380

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

c vf p ‘ sinking into a mere financial clerk. The Parliament was again—prorogued to a distant day, in opposition to the Treasurer’sknown wishes. He was not even told that there was to beanother prorogation, but was left to learn the news from theGazette. The real direction of affairs had passed to the cabalwhich dined with Sunderland on Fridays. The cabinet metonly to hear the despatches from foreign courts read: nor didthose despatches contain anything which was not known onthe Royal Exchange; for all the English Envoys had receivedorders to put into the official letters only the common talk ofantechambers, and to reserve important secrets for privatecommunications which were addressed to James himself, toSunderland, or to Petre.* Yet the victorious faction was notcontent. The King was assured by those whom he mosttrusted that the obstinacy with which the nation opposed hisdesigns was really to be imputed to Rochester. How couldthe people believe that their Sovereign was unalterably re-solved to persevere in the course on which he had entered,when they saw at his right hand, ostensibly first in power andtrust among his counsellors, a man who notoriously regardedthat course with strong disapprobation? Every step whichhad been taken with the object of humbling the Church ofEngland, and of elevating the Church of Rome, had beenopposed by the Treasurer. True it was that, when he hadfound opposition vain, he had gloomily submitted, nay, thathe had sometimes even assisted in carrying into effect the veryplans against which he had most earnestly contended. Trueit was that, though he disliked the Ecclesiastical Commission,he had consented to be a Commissioner. True it was that hehad, while declaring that he could see nothing blamable inthe conduct of the Bishop of London, voted sullenly andreluctantly for the sentence of deprivation. But this was notenough. A prince, engaged in an enterprise so important* Barillon, Sepl. R. 1G8G; Clarke’s Life of James Ihe Second, ii. 99.