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the practice of the times renders this not impossible; but I suspect the story to have been Yorkshire gossip. The compiler of James's memoirs * ascribes the recommendation, in which the duke concurred, to an opinion of his fitness for the conduct of the treasury, as shewn in his management of the pay office of the navy.

When Osborne, who was, in August, 1673, created viscount Latimer†, and in June, 1674, earl of Danby, first obtained the staff, all the members of the Cabal, except Clifford, remained in their posts. By joining the government at this time, Osborne made himself a participator in all the counsels of the Cabal, and became at once an obnoxious minister. He partook of the odium cast upon the other ministers of Charles, for the stoppage of payment at the exchequer, the attack upon the Smyrna fleet, and the second Dutch war. him, not less than upon those who had cemented it, was visited the hateful connection with France; and he became an object of jealousy and hatred with the enemies of popery.

Upon

It is almost needless to add, because the remark is applicable to all times, that the treasurer had to contend also with the reckless factiousness of politicians, ambitious and corrupt: of some, whose principles of foreign or domestic policy gave way to the love of power; of others, who were ready to join any cause for pay: a third class should, perhaps, be added, neither ambitious nor corrupt, but altogether careless.

At the opening of the first session, in which Danby sat as treasurer, lord Shaftesbury addressed the two

* 1.484.

+ The Gazette of June 19, 1673, announces the resignation of the staff by lord Clifford, and its being given to sir Thomas Osborne, knight and ba ronet. On the 23d of June, it is said-" In the last Gazette there was an omission of the title of the right honourable sir Thomas Osborne, who, for his great merits and eminent services, was formerly created lord viscount Dumblaine in Scotland, and, in further confidence of his great abilities, is now made lord high treasurer of England." (Ralph, i. 236.) Douglas says (i. 459.), "He was made viscount Duinblaine on Feb 2. 1673, and surrendered his patent to his son Peregrine, on the 14th of March 1694.” The surrender took place sooner, I believe.

Eleventh Session of the Long Parliament, Oct. 27. 1673. Parl. Hist. iv. 586. Com. Journ. ix. 282. Lords', xii. 588.

houses as chancellor. It may be supposed to have been by the advice of the treasurer, that the king, in his own speech, recommended a consideration of “the debt he owed the goldsmiths, in which many other of his good subjects were involved,”— those, namely, who had been injured by the stoppage of the exchequer. But the speech of Shaftesbury, while it enforced the same popular topic, was principally directed against the Dutch, and savoured little of a disposition to conciliate them for the sake of peace.

The commons refused to grant a supply, "unless it should appear that the obstinacy of the Dutch should make it necessary. In the former session, they had liberally supported the war, and were probably now influenced in withholding assistance, by the duke of York's public avowal of his adherence to the Roman catholic religion. It was thus the fear of popery that refused to fill the treasury, while in the hands of the most zealous protestant among Charles's ministers. The commons introduced new measures against popery, intended “to clear the house of lords (in which the duke still sat), as well as the court, of all papists † ;” and they addressed the king to prevent the duke's marriage with the catholic princess of Modena; and they were about to attack the duke of Lauderdale, when the king suddenly prorogued the parliament. ‡

Another of the Cabal now left the council: Shaftesbury, who appeared, during this short session, to have co-operated with the leaders of opposition, especially in the attacks upon the duke of York §, was deprived of the great seal.

Buckingham was still (as well as Arlington) one of the confidential advisers of the crown||, when parlia* Oct. 31. Parl. Hist. iv. 602, 3.

Nov. 4., p. 608.

+ P. 592.

He was also suspected of having carried on an intrigue with the prince of Orange, with the view of putting an end, through the opposition in the house of commons, to the Dutch war, and uniting England with the Dutch against France. See Lingard, xii. 302., and Temple, ii. 292.

The foreign committee consisted, in Feb. 1674, of Finch, Danby, Arlington, and Henry Coventry. (Temple, ii. 254.) But this committee wac not alone consulted on the conduct of affairs.

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ment again met in January 1674.*

But something more of Danby's politics now began to appear in the opening speeches. The king's, besides promising to agree to anything which the house might think wanting to secure religion or property, was a little more pacific, and contained a disclaimer of secret stipulations with France, of which the treasurer himself did not know the audacious falsehood.†

The speech too of the new lord keeper, though still full of the unreasonableness of the Dutch, regarded peace as more probable; but was chiefly notable for a boast of "the conviction of all recusants, and bringing them under the penal laws." Yet this did not deter the house of commons from renewing strong resolutions against "counsellors popishly affected" and otherwise obnoxious, or from proceeding specifically against the three remaining members of the Cabal, Lauderdale, Buckingham, and Arlington. Not only the encouragement of popery, but the breach of the triple alliance, the Dutch war, and the intimacy § with France, were among the charges against these ministers. The house addressed the king to remove the two dukes: Arlington, whom Buckingham had accused of being the adviser of the war, but who rejected that imputation, and took credit for the triple alliance, was acquitted.

