His intellect was not for a moment clouded. His fortitude was the
more admirable because he was not willing to die. He had very
lately said to one of those whom he most loved: "You know that I
never feared death; there have been times when I should have
wished it; but, now that this great new prospect is opening
before me, I do wish to stay here a little longer." Yet no
weakness, no querulousness, disgraced the noble close of that
noble career. To the physicians the King returned his thanks
graciously and gently. "I know that you have done all that skill
and learning could do for me; but the case is beyond your art;
and I submit." From the words which escaped him he seemed to be
frequently engaged in mental prayer. Burnet and Tenison remained
many hours in the sick room. He professed to them his firm belief
in the truth of the Christian religion, and received the
sacrament from their hands with great seriousness. The
antechambers were crowded all night with lords and privy
councillors. He ordered several of them to be called in, and
exerted himself to take leave of them with a few kind and
cheerful words. Among the English who were admitted to his
bedside were Devonshire and Ormond. But there were in the crowd
those who felt as no Englishman could feel, friends of his youth
who had been true to him, and to whom he had been true, through
all vicissitudes of fortune; who had served him with unalterable
fidelity when his Secretaries of State, his Treasury and his
Admiralty had betrayed him; who had never on any field of battle,
or in an atmosphere tainted with loathsome and deadly disease,
shrunk from placing their own lives in jeopardy to save his, and
whose truth he had at the cost of his own popularity rewarded
with bounteous munificence. He strained his feeble voice to thank
Auverquerque for the affectionate and loyal services of thirty