No More Learning

p. 277- &c.

The chancellor of the exchequer was sent to con-
fer with the marquis of Mountrose in a village
near the Hague upon the state of affairs in Scot-
land. The marquis came now into Holland to
offer his service to his majesty ; expecting that he
would presently send him to Scotland with some
forces, to prepare the way for his majesty to follow
after. Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 286. &c.

The king declared his resolution of going into
Ireland, and preparations were made for that ex-
pedition; which however, from accidents that af-
terwards fett out, did not take effect. The lord
Cottington, wishing to avoid the fatigue of such
expeditions, took that occasion to confer with the



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 259

chancellor of the exchequer upon the expediency of PART
the king's sending an embassy into Spain ; and.



proposed, that himself and the chancellor should ] 649>
be appointed ambassadors to that court ; to which
the chancellor consented: and upon the lord Cot-
tingtori's representation of the matter to the king,
his majesty soon after publicly declared his resolu-
tion to send those two, ambassadors extraordinary
into Spain. Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 309. &c.

This was no sooner known, but all kind of people, The mur-

. i i i 11 mursofthe

who agreed in nothing else, murmured and com- court on his
plained of this counsel; and the more, because it p oinfed P a"m-
had never been mentioned or debated in council.
Only the Scots were very glad of it, (Mountrose
excepted,) believing that when the chancellor was
gone, their beloved covenant would not be so irre-
verently mentioned; and that the king would be
wrought upon to withdraw all countenance and fa-
vour from the marquis of Mountrose ; and the mar-
quis himself looked upon it as a deserting him, and
complying with the other party : and from that
time, though they lived with civility towards each
other, he withdrew very much of his confidence,
which he had formerly reposed in him. They who
loved him were sorry for him and themselves ; they
thought he deserted a path he had long trod, and
was well acquainted with ; and was henceforward
to move " extra sphaeram activitatis," in an office he
had not been acquainted with ; and then they should
want his credit to support and confirm them in the
king's favour and grace : and there were many who
were very sorry when they heard it, out of par-
ticular duty to the king; who, being young, they

s 2



260 THE LIFE OF

PART thought might be without that counsel and advertise-
ment, which they knew well he would still admin-



1649> istertohim.

No man was more angry and offended with the
counsel than the lord Colepepper, who would have
been very glad to have gone himself in the employ-
ment, if he could have persuaded the lord Cotting-
ton to have accepted his company ; which he would
by no means do ; and though he and the chancellor
were not thought to have the greatest kindness for
each other, yet he knew he could agree with no other
man so well in business ; and was very unwilling he
His own should be from the person of the king. But the

content in

that office, chancellor himself, from the time that the king had
signified his own pleasure to him, was exceedingly
pleased with the commission ; and did believe that
he should in some degree improve his understand-
ing, and very much refresh his spirits, by what he
should learn by the one, and by his absence from
being continually conversant with those wants which
could never be severed from that court, and that
company which would be always corrupted by those
wants. And so he sent for his wife and children to
meet him at Antwerp, where he intended they should
reside whilst he continued in Spain, and where they
were like to find some civilities in respect of his em-
ployment.

The ambassadors took leave of the king before
the middle of May. , and went to Antwerp, where
the chancellor's wife and family were arrived,, who
were to remain there during his embassy After
staying two or three days at Antwerp, they went
to Brussels, to deliver their credentials to the arch-



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 261

duke and to the duke of Lor rain, and to visit the PART
Spanish ministers there, &c. Hist, of the Reb. 8vo.



vol. vi. p. 325. ]649 -

When the ambassadors had despatched all their
business at Brussels, they returned to Antwerp, to
negociate the remittance of their money to Madrid,
Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 328.

The queen is much displeased that the king had
taken any resolutions before she was consulted,
and imputed all that had been done principally
to the chancellor of the exchequer; suspecting he
meant to exclude her from meddling in the affairs.
Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 329.

Lord Cottington and the chancellor, hearing
that the king was on his way to France, resolve to
defer going to St. Germain's till the king's first
interview with the queen should be over. Hist, of
the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 331.

About a week after the king left Brussels, the
two ambassadors prosecuted their journey to Paris;
stayed only one day there, and then went to St.
Germain's; where the king, and the queen his
mother, with both their families, and the duke of
York then were They found that court full of
jealousy and disorder The queen much troubled
at the king's behaviour to her, as if he had no mind
that she should interfere in his affairs She now
attributes this reservedness of the king towards
her, more to the influence of somebody else than to
the chancellor of the exchequer He had a pri-
vate audience of the queen She complained of the
king's unkindness to her, and of the great credit
Mr. Elliot (one of his majesty's grooms of the

s 3



THE LIFE OF

PART bedchamber) had with the king. Hist, of the Reb.
V ' 8vo. vol. vi. p. 333.



1649. About the middle of September, the king left St.
Germain's, and began his journey towards Jersey,
and the queen removed to Paris The two am-
bassadors attended her majesty thither, and pre<-
pared for their journey into Spain. Hist, of the
Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 354.

The queen During the time of their short stay at Paris, the
at bis* going queen used the chancellor very graciously; but still
) Spam. ex p resse( j trouble that he was sent on that embassy,
which, she said, would be fruitless, as to any ad-
vantage' the king would receive from it ; and, she
said, she must confess, that though she was not con-
fident of his affection and kindness towards her, yet
she believed that he did wish that the king's car-
riage towards her should be always fair and respect-
ful ; and that she did desire that he might be al-
ways about his majesty's person ; not only because
she thought he understood the business of England
better than any body else, but because she knew
that he loved the king, and would always give him
good counsel towards his living virtuously ; and that
she thought he had more credit with him than any
other, who would deal plainly and honestly with
him.

There was a passage at that time, of which he
used to speak often, and looked upon as a great ho-
nour to him. The queen one day, amongst some of
her ladies in whom she had most confidence, ex-
pressed some sharpness towards a lord of the king's
council, whom she named not ; who, she said, al-
ways gave her the fairest words, and promised her



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 263

every thing she desired, and had persuaded her to PART
affect somewhat that she had before no mind to; !



and yet she was well assured, that when the same
was proposed to the king on her behalf, he was the
only man who dissuaded the king from granting it.
Some of the ladies seemed to have the curiosity to
know who it was ; which the queen would not tell :
one of them, who was known to have a friendship
for him, said, she hoped it was not the chancellor ;
to which her majesty replied with some quickness, The queen's

,, . , , . , , , opinion of

that she might be sure it was not he, who was so his sin-
far from making promises, or giving fair words, and centy '
flattering her, that she did verily believe, that " if
" he thought her to be a whore, he would tell her of
" it ;" which when that lady told him, he was not
displeased with the testimony.

