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"that to pass by others which he could not bare"faced appear in himself, insinuated to Mr. Ashburnham, who pretended and I think had much friendship for the secretary, that the king thought the secretary too old to take so much 66 6 pains, and often wished that his friends would "influence upon her councils and affections."*" When notice

came from the Spa that Mrs. Killigrew, one of the maids of "honour to the princess, was dead, O'Neile came in the instant " to the chancellor, with very much kindness, and told him, that "the princess royal had a very good opinion of him, and kind purposes towards his family; and that he was confident that, if "the chancellor would move the king to recommend his daugh"ter, her highness would willingly receive her."

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So far O'Neile proceeded in 1655 as he afterwards did in 1665. But in the former case we find, that there were some intrigues in which he did not scruple to appear barefaced himself. For no 66 secresy was enjoined, that it might not come to the king's ear, that he had communicated this secret to any man." The chancellor therefore, as he was fully at liberty to do," told "his majesty all that had passed between O'Neile and him; and "that for many reasons he declined the receiving that obligation " from the princess; and therefore had no use of his majesty's "favour in it."

In this resolution, we have seen, that the chancellor inflexibly persevered, until he discovered how he was thereby opposing the divine will; which had ordained that Mrs. Anne should be a maid of honour; as preparatory of course to her becoming in succession all, that an affectionate father has emphatically pronounced her to have been. (For all which see vol. i. page 378 of Clarendon's Life.)

* That O'Neile was very acceptable at least to the lady Stanhope, (afterwards created countess of Chesterfield,) there is good evidence in her ladyship's having taken him for her third husband.

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persuade him to retire, that there might be a younger man in the office, who could attend

upon his majesty at all hours and in all jour"❝nies; but that his majesty always spake kindly ""of him, and as if he resolved to give him an ample recompense:' and in confidence told “him, ' that the king had an impatient desire to "have sir Harry Bennet secretary of state.' "Ashburnham was well versed in the artifices of "court too; and thought he might very well perform the office of a friend to his old confi"dent, and at the same time find a new and more "useful friend for himself, by having a hand in procuring a large satisfaction for the old, and "likewise facilitating the way for the introduction "of a new secretary, who could not forget the obligation. So he told O'Neile, that all the ""world knew that he had for many years pro"'fessed a great friendship for secretary Nicho"las (they had been both servants at the same "time to the duke of Buckingham, when he was "killed), and that he should be much troubled ""to see him discharged in his old age with contempt; but if his majesty would dismiss him ""with honour and reward, that he might be able "to provide for his wife and children, he would "make no scruple to persuade him to quit his "'employment.' O'Neile had all he looked for,

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"and only enjoined him secrecy, that it might "not come to the king's ear that he had com"❝municated this secret to any man; and he did

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presume, that before any resolution was taken “in it, his majesty would speak of it to the "chancellor.'

"Within a day or two the king sent for Ash"burnham and told him, he knew he was a ""friend to the secretary, who was now grown “old, and not able to take the pains he had "done; that he had served his father and him"self very faithfully, and had spent his fortune "in his service; that if he were willing to retire, "for without his consent he would do nothing, "he would give him ten thousand pounds, or "any other recompense he should choose,' im

plying a title of honour: but intimated, though "he referred all to his own will, that he wished, "and that it would be acceptable to him, that "the office might be vacant and at his majesty's 'disposal.'

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"He undertook the employment very cheer"fully, and quickly imparted all that had passed " from the king, and all that he knew before, to "the secretary; who was not fond of the court, "and thought he had lived long enough there, "having seen and observed much that he was grieved at heart to see. He considered, that

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though this message was very gracious, and "offered a noble reward for his service, it did "withal appear that the king did desire he should "be gone; and having designed a successor to him, who had already much credit with him, if "he should seem sullen or unwilling, he might in

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"a short time be put out without any considera❝tion, or at most with the promise of one. Thereupon he wished his friend to assure the king, "that he would very readily do whatsoever his 'majesty thought necessary for his service; "but he hoped, that after above forty years

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spent in the service of the crown, he should "not be exposed to disgrace and contempt. "That he had a wife and children, who had all "suffered with him in exile till his majesty's 66 6 return, and for whom he could not make a

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competent provision without his majesty's

bounty; and therefore he hoped, that before "his majesty required the signet, he would cause "the recompense he designed to be more than "what he had mentioned, and to be first paid.' "This province could not be put into a fitter hand, for it was managed with notable skill. "And as soon as it was known that the secretary "would willingly resign, which was feared, and "that only a better recompense was expected, every body was willing that the king should

"make the act look as graciously as might be, that "the successor might be attended with the less envy. And Mr. Ashburnham cultivated their

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impatience so skilfully, that it cost the king, in "present money and land or lease, very little less "than twenty thousand pounds, to bring in a ser"vant whom very few cared for, in the place of

an old servant whom every body loved: and he "received all that was promised, before he re"signed his place. And if the change had been "as good for the king, as it was for the good old "secretary, every body would have been glad."

I.

"Mr. Ashburnham, who pretended, and I think "had, much friendship for the secretary."

In so thinking the lord chancellor has at once manifested his own particular candour, and exposed the groom of the bedchamber's general insincerity.

"Exceptio probat regulam de rebus non exceptis."

So candid an avowal recalls that magnanimous acquittal of Ashburnham, which lord Clarendon would have pronounced (if he had been obliged to give an opinion,) after having by a series of proofs and mass of evidence made good the charge of