1660. reason to submit to the catholic church than to one particular church, and that other traditions might be taken on her word, as well as episcopacy was received among us, he thought the step was not great, but that it was very reasonable to go over to the church of Rome: and doctor Steward having taught him to believe a real but inconceivable presence of Christ in the sacrament, he thought this went more than half way to transubstantiation. He said, that a nun's advice to him to pray every day, that, if he was not in the right way, God would set him right, did make a great impression on him. But he never told me when or where he was reconciled. He suffered me to say a great deal to him on all these heads. I shewed the difference between submission and obedience in matters of order and indifferent things, and an implicit submission from the belief of infallibility. I also shewed him the difference between a speculation of a mode of Christ's presence, when it rested in an opinion, and an adoration founded on it: though the opinion of such a presence was wrong, there was no great harm in that alone but the adoration of an undue object was idolatry. He suffered me to talk much and often to him on these heads. But I plainly saw, it made no impression and all that he seemed to intend by it was, to make use of me as an instrument to soften the aversion that people began to be possessed with to him. He was naturally eager and revengeful and was against the taking off any that set up in an opposition to the measures of the court, 170 and who by that means grew popular in the house of commons. He was for rougher methods. He continued for many years dissembling his religion, 1660. and seemed zealous for the church of England: but it was chiefly on design to hinder all propositions that tended to unite us among ourselves. He was a frugal prince, and brought his court into method and magnificence: for he had 100,000l. a year allowed him. He was made high admiral: and he came to understand all the concerns of the sea very particularly. He had a very able secretary about him, sir William Coventry: a man of great notions and eminent virtues, the best speaker in the house of commons, and capable of bearing the chief ministry, as it was once thought he was very near it. The duke found all the great seamen had a deep tincture from their education: they both hated popery and loved liberty: they were men of severe tempers, and kept good discipline. But in order to the putting the fleet into more confident hands, the duke began a method of sending pages of honour, and other young persons of quality, to be bred to the sea. And these were put in command, as soon as they were capable of it, if not sooner. This discouraged many of the old seamen, when they saw in what a channel advancement was like to go; who upon that left the service, and went and commanded merchantmen. By this means the virtue and discipline of the navy is much lost. It is true, we have a breed of many gallant men, who do distinguish themselves in action. But it is thought, the nation has suffered much by the vices and disorders of those captains, who have risen by their quality more than by merit or service. The du chess's character. The duchess of York was a very extraordinary woman. She had great knowledge, and a lively sense of things. She soon understood what belonged to a princess; and took state on her rather too 1660. much". She writ well; and had begun the duke's life, of which she shewed me a volume. It was all drawn from his journal: and he intended to have employed me in carrying it on. She was bred to great strictness in religion, and practised secret confession. Morley told me, he was her confessor. She began at twelve years old, and continued under his direction, till, upon her father's disgrace, he was put from the court. She was generous and friendly; but was too severe an enemy. Glocester's The king's third brother, the duke of Glocester, The duke of was of a temper different from his two brothers. character. He was active, and loved business, was apt to have particular friendships; and had an insinuating temper, which was generally very acceptable. The king loved him much better than the duke of York. But he was uneasy, when he saw there was no post 171 left for him, since Monk was general. So he spoke to the earl of Clarendon, that he might be made lord treasurer. But he told him, it was a post below his b Her marriage with the duke created great uneasiness in the royal family. The princess royal could little bear the giving place to one she thought she had honoured very much in having admitted into her service, and avoided being in a room with her as much as she could; and the duke of Gloucester could never be prevailed upon to shew her any sort of civility. My grandfather (who loved him the best of all his old master's children) told him he feared it might prove prejudicial to him if the king should die without chil dren: the duke said he believed (The bishop of Winchester.) 1660. dignity. He would not be put off with that: for he could not bear an idle life, nor to see his brother at the head of the fleet, when he himself had neither business nor dependence. But the mirth and entertainments of that time raised his blood so high, that he took the small-pox; of which he died, much lamented by all, but most particularly by the king, who was never in his whole life seen so much troubled, as he was on that occasion. Those who would not believe he had much tenderness in his nature, imputed this rather to his jealousy of the brother that survived, since he had now lost the only person that could balance him. Not long after him, the princess royal died likewise of the small-pox; but was not much lamented. She had lived in her widowhood for some years with great reputation, kept a decent court, and supported her brothers very liberally; and lived within bounds. But her mother, who had the art of making herself believe any thing she had a mind to, upon a conversation with the queen mother of France, fancied the king of France might be inclined to marry her. So she writ to her to come to Paris. In order to that, she made an equipage far above what she could support. So she ran herself into debt, sold all her jewels, and some estates that were in her power as her son's guardian; and was not only disappointed of that vain expectation, but fell into some misfortunes, that lessened the reputation she had formerly lived in*. k Particularly in relation to young Harry Jermin, nephew to the earl of St. Alban's, who left him his heir, and was after created lord Dover by king James. At the revolution he was more favoured by king William than any Roman Catholic that had been in king James's service; in regard, as was thought, to the favour he had been in with his mother, Upon her death, it might have been expected, both 1660. in justice and gratitude, that the king would in a most particular manner have taken her son, the young prince of Orange, into his protection. But he fell into better hands: for his grandmother became his guardian, and took care both of his estate and his education. spect of the ly much Thus two of the branches of the royal family The prowere cut off soon after the restoration. And so lit-royal famitle do the events of things answer the first appear-changed. ances, that a royal family of three princes and two princesses, all young and graceful persons, that promised a numerous issue, did moulder away so fast, that now, while I am writing, all is reduced to the person of the queen, and the duchess of Savoy'. The king had a very numerous issue, though none by his queen. The duke had by both his wives, and some irregular amours, a very numerous issue. And the present queen has had a most fruitful marriage as to issue, though none of them survive. The princess Henriette was so pleased with the diversion of the 172 French court, that she was glad to go thither again to be married to the king's brother, [a poor-spirited and voluptuous prince; monstrous in his vices, and effeminate in his luxury in more senses than one. who was suspected to have been married to him; which king William was willing to have believed, (rather than worse,) though it was not proper for her to own the marriage. And the late behaviour of her mother with the earl of St. Alban's, and her aunt with the earl of Craven, seemed to countenance, if not justify, such a management. D. (His lordship means the private marriages said to (Namely, queen Anne, and |