The two ambassadors began their journey from
Paris on Michaelmas day, and continued it with-
out one day's rest to Bourdeaux. Hist, of the Reb.
8vo. vol. v. p. 357. V

They continued their journey to Bayonne ; and
from thence to St. Sebastian's; where they were
told by the corregidor that he had received direc-
tions from the secretary of state, to persuade them
to remain there till the king's further pleasure
might be known ; and they received a packet from
sir Benjamin Wright at Madrid, enclosing a pass
for them, under the title of ambassadors from the
prince of Wales. They immediately sent an ex-
press to the court, complaining of their treatment,
and desiring to know whether their persons were
unacceptable to his catholic majesty; and if other-
wise, they desired they might be treated in the
manner due to the honour and dignity of the king

s 4



264 THE LIFE OF

PART their master. They received an answer full of ci-
vility, imputing the error in the style of their pass



1 649 - to the negligence or ignorance of the secretary; and
new passes were sent to them in the proper style;
with assurance, that they should find a very good
welcome from his majesty They left St. Sebas-
tian's about the middle of November. Hist, of the
Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 358. &c.

When they came to Alcavendas, within three
leagues of Madrid, sir Benjamin Wright came to
them, and informed them that all things were in
the state they were when he writ to them at St. Se-
bastian's; that no house was yet prepared for their
reception ; and that there was an evident want of
attention for them in the court ; the Spanish am-
bassador in England having done them ill offices,
lest their good, reception in Spain might incense
the parliament After a week's stay in that little
town, they accepted of sir Benjamin Wrighfs in-
vitation to his house at Madrid; they went pri-
vately thither, to reside incognito The court knew
of their arrival, but took no notice of it Lord
Cottington desired and obtained a private audi-
ence of don Lewis de Haro Don Lewis excused
the omissions towards the ambassadors, on pre-
tence that the fiestas for their new queen's arrival
had engrossed the whole attention of all the officers
about the court ; and promised immediate repara-
tion Lord Cottington returned home well satis-
fied The ambassadors are invited to see the exer-
cises of the fiestas ; and the chancellor accordingly
went to the place assigned. Hist, of the Reb. 8vo.
vol. vi. p. 363. &c.

The masquerade is an exercise they learned from



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 265



the Moors, performed by squadrons of horse, seem- PART
ing to charge each other with great fierceness, with '
bucklers in their left hands, and a kind of cane in 1649 -

Description

their right; which, when they come within little of the mas-
more than a horse's length, they throw with all the q "
strength they can ; and against them they defend
themselves with very broad bucklers ; and as soon as
they have thrown their darts, they wheel about in a
full gallop, till they can turn to receive the like as-
sault from those whom they had charged ; and so
several squadrons of twenty or five and twenty horse
run round and charge each other. It hath at first
the appearance of a martial exercise ; the horses are
very beautiful, and well adorned ; the men richly
clad, and must be good horsemen, otherwise they
could not conduct d the quick motions and turns of
their horses ; all the rest is too childish, the darts
being nothing else but plain bulrushes of the biggest
growth. After this, they run the course ; which is
like our running at the ring ; save that two run still
together, and the swifter hath the prize ; a post di-
viding them at the end : from the start they run
their horses full speed about fifty paces, and the
judges are at that post to determine who is first at
the end. c

d conduct] obey itself had nothing wonderful.

e who is first at the end. ] Here there happened to be some

Thus continued in MS. : There sudden sharp words between the

the king and don Lewis ran se- admirante of Castile, a haughty

veral courses, in all which don young man, and the marquis de

Lewis was too good a cour- Liche, the eldest son of don

tier to win any prize; though Lewis de Haro ; the which being

he always lost it by very little, taken notice of, they were both

The appearance of the people dismissed the squadrons where-

was very great, and the ladies in they were, and committed to

in all the windows made a very their chambers. See pp. 369,

rich show, otherwise the show 370. vol. vi. of the History.



266 THE LIFE OF

PART The next day, and so for two or three days toge-
! ther, both the ambassadors had a box prepared for



^. . them to see the toros ; which is a spectacle very

Description

of the toros. wonderful/ Here the place was very noble, being
the market-place, a very large square, built with
handsome brick houses, which had all balconies,
which were adorned with tapestry and very beau-
tiful ladies. Scaffolds were built round to the first
story ; the lower rooms being shops, and for ordi-
nary use ; and in the division of those scaffolds, all
the magistrates and officers of the town knew their
places. The pavement of the place was all covered
with gravel, which in summer time was upon those
occasions watered by carts charged with hogsheads
of water. As soon as the king comes, some officers
clear the whole ground from the common people ;
so that there is no man seen upon the plain, but
two or three alguazils, magistrates with their small
white wands. Then one of the four gates which
lead into the streets is opened; at which the tor-
readors enter, all persons of quality richly clad, and
upon the best horses in Spain ; every one attended .
by eight, or ten, or more lackeys, all clinquant with
gold and silver lace ; who carry the spears which
their masters are to use against the bulls ; and with
this entry many of the common people break in, for
which sometimes they pay very dear. The persons
on horseback have all cloaks folded up upon their
left shoulder ; the least disorder of which, much
more the letting it fall, is a very great disgrace ; and

f very wonderful. ] Originally and where they were not charged

added in MS. : different from by men on horseback, and little

what they had seen at Burgos, harm done,
where the bulls were much tamer,



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 267

in that grave order they march to the place where PART
the king sits, and after they have made the reve-.



rences, they place themselves at a good distance 1649<
from one another, and expect the bull.

The bulls are brought in the night before from
the mountains, by people used to that work ; who
drive them into the town when nobody is in the
streets, into a pen made for them, which hath a door
that opens into that large space, the key whereof is
sent to the king; which the king, when he sees
every thing ready, throws to an alguazil, who car-
ries it to the officer that keeps the door; and he
causes it to be opened when a single bull is ready
to come out. When the bull enters, the common
people who sit over the door, or near it, strike him,
or throw short darts with sharp points of steel, to
provoke him to rage : he commonly runs with all
his fury against the first man he sees on horseback ;
who watches him so carefully, and avoids him so
dexterously, that when the spectators believe him to
be even between the horns of the bull, he avoids
him by the quick turn of his horse ; and with his
lance strikes the bull upon a vein that runs through
his pole, with which in a moment he falls down dead.
But this fatal stroke can never be struck, but when
the bull conies so near upon the turn of the horse,
that his horn even touches the rider's leg ; and so is
at such a distance, that he can shorten his lance,
and use the full strength of his arm in the blow ;
and they who are the most skilful in the exercise,
do frequently kill the beast with such an exact
stroke ; insomuch as in a day, two or three fall in
that manner : but if they miss the vein, it only gives
a wound that the more enrages him.



