Of the rest of king Charles the second's reign, from the year 1673 to the year 1685, in which he died.

lousies of

HITHERTO the reign of king Charles was 1673. pretty serene and calm at home. A nation weary Great jeaof a long civil war was not easily brought into jea- the king. lousies and fears, which were the seeds of distraction, and might end in new confusions and troubles. But the court had now given such broad intimations of an ill design, both on our religion and the civil constitution, that it was no more a jealousy: all was now open and barefaced. In the king's presence the court flatterers were always magnifying 345 absolute government, and reflecting on the insolence of a house of commons. The king said once to the earl of Essex, as he told me, that he did not wish to be like a grand signior, with some mutes about

1673. him, and bags of bow-strings to strangle men as he had a mind to it: but he did not think he was a king, as long as a company of fellows were looking into all his actions, and examining his ministers, as well as his accounts. He reckoned, now he had set the church party at such a distance from the dissenters, that it was impossible to make them join in opposition to his designs. He hoped, the church party would be always submissive: and he had the dissenters at mercy.

brought to

command

the army.

The proceedings of the former year had opened all men's eyes. The king's own religion was suspected, as his brother's was declared: and the whole conduct shewed a design to govern by the French model. A French general was brought over to Schomberg command our armies. Count Schomberg, who was a German by birth, (but his mother was an English woman,) was sent over. He was a firm protestant, and served at first in Holland. But upon the prince of Orange's death he went into France, where he grew into so high a reputation, that he was kept under, and not raised to be a marshal, only on the account of his religion. He was a calm man, of great application and conduct, [beyond what was expected by those who knew him on other occasions: for he was too much a German in the liberties he allowed himself in entertainments; but when he commanded armies, he kept himself to better rules.] He thought much better than he spoke. He was a man of true judgment, of great probity, and of an humble and obliging temper: and at any other time of his life he would have been very acceptable to the English. But now he was looked on as one sent over from France to bring our army

under a French discipline: and so he was hated by 1673. the nation, and not much loved by the court. He was always pressing the king to declare himself the head of the protestant party. He pressed him likewise to bring his brother over from popery: but the king said to him, you know my brother long ago, that he is as stiff as a mule. He liked the way of Charenton so well, that he went once a week to London to the French church there, that was according to that form: so the duke and lord Clifford looked on him as a presbyterian, and an unfit man for their purpose. The duke of Buckingham hated him; for he hoped to have commanded the army. And as an army is a very unacceptable thing to the English nation, so it came to be the more odious, when commanded by a general sent over from France. Schomberg told me, he saw it was impossible that the king could bring any great design to a good effect: he loved his ease so much, that he never minded business: and every thing that was said to him of affairs was heard with so little atten- 346 tion, that it made no impression.

was much

The ministry was all broke to pieces. The duke The court of Buckingham was alone, hated by all, as he hated divided. all the rest. But he went so entirely into all their ill designs, that the king considered him, and either loved or feared him so much, that he had a deep root with him. Lord Clifford stuck firm to the duke, and was heated with the design of bringing in popery, even to enthusiasm. It was believed, if the design had succeeded, he had agreed with his wife to take orders, and to aspire to a cardinal's hat.

a Was he or she to take orders? S.