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HISTORY OF ENGLAND

chap. At the same time it became more evident than ever that the

-King could not be trusted. The vices of Charles had grown

upon him. They were, indeed, vices which difficulties andperplexities generally bring out in the strongest light. Cunningis the natural defence of the weak. A prince, therefore, whois habitually a deceiver when at the height of power, is notlikely to learn frankness in the midst of embarrassments anddistresses. Charles was not. only a most unscrupulous but amost unlucky dissembler. There never was a politician towhom so many frauds and falsehoods were brought home byundeniable evidence. He publicly recognised the Houses atWestminster as a legal Parliament, and, at the same time,madea private minute in council, declaring the recognition null. Hepublicly disclaimed all thought of calling in foreign aid againsthis people: he privately solicited aid from France, from Den-mark, and from Loraine. He publicly denied that he em-ployed Papists: at the same time he privately sent to his ge-nerals directions to employ every Papist that would serve. Hepublicly took the sacrament at Oxford, as a pledge that henever would even connive at Popery: he privately assured hiswife, that he intended to tolerate Popery in England; and heauthorised Lord Glamorgan to promise that Popery should beestablished in Ireland. Thenlieattempted to clear himself at hisagent’s expense. Glamorgan received, in the royal hand-writing,reprimands intended to be read by others, and eulogies whichwere to be seen only by himself. To such an extent, indeed,had insincerity now tainted the King’s whole nature, that hismost devoted friends could not refrain from complainingto eachother, with bitter grief and shame, of his crooked politics. Hisdefeats, they said, gave them less pain than his intrigues. Sincehe had been a prisoner, there was no section of the victoriousparty which had not been the object both of his flatteries andof his machinations: but never was he more unfortunate thanwhenheattemptedat once to cajoleandto undermine Cromwell.