OF EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON, LORD HIGH CHANCELLOR OF ENGLAND, AND CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD: IN WHICH IS INCLUDED A CONTINUATION OF HIS HISTORY OF THE GRAND REBELLION. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. A NEW EDITION, EXHIBITING A FAITHFUL COLLATION OF THE ORIGINAL MS., VOL. III. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. MDCCCXXVII. THE CONTINUATION OF THE LIFE OF EDWARD EARL OF CLARENDON. a THOUGH the parliament at Oxford had pre- 1665. served that excellent harmony that the king had proposed, and hardly wished any thing in which they had not concurred, insomuch as never parliament so entirely sympathised with his majesty; and though it passed more acts for his honour and security than any other had ever done in so short a session yet it produced a precedent of a very unhappy nature, the circumstances whereof in the present were unusual and pernicious, and the consequences in the future very mischievous, and therefore not unfit to be set out at large. to remove The lord Arlington and sir William Coventry, An attempt closely united in the same purposes, and especially the treaagainst the chancellor, had a great desire to find surer. some means to change the course and method of the king's counsels; which they could hardly do whilst a though] Not in MS. b produced] introduced VOL. III. B 1665. the same persons continued still in the same employments. Their malice was most against the chancellor yet they knew not what suggestions to make to the king against him, having always pretended to his majesty, how falsely soever, to have a great esteem of him. Their project therefore was to remove the treasurer, who was as weary of his office and of the court as any body could be of him: but his reputation was so great, his wisdom so unquestionable, and his integrity so confessed, that they knew in neither of those points he could be impeached. And the king himself had kindness and reverence towards him, though he had for some years thought him less active, and so less fit for that administration, than every body else knew him to be: and these men had long insinuated unto his majesty," how ill all the business of the exchequer "was managed by the continual infirmities of the "treasurer, who, between the gout and the stone, "had not ease enough to attend the painful function "of that office, but left the whole to be managed " and governed by his secretary sir Philip Warwick;" upon whose experience and fidelity he did in truth much rely, as he had reason to do, his reputation for both being very signal and universal. And towards fastening this reproach they had the contribution of the lord Ashley, who was good at looking into other men's offices, and was not pleased to see sir Philip Warwick's credit greater than his with the treasurer, and his advice more followed. And the other two had craftily insinuated to him, that he would make much a better treasurer; which, whilst |