268 THE LIFE OF

PART Sometimes the bull runs with so much fierceness,
v

(for if he escapes the first man, he runs upon the



1649. res t as t^y are j n hj s wa y^ that he gores the horse
with his horns, so that his guts come out, and he
falls before the rider can get from his back. Some-
times, by the strength of his neck, he raises horse
and man from the ground, and throws both down ;
and then the greatest danger is another gore upon
the ground. In any of these disgraces, or any other
by which the rider comes to be dismounted, he is
obliged in honour to take his revenge upon the bull
by his sword, and upon his head ; towards which the
standers-by assist him, by running after the bull,
and hocking him, by which he falls upon his hinder
legs ; but before that execution can be done, a good
bull hath his revenge upon many poor fellows.
Sometimes he is so unruly that nobody dares to at-
tack him ; and then the king calls for the mastiffs,
whereof two are let out at a time ; and if they can-
not master him, but are themselves killed, as fre-
quently they are, the king then, as the last refuge,
calls for the English mastiffs ; of which they seldom
turn out above one at a time, and he rarely misses
taking the bull, and holding him by the nose till the
men run in ; and after they have hocked him, they
quickly kill him.

In one of those days there were no fewer than
sixteen horses, as good as any in Spain, the worst
of which would that very morning have yielded
three hundred pistoles, killed, and four or five men ;
besides many more of both hurt, and some men re-
mained perpetually maimed : for after the horsemen
have done as much as they can, they withdraw
themselves, and then some accustomed nimble fel-



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 269

lows, to whom money is thrown, when they perform PART
their feats with skill, stand to receive the bulls,
whereof the worst are reserved till the last; and it IC49 *
is a wonderful thing to see with what steadiness
those fellows will stand a full career of the bull, and
by a little quick motion upon one foot, avoid him,
and lay a hand upon his horn, as if they guided him
from them ; but then the next standers-by, who have
not the same activity, commonly pay for it ; and
there is no day without much mischief. It is a very
barbarous exercise and triumph, in which so many
men's lives are lost, and always ventured; but so
rooted in the affections of that nation, that it is not
in the king's power, they say, to suppress it ; though
if he disliked it enough, he might forbear to be pre-
sent at it.

There are three festivals? in the year, whereof
midsummer is one, on which the people hold it to
be their right to be treated with these spectacles;
not only in great cities, where they are never dis-
appointed, but in very ordinary towns, where there
are places provided for it. Besides those ordinary
annual days, upon any extraordinary accidents of
joy, as at this time for the arrival of the queen, upon
the birth of the king's children, or any signal vic-
tory, these triumphs are repeated ; which no eccle-
siastical censures or authority can suppress or dis-
countenance : for pope Pius the Fifth, in the time of
Philip the Second, and very probably with his ap-
probation, if not upon his desire, published a bull
against the toros in Spain, which is still in force ; in
which he declared, that nobody should be capable of

g "festivals] festival days



70 THE LIFE OF

PART Christian burial who lost his life at those spectacles;
and that every clergyman who should be present at



9> them stood excommunicated ipso facto : and yet
there is always one of the largest galleries assigned
to the office of the inquisition, and the chief of the
clergy, which is always filled ; besides that many
religious men in their habits get other places ; only
the Jesuits, out of their submission to the supreme
authority of the pope, are never present there ; but
on those days do always appoint some such solemn
exercise to be performed that obliges their whole
body to be together.
is visited by Though it is not the course for the ambassadors

the other '

ambassadors to make their visits to those who come last, before
before his' they receive their first audience from the king ; yet
audience. . came to the town, the Venetian



ambassador sent to congratulate their arrival, and to
know what hour they would assign of the next day
te receive a visit from him : to which they returned
their acknowledgments ; and that when they had
obtained their audience of the king, they would be
ready to receive that honour from him. However,
the very next day he came to visit them ; and he
was no sooner gone, but the German ambassador,
not sending notice till he was at the bottom of the
stairs, likewise came to them ; and then the other
ambassadors and public ministers took their times
to make their visits, without attending the audience.
ntofthe There was one thing very notable, that all the



ambassa- foreign ministers residing then in Madrid (the Eng-
lish ambassadors and the resident of Denmark only



excepted) were Italians ; and all, but the Venetian,
of Julio subjects of the great duke. Julio Rospigliosi, nuncio
pope, was of Pistoja, and so a subject to the



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 271

duke of Florence; a grave man, and at that time, PART
save that his health was not good, like to come to v>



be, what he was afterwards, pope, as he was Clement 1 649.
the Ninth. The emperor's ambassador, the marquis of the mar-
of Grana, was likewise an Italian, and a subject of Grana.
Florence ; he had been general of one of the em-
peror's armies, and was sent afterwards ambassador
to Madrid ; he was a man of great parts ; and the
removing the conde-duke Olivarez from court was
imputed to his artifice. He made the match be-
tween the king and the present queen, for which he '
expected to have the cap of a cardinal; and had
received it, if he had not died before the following
creation ; the cardinal of Hesse being nominated by
the emperor upon his death. He was a man of an
imperious and insolent nature, and capable of any
temptation ; and nobody was more glad of his death
than his own servants, over whom he was a great
tyrant.

The ambassador of Venice, Pietro Basadonna h , a of the Ve-
noble Venetian, was a man, as all that nation is, of |^*
great civility, and much profession ; he was the first
who told the ambassadors that the king their master
had a resident at Venice ; which was Mr. Killigrew;
which they did not at first believe, having before
they left St. Germain's dissuaded the king from that
purpose ; but afterwards his majesty was prevailed
upon, only to gratify him, that in that capacity he
might borrow money of English merchants for his
own subsistence ; which he did, and nothing to the
honour of his master ; but was at last compelled to
leave the republic for his vicious behaviour; of

h Pietro Basadonna,] Omitted in MS.



272 THE LIFE OF

PART which the Venetian ambassador complained to the
king, when he came afterwards to Paris.



The ambassador of the king of Poland was like-

Of the Po-
lish anibas- w i se a Florentine, who was much in favour with

sador.

the king Uladislaus, from whom he was sent ; and
continued by king Casimir. He had lived in great
splendour; but by his vicious course of life, and
some miscarriages, he fell very low, and was revoked
with some circumstances of dishonour. He was a
man of a great wit, if it had not served him to very
of the am- jij purposes. The ambassador of Florence was a

bassador of

Florence, subject of his master, and an abbot, a grave man ;
and though he was frequently called ambassador, he
was in truth but resident ; which was discovered by
a contest he had with the Denmark resident for
place ; who alleged, that the other was no more
than resident ; which was true, and made the disco-
very that the Florentines send no ambassadors to
Madrid, because they are not suffered to cover,

of the arch- which they use to do in many other courts. The

spruck's " archduke of Inspruck's minister was likewise a Flo-
ter ' rentine, and had been bred in Spain, and was a
knight of the order; and supported that character
upon a small assignation from his master, for some
benefit and advantage it gave him in negociations
and pretences he had in that court.

of the resi- The resident of Denmark was don Henrique Wil-
liamson, (he was afterwards called Rosewell,) who
came secretary to Hannibal Zested ; who had been
the year before ambassador in that court, and lived
in extraordinary splendour, as all the northern min-
isters do ; who have not their allowance from the
king, but from a revenue that is purposely set aside
for that kind of service. When he went away, he



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 273

left this gentleman to remain there as resident. He PART
was a grave and a sober man, wiser than most of his ,



nation ; and lived with much more plenty, and with 1649<
a better retinue than any other minister of that rank
in that court.