The examination of Buckingham disclosed the jealousy, and even enmity, which prevailed between these

Twelfth Session, Jan. 7. 1674. Parl. Hist. 611. Com. Journ. ix. 286. Lords', xii. 594.

"I know you have heard much of my alliance with France, and I believe it hath been very strangely misrepresented to you, as if there were certain secret articles of dangerous consequence; but I will make no difficulty of letting the treaties, and all the articles of them, without any the least reserve, to be seen by a small committee of both houses, who may report to you the true scope of them; and I assure you, there is no other treaty with France, either before or since, not already printed, which shall not be made known."-p. 611.

+ P. 624.

The third charge against Arlington was, that he had traitorously be. trayed his trust as secretary of state; and the first overt act was,-" entertaining a more than usual intimacy with the French ambassador, not only lodging him in his house, but letting him into the king's most secret counsels."-p. 651.

two leading members of the Cabal.

Danby probably

differed from both, but at this time was united, at least in foreign politics, with lord Arlington, although there was certainly no friendship between them.

The commons renewed, but did not pass, their bill for a more effectual test. In the house of which Danby was himself a member, the measures were now first suggested, which afterwards took the name of expedients, by way of substitute for the exclusion of the popish successors. By these it was proposed, that persons of the royal line should marry protestants only, and all the royal children be educated in the church of England.* No one of these suggestions was carried into effect. I have not the means of ascertaining what part Danby took in the discussion of them. That he was favourable to them in his heart, I cannot doubt; and I think it probable that he supported them with the approbation of the king, who could be reconciled to anything short of the exclusion of his brother.

The commons passed the habeas corpus bill †, but it was dropped by the lords.

The refusal of Louis to comply with Charles's pecuniary demands, while the English parliament still withheld supplies, now inclined the king to a peace, to which the States were at the same time influenced by the court of Spain, with which they had recently contracted an alliance. Acceptable terms were proposed by the Dutch, through the Spanish ambassador: these Charles communicated to parliament, and was advised to conclude upon that basis.§ The king set at hought, for the moment, the interests and probably the remonstrances of France, and the peace was signed in February, 1674. The king immediately prorogued the parliament ||, without giving effect to the votes of the

*Lords' Journ. 618. 626. Not a trace of these proceedings is to be found in the Parl. Hist.

† Parl. Hist., iv. 660. Parl. Hist., ib.

Dalr. i. 137.
Feb. 24. 1674, p. 666,

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commons against his ministers, or receiving from them the requisite supplies.

I cannot undertake to say, that it was by Danby's advice or management that Charles was brought for a time into a more English policy; but the king did certainly display, at this period, the sentiments upon which the cavalier who was his minister, no less than the popular leaders, desired him to act. Danby's old friend, sir William Temple, the negotiator of the triple alliance, —whom Charles permitted to lecture him with patience proportioned to his disregard of the lecture, was now again called forth and sent to Holland, furnished with reasonable and judicious instructions*, and flattering himself that he had left his master in the right mood.t

Now that the test act was in force, peace made with the Dutch, and the connection with France interrupted, there is nothing to object to in the policy of the administration of which lord Danby was a member. It was equally consistent with his own, and the public opinion.

The treasurer now gave relief, in what mode I am unable to say, to the sufferers by the perfidious shutting of the exchequer ; the commencement of a financial administration, which, although the subject of much controversy, most historians have lauded, and under which the revenue was augmented, while the expenses were diminished.

In these departmental matters, Danby had probably his own way, but he had by no means that dominant control over the king's affairs which now belongs to a prime minister. Buckingham was dismissed§ in the

* May 30. 1674. Life of Temple, ii. 405. They are countersigned by Henry Coventry. If drawn by him, they do him great credit. + Ib. i. 424., and Temple's Memoirs, ii. 267.

Danby's Memoirs, p. 7. The sum there stated is 1,200,000.

Reresby says, that Buckingham's disgrace occurred through the duchess of Portsmouth, and that he in vain made use of the mediation of Danby; and, "to say the truth," adds sir John," his lordship was not altogether so zealous for his grace as he ought to have been, especially if we consider that it was to him he owed the white staff" (Mem. 24.) Surely, after Buckingham's examination before the house of commons, no one of his colleagues could be very desirous of retaining him.

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