JAMES THE SECOND.

387

volence, and was bent on their ruin.* On the evening of theseventeenth of December the Earl was called into the royalcloset. James was unusually discomposed, and even shedtears. The occasion, indeed, could not but call up somerecollections which might well soften even a hard heart. Heexpressed his regret that his duty made it impossible for himto indulge his private partialities. It was absolutely neces-sary, he said, that those who had the chief direction of hisaffairs should partake his opinions and feelings. He ownedthat he had very great personal obligations to Rochester, andthat no fault could be found with the way in which the finan-cial business had lately been done: but the office of LordTreasurer was of such high importance that, in general, itought not to be entrusted to a single person, and could notsafely be entrusted by a Roman Catholic King to a personzealous for the Church of England. “ Think better of it, myLord,” he continued. “Read again the papers from mybrother’s box. I will give you a little more time for con-sideration, if you desire it.” Rochester saw that all was over,and that the wisest course left to him was to make his retreatwith as much money and as much credit as possible. Hesucceeded in both objects. He obtained a pension of fourthousand pounds a year for two lives on the post office. Hehad made great sums out of the estates of traitors, and car-ried with him in particular Grey’s bond for forty thousandpounds, and a grant of all the estate which the crown had inGrey’s extensive property.** No person had ever quittedoffice on terms so advantageous. To the applause of thesincere friends of the Established Church Rochester had, in-deed, very slender claims. To save his place he had sate in

• Bonrepaux, 1087.

1 7 June 4.

** Rochester’s Minutes. Dec. 19. 1686; Barillon. P cc> 1685; Burnet,

7 71 Jan.9. 7 7 ’

i. 685.; Clarke’s Life of James the Second, ii. 102 ,; Treasury WarrantBook, Dec. 29.1686.

chap.

VI.

lGbG.

25