They had not been many days in Madrid, when
don Lewis sent them the news of the imprisonment
of the prince of Conde, prince of Conti, and the
duke of Longueville, and that marshal Turenne was
fled into Flanders; so much the cardinal had im-
proved his condition from the time that they had
left Paris. There was yet no house provided for
them, which they took very heavily ; and believed
that it might advance that business, if they had once
a public reception as ambassadors ; and therefore
they resolved to demand an audience. Don Lewis
came to be advertised that the ambassadors had
prepared mourning for themselves, and all their
train, against their audience ; which was true ; for
they thought it the most proper dress to appear in *,
and to demand assistance to revenge the murder of
their master, it being yet within the year : but don
Lewis sent to them, that he hoped that when the
whole court was in gala. , upon the joy of the mar-
riage of the king, and to give the queen a cheerful
reception, they would not dishonour the festival by
appearing in Into. , which the king could not but take
unkindly; which, he said, he thought fit to advertise
them of, out of friendship, and without any authority.
Whereupon, as well to comply in an affair which Lord c-ot-
seemed to have somewhat of reason in it, as out

1 to appear in] for them to appear in
VOL. I. T



274



THE LIFE OF EDWARD &c.



PART
V.

1649.
lor of the
exchequer
demand
their audi-
ence.



apprehension, that from hence they might take oc-
casion to defer their audience, they changed their
purpose, and caused new clothes to be made ; and
then sent to demand their audience. &



Montpelier, March 1, 1670.

s audience. ] MS. dds : upon
the subject whereof, and what
followed of the negotiation, the
relation shall be continued.

At the end. of this part in the
MS.
is the following paragraph:
All that passed at the Hague,
both with the States and the
Scots, is more particularly con-



tained in papers and memorials,
which will be found in the hair
cabinet, out of which any thing
that is material may be added
or altered ; as also the names
of all the ministers at that time
in Madrid are in a paper book
that stands in the shop.



THE LIFE



OF



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON ;

FROM HIS BIRTH TO THE RESTORATION OF THE
ROYAL FAMILY IN THE YEAR 1660.



PART VI.

i V ^ - . . _

JL HE ambassadors were conducted in form to PART
their audience of the king of Spain ; and after- Vl '
wards of the queen and infanta ; and at last a 1 64 9.
house was provided for them. Hist, of the Reb.
8vo. vol. vi. p. 378. &c.

They perceived that court was more inclined to
cultivate a strict friendship with the new common-
wealth of England, than with the king their mas-
ter, from an opinion of his condition being irre-
coverable After all ceremonies were over, the
ambassadors had a private audience of the king,
to whom they delivered a memorial containing their
propositions and demands They received shortly
after such an answer as was evidence enough to
them, how little they were to expect from any
avowed friendship of that crown They rested for
some time without giving the court any further
trouble, (Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 389- &c. )
and enjoyed themselves in no unpleasant retreat

T 2



276 THE LIFE OF

PART from business, if they could have put off the thought
. of the miserable condition of their master, and their



1649. own p ar ti cu i ar concernments in their own country.
2for oT" The chancellor betook himself to the learning their
the exche- language, by reading their books ; of which he
plies him- made a good collection ; and informing himself the

self to the ,

learning best he could of their government, and the admini-
stration of their justice : and there began his Devo-
tions upon the Psalms, which he finished in another
banishment.

Prince Rupert came upon the coast of Spain
with the fleet under his command; and wrote
to the chancellor, acquainting him, that he had
brought away all the fleet from Ireland; and de-
siring him to procure orders from the court, that
he might flnd a good reception in all the Spanish
ports, if his occasions brought him thither The
news of a fleet of the king of England being on
their coast at a time when their galeons were ex-
pected home, occasioned great alteration in the be-
haviour of that court ; and all that the ambassa-
dors asked was easily granted : but that seeming
favourable disposition was of short duration ; for
on the arrival afterwards of a strong fleet sent out
by the parliament, and the commander thereof
writing an insolent letter to the king of Spain, the
ambassadors found themselves less regarded. Hist,
of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 390.

1650. The king had now determined to go into Scot-
land, upon the invitation of the council and parlia-
ment of that kingdom ; and the ambassadors, who
in reality disapproved of that measure, notified it
to the court of Spain as a happy turn in the king's
affairs; setting forth, that his majesty was now



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 277

master of that kingdom, and therefore might rea- PART
sonably hope to be restored to the possession of the.



rest of his dominions The court of Spain then I65 -
began again to treat the ambassadors with more
regard. Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 404. &c.

Upon the news of Cromwell's victory over the
marquis of Argyle's army in Scotland. , the ambas-
sadors received a message from the king of Spain,
desiring them to depart, since their presence in the
court would be prejudicial to his affairs They
imagined this proceeded from the expectation of
the arrival of an ambassador from the common-
wealth of England, which was then reported; but
they knew afterwards that the true cause of this
impatience to get rid of them was, that their min-
ister in England having purchased many of the
kings pictures, and rich furniture, had sent them
to the Groyne ; from whence they were expected
to arrive about that time at Madrid: which they
thought could not decently be brought to the pa-
lace while the ambassadors remained at the court.
Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol. vi. p. 458. &c.

Lord Cottington resolves, and obtains leave to
stay as a private man in Spain ; but is not permit-
ted to reside at Madrid. Hist, of the Reb. 8vo. vol.
vi. p. 464.

The other ambassador made his journey by Al-Tbechan-
cala; and stayed a day there to see that university; the



where the college and other buildings made by the
cardinal Ximenes are well worth the seeing;
went through the kingdom of Navarre to Pampe- drid
lima, where the vice-king, the duke of Escalona, re-
ceived him ; and lodged him two days in the palace,
and treated him with great civility. There he was

T 3



278 THE LIFE OF

PART seized upon with the gou ; yet he continued his
. journey by mules, there being no passage by coach



1650. or ntter, over the Pyrenees to Bayonne; where he
was forced to keep his bed, and to bleed, for many
days : but was so impatient of delay, that after a
week's rest, and before he was fit for the journey,
he put himself into a litter, and reached Bourdeaux ;
where he was forced to follow the prescription of
Dr. Lopez, a very learned Jew and physician ; and
Andar- yet went too soon from thence too; so that when
ne came to Paris, he was cast into his bed by a new
defluxion of the gout, more violent than ever.

