick, that it seemed rather a flight than a growth; and he was such a