which He would have Nothing to do: And fo advised him to confider well of it, and of all the Confequences of it, before He expofed himself to fuch an Inconvenience.

WHILST this was in Sufpenfe, Sir Charles Cæfar, who with great Prejudice to the King, and more Reproach to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Laud, had been made Master of the Rolls, died: And Sir John Colepepper had long had a Promife from the King of that Place, when it fhould become void, and now preffed the Performance of it: Which was violently oppofed by Many, partly out of ill Will to him (for He had not the Faculty of getting himself much loved) and as much out of good Husbandry, and to fupply the King's Neceffities with a good Sum of Money, which Dr. Duck was ready to lay down for the Office. And the King was fo far wrought upon, that He paid down three thoufand Pounds in Part of what He was to give; but his Majefty caused the Money to be repaid, and refolved to make good his Promife to Sir John Colepepper, who would by no means release him. This was no fooner declared, than the Lord Falkland (who was much more folicitous to have Mr. Hyde of the Council, than He was himself for the Honour) took an Opportunity to tell the King, that He had now a good Opportunity to prefer Mr. Hyde, by making him Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the Place of Sir John Colepepper; which the King faid, He had refolved to do, and bid him take no Notice of it, until He had told him fo himself. But accepts And fhortly after fent for him, and faid, "that He that of Chan- « had now found an Office for him, which He cellor of the Exchequer. hoped He would not refufe: That the Chancel-(73) "lorship of the Exchequer was void by the Promo"tion of Colepepper; and that He refolved to confer "it upon him;" with many gracious Expreffions of the Satisfaction He had in his Service. The other

'

ઃઃ

answered,

anfwered, "that though it was an Office much "above his Merit, yet He did not defpair of en"abling himself by Industry to execute it, which "He would do with all Fidelity."

As foon as this was known, no Man was fo much troubled at it as Sir John Colepepper, who had in Truth an Intention to have kept both Places, until He fhould get into the quiet Poffeffion of the Rolls. And though He profeffed much Friendfhip to the other, He had no Mind He fhould be upon the fame Level with him; and believed He would have too much Credit in the Council. And fo delayed, after his Patent for the Rolls was paffed, to furrender that of the Chancellorfhip of the Exchequer, until the Lord Falkland, and the Lord Digby expoftulated very warmly with him upon it, and until the King took Notice of it; and then, feeming very much troubled that any Body fhould doubt the Integrity of his Friendship to Mr. Hyde, to whom He made all the Profeffions imaginable, He furrendered his Office of Chancellor of the Exchequer: And the next Day Mr. Hyde was fworn of the Privy- He is forn Council, and Knighted, and had his Patents fealed of the Privy for that Office. And the King, after. He rofe from Knighted the Council, and after many Expreffions of the Content He took himself in the Obligation He had laid upon him, with much Grace, that was not natural in him upon fuch Occafions, told him, that "He was very fortunate, because He verily believed

66

no Body was angry at his Preferment; for befides "that the Earl of Dorfet and others, who He knew "loved him, had expreffed much Satisfaction in the King's Purpofe; He faid, the Lord Maltrevers, "and the Lord Dunfmore, who He did not think had any Acquaintance with him, feemed very "much pleased with him; and therefore He thought "no Body would envy him; which was a rare Feli"city." But his Majefty was therein mistaken; for

He

1642

Council and

He had great Enviers, of many who thought He had run too fast; especially of thofe of his own Profeffion, who looked upon themfelves as his Superiours in all Refpects, and did not think that his Age (which was not then above thirty three) or his other Parts, did entitle him to fuch a Preference before them. And the News of it at Westminster, exceedingly offended Those who governed in the Parliament; to see the Man whom They moft hated, and whom They had voted to be incapable of Pardon, to be now preferred to an Office the Chief of them looked for. Besides, there was another unufual Circumstance accompanied his Preferment, that it was without the Interpofition or Privity of the Queen, which was not like to make it the more eafy, and advantageous; and it was not the more unwelcome to him from that Circumstance.

NOTWITHSTANDING all the Discourse of, and Inclination to a Treaty, the Armies were not quiet on either Side. The King's Quarters were enlarged by the taking of Marlborough in Wiltshire, and of Cirencester in Glocestershire; which though untenable by their Situation and weak Fortifications, were garrifoned by the Parliament with great Numbers of Men, who were all killed, or taken Prisoners. And the Parliament Forces were not without Succefs too; and after the Lofs of Marlborough, furprised the Regiment of Horse, that was commanded by the Lord Grandifon, a gallant Gentleman, who if not betrayed, was unhappily invited to Winchefter, with Promise of Forces ready to defend the Place; which being in no Degree performed, He (74) was the next Day after He came, enclosed in the Caftle of Winchester, and compelled to become, all, Officers and Soldiers, Prisoners of War: Though He and some other of the principal Officers, by the Negligence or Corruption of their Guard, made

their

their Escape in the Night, and returned to Oxford.

1

THIS was the State of the Kingdom, of the King, and of the Parliament, in the Beginning of the Year 1643, at the Time when Mr. Hyde was made of the Privy Council, and Chancellor of the Exchequer: Which was between the Return of the Commiffioners, who had been fent to the King to propofe a Treaty, and the coming of thofe Commiffioners to Oxford, who were afterwards fent from the Parliament to treat with the King; which being about the End of the Year 1642, this Part shall be closed here.

Pezenas, the 24th

of July, 1669.

Vol. I.

K

The