As soon as he had recovered any strength, he
waited upon the queen mother, who received him
The queen's very graciously ; complained very much to him of
the duke of York; who having been left with her
by * ne k* n & when he parted with her majesty at
Beauvais, had, expressly against her consent and
command, transported himself to Brussels, upon
imaginations which had no foundation, and upon
some treaty with the duke of Lorrain, which she
was sure could produce no good effect. Her ma-
jesty seemed most offended with sir Edward Her-
bert, the attorney general, and sir George Ratcliff,
as the two persons who prevailed with the duke, and
had engaged him in that journey, and governed
him in it, against the advice of the lord Byron,
who was his governor ; and that being disappointed
of what they had unreasonably looked for at Brus-
sels, they had carried his royal highness into Hol-
land, to his sister; who suffered much by his pre-
sence, the States of Holland being resolved not to
suffer him to reside within their province ; the
prince of Orange being lately dead of the smallpox,



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 979

and his son, who was born after his death, being an PART
infant, and depending so entirely upon the good- will



of the States : and therefore the princess royal was
much troubled that the coming of the duke her bro-
ther into those parts gave the States any occasion of
offence. The queen said, that she had writ to the
duke to return into France, but had received no an-
swer ; and therefore she desired the ambassador, as
soon as he should come into those parts, (for he
meant to go to Antwerp, where his wife and chil-
dren then were,) that he would make a journey to
the Hague, to reduce the duke, and to prevail with
him to return into France ; which the ambassador
could not refuse to promise.

He found there the queen's own family in some
disorder, upon some declaration she had made, that
the protestant chaplain should be no more permitted
to perform his function in the Louvre ; where the
queen's court resided, and where there was a lower
room, which had been always used as a chapel, from
the time of the princes first coming thither to that
time; and where twice a day the common prayer
was read to those who were protestants, in both fa-
milies ; and now the queen had signified to Dr. Co- Dr - c*

forbid to of-

sins (who was the chaplain assigned by the late kmgficiatetothe
to attend in her majesty's family, for the protestant f n ro t an
part of it) that he should be no more permitted to ^' s fa '
have the use of that room.

The chancellor of the exchequer took this occa-Thechan-

' i j ce ^ r

sion to speak with the queen ; and put her in mind speaks to

of some promise she had made him, when he took on that
his leave of her to go for Spain, that she would not subje<rt '
withdraw her stipend which she allowed to Dr. Co-
sins ; whereby he must be compelled to withdraw ;

T 4



280 THE LIFE OF

PART and so the protestant part of her family would be
. deprived of their public devotions ; which promise



1650. gne j^ observed to that time : but if now the room
should be taken from that use, it would be the same
thing as if the chaplain was turned away. He put
her majesty in mind of the ill impression it might
make in the hearts of the protestants in England,
who retained their respects and duty for her ma-
jesty ; and of what pernicious consequence it might
prove to the king, who was still in Scotland, in a
hopeful condition, and depended most upon the
affections of his protestant subjects of England ;
and in the last place, whether it might not prove a
better argument to those who were suspected by her
to mislead the duke of York, to dissuade him from
returning to her, since she would not permit him to
The queen's have the exercise of his religion. The queen seem-
ed to think that what he said was not without rea-
son, and confessed that she was not the author of
this new resolution, which she did not believe to be
seasonable.

Mr. Walter Mountague, who had some years ago a
changed his religion, and was become catholic, after
he had sustained a long imprisonment in the Tower
of London, procured his release from thence, upon
assurance that he would no more return into Eng-
land ; and so came into France ; where he was very
well known in the French, as well as the English
court, and in great reputation and esteem with both
queens. He appeared a man wholly restrained from
all the vanity and levity of his former life ; and per-
fectly mortified to the pleasures of the world, which
he had enjoyed in a very great measure and excess.
a ago] before



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 281
He dedicated himself to his studies with great PART

VI.

austerity, and seemed to have no affection or ambi- '.



tion for preferment, but to live within himself upon
the very moderate exhibition he had left to him by
his father; and in this melancholic retreat he had
newly taken the order of priesthood ; which was, in
truth, the most reasonable way to satisfy his ambi-
tion, if he had any left ; for both the queen regent
and the cardinal could not but liberally provide for
his support in that profession ; which they did very
shortly after : and this devout profession and new
function much improved the interest and credit he
always had in his old mistress ; who very much
hearkened to him in cases of conscience : and she
confessed to the chancellor, that he was a little too
bigotted in this affair ; and had not only pressed her
very passionately to remove the scandal of having a
protestant chapel in her house, as inconsistent with
a good conscience, but had likewise inflamed the
queen regent with the same zeal ; who had very ear-
nestly pressed and importuned her majesty no longer
to permit that offence to be given to the catholic re-
ligion. And upon this occasion she lamented the
death of her late confessor, father Phillips, who, she
said, was a very discreet man, and would never
suffer her to be troubled with such infusions and
scruples. In conclusion, she wished him to confer
with Mr. Mountague, and to try if he could with-
draw him from that asperity in that particular ; to
which purpose the chancellor conferred with him,
but without any effect.

He said, the house was the king of France's, who The chn-
only permitted the queen to live there ; and that the fer
queen regent thought herself bound in conscience



282 THE LIFE OF

PART no longer to suffer that reproach, of which she had
. never had information till very lately : that if the



1650. duke of York came thither, there was no thought or

on, but . . ,. . .

without ef- purpose to deny him the exercise of his religion ; he
might have his chaplain say prayers to him in his
own chamber, or in some room adjacent, which
served likewise to all other purposes ; but that the
setting a room apart, as this was, for that service,
was upon the matter dedicating it as a chapel for
the exercise of a religion contrary to what was esta-
blished in that kingdom ; which the king of France
would not suffer to be done in a house of his, though
the king should return thither again. He under-
valued all the considerations which were offered of
England, or of a protestant interest, as if he thought
them all, as no doubt he did, of no importance to
the king's restoration, which could never be effected
but by that interest which was quite opposite to it.
When he gave the queen an account of this dis-
course, he prevailed so far with her, that she pro-
mised, in case she should be compelled to take away
that room, as she foresaw she should be, the family
should be permitted to meet in some other room ;
and if the duke of York came, the place that should
be appointed for his devotions, should serve for all
the rest to resort to.

