"lessened towards him, but that, since he was become 66 66 so totally useless to the King and to his friends, he hoped his Majesty would give him leave to retire to "his own house, where, he doubted not, he should be "suffered to live privately and quietly to pray for the Sir Edward Hyde used his best endeavours to soothe the wounded feelings of Lord Hertford, who had now for the second time been the victim of the King's partiality to his nephews; and he not only sympathised with Lord Hertford as a friend, but, with his usual clear-sighted knowledge of human nature, he appreciated the evil consequences that such conduct might bring upon the King himself. Lord Hertford could not but consider himself ill used; and however incapable he might be of thwarting the King's service from resentment, yet an affront put upon one so generally beloved and respected as he was might easily rouse the indignation of others, and fan into a flame those embers of discontent that with many had hitherto smouldered in secret. Sir Edward determined therefore to quit Bristol and to go to the King himself, that he might represent to him in its true colours "that affair and the probable 66 consequences of it." The King at last yielded to his representations, but "it was," says Lord Clarendon, "with very great difficulty that he did so far prevail "with his Majesty" as to obtain a commission for Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper to be Governor of Wey 'Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 222. VOL. III. • Ibid., p. 223. E mouth ;' nor, even when he did prevail, was it because the King was touched by remorse at having wounded the feelings of his devoted and loyal subject, or because he was convinced by the force of Sir Edward Hyde's arguments, but because he entertained some prejudice against the person whom he understood it was Prince Maurice's intention to appoint to that governorship. Lord Hertford was probably not aware of the motives by which the King's decision was swayed, and was therefore gratified by the belief that the commission had been at last given as an act of favour to himself; and if the events of the last few weeks were afterwards held in remembrance by Lord Hertford, it is clear that his generous nature obliterated every feeling of bitterness by which they had been accompanied, and thus afforded another instance in his life of the noble manner in which he was capable of forgiving personal injuries, and the Christianlike spirit that taught him to return. good for evil. Prince Maurice's conduct as commander-in-chief "Besides the desire to gratify the Marquis," Sir Edward Hyde "did "in truth believe it of great importance to his Majesty's service to engage a person of such a fortune and interest so thoroughly in his quarrel as "he then believed such an obligation must needs do."--Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 222. The events of the following year proved that Sir Edward Hyde had justly estimated the importance of engaging Sir Anthony in the King's service, and judged wisely the probable consequences of offending him. He had not been many months in command at Weymouth before he was removed to make way for Colonel Ashburnham, "and was thereby so "much disobliged, that he quitted the King's party, and gave himself up, "body and soul, to the service of the Parliament, with an implacable animosity against the Royal interest."-Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 496. could have given but little satisfaction to those who wished well to the King's cause. The Earl of Carnarvon had secured Dorchester, Weymouth, and the island and castle of Portland, before Prince Maurice arrived with the foot, and, instead of following up these advantages by proceeding to secure the towns of Lyme and Poole, he remained about Dorchester and Weymouth, his soldiers behaving with the greatest licence, and no care being taken to observe the articles which had been drawn up on the surrender of these towns. 66 1 Lord Carnarvon, "who was full of honour and justice upon all contracts," quitted his command in disgust and returned to the King, then engaged before Gloucester. The King's cause was materially injured by these Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. p. 214. * Lord Carnarvon fell soon afterwards at the battle of Newbury. Lord Clarendon thus describes his character: "He was," says he, "a person with whose great parts and virtue the "world was not enough acquainted. Before the war, though his educa"tion was adorned by travel and an exact observation of the manners of "more nations than our common travellers use to visit (for he had, after "the view of Spain, France, and most parts of Italy, spent some time in "Turkey and those castern countries), he seemed to be wholly delighted "with those looser exercises of pleasure (hunting, hawking, and the like) “in which the nobility of that time too much delighted to excel. He had a mind and understanding very present in the article of 66 danger, which is a rare benefit in that profession. Those infirmities, and "that licence, which he had formerly indulged to himself, he put off with "severity when others thought them excusable under the notion of a "soldier. He was a great lover of justice, and practised it then most de"liberately when he had power to do wrong; and so strict in the obser"vation of his word and promise as a commander, that he could not be "persuaded to stay in the west when he found it not in his power to per"form the agreement he had made with Dorchester and Weymouth. If "he had lived, he would have proved a great ornament to that profession "and an excellent soldier, and by his death the King found a sensible "weakness in his army."-Hist. of the Rebellion, vol. iv. pp. 239-40. disgraceful excesses. The absence of Lord Hertford from the army was regarded as the loss of a powerful security against the exercise of unnecessary severity; the fear of surrender gave additional strength and courage to resist the progress of the Royal forces; and when Lyme and Poole, two small towns, were summoned by Prince Maurice, they returned so peremptory a refusal to surrender, that he resolved not to attack them, but proceed to Exeter. The attempt upon Gloucester proved a most unsuccessful measure. The town was saved to the Parliament by the skill and activity with which the Earl of Essex marched to its relief, and on the 5th of September the King was forced to raise the siege. On the 18th of September the battle of Newbury was fought; and the King, with faded hopes and clouded prospects, returned to Oxford; where "there appeared nothing "but dejection of mind, discontent, and secret mutiny "in the army, anger and jealousy among the officers, every one accusing another of want of courage and "conduct in the actions of the field, and they who 66 66 "2 were not of the army blaming them all for their "several failings and gross oversights.' To fill the measure of disunion was the presence of the Queen;— her insatiatiable yet childish love of power, her tenaciousness of rule over her too yielding husband, and the influence of her favourites in the disposal of patronage, afforded ample food for Court intrigue, and that at a 'Life of Lord Falkland, vol. i. p. 160. time when it much behoved the Court to remember that it was gathered round a falling King, rather for the purpose of struggling against a common danger than of sharing the brilliant gifts of Royal favour. The arrival of the Earls of Bedford, Clare, and Holland in the King's quarters produced many occasions for difference of opinion as to the manner in which this return to their allegiance should be received: by some ungenerous measures were desired, to rebuke their past disaffection; and unworthy means were suggested by others, to secure their present fidelity. These three Lords had joined the King before he quitted Gloucester; they had charged with great spirit in the King's own regiment of horse at the battle of Newbury; and having returned to Oxford with his Majesty, "they expected," says Lord Clarendon, "to be well looked upon;" but the Earl of Holland was by no means satisfied with his position, nor, on the other hand, was the King disposed to acquiesce in his pretensions. Lord Holland thought that "nothing of former miscarriages 66 66 66 1 ought to be remembered, that all those were cancelled by the merit of coming to the King; he expected upon his first appearance to have had his key "restored to him, to have been in the same condition "he was in the bedchamber, and in the Council, and in "the King's grace and countenance." The King, on the contrary, naturally expected from him at least some apology for the past, and he remarked to Sir Edward Hyde, whom he knew to be somewhat friendly to Lord 1 Hist. of the Rebellion. vol. iv. p. 262. 2 Ibid., p. 263. |