DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51519#0025
editor’s introduction. xi
disfavour, and Buckingham and Bristol, two men devoid equally
of principle or ability, were his chief counsellors. Buckingham
had but recently been liberated from the Tower, at the command
rather than persuasion of Lady Castlemaine, who called his sacred
majesty a fool; but it was no long time after this that the minister
showed his gratitude, by exerting all his power against the
imperious mistress ; and she also fell into disfavour, though it was
only to make way for a still more shameless successor.
The cabal which governed after Clarendon’s fall, was composed
of men entirely unfit for any other business but that of adminis-
tering to the King’s pleasures. The Diary of Pepys contains
many sneers at the ignorance and imbecility which they exhibited
in council. In proportion with the weakness of the court, the
boldness and resoluteness of the House of Commons increased, and
the session in which Clarendon was banished struck such a fear
into all the courtiers, that they did not dare to face another for a
long time, and were in continual apprehensions.* Multitudes of
people, who had been the warmest advocates of the Bestoration,
began to regret the days of the Commonwealth, and the very
members of the House of Commons, in their speeches, frequently
contrasted the acts of Charles’s government with those of Cromwell, t
* Iii 1668, Pepys observes, “ It is pretty to see how careful these great men
are to do every thing so as they may answer it to the parliament, thinking them-
selves safe in nothing but where the judges (with whom they often advise) do say
the matter is doubtful; and so they take upon themselves then to be the chief
persons to interpret what is doubtful.” —Pepys, vol. iv. p. 119.
t Peb. 14, 1667-8. “ Secretary Morrice did this day, in the House, when they
talked of intelligence, say that he was allowed but 700Z. a-year for intelligence :
whereas, in Cromwell’s time, he did allow 70,000Z. a-year for it; and was
confirmed therein by Colonell Birch, who said that thereby Cromwell carried the
secrets of all the princes of Europe at his girdle.”—Pepys, iii. 41. Eeb. 17.
“ Great high words in the blouse. . . . The King’s bad intelligence was
mentioned, wherein they were bitter against my Lord Arlington, saying, among
other things, that whatever Morrice’s was, who declared he had but 750Z. a-year
allowed him for intelligence, the King paid too dear for my Lord Arlington’s, in
giving him 10,000Z. and a barony for it.”—iii. 42. Eeb. 21. “ The House this
disfavour, and Buckingham and Bristol, two men devoid equally
of principle or ability, were his chief counsellors. Buckingham
had but recently been liberated from the Tower, at the command
rather than persuasion of Lady Castlemaine, who called his sacred
majesty a fool; but it was no long time after this that the minister
showed his gratitude, by exerting all his power against the
imperious mistress ; and she also fell into disfavour, though it was
only to make way for a still more shameless successor.
The cabal which governed after Clarendon’s fall, was composed
of men entirely unfit for any other business but that of adminis-
tering to the King’s pleasures. The Diary of Pepys contains
many sneers at the ignorance and imbecility which they exhibited
in council. In proportion with the weakness of the court, the
boldness and resoluteness of the House of Commons increased, and
the session in which Clarendon was banished struck such a fear
into all the courtiers, that they did not dare to face another for a
long time, and were in continual apprehensions.* Multitudes of
people, who had been the warmest advocates of the Bestoration,
began to regret the days of the Commonwealth, and the very
members of the House of Commons, in their speeches, frequently
contrasted the acts of Charles’s government with those of Cromwell, t
* Iii 1668, Pepys observes, “ It is pretty to see how careful these great men
are to do every thing so as they may answer it to the parliament, thinking them-
selves safe in nothing but where the judges (with whom they often advise) do say
the matter is doubtful; and so they take upon themselves then to be the chief
persons to interpret what is doubtful.” —Pepys, vol. iv. p. 119.
t Peb. 14, 1667-8. “ Secretary Morrice did this day, in the House, when they
talked of intelligence, say that he was allowed but 700Z. a-year for intelligence :
whereas, in Cromwell’s time, he did allow 70,000Z. a-year for it; and was
confirmed therein by Colonell Birch, who said that thereby Cromwell carried the
secrets of all the princes of Europe at his girdle.”—Pepys, iii. 41. Eeb. 17.
“ Great high words in the blouse. . . . The King’s bad intelligence was
mentioned, wherein they were bitter against my Lord Arlington, saying, among
other things, that whatever Morrice’s was, who declared he had but 750Z. a-year
allowed him for intelligence, the King paid too dear for my Lord Arlington’s, in
giving him 10,000Z. and a barony for it.”—iii. 42. Eeb. 21. “ The House this