As soon as the chancellor had recovered his
strength, he took leave of the queen, and pursued

The chan- his journey for Flanders. At Brussels he stayed till
k e had an audience of the archduke, to whom he
had letters from the king of Spain and don Lewis ;
by which the king signified his pleasure that he
should reside any where in those provinces he best
liked, until he could conveniently repair to the king



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 283

his master; and that in the mean time he should PART
enjoy all the privileges due to an ambassador : and



so he had his audience in that quality. He spake 165 -

Has an an-

il! Latin ; and the archduke, answering in the same, dience of
assured him of all the respects he could pay him duke.
whilst he stayed in those parts : and thereupon he And resides
went to his family at Antwerp, and kept that cha- mliy at* *
racter till the king's coming into France, and his ^Sac-
return to him ; by means whereof he enjoyed many ^"ado'""
privileges and exemptions in the town ; and had the
freedom of his chapel, not only for his own devo-
tions, but for the resort of all the protestants who
were then in the town ; whereof the marquis of
Newcastle, the earl of Norwich, and sir Charles
Cavendish were the principal ; who came always on
the Sundays, and frequently on the week days, to
the common prayer, to the grief of many English
and Irish Roman catholics ; who used all the mali-
cious artifices they could to procure that liberty to
be restrained ; and which could not have been en-
joyed under any other concession than by the privi-
lege of an ambassador.

Whilst he was preparing to make a journey to the
Hague, to wait upon the duke of York, according to
the promise he had made to the queen, he received
information from the Hague, that his royal highness
would be at Breda such a day ; whereupon he was He goes to

,, , ,. . , ,, . . the duke of

glad to shorten his journey, and at the day to kiss York at Bre-
his hands there ; where he found his highness newly id? him



arrived, and in an inclination enough to return to tumto



r



the queen ; so that the chancellor had no great task
to confirm him in that resolution ; nor in truth did
he know what else to do : however, all about him
were very glad of the chancellor's presence, every



284 THE LIFE OF

PART body hoping to get him to their party, that he might

- be ready to make a fair report of their behaviour to

' the king ; whom they knew the queen would endea-

vour to incense against them.

Someac- Never little family was torn into so many pieces
theduke of and factions. The duke was very young, yet loved



so we ll, that he was too much inclined to
hearken to any men who had the confidence to make
bold propositions to him. The king had appointed
him to remain with the queen, and to obey her in
all things, religion only excepted. The lord Byron
was his governor, ordained to be so by his father,
and very fit for that province; being a very fine
gentleman ; well bred both in France and Italy,
and perfectly versed in both languages ; of great
courage and fidelity ; and in all respects qualified
for the trust ; but his being absent in the king's ser-
vice when the duke made his escape out of England,
and sir John Berkley being then put about him, all
pains had been taken to lessen his esteem of the
lord Byron ; and sir John Berkley, knowing that he
could no longer remain governor when the lord
Byron came thither, and hearing that he was in his
journey, infused into the duke's mind, that it was a
great lessening of his dignity at that age (when he
was not above fourteen years of age, and backward
enough for that age) to be under a governor ; and
so, partly by disesteeming the person, and partly by
reproaching the office, he grew less inclined to
the person of that good lord than he should have
been.

But what title soever any body had, the whole
authority was in the queen, not only by the direc-
tion of the king, but by inevitable necessity ; for



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 285

there was no kind of fund assigned for the support PART
of the duke; but he depended entirely upon the.



queen his mother's bounty, who had no more as-
signed for herself than they, to whom the manage-
ment thereof was committed, knew well how to dis-
pose of, nor was it enough to serve their occasions ;
so that her majesty herself certainly spent less upon
her own person, or in any thing relating to herself,
than ever any queen or lady of a very eminent de-
gree did. This visible and total dependence of the
duke upon his mother made her majesty the less
apprehensive of his doing any thing contrary to her
Uking ; and there was not that care for the general
part of his education, nor that indulgence to his
person, as ought to have been ; and the queen's
own carriage and behaviour towards him was at
least severe enough, as it had been before to the
king, in the time that he was prince; which then
and now gave opportunity to those who were not
themselves at ease, to make many infusions ; which,
how contrary soever to their duties, were not so un-
reasonable as to be easily rejected, or to make no
impression.

The king, at his going from Beauvais in his
voyage for Scotland, had given some recommenda-
tion to the duke his brother of sir George Ratcliff ; to
whose care his father had once designed to commit
him, when he meant to have sent him into Ireland ;
and his majesty had likewise, at the same time at
Beauvais, made some promise to sir George Ratcliff
of some place about his brother, when his family
should be settled, of which there was then little ap-
pearance : however, it was enough to entitle him to
give his frequent attendance upon the duke ; and



286 THE LIFE OF

PART the general reputation he had of having been the
person of the nearest trust with the earl of Strafford,



1650. m jgh we n dispose the duke to think him a wise
man, and the better to esteem any thing he said to
him.

Sir Edward Herbert thought himself the wisest
man that followed the king's fortune, and was al-
ways angry that he had no more to do ; and now
prince Rupert was absent, endeavoured all he could
to get credit with the duke of York; and came
very frequently to him, and held him in long whis-
pers, which the duke easily indulged to him, out of
a real belief that he was a man of great wisdom and
experience. The queen liked neither of these two ;
which they well enough discerning, grew into a
friendship, or rather a familiarity together, though
they were of the most different natures and humours
imaginable : Ratcliff being a man very capable of
business ; and if the prosperity of his former fortune
had not raised in him some fumes of vanity and self-
conceitedness, was very fit to be advised with, being
of a nature constant and sincere ; which the other
was not : yet they agreed well in the design of mak-
ing the duke of York discontented and weary of his
condition ; which was not pleasant enough to be
much delighted in.
The cause ^he news from England, of the state of the king's

of the duke < &

of York's affairs in Scotland, made most men believe that his

having left . . , _

Paris. majesty was irrecoverably lost ; and there was tor
some time a rumour scattered abroad, and by many
believed, that the king was dead. These two gen-
tlemen, upon the fame of this, consulted together,
whether, if the news were or should be true, the
duke of York, who must succeed, were in a good



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 287

place ; and both concluded, that in that case it would PART
not be fit that he should be with his mother. Here- '
upon they persuaded the duke, that it was not fit 163 -
for him to remain idle in France, but to employ him-
self abroad ; whereby his experience might be im-
proved, and he might put himself into a posture to
be able to assist the king his brother ; or if any mis-
fortune should befall him, in some degree to provide
for himself; and proposed to him, that he would re-
solve to make a journey to Brussels, to advise and
consult with the duke of Lorrain, who was a prince
of great wisdom, wealth, and courage ; and being
driven out of his own country by too powerful and
potent a neighbour, had yet, by his own activity and
virtue, made himself so considerable, that Spain de-
pended upon his army, and France itself would be
glad of his friendship; that he was very rich, and
would not be only able to give the duke good coun-
sel, but assistance to make it effectual.

