kept a constant journal of all that passed, of which he showed me a
great deal. The Duke of Buckingham gave me once a short but severe
character of the two brothers. It was the more severe, because it
was true: the king, (he said,) could see things if he would: and the
duke would see things if he could. He had no true judgment, and was
soon determined by those whom he trusted: but he was obstinate
against all other advices. He was bred with high notions of kingly
authority, and laid it down for a maxim, that all who opposed the
king were rebels in their hearts. He was perpetually in one amour
or other, without being very nice in his choice: upon which the king
once said, he believed his brother had his mistress given him by his
priests for penance. He was naturally eager and revengeful: and was
against the taking off any, that set up in an opposition to the
measures of the court, and who by that means grew popular in the
house of commons. He was for rougher methods. He continued many
years dissembling his religion, and seemed zealous for the church of
England, but it was chiefly on design to hinder all propositions,
that tended to unite us among ourselves. He was a frugal prince,
and brought his court into method and magnificence, for he had
L100,000. a-year allowed him. He was made high admiral, and he came
to understand all the concerns of the sea very particularly."]

His morality and justice, struggling for some time with prejudice, had at
last triumphed, by his acknowledging for his wife Miss Hyde, maid of
honour to the Princess Royal, whom he had secretly married in Holland.
Her father, from that time prime minister of England, supported by this
new interest, soon rose to the head of affairs, and had almost ruined
them: not that he wanted capacity, but he was too self-sufficient.

The Duke of Ormond possessed the confidence and esteem of his master: the