■WILLIAK THE THIUP.

O

The Duke’s motion fell to the ground; and a few hours later the chap.Parliament was prorogued.* —Toual

The impeachment was never revived. The evidence which D is „ rac <,would warrant a formal verdict of guilty was not forthcoming; ot Lueds -and a formal verdict of guilty would hardly have answeredWharton’s purpose better than the informal verdict of guiltywhich the whole nation had already pronounced. The work wasdone. The Whigs were dominant. Leeds was no longer chiefminister, was indeed no longer a minister at all. William, frontrespect probably for the memory of the beloved wife whom hehad lately lost, and to whom Leeds had shown peculiar attach-ment, avoided every thing that could look like harshness. Thefallen statesman was suffered to retain during a considerabletime the title of Lord President, and to walk on public occasionsbetween the Great Seal and the Privy Seal. Put he was toldthat he would do well not to show himself at Council: the busi-ness and the patronage even of the department of which he wasthe nominal head passed into other hands; and the place whichhe ostensibly filled was considered in political circles as reallyvacant. **

He hastened into the country, and hid himself there, duringsome months, from the public eye. When the Parliament metagain, however, he emerged from his retreat. Though he waswell stricken in years and cruelly tortured by disease, his ambi-tion was still as ardent as ever. With indefatigable energy hebegan a third time to climb, as he flattered himself, towardsthat dizzy pinnacle which he had twice reached, and from whichhe had twice fallen. Tie took a prominent part in debate: but,though his eloquence and knowledge always secured to him theattention of his hearers, he was never again, even when the

* Exact Collection; Lords" Journals, May 3. 1695; Commons" Journals,

May, 2, 3.; L’llcrmitagc, May ; London Gazette, May 13.

** L’llermitage, May JjJJ. 1695; Vernon to Shrewsbury, June 22. 1697.