The duke, without further examining the proba-
bility of the design, which he concluded had been
thought upon enough by two such wise men, gave
his full consent to it ; and they having likewise found
credit for so much money as would defray the
charges of the journey, and really believing that the
king was dead, the duke one day told the queen,
that he was resolved to make a journey to Brussels to
see the duke of Lorrain ; with which the queen be-
ing surprised, used both her reason and her autho-
rity to dissuade him from it, but could not prevail
by either ; his highness telling her very obstinately,
that he would begin his journey within two days.
She found that none of his servants were privy to
the design, or were at all acquainted with the pur-



288 THE LIFE OF

PA RT pose ; and quickly discovered the two counsellors ,

! who, having no relation to his service that she knew,

1650. were prepared to wait on him, and had drawn Dr.
Steward (who was dean of the chapel to the king,
and left behind when his majesty went for Scotland,
with direction to be with the duke of York) to be
of their party.

character The doctor was a very honest and learned gen-
stewlrd tleman, and most conversant in that learning which
vindicated the dignity and/ authority of the church ;
upon which his heart was most entirely set ; not
without some prejudice to those who thought there
was any other object to be more carefully pursued.
Sir George Ratcliff seemed to be of his mind, and so
was looked upon by him as one of the best friends of
the church ; which was virtue enough to cover many
defects. He told him of the rumour of the death
of the king, and what conference had been between
him and the attorney general upon it, which they
both believed ; and how necessary they thought it
was for the duke to be out of France when the cer-
tainty of that news should arrive : that they had
spoken with the duke of it, who seemed very well
disposed ; yet they knew not how his mother's au-
thority might prevail over his obedience ; and there-
fore wished that he would speak with the duke,
who had great reverence for him in all matters of
conscience, and remove any scruples which might
arise. The doctor did not think himself so much
regarded by the queen as he expected to be, and did
really believe the case to be such as the other had
informed him ; and confirmed the duke in his reso-
lution, notwithstanding any thing his mother should
say to the contrary; and the queen could neither



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 289

say or do any thing to dissuade him from the PART
. ' vi.
journey.

The lord Byron his governor, and Mr. Bennet his ' ^ 50m
secretary, both well liked by the queen, and of great
confidence in each other, thought it their duty to
attend upon him. Sir John Berkley stayed behind,
as well to avoid the being inferior to another, which
he always abhorred, as to prosecute an amour which
he was newly embarked in ; and sir George Ratcliff,
and sir Edward Herbert, and the good doctor, were
so to improve their interest, that neither the queen
or any who depended on her might have any credit
with the duke. Most of the inferior servants de-
pended upon them, because they saw they had most
interest with their master ; and with these thoughts
and resolutions they all set out for Brussels : and
these wild notions were the true reasons and foun-
dation of that journey, which many sober men so
much wondered at then, and so much censured af-
terwards.

When his highness came to Brussels, he was ac-
commodated in the house of sir Henry de Vic, the
king's resident there : and he was no sooner there,
but they began to model his house and regulate his
family ; towards which sir George Ratcliff was de-
signed to manage all the affairs of money ; the at-
torney contenting himself with having the greatest
power in governing the councils ; and all looking for
other stations upon the arrival of the news from
Scotland. But in a short time the intelligence from
thence was quite contrary to what they expected ;
the king was not only in good health, but his affairs
in no desperate condition ; all factions seemed re-

VOL. i. tr



290 THE LIFE OF

PART conciled, and he was at the head of an army that
looked Cromwell in the face.



1650. Hereupon they were at a great stand in their
councils. The duke of Lorrain had been civil to
the duke, and had at his first coming lent him some
money ; but when he found he was without any de-
sign, and by what persons his counsels were directed,
he grew colder in his respects ; and they who had
gone thus far, took upon them the presumption to
propose a marriage between the duke of York and a
natural daughter of the duke of Lorrain ; his mar-
riage with madame de Cantecroy, the mother of the
said lady, being declared void in the court of Rome :
but the duke of Lorrain was so wise as not to enter-
tain the motion, except it should be made with the
king's privity. So apt are unexperienced men, when
they are once out of the way, to wander into bogs
and precipices, before they will be sensible of their
false conduct. When they found there was nothing
to be done at Brussels, they persuaded the duke to
go to the Hague, with as little design ; and when
they had wearied all people there, they came to
Breda, where the chancellor had met them.
The state The duke himself was so young, that he was ra-

of the duke * &

of York's ther delighted with the journeys he had made, than
Breda. * sensible that he had not entered upon them with
reason enough ; and they had fortified him with a
firm resolution, never to acknowledge that he had
committed any error. But his counsellors had lost
all the pleasure of their combination, and reproached
each other of their follies and presumptions with all
the animosity imaginable. The lord Byron and Mr.
Bennet, who had comforted each other in their suf-



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 291

ferings, were glad enough to see that there was PART

some end put to their peregrinations, and that by !

returning to the queen they were like to find some 1650;
rest again ; and they entertained the chancellor with
many ridiculous relations of the politics of the attor-
ney and sir George Ratcliff, and of the pleasant dis-
courses the duke of Lorrain made of the Latin ora-
tions sir George Ratcliff had entertained him with.

On the other hand, sir George was well pleased
with the grace he had received from the duke of
Lorrain, and with the testimony he had given of
him to some men who had told him of it again, that
he was a very grave and a wise man, and that he
wished he had such another to look after his affairs.
He and Dr. Steward continued their affections to-
wards each other, and concurred in most bitter in-
vectives against sir Edward Herbert, as a madman,
and of that intolerable pride, that it was not possible
for any man to converse with him ; and the attorney
as frankly reproached them all with being men of no
parts, of no understanding, no learning, no principles,
and no resolution ; and was so just to them all, as
to contemn every man alike ; and in truth had ren-
dered himself so grievous to them all, and behaved
himself so insolently towards all, that there was not
a man who desired to be in his company : yet by
the knack of his talk, which was the most like rea-
son, and not it, he retained still great credit with
the duke ; who being still confounded with his posi-
tive discourse, thought him to be wiser than those
who were more easy to be understood.

The duke upon the receipt of the queen's letters,
which the chancellor delivered to him, resolved upon
his journey to Paris without further delay ; and the

u 2



292 THE LIFE OF

PART chancellor waiting upon his highness as far as Ant-
. werp, he prosecuted his journey with the same reti-



1650. nue h e had carr i e( i ^th him ; and was received by
his mother without those expostulations and repre-
hensions which he might have expected ; though her
severity was the same towards all those who she
thought had the credit and power to seduce him.

