•WILLIAM AND HAEY.

201

Thus pressed, James unwillingly yielded. He consented togive a share in the management of his affairs to one of themost distinguished of the Compounders, Charles Earl of Mid-dleton.

Middleton’s family and his peerage were Scotch. But hewas closely connected with some of the noblest houses of Eng-land: he had resided long in England: he had been appointedby Charles the Second one of the English Secretaries of State,and had been entrusted by James with the lead of the EnglishHouse of Commons. His abilities and acquirements were con-siderable : his temper ivas easy and generous: his manners w'erepopular; and his conduct had generally been' consistent andhonourable. He had, when Popery was in the ascendant, re-solutely refused to purchase the royal favour by apostasy. Ro-man Catholic ecclesiastics had been sent to convert him; andthe towm had been much amused by the dexterity with w'hich thelayman baffled the divines. ’ A priest undertook to demonstratethe doctrine of transubstantiation, and made the approaches inthe usual form. “Your Lordship believes in the Trinity.” “Whotold you so?” said Middleton. “Not believe in the Trinity!”cried the priest in amazement. “Nay,” said Middleton; “proveyour religion to be true if you can: but do not catechize meabout mine.” As it w'as plain that the Secretary was not a dis-putant whom it was easy to take at an advantage, the contro-versy ended almost as soon as it began.* When fortune changed,Middleton adhered to the cause of hereditary monarchy v'ith astedfastness which w'as the more respectable because he V'ouldhave had no difficulty in making his peace with the new govern-ment. His sentiments were so well known that, when thekingdom was agitated by apprehensions of an invasion and an in-surrection, he was arrested and sent to the Tower: but no evi-dence on which he could be convicted of treason W'as discovered;

* Burnet, i. 683.

CIIAP.

XX.

1693 .

Changeof mi-nistry atSaintGer-mains :Middle-ton.