"to his advantage, as occafion fhould ferve, "and to procure leave that he might wait on "the King, promifing, with all the oaths that "he could exprefs, to caufe belief that he "would ferve Sir Richard's intereft, in whatsoever "condition he should be in. Thus they parted,

with Sir Richard's promifes to serve him in "what he was capable of; upon which account many letters paffed between them.

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"The King promised Sir Richard that he "should be one of the Secretaries of State (at

66

the Restoration), and both the Duke of Or"mond and Lord Chancellor Clarendon were "witneffes of it; yet that false man inade the King break his word, for his own accommodation, and placed Mr. Morrice, a poor Country "Gentleman of about 2001. a-year, a fierce Prefbyterian, and one who never faw the

King's face; but still promises were made of "the reverfion to Sir Richard. Now it was "the bufinefs of the Chancellor to put Sir "Richard as far from the King as he could, "because his ignorance in State affairs was daily difcovered by Sir Richard, who shewed

"it to the King; but at that time the King

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was fo content that he, Lord Clarendon, "should almost alone manage his affairs, that "he might have more time for his pleasures, "that

C 4

"that his faults were not fo vifible as otherwife

66

they would have been, and afterwards proved.

1665 The Articles concluded on between England and Spain by Sir Richard Fanshawe, "and the Articles for the adjustment-between Spain and Portugal, were cavilled at by Lord "Chancellor Clarendon and his party, that they

might have an opportunity to fend the Earl "of Sandwich out of the way from the Par"liament which then fat, and as he and his "friends feared would be feverely punished for "his cowardice in the Dutch fight. He nei"ther understood the cuftoms of the Court

nor the language, nor indeed any thing but a "vicious life: and thus was he fhuffled into "Sir Richard's employment, to reap the be"nefit of his five years negociation of the peace "of England, Spain, and Portugal, and after "above thirty years ftudying State affairs, and many of them in the Spanish Court. So "much are Ambaffadors flaves to the public "Minifters at home, who often through ignorance or envy ruin them."

66

Charles the Second wrote the following Letter to the Duke of Ormond, giving his reafons for difmiffing Lord Clarendon from his fervice.

This

This Letter Mr. Carte could never find amongst those written to that illuftrious Nobleman.

"Whitehall, Sept. 15th.

"I SHOULD have thanked you fooner for

your melancholy Letter of 26th Aug', and "the good councell you gave me in it, as my purpose was alfo to fay fomething to you con

46

cerning my takeing the feales from the Chan

cellour, of which you must needes have heard "all the paffages, fince he would not fuffer it "to be done fo privately as I intended it. "The truth is, his behaviour and humour was "growne fo infupportable to my felfe, and to "all the world elfe, that I could not longer "endure it, and it was impoffible for me to "live with it and do those things with the Par"liament that must be done, or the Govern"ment will be loft. When I have a better

35

oportunity for it, you shall know many par"ticulars that have inclined me to this revo"lution, which already feems to be well liked "in the world, and to have given a real "and visible amendment to my affaires. This "is an argument too big for a letter, fo I will "add but this word to it, to affure you that your former friendship to the Chancellour "fhall not do you any prejudice with me, and "that I have not in the leaft degree diminished

66

"that

"that value and kindnefs I ever had for you, 66 W ch I thought fit to fay to you upon this "occafion, because it is very poffible malicious "people may fuggeft the contrary to you.

C. R."

Superfcribed" For my Lord Lieutenant."

The COMPILER has been favoured by the MARQUIS of BUCKINGHAM (a name dear to Literature and to the Arts) with the Original of the following Letter of Lord Clarendon, addreffed to the Juftices of the Peace for the County of Buckingham; which, from the excellent fense it contains, and the good advice it gives, feems particularly fuited to the fituation of affairs in thefe times of alarm and danger*.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

"His Majeftie being well affured, as well by "the confeffion of fome defperate perfons lately apprehended, as by other credible informa"tions, that, notwithstanding all his unpa"ralleled lenity and mercy towards all his fub

jects for their past offences, how greate foever, "there is ftill amongst them many feditious perfons, who, inftead of being forry for the "ill they have done, are ftill contriving, by all

In the Summer of 1794.

"the

"the means they can, to involve the Kingdom "in a new civill warre; and in order thereunto "have made choice of a fmall number, who, "under the title of a Council, hold correspond

ence with the forraigne enemyes to this "Kingdom, and diftribute therein orders to "fome fignal men of their party in the several Counties, who have provided armes and lifted

men to be ready upon any short warning to "draw together in a body, by which, with the

helpe they promise themselves from abroad, "they prefume to be able to doe much mif"chiefe; which his Majeftie hopes (with the "bleffing of God upon his greate care and vigi"lance) to prevent, and to that purpose hath "writt to his Lords Lieutenants of the feveral "Counties, that they and their Deputy Lieu"tenants may doe what belongs to them: But "his Majeftie, taking notice of greate negli

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gence and remiffneffe in too many Justices "of the Peace*, in the exercife of the trust "committed

James the Firft, who, like his grandfon Charles the Second, perhaps never faid a foolish thing, nor ever did a wife one, in one of his fpeeches in the Star Chamber, directs the Judges "to take notice, in their feveral Cir"cuits, of those Juftices of the Peace that were moft "active for the good of the Country, that they might

find encouragement from him: for" (adds Wilfon), "to

"make