The chancellor was now at a little rest again with
his own family in Antwerp ; and had time to be
vacant to his own thoughts and books ; and in the
interval to enjoy the conversation of many worthy
persons of his own nation, who had chosen that
place to spend the time of their banishment in.
There was the marquis of Newcastle, who having
married a young lady, confined himself most to her
company ; and lived as retired as his ruined condi-
tion in England obliged him to ; yet with honour,
and decency, and with much respect paid him by all
men, as well foreigners as those of his own country.
The chan- The conversation the chancellor took most delight
friendship in was that of sir Charles Cavendish, brother to the

with, and . . A , , , .

character of, marquis; who was one of the most extraordinary
P ersons f tna * age, in all the noble endowments of
the mind. He had all the disadvantages imaginable
in his person ; which was not only of so small a size
that it drew the eyes of men upon him, but with
such deformity in his little person, and an aspect in
his countenance, that was apter to raise contempt
than application : but in this unhandsome or homely
habitation, there was a mind and a soul lodged that
was very lovely and beautiful ; cultivated and po-
lished by all the knowledge and wisdom that arts
and sciences could supply it with. He was a great
philosopher, in the extent of it ; and an excellent



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 293

mathematician; whose correspondence was very dear PART
to Gassendus and Descartes ; the last of which dedi- .



cated some of his works to him. He had very nota-
ble courage ; and the vigour of his mind so adorned
his body, that being with his brother the marquis in
all the war, he usually went out in all parties, and
was present, and charged the enemy in all battles
with as keen a courage as could dwell in the heart
of man. But then the gentleness of his disposition,
the humility and meekness of his nature, and the
vivacity of his wit was admirable. He was so
modest, that he could hardly be prevailed with to
enlarge himself on subjects he understood better
than other men, except he were pressed by his very
familiar friends ; as if he thought it presumption to
know more than handsomer men use to do. Above
all, his virtue and piety was such, that no tempta-
tion could work upon him to consent to any thing
that swerved in the least degree from the precise
rules of honour, or the most severe rules of con-
science. X?

When he was exceedingly importuned by those
whom he loved best to go into England, and com-
pound for his estate, which was very good, that
thereby he might be enabled to help his friends,
who were reduced into great straits ; he refused it,
out of apprehension that he might be required to
take the covenant or engagement, or to do some-
what else which his conscience would not permit
him to do : and when they endeavoured to under-
value that conscience, and to persuade him not to
be governed by it, that would expose him to famine,
and restrain him from being charitable to his best
friends ; he was so offended with their argumenta-

u 3



294 THE LIFE OF

PART tion, that he would no more admit any discourse

vi *
L__upon the subject. Upon which they applied them-

1650. se i ves t o t ne chancellor; who they thought had
most credit with him ; and desired him to persuade
him to make a journey into England ; the benefit
whereof to him and themselves was very intelligible;
but informed him not of his refusal, and the argu-
ments they had used to convert him.

The chan- The next time they met, which they usually did
suadessir once a day, the chancellor told him, he heard he

Charles Ca- , , .

vendish to had a purpose to make a journey into England ; to
faad! Dg which he suddenly answered, that indeed he was
desired to do so, but that he had positively refused ;
and thereupon, with much warmth and indignation,
related what importunity and what arguments had
been used to him, and what he had answered: and
thereupon said, that his present condition was in no
degree pleasant or easy to him, (as in truth it was
not, he being in very visible want of ordinary con-
veniences,) but, he protested, that he would rather
submit to nakedness, or starving in the street, than
subscribe to the covenant or engagement, or do any
thing else that might trench b upon his honour or
his conscience. To which the chancellor replied,
that his resolution became him, and was worthy of
his wisdom and honesty; and that if he found him
inclined to do any thing that might trench upon
either, he was so much his friend, that he would
put him in mind of his obligations to both ; that in-
deed the arguments which had been used to him
could never prevail upon a virtuous mind : however,
he told him, he thought the motion from his friends
might be a little more considered before it was re-.
b trench] reflect



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 295

jected; and confessed to him, that he was desired PART
to confer with him about it, and to dispose him to



it, without being informed that any attempt had
been already made : and then asked him, whether
he did in truth believe that his journey thither
might probably produce those benefits to himself
and his friends as they imagined ; and then it would
be fit to consider, whether those conveniences were
to be purchased at a dearer price than they were
worth.

He answered, there could be no doubt, but that if
he could go thither with safety, and be admitted to
compound for his estate, as others did, he could then
sell it at so good a price, that he could not only
provide for a competent subsistence for himself,
when he returned, but likewise assist his friends for
their better support; and that he could otherwise,
out of lands that were in trust, and not known to
be his, and so had not been yet sequestered, raise
other sums of money, which would be attended with
many conveniences ; and he confessed nothing of all
this could be done without his own presence. But
then that which deprived him of all this was, in the
first place, the apprehension of imprisonment; which,
he said, his constitution would not bear; but espe-
cially, because by their own ordinance nobody was
capable to compound till he had subscribed to the
covenant and engagement ; which he would not do
to save his life ; and that in what necessity soever
he was, he valued what benefit he could possibly
receive by the journey only as it might consist with
his innocence and liberty to return ; and since he
could not reasonably presume of either, he had no
thought of going.

u 4



296 THE LIFE OF

PART The chancellor told him, that they were both of
vi. .

. the same mind in all things which related to con-



1 650. sc i ence an d honour ; but yet, since the benefits that
might result from this journey were great, and very
probable, and in some degree certain, and the mis-
chiefs he apprehended were not certain, and possibly
might be avoided, he thought he was not to lay
aside all thoughts of the journey, which he was so
importuned to undertake by those who were so dear
to him. That he was of the few who had many
friends, and no enemies ; and therefore had no rea-
son to fear imprisonment, or any other rigour extra-
ordinary; which was seldom used, but to persons
under some notable prejudice. That after he once
came to London, he would not take much pleasure
in going abroad; but might despatch his business
by others, who would repair to him : and that for
the covenant and engagement, they were so con-
trary, that both were rarely offered to the same per-
son ; and they had now so much justled and reviled
each other, that they were neither in so much credit
as they had been, and were not pressed but upon
such persons against whom they had a particular
design ; however, he went well armed, as to that
point, with a resolution not to submit to either;
and the worst that could happen, was to return
without the full effect of his journey. Whereas if
those mischiefs could be avoided, which the skilful
upon the place could only instruct him in, he would
return with great benefit and satisfaction to himself
and his friends ; and if he were subjected to impri-
sonment, (which he ought not to apprehend, and
could be but short,) even in that case his journey
could not be without fruit, by the conference and



EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. 297

transactions with his friends; though no composi- PART
tion could be made. Upon revolving these con-



siderations, he resolved to undertake the journey; 165 -
and performed it so happily, without those obstruc-
tions he feared, that he finished all he proposed to
himself, and made a competent provision to support
his brother during his distress ; though when he had
despatched it, he lived not to enjoy the repose he
desired, but died before he could return to Ant-
werp : and the marquis ever after publicly acknow-
ledged the benefit he received hereby to the chan-
cellor's advice.

As soon as the chancellor had reposed himself at 1651.